Catching Rainbows

37

I quietly made Jared a blanket bed on the floor in Nathaniel's room, so he wouldn't disrupt Hailie's routine if/when she woke up in the witching hours. I didn't think anything would happen that would cause us to need his help, but with this dickhead we could use all the backup we could get while he was freshly enraged.

When Jared arrived he set down the cardboard tray of hot drinks before he hugged me and half-waved at Chloe. "I moved the ladder away from your window," he told me. "And don't worry," he said to her assuredly. "I'll fuck him up if he tries anything. Or Luna will with her taser."

She smiled a little at the thought. "I appreciate you talking to him, really. I know it's not fun, even if you're not afraid of him."

"I was a little afraid," he admitted. "But I can be afraid and still kick his ass." He grinned a little. 

"Thanks," I said, taking the grease-spotted white bag from him and peeking in at the apple fritters. "I'll warm these up because, duh." 

I heard them talking while I did so, and only a tiny part of me hoped they wouldn't accidentally fall for each other. Lightning doesn't strike twice, right, universe?

We watched TV for awhile and then she and I went up to my tiny room to go to bed. She'd spent the last several nights unable to sleep much, and was clearly exhausted. Especially on top of all the emotional shit going on. 

I changed into pajamas and washed my face, and when I came out she was sitting on the windowsill in the near dark, searching the yard for trouble. She had on these super cute white yoga shorts with a blue stripe and a spaghetti strap blue tank top, her hair in an unruly bun on top of her head.

I climbed into bed. "C'mere, you," I said, motioning her toward me. 

She did, purple smudges stark under her eyes. I pulled the silky sheet over us, wanting to tuck her in for comfort even though it was too hot for covers. 

"We're safe here. With or without Jared downstairs. My stun gun will level anyone, even that fuckboy." I hadn't tested it on anyone of course, but the reviews were stellar from women who had tested it on their (willing) men friends. The unfortunate subjects of the experiment had been left crying and twitching, some even peeing their pants.

I half wished the asshole would come around so I could test it out because she deserved to see such that kind of display, no doubt. 

She smirked. "And wouldn't we like to see it." 

"Hey." I turned her face toward me with a gentle finger under her chin, not bothering to filter my words, which is why I said what I did next.  "No worrying. I love you." Oh shit, was it too soon, had I made it awkward? It felt so natural and it had been true for a while but I never knew what was socially acceptable.

Luckily she seemed to have already known. "Mmm," she said, a happy sound, and snuggled into my arm. She kissed me once, twice, and traced my makeup-less eyebrow. "I love you too. And you probably know, but you saying that effectively knocks everything else out of my head so, mission accomplished."

"Good," I said. I sat up enough to pull my shirt over my head. "How's this work?"

"So well," she said, appreciation strong in her expression as she reached for me. "I don't know what I did to deserve you," she murmured with her lips against my neck. 

"Mutual," I managed before her hands stole my breath away. 

I woke up to screaming at two but it was just Hailie, so business as usual. Chloe didn't stir as I slipped out of bed and back into my clothes. I took a few extra moments to drink her in; her hand under her cheek by those dark lashes, the beauty mark she hated that I loved. Everything about her, I loved. 

I peeked out the window to be sure it was empty in the yard, then shut and locked the window even though it was too warm to do so. I wasn't taking any chances; I was all too familiar with the way angry, unreasonable men operated. 

Hailie was thrashing around on the floor, tangled in her top sheet, and I got to her room just as my aunt did. "I've got her, Luna," she said as she went to her, with either confidence or a good semblance of it. Either way, fake it till you make it, right? "You go back to bed, honey."

"Are you sure?" I asked hesitantly as she unwrapped the little girl and pulled her into her lap on the bed. 

She nodded, waving me away, talking to her daughter in a low voice. I felt my eyebrows trying to climb off my forehead and turned away to shut the door quietly. Holy shit. Let this be the beginning of a regular thing, Lesbian Jesus.

I went back to my room and reopened the window, then got into bed. I lay there a little anxiously watching inane videos my phone, half expecting my aunt to call me for help. But the wailing ceased right away, after which I could hear their voices under me and cartoon voices on the TV. 

"I'll be damned," I said under my breath, when almost half an hour had passed and I found myself falling asleep. I put the phone on the nightstand and turned to face my hard-to-believe girlfriend, looking forward to the extra hours of sleep that I would have normally missed out on while being up with my little cousin. 

I knew Chloe and I would want to find a place of our own nearby, sooner rather than later, and this helped open that door in a major way. 

Hopefully my aunt really was going to be able to maintain a sober life and let me have one of my own. We would see.