Second Ave Offices: Labor Day (WLW)

Four Months Pass

Maya walked into her newly acquired two story house and gestured around herself as someone came flush against her from behind. She smirked as Rose's hands snaked their path around her and she held her closely as she always did when they were together, then sent a sympathetic gaze toward her business partner Adriana. She shook her head with a solemn expression, then trudged her way around the room as she eyed the obvious work it needed.

"So what do you think, Adriana? Think you can help us out with the repairs every now and again?" Rose asked as she rested her chin on Maya's shoulder. She reached over and mentally reminded Rose of Adriana's latest breakup with an expression she hoped she could read, receiving a nod back. Rose simply took her hand instead and glanced over toward her friend. "Adriana?"

"Huh? Oh, hell yeah, I can help. This place seems like..." Adriana squatted and knocked on the floorboards below with a smirk as they showed their sturdiness. "A pretty damn easy go of it. We can get it done lickity-split, y'all can move in."

"Speaking of, have you found a place yet, Ade?" Maya asked as she made her way over to her and found a face full of chagrin. She wrapped her arm around the back of Adriana's shoulder as she led her back out onto the patio out front. They all sat down along the bed of Adriana's pickup that was missing its gate as Maya finally added, "We know a break up is hard, made even worse by not having a place to live. As much as we've loved having you, we actually have a proposal."

Adriana turned her head toward Rose with a speculative eyebrow as she also chimed in with, "We want to offer you the chance to live here and do the repairs. Take however long you need and don't worry about water or power. We have it covered. Please, let us do this for you. With so much on your plate, we both think this could be really good for you."

"What about my fuckin' job?"

"Oh, you're still on the schedule and I expect you there everyday." Upon Rose's release of flurried words, Adriana chuckled with the shake of her head. "But we just thought you may like having something to keep you busy during the evening time and weekends. Something to keep your mind off of her, I mean."

Adriana bobbed her head for a second, then squinted back at the house in desperate need of repairs. "Alright, dammit. I'll do it."

Maya reached into her pocket and handed over the keys, then took Adriana into her arms and gave her a long hug at the same time as Rose. She caught her eyes over Adriana's shoulder and scanned her own down to her moving lips that mouthed three simple words that meant the world to her. I love you. Maya mouthed them back and nibbled on her bottom lip until Adriana shrugged them off with a huff.

"Jeeze, you too are like newlyweds. Keep it in your pants for ten seconds, please." Adriana hopped down and Rose landed a well placed, but gentle kick to her buttocks as Maya giggled. Adriana, as profane as ever, shot Rose the finger and jogged away as she said, "I'm going in to have a better look around. Try not to dirty my fuckin' truck."

"You know, outside of a work setting," Maya began as she scooted closer to Rose and felt her arm wrap around her back until her hand rested on her hip. She leaned her head along hers as she finished with, "She has a really foul mouth."

"Always has. Adriana was really close with her much older brother and he was in the navy." Rose looked over at her and kissed her forehead. "Comes by it honestly."

"So do you think she'll be okay with all of this? It's pretty lowly populated." Maya thought of the small city of Rocky Point and the community. They were close knit, but kind and she found it to be the perfect place to raise a family, but for a single person who felt alone in the world, she was unsure of leaving them there. "Will she need regular visits from us? I wouldn't mind that at all. I've grown quite fond of Adriana."

Rose sat up straight and sent her that adoring expression she loved so much, then kissed her. "I love you."

Maya jolted at the revelation and melted into her side, blinking lazily. "Say that again..."

"I love you." Rose kissed her again and rested their heads together once more, taking one of her hands into her lap. "And yes, we can visit her however often you want."

After dating for over four months and having grown so close even longer before then, Maya's heart didn't stutter. It didn't hesitate anymore or cause her alarm. Her feelings surged and she let them as she had time and time again with the loving, encompassing woman with whom she dreamed of spending the remainder of her days. The words came easy, her breath even and her resolve satiated wholeheartedly.

"I love you, too."