Chapter 9
I remember holding my breath when I returned to those first few tumultuous days.
What would mums and dad say? Would they allow me to bring Maisie into our circle? Seeing Maisie on that first Monday back at uni was surprisingly easy. I was waiting for the stilted, almost embarrassing conversation I had dreaded. Still, it was as if nothing had changed. We hugged and chastely kissed on seeing each other. Just the look in her eyes told me everything; we were fine. I messaged my mums at lunch to let them know the day was going well and that Maisie was her usual adorable self. We shared our lunches, as always, chuckling, and hardly ever surprised what the other had brought in.
"So, your birthday. How about we take the Friday off and head out early, okay? We'll be back late Sunday if that works for you. Are you still...okay with me taking you away?" she asked, with a modicum of hesitation. "I promise you a good craic!"
"Maisie, there's nothing I need more, okay? Merci, mon amour," I sighed, and grasped her soft hand. "And...I always have a good craic with you, sweetie," watching her smile as I was using more of her slang now.
"Mo thlachd, a ghràdh," she smiled, now
my
eyebrows raising. I hadn't heard this before. "It's my pleasure, my love, I said," and she leaned over, our lips touching once again.
"You'll have to teach me Scottish, and I'll teach you, French, okay?" I giggled.
"Well, we have plenty of time ahead of us to get proficient, hmm?" Maisie gushed.
"So, when I left you yesterday, how were you really?" she asked, cutting through the small talk, as always.
"Confused, happy, horny as fuck," I laughed. "I was sad...still am if I'm honest, but I get it. I do, Maisie. It's what we need, I understand that, so...here we go!" I smiled.
"Here we go is right! This is all so new, darling. We need to be honest with each other, you know, when I see you, or you see me with someone else, okay? Not that it's going to happen, but...if and when, all right?" she said.
"Maisie...we'll...I'll be fine, okay? I won't be the all-consuming, bunny-boiling girlfriend, okay?" I laughed. "I'll know who you're really with so I can handle it, okay? Anyone on the horizon?" I asked, stupidly. Did I really want to hear her answer?
"Can't say there is, darling. I'm serious! I'm just so into you, but I'll give it a go, aye? That's all I can promise," she said, a certain sadness creeping into her voice. "And you...?"
"Maisie, it's way too early for me to even consider that!" I said, somewhat honestly. After the love my parents gave me a mere twelve hours ago, I could think of any one else but this stunning woman sitting across from me. "So, we're off a week from this Friday, eh? I can't wait, darling and...thank you. This means the world to me. Oh, by the way, my dad is
finally
taking me to Paris for my birthday! He can't go 'til next month, but it'll be worth the wait. He promised me years ago, but had to put it off for the last two birthdays because of work. He won't get away with cancelling this time!" I laughed.
"Lucky you!" she sincerely said. "Just note some places for...us to go?"
"I have a notebook for that already, darling," I smiled, and she knew it was true.
We returned to the hall and spent another three hours studying and researching. The rest of the week went by so quickly for both of us. Home was home, my parents a bit gentler with me in my still-fragile condition. On Thursday, we finally had the talk I was expecting and dreading in some ways.
Sitting here on the balcony all these years later, I still remember vividly what they said. This was huge for them and for me. Their trust in me and my decisions would probably be tested here, forever.
Dad, as always, started the conversation, explaining how they came to their decision, as if he was doing a risk assessment at work, which, I guess, he was. When you looked at it on paper, it sure didn't appear good, but dad, as always, looked at the human element, something that had stood him in good stead in business. On the negative side, they asked if I had thought this through; would Maisie be so willing to share me with them? Would she feel as if she was second by divulging our life together? They were concerned that I would be destroying my future with her.
"I understand that, dad, and yes, I have thought about it, but if we're going to be together, she has a right to know everything about me. I agree, she may want nothing to do with me when she finds out, but I need her to know," I explained. "It's a huge gamble, sure, but if she found out later, the hurt would be even worse, so..."
"And you're ready for the fallout if she doesn't accept this, hmm? You could be ruining your chances of love here," mom said. "We once said that our intimacy would stop once you were married, right? Well, I'm going to amend that. If you and Maisie are serious, it will stop, okay? You two will have enough to deal with in your lives without the shadow of your relationship with us clouding over things. Are you prepared for that?"
"I've already thought that through, mums, and yes, I am prepared for that. After everything you've given me over the last four months, I've learned more about myself than in the last few years. You'll still be my parents, so...I'll still have you. I just won't be, uh, sleeping with you," I said, chuckling.
MumE was holding my hand, adding bits and pieces, and confirming what they had discussed. Somehow, I think they almost admired my honesty, something they had ingrained in David and me. I felt so much older than my almost twenty-one years.
"Then tell her, okay? Whatever you feel comfortable telling her, do so," dad said.
"Even...you and mom being, you know, brother and sister?" I asked, flabbergasted that they had agreed.
"We trust you, Chloe. This decision is on your shoulders. Think it through, okay, but yes, you have our permission. Just think through the repercussions, okay? We know how important Maisie is to you, so yeah, go ahead," dad said. "Believe us, if we didn't see and feel the connection you both
have, we would have emphatically said, 'No'," dad exclaimed.
"And you'll still be okay if she spends the night here...every so often?" I asked, pushing my luck.
Three sets of eyebrows rose to the ceiling, but a gentle, 'Yes' came from my mums.
I leapt from my chair, and engulfed them all, thanking them way too much for their confidence in my decision. We had a long drink together, then I begged off and headed to my room, ostensibly to get ready for bed, but I needed to talk with Maisie.
"Hi, girl!" I cheerfully said, as she picked up my call. "How's everything?" I asked.
