it's gonna hurt like hell, but we're gonna be well (i'll give you my best shot)
It's been five years since Bianca has seen Rachel is person. She just got on a plane all the way to California to see Rachel on some mysterious impulse.
But Bianca's never been able to forget Rachel's smile, so maybe she can get something out of this.
read on ao3!
"Bianca?" is the first thing Rachel says when she opens the door to her wife.
"Rachel. It's been a while."
"It's been years. Why are you here?"
"I... just had to leave."
"You came across the country. And why me?"
"I don't know, okay?"
"Did you do any planning?"
"Uh, sort of. But-"
"Just stay with me," Rachel says, and rolls her eyes. "I have a spare room."
"Thanks."
"Besides, it's two am in the morning. What's that for you, five am? Just go to sleep."
"See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow, I guess."
«»
“So. Why are you here?”
Bianca takes a sip of her coffee. It’s perfect, despite the incredible specificities that she likes. “You made my coffee perfect.”
“I’m not in the habit of disappointing guests. But onto the point. Why are you here?”
“I got tired.”
“Of what?”
“I don’t know. Everything. Being Nico and Hazel’s perfect sister. Doing everything for them.”
Choosing them over you, she doesn’t say.
“You’ve been doing it for years. What changed?”
“I don’t know," Bianca says. "Maybe it's Nico wanting children and wanting me to be the perfect aunt for them. Maybe it's that... I don't know."
Rachel nods, and there’s something different in her eyes. Softer, maybe. With an ache, Bianca realizes that’s a pale imitation of how Rachel used to look at her.
Maybe this won’t be so bad.
“You can stay here,” Rachel says. “We’re still legally married, after all.”
“Thanks.”
Rachel nods, her close-clipped and brightly painted nails drumming on the table in a manner that would’ve been so familiar to Bianca years ago but is now as distant as what five years and a million little mistakes could’ve created.
“What’re you doing now?” Bianca asks suddenly. It’s odd, but Bianca finds that she really does want to know what’s going on.
“Not much,” Rachel says. “My art’s gotten big, I guess. I get a decent amount of museums wanting to display my work in modern art galleries. I have a few pieces loaned out to the Tate Modern. My father’s company is now mine and I’ve been trying to get it to turn around and be… better. It’s not actually that hard to be eco-friendly. I’ve been using my influence to try to make it better.”
Bianca smiles.
“And you?” Rachel finishes, almost lamely, like she doesn’t know what else to say.
“Music’s still making me some money, but lawyering is still my main profession. I’ve been helping abuse victims — working with Percy.”
“How’s he doing?”
“Good. Got married, well, eloped. Didn’t want a huge wedding. Or one at all. His social work is doing well, too.”
“Oh, I never took Annabeth as someone who didn’t want a wedding.”
“He didn’t marry Annabeth.”
“Oh, really? I always thought it would be her.”
“Me, too. Up until the moment they broke up, four years ago.”
“So, who’s he married to?”
“One of Drew’s coworkers when she was doing the solo at the Phillharmonic Orchestra a few years back. Plays the cello. She’s a lot like Annabeth in some ways and a lot unlike her in others.”
“I’m glad he’s happy. What about Drew?”
“She’s the only person who knew I was leaving. She’s doing great.”
“Being called one of the best violinists in the world, hey?”
“Yeah. I’m proud. And what’s going on with you?”
Rachel sips at her tea. “Mostly what I said. Katie and Travis are living their happily-ever-after. Two kids, now.”
“That’s nice for them.”
“What’s going on with you, anyway?”
“Not much. I haven’t cheated or anything.”
Rachel snorts. “I’d hardly count dating someone now as cheating, but I suppose I haven’t ‘cheated’.”
“I suppose it isn’t. We’re separated in all but name, anyway.”
“Yeah.”
The apartment smells of lavender, and Bianca doesn’t say that she still wonders what went wrong with them. Maybe it was the distance. Maybe they weren’t, aren’t, the type of couple to make it out.
Maybe, just like her, Rachel still can’t bear the idea of divorcing each other. Even after all this time. Even after all this distance.
Bianca’s never been able to forget the way Rachel smiles, after all.
«»
Bianca’s got work — she’s never been one to not plan, and there’s, unfortunately, always someone who needs to escape a terrible situation. She starts on her new case and the paperwork piles up once more. It’s not altogether terrible, and in fact, Bianca enjoys it. She’s helping people.
Rachel’s penthouse has an excellent view of the sea, and in summer, it’s as close to idyllic as it could get.
Plenty of inspiration for Rachel’s painting.
It’s just, Bianca used to be the one Rachel would sketch and paint. She remembers coming across a sketchbook of Rachel’s full of just Bianca herself, pages made entirely of pencil and nothing else of Bianca’s profile and front in loving detail.
But Bianca remembers that she used to write music about Rachel, music in which she described Rachel’s eyes and their multitudes and everything, music in which she told Rachel she’d love her no matter what — even if they had no words, Bianca likes to think they conveyed the sense of it all.
And they both know how that ended.
But what’s done is done. No use in changing what’s already happened.
“Let’s go out,” Rachel says. “You’re in California. I thought the purpose was to leave it all behind.”
“Yes, but…”
Rachel rolls her eyes. “Still haven’t left the workaholic tendencies?”
“No. Work’s important.”
Rachel smiles. “It won’t kill you to get out once in a while. C’mon, let’s go.”
Bianca lets Rachel drag her outside, to some botanical, well-kept garden. It's an aching reminder of the dates they used to have, but slightly skewed. Rachel brings her sketchbook, just like always, and makes thumbnails of various flowers and displays – the lavender, the gladiolus, a butterfly Rachel stops to draw because she thinks its blue colour is lovely, and it is, especially detailed through Rachel’s coloured pencils.
"Do you still obsess over plants as much as you used to?" Rachel asks, a reminder of how well Rachel used to know Bianca. Plants weren't something Bianca talked to just anyone about.
"Yes."
"Tell me about them."
"Those are tiger lilies," Bianca says, pointing. "USDA hardiness zones three to nine, perennial. They symbolize, depending on who you ask, mercy, compassion, wealth, prosperity, courage, or pride. Originating in Asia, they bloom in late summer to early fall."
"And those ones?" Rachel asks, pointing to roses of all things.
"Those are roses. I'd suppose you know about them already."
"Tell me about them anyway."
"Usually perennial, can live in most conditions. Usually mean love, especially red roses, and yellow roses represent friendship. Briar roses and some hybrids can have aromatic scents."
And so they go through the botanical garden, Rachel sketches more, and Bianca tells her about the plants. It's so achingly familiar that Bianca gets déjà vu.
"Do you want to get food at some point?"
"It's nearing five," Bianca says. "Sure, why not."
They get takeout. It's good, and it reminds Bianca of what she used to have, back when she and Rachel were first married and lived in California. Lived where Bianca's now staying.
Bianca never should've left. But she'll admit it. She was never not going to leave.
It's been years since Bianca was a child, a decade and a half. She can admit things she couldn't earlier. And one of those is that Bianca regrets leaving Rachel for Nico and Hazel. Bianca has always prioritized her younger siblings over anything else, and it's not recent, the bitter taste that leaves in her mouth.
But Bianca's here now. With Rachel.
Maybe she should stop hiding. But it's Rachel. But there's Nico. And Hazel. And everything else she can’t say and can’t name.
«»
That night, Bianca gets a call from Nico.
"Drew told me that you up and left for California."
"I did. Did you just notice? It's been a few days since I left."
"We don't talk that often, Bianca."
He's lying. Bianca and Nico talk every other day. He's just not used to Bianca doing something this impulsive. He's just not used to Bianca doing something for herself. And he doesn't even realize it.
He never has, she notes, with no shortage of bitterness.
"I suppose not."
"Why did you leave?" Nico's voice is angry, but it's a little grainy through the phone, and if Bianca tries hard enough, she can pretend that it isn’t Nico saying this. That it isn’t her little brother.
"I don't know."
"And Rachel? You haven't talked in years!"
"We talked five minutes ago."
"Bianca-"
"Hold it, Nico."
She hangs up. Puts her phone aside. She can't deal with this right now.
Nico calls again. The apartment's quiet, Rachel's out for a late-night painting class she teaches. The phone rings, a fake sounding noise that reverberates across the empty apartment. Nico's contact reads 'baby brother' because it pisses Nico off and Bianca is so, so tired.
Hazel will call soon, as soon as Nico gives up getting her to listen to him. Hazel will call because Nico will tell her to. Hazel will call because she's concerned about Bianca.
Drew is too, Bianca knows. But Drew knows Bianca, better than Bianca knows herself. Drew only smiled and told Bianca to go for it when Bianca told her she was leaving.
Drew knows exactly how Bianca feels about Rachel.
Bianca could really go for a chat with her.
But on cue, the minute Nico's calls stop coming, Hazel's start.
Bianca puts her phone on silent, puts it in her bag, and continues working on her case. She's getting the case declared self-defence if she dies trying.
Bianca's good at this. She always has been. She's suffered through too much research and too much deliberation to not be.
But just as Bianca starts the get back into her work, the door opens, and Rachel comes in, singing.
It's an old song, certainly. One Bianca remembers Rachel loving.
Rachel's always had a pretty voice. Bianca's always been an alto, dipping into contralto, but Rachel has a high soprano. Bianca would be lying to say she didn't miss it all the time.
Bianca would be lying to say she didn't miss Rachel all the time.
Suddenly, Rachel's singing is brought to an abrupt stop.
"Oh, I forgot you're here," Rachel says sheepishly.
"It's fine," Bianca says. “You’re not used to me here.”
“I suppose not.”
Rachel hums, taking her hair out of the band that barely kept it together anyways.
Bianca goes back to her work, and a few minutes later, Rachel places the most perfect cup of tea on Bianca’s desk, just the way she likes it. Mint tea with a generous amount of lavender honey.
Well, Bianca hasn’t drunk her tea with lavender honey since… since she felt actually married to Rachel.
“Thanks for the tea,” Bianca says. “It’s perfect.”
Bianca can hear the smile in Rachel’s voice. “I know.”
«»
The next day, Bianca goes shopping. She figures she should get something for Rachel. After all, she has to put up with Bianca.
She first stops at a candle store. Rachel loves candles, Bianca remembers distantly — she used to get Rachel candleholders. Floral scented, lavender. Her favourites. Well, the years must have changed things, but Bianca still loves her lavender honey, and her coffee that precise way.
And then she goes to a florist.
Rachel’s favourite flowers are carnations, heliotrope, and forget-me-nots. Bianca decides to go with pink carnations, purple heliotrope, and blue forget-me-nots, along with white yarrow. She hopes it’ll make Rachel happy. She always likes flowers. As a last minute decision, Bianca adds lavender to the bunch.
"Got someone you're thinking of?" the florist asks, her almost luminous green eyes (that distantly remind Bianca of Rachel) lighting up and a smirk decorating her face.
"Sort of," Bianca replies, looking down at her name plate. Lou Ellen, it reads.
So she walks back to the apartment, putting in the code, up to the top floor. With her family's money, Rachel easily affords the penthouse.
It's odd. This is so familiar. Bianca used to do this same thing every day.
And now she lives in New York, across the country.
Bianca loves New York more than she ever loved California. But she can't say that she misses New York.
Rachel fits better in California then when they were in university in New York, she thinks, with a sudden pang. They left for California for a reason.
But the elevator dings and Bianca arrives at the top floor, walking to their door and opening it. Rachel's cooking something, the smell weighing down the air. The scene is so unbearably domestic, just like how they used to be.
Rachel turns when Bianca arrives, cooking momentarily forgotten. "Oh! Flowers? And candles?"
"Kind of like a thanks-for-putting-up-with-me gift," Bianca explains.
Rachel smiles. "I love them. But you didn't have to get it for me. I wouldn't... not put up with you."
Bianca smiles back, and she goes to the cabinet to get a vase worthy of them. The kitchen is still organized the way that it used to be, five years ago. The déjà vu grows more poignant.
"I'm almost done dinner," Rachel says. "It's chicken. Mostly easy."
"Thanks," Bianca says, because she feels like she has to. "It's fine. Chicken’s great."
And it stirs up a memory. Second date, Bianca got sick, so Rachel came over to her terrible student living and made chicken, of all things. Maria, Bianca’s mother, hated chicken, for whatever reason, so it was the first time Bianca really had chicken.
Until that day with Rachel.
Bianca will admit, she doesn’t like chicken all that much.
But Rachel’s already hosting, and Bianca doesn’t really want to protest.
“Dinner is ready,” Rachel says, softly, as if she’s afraid of disturbing Bianca.
“Thanks," Bianca replies, putting her things away, all the paper back in its folders and into her four-inch binder.
When Rachel serves the food, dinner turns into a quiet affair. It's not awkward — thank the sea and stars — but it is silent. The sunset streams through the windows, and Rachel is still so beautiful in the golden light.
Gold suits her.
Gold suits Rachel, unlike Bianca, whose complexion has always left more for silver than for gold. Gold suits Rachel the way that green does.
Bianca's reminded of their wedding dresses. Bianca wore all black and silver, Rachel in white and gold. It was a little pointless, a little fanciful, but it made great pictures and greater happiness.
But that is far behind her now. That's far behind both of them.
The fresh flowers Bianca got Rachel are on the table, as beautiful as they will ever be. The almond-like scent of heliotrope is faint, the clove-like carnations likewise, but the lavender is pungent compared to them, and not only for the flowers, but also from the fact that Rachel burns the candle Bianca got her that afternoon.
It's in an old candleholder, and it is almost familiar. Well, it is, it's just that Bianca hasn't seen it since... five years ago. But Bianca, in the deep recesses of her memory, remembers it. It was a one-year anniversary gift, painted cream and accented with lavender flowers. Bianca supposes Rachel decided to match them.
But it's so eerily similar to how things used to be. Bianca is sitting and eating in a meal strangely reminiscent of the ones that they used to have before she left.
Bianca could write a piece about this. She can already picture a string quartet — soft violin and soothing cello and viola to balance it all out. Or a piano trio, with a piano and a violin and a cello.
She looks up at Rachel, only to see Rachel looking at her.
"Do I have something on my face?" Bianca asks, because, in all honesty, Bianca cannot think of another reason.
"Oh, no," Rachel says, and looks away. "It's nothing."
«»
The next day, Bianca calls Drew. Drew's voice is grainy through the phone, but by every god to have ever existed, Bianca misses her.
"So. How's Rachel?"
"She's good."
"There's more to the story, I'm sure."
"You know me so well."
"Of course I do, hon. We've been friends for how many years?"
"Too many."
"You sell me short. Anyway, what is going on? Nico and Hazel are in panic mode because you're responding to precisely none of their calls."
"I don't want to."
"Good for you — honestly. Put yourself first for once. Not your career, and definitely not your siblings."
“I can’t just… not take care of them.”
“Sure you can. They’re adults. You can rekindle your relationship with your wife.”
“She’s not really my…”
“Anyone can see you wish she really was,” Drew replies. “Besides, everyone’s fine. Go get your marital bliss or whatever.”
Bianca blushes. “Drew. Tanaka.”
“Bianca. Di. Angelo.”
“I don't... She doesn't..."
"Sure she doesn't. If you can't do everything again, just be friends. Trust me. It'll be better."
"Thanks, Drew."
"And call Hazel. She's better about this than Nico is, you know."
"Fine."
"I have to go — practice is in thirty minutes, and I still need to get there."
"See you."
"Cya. Hope you get it sorted out."
"Thanks."
The phone clicks off. Drew's busy, she always has been. She travels for her soloing work – everyone wants the best violinist in the world – and Bianca and her catch up when they can. Drew’s home base is New York, but Bianca hopes that, if she is to stay in California, that Drew can get a position here for a while.
Bianca pauses. Thinks about Drew's advice. She's usually right about these things – relationships come so easy to her. But Drew hasn't seen Rachel in years, either. But she has seen Hazel recently.
Bianca knows Hazel should be free around now. She picks up the phone, and dials Hazel's number.
Hazel picks up on the second rung. "Bianca? Oh my, we were so worried. Nico and I, that is. This is so unlike you."
"Hi, Hazel. Everything's fine. I'm just..."
"You miss Rachel."
"Yeah." Bianca doesn't have the energy — or the will — to tell Hazel the truth.
"Nico says hi, so does Lavinia. We miss you, but if it makes you happier, stay in California. I'm just... surprised that you would do this."
"I didn't expect it of myself either."
Bianca can hear Hazel's smile on her voice. "The most unexpected is sometimes the best. That being said, nothing much has changed, if anything truly ever changes."
"When have you gotten philosophical on me?"
"Since getting the philosophy degree, obviously."
"Going for the doctorate?"
"Obviously. Lavinia makes enough money that I don't have to worry about it — and from what we have from Father, it's fine. Plus, I could be a professor!”
"That's good. I'll... probably be back soon."
"We miss you."
"I miss all of you, too."
"Have fun down in California, Bianca. I'll see you whenever you come back."
"I'll see you then, too."
The phone clicks off, and Bianca sighs. She hates that she doesn't know what to say to Hazel. She hates that she doesn't know what to say to Rachel. She hates that Drew was right.
Drew's voice rings in her head as it says, "I'm always right."
Bianca snorts to herself. She'd counter with that one time in university when Drew bombed a test, but Drew's not here, and Bianca just has the silent apartment to herself.
One of Rachel's sketchbooks lies on the kitchen table. Bianca recognizes it — it's the one that Rachel brought when they went to the botanical garden.
Bianca, on some odd whim, opens it. She knows she shouldn’t – artists’ work should be their own. But she can’t help herself.
The first page is lovingly detailed drawings of lavender, beautiful and as realistic, and different flowers decorate the pages after it, until one page gives Bianca a pause.
It's herself. It's Bianca, in rendered radiance. The drawing of herself has a small smile on her face as she looks down. Her bangs hang over her face and her hair is in a ponytail. It's achingly real, and Bianca sees herself in it.
Is this how Rachel sees her? She doesn't know, but Bianca feels like she's intruding on a private moment.
She closes the sketchbook, but its drawing bothers her for the rest of the day, for some inexplicable reason that Bianca cannot name.
«»
Bianca makes breakfast the next day. She's not the best cook in the world, but at least she's better than Nico. And her father was never one to cook (and neither was her stepmother, come to think of it), so Bianca would cook, and then Hazel, who was always better than her.
Pancakes were always a family favourite, especially when their parents would go away, and it would just be Bianca, Nico, and Hazel.
Bianca remembers that Rachel also loves pancakes.
Or, she did. But Bianca's pretty sure everyone loves pancakes. So.
As Bianca makes the pancakes, she admires the apartment around her. Rachel's made a dedication to paint all of the walls, as it seems — she started when Bianca still lived with her. Back, a million years ago, when they still lived together. There's flowers along one wall, abstract shapes along another, some fabric pinned to create a beautiful mural of some kind of abstractness with some things that look oddly familiar to Bianca.
Everything here feels so Rachel that Bianca being there feels a violation of the space in itself.
But there are things that remind Bianca of herself, too. Things that Rachel hasn't bothered to get rid of in the years since Bianca's been gone.
The kitchen's still organized the exact same way. There's still a stupid smiley face made with Posca paint pens on one of the backing tiles, a heart with Bianca's signature curved tails, next to one of Rachel's little anatomically realistic hearts (because Rachel couldn't do anything halfway, and Bianca dared her as a joke).
The kitchen tiles were the first that they decided to do that on, and some of the paint has chipped. But Bianca's stupid little doodles that don't even look good sit right next to Rachel's masterpieces. They'd laugh and paint and cry all the same.
It used to be so easy. Bianca didn't care because it was Rachel and that meant everything and nothing all the same.
"Bianca?" Rachel asks groggily, from the door to her bedroom.
"I'm making pancakes."
"Thanks."
"Of course."
The pancakes are done soon enough. Time is no longer an issue to Bianca, for whatever reason. But with her case soon drawing to a close, Bianca's slightly afraid of having to go back to New York.
The realization that she doesn't want to go back to New York is an epiphany Bianca never thought would happen. The realization that she wants to stay with Rachel is even more of one.
But Bianca has a week. A week before she leaves and everything goes back to how it impossibly was before.
That weighs bitterly on her tongue, like the coating of forgotten pomegranate seeds, fermented as to invoke disgust.
"Bianca?" Rachel asks. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, just thinking."
"About what?"
Now Bianca just needs to come up with a convincing lie. "A hot dog is a sandwich."
"Oh, really? I think that categorizing things in categories like that is inherently ambiguous."
"It may be, but categorizing things helps bring peace of mind."
"Stuffing things into categories just makes the boxes too big."
Bianca admits that it's kind of nice to argue with Rachel again, about silly and meaningless things.
«»
The court case will take longer than Bianca expects, as is obvious from the get-go. Bianca has the evidence, though, but the prosecution is much more adamant than Bianca thought it'd be.
Never mind that. Bianca is not altogether terrible at this. She's definitely not the best, but she's good, and she's determined. Every case takes a lot out of her — her faith in humanity, for one — but in the end, it's always worth it.
Is anything ever not?
(Bianca knows seeing Rachel again is worth it. Bianca also, impossibly, knows leaving her was worth it, too.)
But she's at court for most of the day, going home (she shudders at how easily Rachel's apartment has become her home once more), cooking dinner (it's the least she can do), and talking to Rachel, sometimes long into the night.
And so her week goes.
The flowers Bianca bought wilt a little, their smell waning as Bianca's time in California draws to a close. Conversation comes easily now, and Bianca would be lying if she said it wasn't comfortable, if she said that leaving wouldn't hurt.
(Bianca won't admit it, but she's been falling love with Rachel all over again.)
But the week passes too fast, too quickly, and suddenly the case is done (and won) and Bianca is set to leave in a few days' time.
"You're leaving," Rachel states, as only she can, a day before Bianca leaves. The lavender candle is burning, and it smells like lavender throughout the apartment.
"I've got to go back to New York," Bianca says, willing herself not to cry. This isn't sad. Rachel will move on, just like she did before. Rachel hasn't been falling in love with Bianca all over again.
"What if," Rachel hesitates, and Bianca doesn't dare hope, "I don't want you to leave?"
"What?"
"Sorry, just ignore it," Rachel says, all in a hurry, like the words are a fire that catches too quickly.
"I'm not going to," Bianca replies, as if that could change anything. "I'll tell you a secret. I don't want to leave, either."
"Then don't."
"I won't."
That afternoon, Bianca cancels her flight and stays with Rachel.
«»
They don't talk about it. They don't talk about how Bianca decided to start another case, to stay. They don't talk about how Rachel didn't want her to leave. They talk around it, anything else, because Bianca isn't quite sure she's ready for that conversation and she doubts Rachel is either.
But Bianca knows they have to talk about it eventually.
She doesn't want to. Instead, she calls Drew.
"I'm not going back," Bianca says. "Rachel and I agree — I'm staying in California."
"No duh," Drew says. "That's great, though. Glad you're staying with Rachel — chase your own happiness."
"How do I tell Hazel and Nico?"
"Text message, or whatever. You've got to tell them, but it'll be fine. Let's focus on you and Rachel, though. Back together?"
"No."
Bianca can hear Drew's sigh through the phone, through the static. "Just admit it. You're in love with her, she's probably in love with you. She wanted you to stay."
"We haven't talked about it."
"Hon. You're never going to if you don't do it as soon as possible. You're going to be in the 'pining roommates' stage forever. And you’re married! I don't want to be hard on you, but please."
"I know," Bianca says, hoping Drew can hear her rolling her eyes all the way in New York. "What do you know of romance anyway?"
"My mother writes romance novels for a living. They're incredibly lucrative."
"That means nothing. You would rather drink glass than read one of her novels."
"Would you rather I get your auntie Hera on call?"
"No! That would be even worse!"
Drew laughs. "What I'm saying is, just give it a chance. If it doesn't work out, you come back to New York. Why keep waiting? You've been waiting for this for five years. You can't keep waiting because eventually Nico might have another accident, or Hazel might, or they both want you back, and you don't know how to not help you siblings constantly. Just do it for yourself."
"I didn't ask to be psychoanalyzed."
"I'm your best friend. It's my job."
Bianca sighs. "I'll talk to her."
"Good."
"How's your newest piece?"
"I hate Paganini," Drew announces. "I always have, I always will. They want me to do a show, with like one piano accompaniment, at Carnegie Hall. I would rather kill myself."
"You're not called the best violinist in the world for nothing, you know."
"Yeah, but I've been doing his Variations on God Save the Queen for three days now and I want to resurrect and kill him."
"And just how good are you so far?"
"I've started memorizing it," Drew mutters, as if ashamed.
"Exactly. You're insane."
"So was Paganini."
Bianca pauses, hoping Drew can hear her raised eyebrow in the pause.
"Shut up," Drew says. "Anyway, go call Nico or Hazel or text them or whatever."
"Drew."
"Bianca."
"Fine."
"Goodbye!" Drew calls, before hanging up, "Remember to tell your siblings!"
The phone clicks off, and Bianca is left in the apartment, the smell of lavender seeping into the air.
She sighs. Drew's right, as seems to be all too often recently, and she calls Hazel.
It takes three rings of hollow sound for Hazel to pick up.
"Hey, Bianca," Hazel says. "You're at the airport?"
"Actually," Bianca wills herself not to cry, "I'm staying in California."
"With Rachel?"
"With Rachel."
"That's good. See you at Christmastime, or sometime soon?"
"When I can."
"I'll tell Nico," Hazel says suddenly. "Don't worry about it."
"Thanks."
"Of course. Have fun with Rachel."
"I will."
Hazel hangs up. It's odd — it was a short call, but there was so much there. Hazel doesn't sound mad, but then again, she has always been good at concealing her emotions.
Bianca knows Nico's going to be upset. But she'll stay anyways. Suddenly, a country away, Bianca doesn’t care about Nico’s emotions as much as she cares about Rachel’s presence. Which is odd because she wants to start over with Rachel.
But Bianca also knows, in the back of her mind, that that may never happen. But Bianca has always been one to want to be given life in all its pain and beauty.
«»
Bianca buys flowers for Rachel again, as the other ones go to waste. Blue cumins, blue hyacinths, white baby's breath, white daisies, and purple lavender. She can't help but hope that Rachel will like it.
Rachel wants you to stay, the annoying voice in Bianca's head that sounds suspiciously like Drew whispers. She'll be delighted in anything you get her.
Bianca ignores that voice, and stresses anyway.
Because she's bringing these flowers as a reminder of what they need to talk about. She's bringing these flowers to hopefully soften the blow that Bianca still loves Rachel.
So she goes back to the apartment with flowers, in a bouquet. Jane Austen put it best when she said I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever, and so on. Especially, I have loved none but you.
But Bianca is no writer, no artist. Unlike Rachel, Bianca has never been able to draw inspiration from the world, and turn it to silvery honey on paper. Music has always been easier. Bianca doesn't even write lyrics. It's all violet and flute and piano and whatever else catches her fancy — things Drew and her siblings Valentina and Mitchell can play, but that no one can sing.
Maybe when this is all over, Bianca can write a piece for it. Maybe a piano trio. Or a string quartet. Something about Rachel and her. That sounds about right — it can end in heartbreak or romance, depending on how Rachel response, Bianca supposes.
But never mind that.
She arrives at the apartment a little after when she means to. Bianca got the flowers just before dinner, and Rachel and her decided to go out that day, anyway.
Her palms are sweaty, it's like a first date, but slightly to the left. Rachel's as beautiful as ever, a little nervous, though, her hand fiddling with her dress. Bianca's still able to read Rachel well after all these years, but she still wonders why Rachel's nervous at all.
They get Chinese food, the kind that's really, really good, but only because Rachel knows where to go. She takes Bianca to a place that is almost achingly familiar, and the old Chinese lady behind the counter smiles at Rachel and Bianca. Her name's... Eleanor, some recess of Bianca's mind reminds her.
"You're back," she says, nodding at Bianca.
"I am," Bianca says, smiling back.
The food's great, and conversation ends up filling the air between Rachel and Bianca. They're still putting off the big conversation to come.
Never mind that. The food's great.
"I was thinking that maybe you'd like to help paint the new walls?" Rachel asks. "I'd like you to."
"I am altogether terrible at art, but I'd love to help."
Rachel smiles. "Also. Do you want to have dinner with Katie and Travis at some point? Their two kids will be there, but I think that you need to be re-introduced."
"Of course."
They're putting it off. Rachel knows. Bianca knows. Maybe it's because they don't want to have that conversation and all it entails. Maybe it's because Rachel doesn't want to break Bianca's heart again. But whatever it is, Bianca feels even worse by the time that they leave the restaurant and head back.
Or, well, they don't. Instead, Rachel takes Bianca to an oceanside boardwalk. It's late, and there are no stars, but the city lights are a good enough substitute. It smells like lavender.
"We, uh, need to talk about something," Rachel says.
"Yeah."
"Yeah."
The stagnancy hangs in the air. Unlike before, Bianca decides to do something about it.
"I'm still in love with you," she says, all out in a rush, like the words are spilling from the sky in fat rain droplets that come one after the other.
"Thank any and every god," Rachel breathes.
"Sorry?"
"I was about to say the same thing."
Bianca grins, and suddenly she can't stop laughing.
"Why did this take so long?"
"I don't know."
"I never should have left."
"Well, you can remedy that now."
"Really?"
"Just kiss me."
And so Bianca does. It's not perfect, but it's been years, and so it's as perfect as it could be.
«»
Bianca doesn’t stop smiling, even as she wakes up.
She slept late, and Rachel's already gone, an early commitment for her art. Just so she doesn't worry, there's a little note in Rachel's curvy handwriting on the bedside table. Hope it wasn't too jarring waking up. I'll be back around eleven for lunch! — Rachel (P.S. we probably still need to have a conversation, but I don't think the direction it goes will be a surprise.), it reads.
Bianca smiles at it, and the clock reads 9:36. She has an hour and a half before Rachel comes back, and she can't stop smiling.
Bianca doesn't usually eat breakfast, just a cup of coffee, and she decides to call Drew.
"Bianca?" Drew says, over the phone. "What's up?"
"Rachel and I talked," Bianca replies, trying to keep the childish giddiness out of her voice.
"Oh, great. How was it?"
"Great! We still need to have a bigger conversation about what we're doing now, but..."
Bianca can hear Drew smiling. "Great. I told you it'd happen."
"You were right."
"I'm always right, hon."
"Remember that time you lost two truths and a lie, badly?"
"Shut up. Congrats, though. Want me to tell your siblings?"
"No, that would be terrible. I'll tell them, I promise."
"Good. I'm having lunch with Valentina very soon, though, so I have to go, but you're telling me all the details later."
"Talk to you later."
"Absolutely."
The phone clicks off, and Bianca smiles. Maybe that's what Drew and her relationship will be reduced to now — short calls made to update each other on small things. Bianca can live with that. Bianca can live with a lot of things.
But it's around twelve thirty in New York right now — Drew has always liked late lunches — and Hazel and Nico are both bound to be busy, so Bianca holds off calling them.
It's odd. It's almost like a cycle. Bianca was born in Italy, but she soon came to New York, and then California for her law degree. Then she married Rachel and stayed here, until Nico's accident, in which she went back to New York.
And now she's in California. The two cities that could tell Bianca's life story are Los Angeles and New York City, in equal and opposite measures.
But Bianca wouldn't trade her life for anything, now.
And she needs to call Nico. Because he's her little brother, and no matter how upset she gets with him, and no matter how upset he gets with her, Nico is Bianca's only full sibling. That's not to say she isn't close with Hazel, but there are some things that Nico understands that Hazel cannot — like emigrating from Italy. Like the memories of their mother that Bianca finds comforting.
Bianca thinks Maria would've liked Rachel. She always has.
«»
Rachel comes home with flowers. Bianca’s favourite, lavender, and flowerless southernwood and blue salvia and baby’s breath to tie it all together.
“Figured I should get you flowers, too,” she says, smiling almost sheepishly, if Bianca tilts her head slightly and lets herself believe it.
Bianca takes the flowers and puts them into a vase. “I thought I was supposed to be the one to bring flowers.”
“Hey now, I can’t offer you that advantage. I also need to flaunt my wonderful taste in flowers.”
“Naturally,” Bianca replies. “Alternate weeks?”
“Alternate weeks,” Rachel agrees, then pauses. Bianca lets her take her time. “Speaking of, we’re… doing this?”
“Trying again?”
“Yeah.”
“We are,” Bianca says. “Or, I hope we are.”
“We are.”
“Promise I won’t leave again.”
“You better not.”
Bianca laughs, Rachel joining her, and she can smell the lavender.
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