Session 𝓝inety-Two

Session 92:
“The Future”

⨳ ⨳ ⨳

There was this silence in the air.

Not a weird one… it just left me anticipating who would speak first.

If I should be the one who says something.

She’s my mother.

And Monroe is my girlfriend.

I wasn’t sure if I needed to bridge the gap, but talking right now felt like the wrong option, oddly enough.

I just sat at the table with my mother, watching Monroe set the plates of pasta down.

She insisted on making our plates, and since she got three different kinds of pasta, we had a good variety on our plates.

Monroe had separated the different types of pasta as I knew she would.

They were in their own separate neat piles on the plate, which I could tell my mother had zoned in on.

“Thank you,” I whispered once my girlfriend sat down beside me.

“Of course,” she didn’t hesitate to say, her blue eyes meeting mine.

I smiled in response as I picked up my fork.

“It’s appreciated,” my mother said to Monroe, and I knew that was her saying thank you as well.

Monroe nodded once as she handed me one of the spoons, which I naturally took from her extended hand.

Silverware clattering against plates was all that echoed through the air.

I tried my best to focus on twirling my spaghetti with my fork against the spoon I held, hoping to ignore this weird awkwardness.

“So,” my mother’s voice finally graced the air, “How did you two…” she paused, clearly trying to choose her words properly. “Get involved?” she hesitantly finished her sentence.

I pursed my lips, especially when the arrangement we had flashed in my head.

The contracts.

The gynecologist.

The foreplay and rounds of forced orgasms.

“Uh, I showed interest first,” I whispered, blinking a few times as I tried to snap away from the hazy memories.

“Not technically,” Monroe corrected, making me glance to her with furrowed brows. “I met Liberty before she was a patient. At a speakeasy.”

I pursed my lips, fighting the smile that grew on my lips.

Meanwhile, my mother was looking at Monroe, waiting for more of what she had to say.

“She had this attitude to her,” my girlfriend said, tilting her head slightly. “It was lovely.”

I pursed my lips tighter, especially when my smile annoyingly widened.

“And Ro is pretty bossy,” I murmured, my eyes tracing my girlfriend’s perfect side profile. “She balanced me out.”

“We balanced each other out,” Monroe corrected me as she reached for her glass of water.

“That sounds nice,” my mother said, glancing back down at her plate.

It was silent for another moment.

A few more moments, actually.

There was more clinking of cutlery and glasses being set down on the table.

Until finally—

“So you two are dating now,” my mother spoke again. “Are there any further plans here?”

Monroe cleared her throat, setting her fork down on her plate.

Then her eyes shifted to me.

And then to my mother.

“What do future plans entail to?” Monroe asked, even if we both knew what my mother was asking.

Marriage.

Maybe children?

We had technically already had this conversation.

Possibly a couple of times now.

“Do you see yourself marrying my daughter down the line?” my mother bluntly asked, “And if so, where do your parents fall into all of this?”

Monroe remained silent.

And I could tell by her neutral expression that the wheels were turning in her head.

My mother wasn’t accustomed to that, though.

Monroe’s willingness to take her time to respond.

“I do see myself marrying Liberty in the future,” Monroe finally spoke again, “Once family matters are sorted.”

“So we can both agree on not involving them in this?” my mother said, making me draw in a deep breath.

I wanted to try and change the subject, but Monroe had already said—

“We can agree.”

“Is there a plan here? You do realize you’re the heir to everything?” my mother just had to say, making me drop my fork on my plate with a loud clatter.

The echo of my actions at least left some room for a heavy silence.

“I’m well aware,” Monroe calmly said, her stare not wavering from my mother’s.

“And how old are you?” my mother bluntly asked.

“Mom,” I quickly said, finding her tone and question to be rude.

“Someone has to ask the questions,” my mother pointed out. “It would be nice to see her perspective on dating someone younger.”

“Liberty is bubbly. She can make anyone laugh effortlessly, but in the same breath stand her own ground,” Monroe said, leaning back in her chair. “There’s much more to her than her age.”

I blinked a few times at her words, how easily they rolled off her tongue without a second thought.

It made my face grow warm, and a weird giddiness set loose through my body.

“I’m also thirty-one for reference,” my girlfriend just had to add in that condescending tone of hers, naturally making me smile.

God, I love it when she takes the upper hand in conversations like that.

It’s almost like she’s ten steps ahead of the conversation, already knowing where it could lead and what to say.

“Good answer,” my mother determined, making me relax slightly in my chair.

“While we’re asking questions,” Monroe said, and suddenly I was upright again. “Can Liberty expect a permanence of this support you’re showing?”

“Yes,” my mother didn’t hesitate to say, briefly glancing between us. “I assume you’ve heard a decent amount about me? As her therapist and now girlfriend?”

Monroe tilted her head. “She didn’t have to tell me much,” she murmured. “The phone calls that left her crying, and your absence for months at a time spoke volumes.”

“Okay,” I awkwardly whispered, quickly grabbing Monroe’s hand on the table.

I could hear the tightness that shifted into her voice.

I could feel it too.

She’s holding my mother more accountable than I probably should’ve.

Then again, she is the therapist here.

“It was wrong of me,” my mother said, her voice lowered in the air.

“I agree,” Monroe didn’t hesitate to say, making me squeeze her hand.

“But it’s okay,” I quickly clarified.

“I didn’t hear an apology,” my girlfriend emphasized, making me purse my lips.

“I’m sorry. I told my daughter that I was sorry,” my mother clarified, her stare locked with Monroe’s.

“And how do you plan to show her?” Monroe asked before I could possibly insert myself into the conversation again.

“I,” my mother started, her stare shifting over to me. “I want to be here for you, just as I would during those good and bad times. When we would celebrate your first science fair, or eat all the ice cream when you found out you didn’t pass the test you studied hard for. I want to be your mom again.”

I drew in a deep breath at her words, nodding a few times. “I want you to be my mom again, too,” I whispered.

My mother nodded silently in response, extending her hand out on the table for me.

I didn’t hesitate to grab it, squeezing her familiar warm hand in mine.

I felt lucky to be sitting here with the two most important women in my life, their hands in mine, and everything slowly healing again.

This was all I could ever want.

“I’m not going to hurt her again,” my mother said, her focus shifted back to Monroe. “I know that’s what you care about, and I respect that, Monroe.”

“Yes,” my girlfriend murmured, briefly glancing at me. “The entire basis of her wellbeing is always my priority. That’s why I’m here now. I’ll always show up for her.”

A soft smile grew on my lips, staring so openly at my girlfriend.

I knew she didn’t mean showing up for me physically.

I mean, yes, that.

But she just showed up for me in so many other ways, and I knew that’s what she was referring to.

I could always count on her.

“I’m glad she has another person who can show up for her. She has someone else watching over her,” my mother said, making me let out a soft breath as I nodded a few times.

He sure is watching over me.

I know he is.

“I would love to hear more about him,” Monroe said, knowing exactly who my mother was referring to. “Liberty already talks very highly of him.”

My mother smiled softly, glancing down at her plate.

“He was very bright. Wherever he was, he always lit up the room. That’s where Libby gets her bubbly energy that you mentioned,” my mother said, making my eyes grow glossy with tears.

In a good, but also nostalgic way.

“He called her sunny because he felt like his world orbited around her the day she was born,” my mother explained as she softly squeezed my hand. “She was the center of his universe.”

Monroe let go of my hand to instinctively hug me into her side, “That’s beautiful,” she whispered. “Sunny,” she murmured mostly to herself, making me weakly smile. “Tell me more.”

My mother nodded, a smile growing on her lips at even the idea of my dad.

Suddenly, the table felt less tense.

It felt warmer, like he was sitting here with us, eating pasta and laughing over old stories.

God, did I wish he truly was here.

I wish he could meet my first girlfriend or attend my college graduation.

I wished he could see how tall Zion had grown after elementary school, or even meet Sarai.

Instead, we get to preserve him with all the beautiful memories he left us with.

He left a kind of mark that will stay with us forever.

His energy is so bright that it somehow brought us together by the end of it all.

Monroe managed to even laugh a few times as we told each story.

I couldn’t wait to tell the one about my first fall off my bike, and how my mother already had our family portrait scheduled.

Or the movie night we had after that with popcorn and candy.

Specifically, the Skittles that I would always eat back then.

It was a blessing to be able to relive that memory in the dream I had.

“I need to go handle a few files,” Monroe said after putting the last freshly cleaned plate up.

Then she leaned in to briefly kiss my cheek.

“Maybe I’ll follow along,” I offered, wanting to cuddle up beside her while she did her usual work.

It was our routine.

“No, darling,” Monroe softly whispered in my ear. “I know that you’re good now. Go finish the night with her. I’ll be in the room whenever you’re done.”

I nodded, briefly glancing over to my mother, who was busy opening a bottle of wine.

I hugged Monroe closer to my side, wanting to keep her attached to me at all times.

But staying back with my mother would be nice too.

I haven’t had a moment like this since…

Well, before my dad passed.

“I’ll see you in a little while,” I whispered, leaning up to kiss the edge of her cheek.

“A little while,” my girlfriend murmured before we parted ways.

Then I opened one of the nearby cabinets and grabbed a wine glass from the second shelf.

“Where did Monroe go?” my mother asked as soon as I approached the table she sat at, pouring some of the wine into her glass.

“She had files,” I briefly explained, sitting down with her at the table.

“Libby,” my mother said, setting the bottle of wine down. “You can go off with her if you want. I don’t mind.”

I shook my head. “No, I want to be here with you. I miss you,” I assured her.

My mother nodded, but even I could see the faint smile my words caused.

“Yes, I miss you too,” my mother said, reaching up to lightly squeeze my cheek. “Our sunny.”

I smiled softly, sliding the wine glass closer to her.

“Pour me a glass?” I asked.

My mother’s smile grew amused. “I can’t believe you’re old enough to drink now,” she said, shaking her head as she lifted the bottle of wine. “Time has flown, and I missed out on a lot of it.”

“We’ll make up for it,” I assured her as she poured the dark wine into my glass.

My mother nodded silently as she topped off my wine.

Then she set the bottle down with a soft sigh.

“This is the first night I’ve had when it’s not so quiet,” she admitted, picking up her wine glass. “It feels relieving, Libby.”

“Good,” I whispered, eyeing my mother’s face for a moment.

Suddenly, I could see her coming home to that big empty house with the wrap-around porch that she used to love.

Now I think she hates the house for those bad memories, but keeps it to keep the memory of him alive.

It made my chest tighten at the idea of her there all alone.

I know she pushed me away, but I wish it could’ve gone differently for us both.

I know her experience was just as hard, even if it hurt me.

“I love you, mom,” I suddenly whispered, making her glance over to me.

“I love you too, sunny,” my mother didn’t hesitate to say, a muted smile on her lips.

“We should do nightly phone calls or something. I miss telling you good night,” I suggested, wanting her to have more company during the night.

It’s always the worst hours to be alone.

“I would really like that,” my mother determined as she took a small sip of her wine. “You could tell me more about your days, too.”

I quickly nodded. “Yeah, and you could tell me about yours.”

“Sounds nice,” she said as I took a sip of my wine, determining that this was all such a good step in the right direction.

It’s odd, but I can physically feel the struggle my mother has been through.

It’s always odd imagining her like that.

I guess I always envisioned my mother as invincible or as this superhero.

Not as someone who cries or has those human moments, too.

I forget that she’s not just my mother—she’s a person too.

This is her first time living, just as it is mine.

It was nice sitting at that dining room table with her, drinking wine as I snacked on Skittles and conversed about such normal things.

We haven’t had a casual conversation like that in years.

Suddenly, I craved more of those.

I would fly back to California every now and then just to sit at our dining room table with her.

Maybe even have dinner so she didn’t have to do it alone as much.

Eventually, it was getting a little late, though, and I could tell she was getting tired.

Once it was past eleven, we decided to go our separate ways after a long hug and a good night.

She even told me to tell Monroe good night, which felt like huge progress to me.

My girlfriend was waiting in the bedroom for me, just as she said, wearing a pair of shorts and a polo half zip.

She had on her glasses, which were always my weakness.

Especially after a couple of glasses of wine.

I wasn’t drunk, barely tipsy, but there was this buzz.

It was more intense in the mere presence of Monroe.

She looked so effortlessly attractive with files spread across her soft thighs, her brows subtly furrowed, and her bangs messy.

I love every version of this woman.

She looked so engrossed in work that I didn’t want to bother her.

But I did decide to run us a bath, wanting to help her decompress after spending hours on those files while I caught up with my mother.

I used extra soap for more foamy bubbles, and I even lit one of the scented candles on the sink and dimmed the lights.

There were also robes in the closet, so I grabbed those for us too.

Then it was time to get my girlfriend.

She seemed to be concluding work, given that she was stacking the closed files back together again.

“Ro Ro,” I called out from the bathroom.

She hummed softly, “Yes, darling?” she said, setting the files off on the nightstand. “How did everything go with your mothe—“

She paused as soon as her blue eyes fell on me.

Or my bare body.

“It went perfectly,” I answered her half-finished question. “Come take a bath with me, beautiful.”

I walked off into the bathroom before she could respond, knowing she would be joining me in the next few moments.

I went ahead and got in the bath, submerging myself in the steaming hot water.

It felt so good, but I knew it would feel better with her in here with me.

I glanced over as soon as Monroe walked into the bathroom, reaching for the hem of her shorts to slide off.

I silently watched the clothes fall off her body one by one, admiring her soft skin or the way her hips curved just right.

 I tucked my legs in when she stepped into the bathtub, one foot at a time.

Once she lowered down fully into the water, I naturally slid closer to her.

“How were the files?” I asked as she grabbed my waist to pull me even closer.

Not even just close to her—she fully pulled me onto her lap, allowing my legs to straddle her.

“Good, the usual,” Monroe said, reaching up to gently run her hands over my curly hair.

I hummed softly, “That’s good—also, my mom told me to tell you she said good night,” I whispered.

Monroe’s lips twitched up slightly. “Your mom,” she murmured, acknowledging the natural shift of her name that I had used.

I knew it was the therapist in her, recognizing that I leaned towards mom more than mother now.

“I’m very happy to see this progress with her, Liberty,” my girlfriend softly whispered, sliding her hand down from my hair to cup my cheek. “This is the bare minimum of what you deserve, darling.”

I smiled softly, staring so deeply into her blue eyes. “Thank you, Ro Ro,” I whispered, running my arms around her neck. “It’s nice to have her present again.”

“Yes, and she seems to have your best interest at heart,” Monroe determined, caressing her thumb against my cheek.

“Yeah, I was scared you guys were going to fight there for a moment,” I admitted, my smile growing amused.

Monroe hummed softly, “I wanted to ensure she was taking accountability for you,” she said, trailing her fingers along my jawline before leveling my stare with hers, “I wanted to see that this was permanent, and not something temporary for her.”

“And this, with me, is permanent for you?”

I already knew the answer to my question, but I honestly just wanted to hear her say it.

I liked knowing that it was us.

“Always,” Monroe didn’t hesitate to say.

I smiled wider, tracing my fingers along the back of her neck. “I wish we could just run away forever.”

My girlfriend’s lips twitched up. “I would do it.”

I raised a curious brow. “You would?”

She nodded. “Perhaps we could hide away in the European countryside,” she whispered softly, leaning her face closer to mine. “The house would be small, every edge of greenery cut and trimmed. The curtains would always be open, and it would be sunny in a way that makes you squint your eyes.”

“Oh, you really have this thought out,” I said, easily envisioning the slice of life she was describing to me.

Monroe’s lips twitched up. “I always have everything thought out,” she whispered softly, tracing her fingers down the front of my neck.

“Tell me more about what you have thought out, baby,” I said, wanting to see more into this imaginary life she thought of for us.

“I would have a garden there as well,” she continued, her eyes focused on my neck that she was caressing patterns onto. “I would be able to get dirt on my hands without feeling the need to wear gloves. I could live without the static that separates me from you.”

I nodded silently, reaching up to gently tuck her bangs away from her perfect face.

I hate how much she struggles with her mind.

I wish this world she created could be real for her—for us.

“We would go into town for grocery shopping at those small markets,” Monroe continued, her eyes shifting up to meet mine. “Perhaps we would be married, and I would have your last name instead of living with the weight of mine.”

“You can have my last name in real life, baby,” I didn’t hesitate to say, but Monroe only shook her head.

“It’s not that simple, darling,” she whispered softly, her eyes not wavering from mine. “I’m the heir, and I’m not sure that’s something I can make go away, but I don’t want you to go away if I can’t solve it—“

“I’m not going anywhere,” I quickly reminded her.

Monroe nodded, almost in a way where she wanted to believe me.

But then she furrowed her brows, her lips parting for just a moment.

No words came out.

Not for a few seconds.

Until she finally said—

“But they like to take things from me.”

It made me draw in a deep breath, immediately pulling her into me for a hug.

The smooth water lapped around us as I held her against my body, feeling her arms wrap tightly around my waist.

I wanted to tell her that I love her so much.

That I'm in love with her, and that everything will be okay.

They can't take me.

But it felt too soon to tell her about this love bubbling inside of me.

I wasn't sure what Monroe's thoughts were around those three words, so I decided to just keep them inside.

“I know we’ll figure this out,” I whispered against her shoulder. “They’ll have to fight me before they ever take anything from you again.”

“I don’t want them to fight you,” I heard Monroe say with so much honesty in her tone.

I let out a soft sigh at her words, knowing she just wanted to shield me away from them.

“They’ll fight us then,” I determined, pulling back slightly to meet her stare. “All of us. There are a lot of people on our side, baby,” I added, leaning in to softly kiss her lips.

Monroe hummed in response, kissing me back as I ran my hands along her shoulders.

I arched deeper into her soft body, subtly sliding my tongue past her lips.

I felt her squeeze my waist, making me hum softly, especially when her hands roamed lower.

My entire body burned as her hands traced the curves of my body lower and lower, subtly sliding between my thighs.

I squeezed her shoulders when I felt her fingers press against my core, evoking the softest moan from me, which was easily muffled by her lips on mine.

I naturally tilted my hips into her touch, unable to keep up with the deepened kiss.

Monroe didn’t care.

She kept kissing me deeper and deeper, sliding her tongue into my mouth each time while I struggled to regulate my breathing.

Especially with her rubbing and teasing my clit.

My moans echoed into her mouth, continuing her pace against me as I practically rode her hand for more.

A soft gasp spilled from my lips the moment I felt her fingers slide into me.

I broke the kiss with her, burying my face in her shoulder as I tried my best to fight my moans.

“Breathe through it, darling,” Monroe softly whispered in my ear, making me grow even tighter around her fingers. “Lovely,” she murmured, mostly to herself, curling directly into my spot.

I started panting, quickly approaching my climax as she continued pressing into my spot.

“Be still for mommy,” she said, gripping my hips to stay in place.

I whimpered when she sped up her pace, shaking my head as she held me in place to take it all.

My body felt so fucking warm, and the hot water surrounding us didn’t help.

If anything it only contributed to my pleasure right now.

All I could do was grip Monroe close for dear life as she continued her strokes inside of me.

I whined and moaned, my nails digging into her shoulders as I quickly met my peak.

There was this rhythmic pressure at my core, and this looseness that spread through my body.

All I could do was let my eyes roll closed and experience the perfect high.

Monroe gripped my waist even firmer, holding me in place as she curled deeper into me.

A drawn-out moan vibrated in my throat between my heavy breaths of air, tightening even more around her fingers as waves of my orgasm spread through me.

“My perfect girl,” she whispered so softly in my ear, making me hum in response.

My face felt so warm, and my body was looser as I relaxed against her.

The calm water lapped around us, the sweet scent of the candle in the air filled with my heavy breaths.

Monroe slid out of me as I leaned down to press my cheek against her chest with a deep exhale.

It was quiet for minutes on end between us, but a soft kind of quiet.

One that made me feel so safe, especially being wrapped in her arms.

To me, everything felt right.

Yes, I still had to talk with Kaia, and we needed to figure out her parents.

But this is good.

Everything is good, and more importantly—

We’re going to be more than good.

We just need to figure out our future and how to begin it without her parents.

Then our future can begin.