Page 82 of October
“Well, shit,” Molly said. “I thought I could count on her to help me out.”
“She will,” Juliet replied. “At least while you’re finding someone else. She has a ton of recommendations if needed, butyou’re also my best friend, and you’ll have a new, cute puppy, so she’ll probably just do it.”
“Carly won’t be jealous?”
Juliet brightened and said, “Carly’s going to have a new best friend.”
“I hope so,” Molly replied.
“Hey, look who I found outside,” Gwen said, walking over to their table.
“Hey, Jill,” Juliet said. “Have you met my friend, Molly?”
“Hey,” Jill said to Molly.
“Hi,” Molly replied with a smile.
“She’s grabbing lunch to take back to NOLA Guides for everyone, and I told her I’d help her carry it all back later,” Gwen explained before she sat down next to Juliet and kissed her. “Hi, babe.”
Juliet smiled and said, “Aren’t you nice?”
“I’m very nice,” Gwen replied.
“I ordered ahead,” Jill said as she sat down on Molly’s side. “Should be ready soon.”
“So, Jill, how’s Willa?” Juliet asked.
“She’s amazing, and I love her. Thank you for asking.” She winked. “Seriously, she’s good. She’s loving the new job and is spending nearly every night at my place, so I’m a very happy girlfriend.”
“I bet you are,” Gwen teased.
“When is too soon to just combine apartments? She’s hardly ever at hers, anyway.”
“How long have you been together again?” Juliet asked.
“A few months.”
“You’re ready to move in after a fewmonths?” Molly asked in disbelief.
“Not officially. Her lease isn’t up or anything, so I was thinking about a practice run. I mean, I want to marry thiswoman one day. So far, she’s clean and tidy. She puts the cap back on the toothpaste. Her dishes go into the dishwasher. The only thing she’s ever left on the floor is–” Jill stopped and cleared her throat. “Well, something when we’re done using it, and she picks it up the next day.”
Juliet and Gwen both laughed while Molly was still too busy thinking about how she had never wanted to move in with someone after only a few months.
“Anyway, we’re already basically doing it. We might as well make it official. Not like officially official because she’ll still have her place, but officially a practice run.”
“Well, I say go for it,” Gwen suggested.
“You do?”
“Not for us,” Gwen said to Juliet. “Don’t freak out.”
Juliet laughed and replied, “Not freaking out. Just good to know.”
“It’s confusing because when Willa and I met, she kind of got dropped right into my crazy life. It was fine before that, my life; no craziness. I had just gotten a nice apartment, my mom was relatively stable, and my kid sister was fine, too. I wasn’t all that close to them, but that just was what it was. Then, the day I met Willa was the day it got nuts, and now that things are finally calmed down, I still know.”
“Still know?” Molly asked.
“That I want her every day,” Jill said with a shoulder shrug. “It’s important to go through shit with someone to know if they’re the one for you, but it’s also important to just be with them during the regular stuff, too. It’s only been a few months. I’m not proposing anytime soon, but I know it’s her for me.”
