Archive of Our Own

FRIDAY – 9:56 P.M.

“When you love, you love.”
For an hour, the high school nurse, my new colleague, had been chaining anecdotes, each tastier than the next, on her love journey. I don't know if my friends were fooled enough to believe everything she said, but at least she was surprising and captivated them.

However, when she told us with conviction “when we love, we love”, everything flashed through my head. My parents' complicated relationship, the rare couples I had seen happy in the host families where I spent a few months, all those girls who had passed through my arms and my bed but without reconciling me with love and the couple. And then she arrived and without doing anything, she blew up everything, my convictions, my resistance and my faith in the future. She had come down those steps with her scowl on her face and I had known right away that it was her. On our first night together at the racetrack, I just wanted to take her face in my hands and kiss her again and again. For the first time, I could talk freely about everything with someone without reluctance and it felt good. I had learned about these addictions but despite the fear of reliving the same thing as my mother, I couldn't get her out of my head.

Our journey had not been easy, between two damage people, but I loved each new version of Lola. I loved the one who was passionate and impulsive, I loved the one who was tender and caring, I loved the one who drank and the one who had the courage to seek treatment… but I had never known how to tell or show her. How she had been the only one to tear down all the walls of the prison I had built for myself, to protect me from loss and suffering. And now I had lost her and it hurts, so badly. No matter how much I had tried to forget her, everything reminded me of her, a song, a smell, a word, an object… I just couldn't live without her.
After the words of the nurse, my body, without my ordering it, turned to Lola; she had that soft look and touching smile that I couldn't resist. So, I tried to put on a good face despite the lump that was eating away at me from the inside, I smiled and pretended as usual. When she suggested that we go get drinks, I convinced myself that she wanted to be alone with me so we could talk. Nothing more, she had no more feelings, I knew she was suffering but also that she wanted to move on. I couldn't take it but I loved her too much to force her into something she didn't want anymore. All the way to the apartment, we exchanged small talk, but every time her hand brushed mine, I felt a jolt all over my body and I didn't know what to do with it.

FRIDAY – 10:42 P.M.

Arrived at the apartment, while putting drinks and food in bags, we chatted casually as before. But when she told me that she imagined Jo and Bilal happy and in love in twenty years, I once again didn't dare tell her that was how I had always imagined us. I had taken this love for granted, I had never fought and I was now paying the price.
“Let's go?” I asked her.
“Maya.” she replied, her voice full of expectation and doubt.
And then, I was not expecting it, she approached and kissed me. A short kiss but I tasted her on my lips and it felt so good. Immediately I wanted more, I wanted her lips, her tongue, her waist, her chest and she just gave me permission. So, I put my bag down, grabbed her face in my hands, and kissed her back. My tongue found its way back to hers, it felt as good as the first time, it felt as good as every time after and I didn't want it to end. Maybe it was a mistake, maybe she was acting on a whim but right now I couldn't think of anything but my desire for her, kissing her, caressing her body and grabbing her neck to prevent her from running away again. I took off her coat and sweater as she lured me to the bedroom and I threw mine on the floor, I wanted to feel her warm body and soft skin on mine, I was completely blindsided by my desire to rediscover the tenderness of her caresses and the intensity of her kisses. No matter how hard I tried to fight, only with her did I allow myself to surrender and be vulnerable, only she was my refuge.

Arrived in the bedroom, I started to unbutton my jumpsuit as she pulled me to her. I felt from her kisses and her caresses that she wanted me and the more I felt her desire, the more I felt my body liquefy. I took off her tank top and her bra at full speed, I had been missing her for weeks, I wanted to feel her breasts against mine, her slim waist and her hips between my hands. Our kisses were getting more and more frantic so I laid her on the bed and like before, our eyes connected, our breaths synced and we smiled. I slipped my hand into her pants, I didn't have the patience to undress her, I wanted her all right away. I started caressing her crotch, I felt her shiver under me and moan softly.
"I missed you so much." she said softly.
I felt my heart speed up and my breath come in gasps, I needed to slow down so I gently grabbed her head, looked at her tenderly and when she smiled at me, all the dams have broken.
“I love you.”
She then looked at me in amazement and kissed me, grabbing my neck. We got up and I put my fingers inside her, she moaned in pleasure and my god, I was addicted to that sound. After long minutes of passionate love, she came loudly and knocked me over to straddle my hips. I reached out my hands to caress her breasts as she smiled in pleasure. Then she started to cover my face with increasingly longer and deeper kisses, my forehead, my eyes, my nose, my cheeks then, when she reached my neck, tears of happiness and relief began to flow. She cupped my face in her hands, gently wiping away my tears with her thumbs and resting her forehead on mine. She might show, in front of others, a sometimes hard and dark face, I knew that deep down she was the most tender and caring person that existed. She licked my upper lip where a tear had landed and I responded to the invitation with passion. When we were both out of breath, she started kissing the base of my neck again, before taking one of my breasts into her mouth. The more she licked it, the more she played with her tongue, the more I felt myself going. As I moaned louder and louder, she continued her kisses until she reached my navel. As she struggled to remove my jumpsuit and then my panties, laughter mingled with tears. She gently spread my thighs then took my sex in her mouth and, while she licked me for long minutes, an orgasm released weeks of lack. For part of the night, we made love as if tomorrow didn't exist until I fell asleep in her arms, lulled by her scent, her calm breathing and her hand brushing my back, from the base of my neck to the birth of my buttocks. I was happy and peaceful.

SATURDAY – 8:43 A.M.

After a few short hours of nightmare-free sleep, the light of day brought me out of my torpor. She was still there, her face had matured and her hair had lightened since the first time but she still looked so beautiful. She had taken off the engagement ring that I had given her, but her tattoo of two entwined rings, a sign of union between two soul mates, still inked the skin of her wrist. So I took a few minutes, just to look at her, while minimizing my gestures and my breathing.
“You're totally watching me!” she told me with a touch of irony.
She opened her eyes and we burst out laughing. I caressed her cheek with my hand and then I kissed her, more languorously than passionately.
"Maya, this is the first time you've actually told me I love you... did you really mean it?"
Months of avoiding and running away had damaged her confidence in my love and even in her ability to love. If I didn't want to lose her again, I had to let go of the floodgates completely and give myself completely, whatever it costs me.

“Lola, I know I haven’t shown you enough and especially not told you enough but… I fucking love you, I love you since the second you came down those steps. You were dressed in black from head to toe, you didn't smile at me once, but I already knew that you were going to be the only one capable of breaking down all the barriers I had erected to protect myself. You have often told me that you were not easy to love but, nevertheless, nothing was easier than to love you. It's just that I had never felt this before and I didn't know how to deal with it. It's entirely my fault, I should have spoken to you rather than run away from the problem each time.”
“No, it's not true, you're not all wrong. Me too, I had never fallen in love before and I didn't know how to love you well without smothering you... you know that I sometimes have problems managing my emotions!” she answered me with a smile.
“And me, I find it difficult to express them but the fact of having lost you has forced me to think about my blockages… I have made an appointment with a shrink next Wednesday… do you mind come with me, well I mean you don't have to but I'd like to… because I know we're not together anymore but…”
“Maya, shut up! I love you too and I'm so proud that you finally agree to go see a shrink.”
“Lola, I miss you so much. I miss everything about you, even your stupid jokes and your tantrums! I know I made you suffer but I can't imagine my life without you...”
"Me neither, no matter how hard I tried, I can't do it without you." she said with misty eyes.
“Can we… do you agree that… the two of you…”
“Yes, I want it too. I know you want to change and I don't want to lose you again.”
When she said those words, a shiver ran through my whole body and I felt tears rolling down my cheeks again.
“However, you will have to stop crying all the time!” she said with a laugh and slipped her hand on my neck to bring me closer to her.
“Come here, banana!” I answered her by grabbing her waist to stick it to me.
As I slid my hand along her back to the birth of her buttocks, she put her lips on mine while smiling, I found my Lola youthful, carefree and happy. As we kissed slowly but intensely, she opened her eyes in astonishment.
"Fuck, I have to get ready, I have to meet Eliott!"
“Go take your shower, I'll take care of preparing breakfast.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” she replied while placing a quick kiss on my lips.

She stood up and when I saw her completely naked, my heart sank again. How I could not have fought for her, the only one whose mere presence was enough to make me forget the death of my parents, the harmful foster families, the lack of money and the fear of an uncertain future. She leaned over one of my boxes, grabbed a shirt and put it around her neck, then turned to me.
"Can I borrow some clothes? It's because... I would like...”
"Have my scent with you? I wore your yellow t-shirt for days!” I tell her, bursting out laughing.
She giggled too, then trotted on her tiptoes to the bed to steal another kiss from me, before heading back the same way to the bathroom. I lay in bed for a moment staring at the ceiling, a smug look glued to my face. Nothing was certain, our story had never been a long straight line, but this time I wanted to do everything to make it work and it started with breakfast.
So I got up at full speed, put on mismatched clothes and ran to the bakery, around the corner. While I was making cappuccinos for us, I heard her walk into the kitchen and then I felt her arms wrap around my waist and stomach. When she kissed my neck very tenderly, a shiver ran through my whole body. How, almost two years later, could she still have so much power over me? I turned around, put my arms around her neck and buried my head in her shoulder, just wanting to enjoy her presence for a little longer. My heart glued to her chest, she felt my pulse and my breathing quicken, so she stroked the back of my head very gently. She had been the only one to literally break my heart and the only one capable of fixing it.
“Thank you for preparing all of this for me… and thank you for all the efforts you put in.” she whispered in my ear.
"I don't want to lose you again.”
“Me neither ... and I know that I have to make efforts too to meet your needs ... but we'll manage, I promise.”
“Thank you, my angel. Shall we sit down to eat? You will end up being late.”
“Yes, you’re right. Eliott is going to give me a fit if I’m late again.”
She literally swallowed two croissants and her coffee, while telling me anecdotes about Lucas and Eliott's trip. I found the Lola I had fallen in love with and when she left, I was afraid she wouldn't come back. I had to lose her to understand that I had to stop running away from my feelings.

SUNDAY – 5:50 P.M.

Despite the fact that my book was exciting, I couldn’t concentrate. Last night, Lola had called me telling me that Eliott wanted to see me but I had understood from her voice, even if she dared not admit it to me, that she was dying to do so too. So we had spent the evening dancing in a bar with some of Eliott's friends. No matter how hard we tried to hold ourselves back, we always fell back into each other's arms, which had the effect of making Lola's big brother smile every time. And there, between two of the people who had supported her the most at the worst time, I saw the Lola that I preferred, the one who was soothed and fulfilled. We had returned in the middle of the night and we had collapsed, firmly entwined. After an unexpected brunch and a walk in one of our favorite parks, Lola had to get down to her homework, not without grumbling for a long time. Right now, she was sitting at the table, her head resting on her legs curled up beneath her. She wrinkled her nose, very focused on an exercise, chewing on the tip of her pen and I spent my time trying to look away from her. But I must have been too insistent that time, because she turned her head to give me a lovable smile.

"Okay, I can't take it anymore. I will ask Tiff or Max to help me.”
“I think you need a little nap.” I offered with a wink.
She didn't have to be asked twice, she put down her pen, stretched her legs while yawning then got up to walk towards the sofa. She was wearing one of my favorite t-shirts and shorts that didn't cover much of her slender legs. She lay on top of me with a sigh of contentment and I hurriedly wrapped my arm around her waist, before slipping my hand under my t-shirt to be in contact with the skin of her belly. As she talked to me about Daphne and Basile, I couldn't help but stroke her hair and place little kisses on the top of her head. She practically began to purr and without turning around, said to me:
“I feel good.”
She must have felt that what she had just said had touched me, because she turned her head towards me and noticed that I had tears in my eyes. She hastened to kiss me, while stroking my forearm with her fingernails, which made me shiver.
"I'm fed up, I've become too sentimental... but hearing you say that after all we've been through, it...”
“I love this new version of you.” she cut me off. “I missed those moments with you so much, you can't imagine.”
“Yes, I can imagine… I love you, I really love you Lola.”
"Me too, I love you... do we take that nap?"
She turned completely around and wrapped herself around me, while I wrapped my arms and legs around her. As we both dozed off, I thought to myself that I could have spent my life like this. As we slept for an indefinite amount of time, I suddenly heard whispers and something that sounded like chirping. I opened my eyes to see Tiff and Max looking at us with a big smile, while Moïra pulled on her mother's arm to join us on the sofa. Taking advantage of a moment of inattention from Tiff, Moïra managed to let go of her hand and jumped on Lola, who woke up with a start. As the young mother apologized, Lola grabbed the young runaway and covered her with kisses. During this time, I smiled to split my jaws, happy to have found in these people an adoptive family.

MONDAY – 7:38 P.M.

Everything was ready, I was only waiting for the one for whom I had prepared all this, hoping that my attentions would touch her. I was going to find out any minute, since she was already almost ten minutes late, which only added to my stress. Suddenly, I heard the greenhouse door open and she appeared, more beautiful than ever. She paused at the entrance for a moment, taken by surprise, then turned her head to me and gave me the cutest smile I had ever seen. Before I had time to say anything, she ran towards me and jumped on me, while covering me with kisses.
"But I thought you were against Valentine's Day? That it was commercial...”
"I still believe it but you deserve all of this." I told her in a very theatrical way.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you, my love.”
"Would you like to follow me to the table, Mademoiselle?"
“With great pleasure.”
After moving the chair for her to sit down, while stealing a small kiss on her neck, we sat down at the table, which I had covered with a tablecloth and a few candles.
“This evening, I am offering you a quinoa, tomato and mozzarella di Bufala salad, followed by a mushroom and asparagus risotto, then for dessert a chocolate cake, all accompanied by an alcohol-free champagne.”
“But these are not regional products!” she exclaimed.
"It's not worth rubbing the knife in the wound.”
“If that, its’ not the greatest proof of love that exists from you!”
We realized at the same time what she had just said aloud and I started to blush, which made her giggle with pleasure. We spent the meal eating as much with our eyes as what was on our plates.

Only seconds after swallowing the last bite of her dessert, Lola got up and moved my chair before sitting on my lap. Her desire could be read in her eyes as well as in her gestures and I could not resist it. She grabbed the back of my head to bring my lips closer to hers and pulled us into a passionate kiss. We were both burning with impatience since the beginning of the meal so I hastened to get rid of her sweater, her t-shirt and her bra, before taking her breasts in my mouth. I felt her rub against me, moaning louder and louder. Unable to hold on any longer, I grabbed her buttocks and carried her to the mattress which I had covered with a sheet, a pillow and some blankets. When she looked into mine, my heart felt like it was going to explode again so I tried to slow down. I rested my forehead against her then slowly kissed every corner of her face, chest and belly, before unbuttoning and then removing her jeans and panties.
“Wait, I bought something, it was on sale for Valentine's Day.”
She looked at me in astonishment as I rummaged through my bag.
“I thought... I don’t know... maybe you miss sex with guys...”
“Maya, I don't miss guys, I've never felt the same with anyone else and I've never had an orgasm every time, whether with a guy or a girl.” she comforted me… “but I would like to try.”
"Okay, so are you okay?"
"I'm dying, hurry up, bunny.”
I undressed and put on the strap-on, then I approached her.
“You tell me if I'm doing well, I've never used one.” I asked her.
“I promise... come on, get moving!”
First, I started by stroking her to excite her, then I introduced the dildo gently and started to move back and forth.
“How are you, sweetheart? Am I not hurting you?”
“Not at all, go harder.” she said.
I picked up the pace while caressing her chest and kissing her. Lola started making small moans, then grabbed my ass and wiggled her hips. When she squealed, I stopped immediately.
"Excuse me, did I hurt you?" I got worried.
“Damn it, Maya, keep going!”
I started my movements again by introducing the dildo more deeply and Lola then threw her head back, biting her lips. She dug her nails into my back and buttocks, while moaning and breathing heavily. I felt some pain where she scratched me but only her pleasure mattered to me. I felt her tense and tremble beneath me as my movements grew more and more vigorous. She grabbed my head and gently bit my shoulder, as her body released into a loud orgasm. I stopped and cupped her face in my hands, then planted small kisses on her lips and cheeks. I felt her heart beating fast and a tear started rolling down her cheek. I was both happy that she had such intense feelings for me, but also afraid that they would disappear or destroy us. So, to relieve the pressure, I lay down next to her on the mattress and took off the dildo.

Through the skylight roof we could see beautiful moonlight and for the first time in a long time, I smiled at the thought of my mother. I suddenly heard Lola say very softly and hesitantly:
“今夜は月がきれい”
"But how do you know?" I asked her, amazed.
“I spent the weekend learning it, phonetically. Wasn't that too bad?”
“That was perfect… and I love you too.”
I wanted to tell her how I felt for her, everything I had always felt but I still wasn't able to fully cope with the expression of my feelings, so I said a sentence to her in Japanese.
“What does it mean?” she asked me.
"I'll tell you in due time.”
“No, you can’t do that to me! I warn you, I will take revenge.”
“Go ahead, not even afraid.”
"Okay, you wanted it!"
Lola then pounced on me, while tickling my waist and hips and putting her little finger in my nostrils. While I was dying of laughter, she started to give me tickles but, since I didn't give in, she attacked the soles of my feet with a certain contentment.
“So, still not?” she asked me.
"No, honey, I told you I wouldn't give in.”
"Okay, I admit I don't know what to do anymore. Do you promise you'll tell me one day?”
“I promise you. Come on, come kiss me, I miss your lips.”
She complied with delight, while I smiled during the kiss. She looked at me intently then whispered:
“I'm going to give you the greatest orgasm of your life, to thank you for everything you did tonight for me... apart from the mysterious sentence.”
A mixture of laughter, emotion and desire mixed inside me, as Lola bit my earlobe and her right hand brushed me from my buttocks to my left breast. She started to kiss me and lick me, from the junction of my shoulder and my neck to my right breast which she tickled with her tongue. Then she went down to my scar, which she kissed for a long time, while drawing the lines of my tattoo with her fingernail. She continued to lay kisses down to my tense belly as she stroked my nipples, then she took my clitoris between her lips while inserting her fingers inside me. She continued until I cried out in pleasure as I felt my legs shaking.
“So?” she asked me.
“It was not bad.”
“Sorry? Do you know the trouble I gave myself?”
"I’m joking, idiot. It was wonderful.” I replied by placing a kiss on his forehead.
"Do we have to go to school tomorrow? Can't we just stay here all day, just the two of us?”
“I would love to, but you know I can’t afford to lose this job.”
“I’m sorry, I’m starting to choke you again.” she suddenly exclaimed… “Aren’t you going to run away again?”
"No and I promise you we'll make it this time."
I took Lola in my arms to calm her doubts and fears, she who like me
had been deprived of tenderness and attention for several years. We were two broken people, who had found in each other both a pillar and a soul mate. I fell asleep with Lola's warm skin against mine and the breath of her slow breathing caressing my neck, but the awakening was more brutal.

“Maya, Maya, wake up, I have class in ten minutes!”
"Shit, shit, shit, I'm going to get fired!"
"I don't think Vallès can take any more of the Lecomte family."
“And he doesn’t know that you are in a relationship with the new supervisor!” I told her, laughing.
Lola started to smile at the mention of the word couple, which also caused the same reaction on my face. She kissed me languidly as the clock ticked and we knew we were going to have problems but for the moment, only our complicity counted.

WEDNESDAY – 5:30 P.M.

As I nervously tapped my foot at the idea of having to unpack my whole life to a stranger, Lola took my hand to comfort me.
"Don't worry, it's going to be fine and if you don't like her, you can always change.”
"But what am I going to tell her?" I answered her.
"She's the one asking you questions and you're only going to tell her what you want her to know. She is there to help you, not to judge you.”
“I know, I know… and I should have done this a long time ago but…”
"Miss Etienne, would you follow me, please?" I suddenly heard behind me.
“I'm waiting for you there, good luck, my heart.” said Lola while placing a tender kiss on my lips.
"See you soon, sweetie.”

After entering a cozy room, the shrink made me sit in a comfortable seat facing her.
"You're lucky your fiancée is with you, not everyone is."
“Yes, I am very lucky… but I only realize it.”
"What do you mean by that?" she asked me.
“She dumped me a few weeks ago… because I kept running away from her. In fact, it's not true, it's not her I was running away from, but the intensity of her feelings... and mine.”
"Is this the first time you've fallen in love?"
“Yes, it was love at first sight.”
"What were the reasons she gave you for the separation?"
“That I was lying to myself, that I felt stuck with her and that I never told her that I loved her.”
“And that's true?”
“I never felt blocked with her but it's true for the rest.” I replied.
“And have you ever thought about the reasons for your behavior towards her?”
“Yes, often. But I only realized that recently.”
"And what do you think the reasons are?"
“We both have great similarities when it comes to our childhood. My father was an alcoholic and for her, it was her mother. She lost her mother and me, my two parents. At first, it brought us closer, then I learned that she herself suffered from addictions. She's been sober for a year and a half but I think I'll always have this fear deep inside me that she'll go back and I'll lose her... like I lost my parents.”
“It's normal to be scared but it's brave at her age to manage not to plunge again.”
“Yes, I know, she is the bravest person I know.” I answered her with a big smile. “I'm so proud of her.”
"Have you already told her?"
“No, I never had the courage… I never had the courage to tell her how much she means to me and how much she has changed my life.”
"Were your parents like that?"
“Yes. My mother didn’t express her feelings and my father did it in a bad way… I reproduce the same pattern as them and it pisses me off to be like that.”
"How old were you when they died?"
“I was eleven, we had a car accident because my father was drunk, as usual… I should have forbidden him to drive.”
“You were a child, it was not your role to do so.” she answered me very gently. “You have nothing to reproach yourself for... and especially not the fact of being alive.”
“Yes, but I should have...”
“You did what was possible with your weapons at the time. If you agree, today we are going to work on your childhood, the image of the couple you received from your parents and your blockages.”
“Okay… but do you think I can really change?”
“Yes, I think so. You are also a very brave person, even if you don’t realize it yet.”

We talked for almost an hour about my parents, my host families and the fear of the future.
“Maya, I would like to propose, for the last ten minutes and if you both agree, that Lola join us. I think it could be very beneficial to you.”
"Okay, I'll text her.”
Her answer was not long in coming: "I'm coming right away". A few seconds later, she knocked on the door and then entered.
“Hello, Lola. May I call you Lola?”
"Yeah, no worries, that's my first name.”
“Great, take a seat, please… we talked a lot with Maya, you have a very brave fiancée, you know!”
“I know, I often told her but I don’t think she ever believed me.”
“I think I had a hard time accepting it, I always thought you were the bravest.” I answered her.
"It's not a contest." Lola told me. “I really admire the fact that you managed to get through this despite your alcoholic father, the death of your parents and the rotten foster families in which you grew up.”
“Is it true?” I told her with tears in my eyes.
“And you also managed to conquer your fears by making up with an addict.”
“An ex-addict, Lola, an ex-addict!”
Supported by the gaze of my shrink, I turned completely to Lola.
"It's true that I'm afraid that you'll dive back one day, but I'm so proud of you. You managed to do something my father never could. Forgive me for never telling you.”
It was Lola's turn to have tears in her eyes, so I grabbed her hand and intertwined our fingers, while planting a kiss on her palm.
“You are not your mother and I am not mine.” I told her. “We have to accept it.”
“I find there is a lot of love, respect and support between you two. It is something rare, especially at your ages and with difficult pasts like yours. You know that?”
“Yes.” we answered in chorus.
"The only problem I see between you two is that you have a different way of showing your love to each other... but it's not an insurmountable problem.”
With Lola, we looked at each other tenderly, full of hope for the future.
“You have to find a happy medium between your two ways of showing your care and your love. You must respect your temper, while respecting the expectations of the other. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, it's going to take some work, but there's no reason you can't. If you agree to make it work?”
“Yes, I do.” Lola said quickly.
“I want it too.”
“Well, listen, for a first session, I think we have made good progress. What do you think, Maya? Do you agree that we go on a session every two weeks?”
“Yeah, it did me a lot of good.”
Lola and I stood up, hands still tightly entwined. When it was time to leave, I turned to my shrink.
"You know Lola wants to become a shrink! I think she will be excellent, she will be able to help so many people.”
“Is it true? I'm happy to learn that. You will see, it’s sometimes very demanding but very rewarding work.”
"Yeah, I think that's what I want to do.”
"I'm very proud of you." I told her, kissing her.
"See you in two weeks, Maya?"
“Yes, I will make an appointment when I’ll have my schedule.”
“Great, see you soon Maya. And Lola, if you need advice for your studies, I will be happy to help you.”
“Goodbye.” we answered in chorus.

The shrink's office was only five minutes from a park we both loved. I felt hopeful for the future, but to get off to a good start, I had to be totally honest with Lola, even if I risk losing her again. Approaching a bench a little away and as my stress increased, I offered to sit down. She grabbed my face in her hands and started kissing me, but I was a little tense.
“What is happening?” she asked me, a little worried. “I thought it went well?”
“It went really well… but I have to be totally honest with you, I owe you.”
“Okay.” she replied with a slightly confused look.
"There are some things I've been hiding from you... and I don't want to lose you again... but you deserve to be told the truth."
After a moment of hesitation where I felt the tears well up, I took a deep breath and started.
"Remember the night you yelled at me because you thought I told your dad you relapsed?"
"I'm sorry about that, I know you didn't.”
“When you said you never wanted to see me again, I felt like the world was falling apart for me. During the night, I woke up with a start because I felt like my heart was going to explode. Tiff and Max took me to the hospital but the doctors couldn't find anything.”
“Max told me you were just tired.” she replied.
“No, that's not it. I had an attack of takotsubo, broken heart syndrome. I know I never got to tell you how much I loved you but my body couldn't handle losing you.”
"But Maya, why didn't you tell me? I would have come to the hospital.”
“You were so mad at me and I thought you had moved on.”
“I was just mad… but I never stopped loving you.”
“Wait, I have to tell you something else… I came to Bilal's birthday but when I saw you so happy without me, my heart broke again and I cried for the first time in ten years.”
"I know, I saw you leave but I thought it was because you didn't want to see me, it broke my heart too.”
“I was so angry with you for dumping me, but especially for having so much power over me. So much so that it blinded me and prevented me from seeing all that I had done wrong in our relationship. So, rather than fight for you, I signed up for a dating site.”
“I know, Redouane told me. I was mad at you, but I was the one who dumped you so I couldn't tell you anything.”
“Lola, I'm so sorry.” I answered her, crying her heart out. “With a girl, we kissed.”
I saw in her eyes that I had hurt her but she said nothing, she didn't blame me.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. When I kissed her, I realized that it was only you I wanted. I should have fought for you, instead of running away from my problems like always. Is it too late to fix things between us?”
“I'm not going to tell you that it doesn’t hurt me, but we were separated at that time so you had the right... and it's not too late, I want it to work this time and I see that you want to change.”
“I have one last thing to tell you.” I told her in a shaky voice.
"Did you decide to finish me off or what? Did you sleep with another girl?”
“No, it's not that at all, never in life... no, it concerns my family.”
“Your family? What is happening?”
“Actually, I…, I…, it’s just…”
"Hurry up, please, Maya!"
“I have a grandmother who is still alive.” I shouted.
“How the fuck could you lie to me about something like that! Were you going to see her in secret?”
“No, not at all, she has Alzheimer. After the accident, every time I went to see her, she asked me where my parents were. I had to tell her about the accident over and over, it was horrible.”
“Did you stop going to see her all of a sudden?”
“Yes, I am ashamed but I have stopped. I wanted to tell you this at the beginning of our relationship, but I was afraid that you would judge me for having abandoned it. And then afterwards, the more time passed, the less I didn't know how to tell you.”
“It's a huge secret, can you imagine!”
“I know, I'm so sorry… but I don't want to lose you. Lola, I love you, I want to spend my life with you.”
“Me too… but I warn you that if I find out that you have hidden more things from me, I will not bear it. I love you but I want to be able to trust you.”
“I promise you I have no other secrets and I will always tell you the truth from now on.”
“You promise me?” she asked me with a worried look.
“I promise you, I want it to work between us.”
I gave her my best smile, the one I knew made her crack.
“No Maya, you can’t get me that and then give me your cute smile! It's not game.”
I then took her face in my hands and covered her with kisses. I enchained little tender kisses with "I love you" and I felt her melting very slowly.
"Maya, you suck!" she told me without much conviction.
“I love you too.”
"I could meet her, do you think? I would like to know her. What's her name anyway?”
“Suzanne… she’s my father’s mother.”
"Yes, I suspect it's your father's. Unless you also lied to me about your maternal grandparents and they are not in Japan!”
“No, they are in Japan and besides, I would like to go there one day together, when we’ll have money. And for Suzanne, are you free next weekend?”
“After my hours of detention for repeated absences and delays, yes.”
"And guess who's watching the rebellious students on Saturday morning?" I asked her.
"My favorite person in the world?"
"No, you missed, it's not Amy Winehouse, it's me."
"You're dumb, but I love you anyway.”
"I like you too.”
Freed from the weight of lies and things left unsaid, we burst out laughing together, before starting a passionate kiss.

SATURDAY – 11:05 A.M.

For more than an hour, with Lola, we kept exchanging glances at first furtively, but now more and more intense. Until now, we had managed to meet without having exchanges or equivocal gestures but today, it was becoming more and more complicated, my body was calling me Lola. No supervisors were in school today, so there was little chance we would get caught. So I decided to send her a sms, explaining a subterfuge that would allow us both to be absent. Suddenly, Lola got up and asked, a bit too eagerly, to go to the bathroom.
“Of course, Miss Lecomte, you have the right to go to the toilets.”
“Thank you Miss the supervisor, I think I have gastroenteritis, I think it will take time.” she added.
“Thanks for those details.” I replied, trying to keep myself from laughing.

After a few minutes of interminable waiting, one of my colleagues arrived to replace me.
"Thank you for replacing me. I'm sorry, I'm worried about one of the students, I would like to go see if she's okay.”
"No worries, it's to your credit for worrying about the students." he said sympathetically.
I gave him a forced smile, suddenly feeling bad for lying to him but the urge to join Lola was stronger. I get out at full speed and ran to the disabled toilet down the hall. I knocked two long knocks followed by three short knocks and then, the door barely ajar, an arm grabbed my shirt and pulled me inside. After engaging the latch, Lola threw herself on me and kissed me while smiling.
“It's such a shame to have said that I had gastroenteritis!” she told me, bursting out laughing.
"You shouldn't have changed my script!”
“Yes, but your story was not believable.” she replied.
"No, it was!"
“Okay, shut up and kiss me.”
"But you're the one who started talking! If I had known it was just for that, I wouldn't have left.” I told her in a mock outraged way.
“Shut up and kiss me, our time is running out.”
“Yes, Miss the Chief, at your command.”
I grabbed Lola by the neck and waist to pull her to me. After losing her and then finding her again, I was the one who became addicted to our relationship. I licked her lips greedily and she responded to the invitation by biting my bottom lip. With her hips, she rubbed against me while moaning and her desire increased mine. I shivered with each of her caresses and kisses and, between my hands, I also felt her surrender completely. Pressed for time, Lola ran her hands under my shirt, caressed my hips, my back, then my breasts. Taken aback by both her tenderness and her desire, my heart was pounding, while my breathing became more and more jerky.
“Maya, are you okay? Are you having a taskobuto crisis?”
"It's takotsubo." I replied, laughing. “And no, I just want you so much.”
"Well, what are you waiting for then? You think we really have time to have a discussion!”
"What romanticism!"
“Coming from a master at it… sorry, that was mean of me, you’ve really changed.”
“Thank you for recognizing it... now shut up and kiss me.” I said, unbuttoning her pants.

As she kissed my neck, I pushed her against the wall and slipped my hand inside her panties. I could feel her body tense and her breathing heavy as I made love to her. She started moaning louder and louder as I picked up the pace, then she released all that tension with a little cry. As I cupped her cheeks in my hands and rested my forehead against hers, with big smiles on both of our faces, we heard someone knock on the door. We froze in place, in complete silence, thinking that the person would go away on his own.
"Could you come out, please?" we heard.
“Oh fuck, it’s not true, it’s Vallès!”
"Fuck, we're screwed up." I whispered.
“I'll go, hide here. You can't lose your job.”
"No, you stay here. You pass your diploma in a few months, you can’t get fired.”
“No, you need the money from this job, I'll go.”
"I'll find another one." I told her, pushing her away from the wall and opening the door slightly. I got out and slammed the door shut.
"Maya, may I know what you were doing in those toilets?"
"I'm sorry." I replied, lowering my head. “I was making a phone call.”
“Maya, I appreciate you very much but don’t take me for an idiot. The noises I heard are not those of a phone conversation.”
“I'm sorry ... I ... I was watching a movie... porn movie.”
"I don't think so, I overheard you talking with someone after I knocked on the door.”
Just as I was about to give him another lie, I heard the door open. I turned around and saw Lola come out, her head held high and heading towards Vallès.
"Miss Lecomte!" he exclaimed, looking annoyed. “You and your sister have decided to ruin my life?”
“It’s my fault, please don’t fire her, she needs this job.”
"Maya, don't tell me you took this job just to flirt with high school girls!"
"No, I don't flirt with high school girls. Lola and I are together for two years… I love her.”
At the mention of my feelings out loud in front of the high school principal, Lola had tears that began to flow.
"I love her too.” Lola told him, taking my hand.
“I'm very happy for you two but a supervisor is not allowed to have sex with a high school student and even less inside the school.”
“But I'm an adult! Fire me if you want, but Maya needs that money.”
“No, Lola, you have your diploma at the end of the year. Fire me, not her.”
“Both of you stop!” he cried. “You understand that you put me in a delicate situation.”
“We know, sorry.” I told him.
“Listen.” he replied after a while of hesitation. “I know you and your friends have had a hard time over the last two years but you have broken the rules… however, you need this job and to pass your diploma, so I'm going to let it pass this time.”
“Thank you, thank you.” we exclaimed in chorus.
“But I warn you, the slightest deviation on your part, you are both fired immediately.”
"I promise you we're going to be flawless." Lola replied angelically.
“You better... now return immediately to the detention room... and without holding your hand, thank you!”
“Thank you very much.” I told him very emphatically.
We left for the classroom without looking back and without saying a word to each other, but when we arrived at the door and realizing that the high school principal had left, we exchanged a quick kiss and a long loving look. I finally had a stable job and a peaceful romantic relationship.

SUNDAY – 12:30 P.M.

After the embarrassing situation yesterday in high school, Lola and I went to a theater for an action movie. However, neither of us was able at relating the actions of the movie, as we spent more time looking at each other and kissing each other than staring at the screen. Still in the euphoria of the moment, we had proposed to the mif to join us in a bar, where the discussions and the laughter not stopped. Our friends had been teasing us all evening about our newfound complicity, but we knew deep down that they were too happy that we had reconciled. I was still dying of fear of losing her or falling back into my failings, but for the first time in two years, I had understood Lola's message and wanted to fight for us.

At the beginning of the afternoon, we had left by bike for my grandmother's nursing home, both sitting on the saddle of my bike. I held the handlebars and pedaled with great difficulty but with Lola tightly glued to me and so happy, I could have crossed the entire planet without complaining. Once off the bike, Lola noticed that I was flushed and sweaty and burst out laughing.
"But why didn't you tell me it was so hard for you?"
“No, I'm fine.” I replied still panting.
"Sweetheart, I'm so sorry." she said, hugging me and covering me with kisses.
“No but seriously, don't worry... so, are you ready?”
“Yes, and you?”
“Not really. But I'm really glad you're finally meeting her… I mean, you're the only family I have.”
“You know that Thierry, Daphne and Basile are also your family.” She comforted me. “They love you very much.”
“Thank you, sweetie.” I replied, grabbing her in my arms and again with tears in my eyes. We went to the reception, hand in hand, where Yann, Suzanne's nurse was waiting for us.
“Hello. So, she's the famous Lola you keep talking about!”
Lola turned to me with a surprised look as I turned red with embarrassment.
"Yes, it's me." Lola replied with a big smile of pride and contentment. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Me too. Maya, you know the way.”
“Yes. Thank you for everything.”

Lola spent the whole trip to my grandmother's room teasing me, all the while pulling me close to her for quick little kisses. I played the girl outraged by her behavior but my tender gaze betrayed my inner feeling, I was happy with her as I had never been. When I arrived at a closed door, I stopped and took a deep breath.
“It's here?” Lola asked me.
Without waiting for my answer, she took my hand and gave me a comforting smile.
“I can’t thank you enough for… well, for always supporting me, for fighting for both of us, for agreeing to meet my grandmother…”
“Maya, stop blaming yourself for everything, you did what you could. And I, too, made a lot of mistakes… but the most important thing is that we found each other again.”
“Yes. Let's go?”
Before she had time to answer, I slowly opened the door and when I saw my grandmother sitting on her bed with a big smile, my heart sank for a few seconds.
“Emiko, is that you?” she asked me.
"No, I’m Maya, your granddaughter.”
"But why don't Emiko and my son come to see me anymore?"
“Grandma, they died in a car accident several years ago.”
I was trying to sound as soft and calm as possible, but Lola knew me too well to be fooled. When I turned to her, she looked completely in shock. I was trying to be strong for both of us but I knew that at the slightest opportunity, I might break down.
“Grandma, let me introduce you to Lola, she is… my fiancée… the love of my life.”
Lola then burst into tears, which caused the same reaction in me. As I took her in my arms to comfort her, I heard my grandmother's faint voice behind me.
"Maya, darling, is that you?"
"Yes, Grandma, it's me.”
"Come here, sweetheart." she said, opening her arms.

According to Yann, it had been months since she had had a moment of clairvoyance. I was so moved that I threw myself into her arms. Lola watched us with a look of incredible tenderness and I felt like my heart was going to explode again. Then she let go of me and pulled Lola into her arms as well, whispering something to her. I looked at them in turn and for the first time, I imagined the two of us in forty or fifty years, still in love. Five minutes later, my grandmother's spirit had left for distant lands, of which only she knew the content. We then went for a walk in the park of the nursing home all three, under a cool sun. I walked between my grandmother who was holding my arm and Lola who had intertwined our fingers, until we reached a free bench in the shade of a plane tree. Suzanne had wanted to sit between the two of us and she stroked our two hands very gently, but above all I discovered a Lola of incredible tenderness and patience. I didn't say a word, lost in my thoughts which traveled between childhood memories with my grandmother and imaginary scenes with the love of my life. The past and the future fit together perfectly in this present moment.

We said nothing on the way back, too taken by this magical moment of communion between the three of us. Once back at the apartment, while Lola settled on the sofa, I went to make us coffees. When I returned, she looked pensive and worried at the same time. I knelt in front of her and took her hands in mine.
"My love, what's going on?
"Maya, do I make you happy?" she then asked me.
“Of course. Why do you ask me this?”
"Your… your grandmother said to me earlier, thank you for making my granddaughter happy… but I don't know if it's true… I mean, I smothered you so much that you preferred running away from me for days… maybe I don't know how to love someone right.”
“Lola, I don’t ever want to hear you say that again! Do you remember that day at the supermarket when you put your heart on the table and told me you didn't know if you could be loved or love someone properly?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I didn’t say anything then, both because I was angry that you dumped me and also because I didn’t know how to express the intensity of my feelings to you. The truth is that you were already loved for a long time and not only by me, but also by your parents, your sister, Eliott, Basile, the mif, by many more people than you thought... and you have an incredible capacity to love despite everything you've been through… I'm sorry to realize only now how lucky I am to have you as a girlfriend.”
"Is that true, do you really think so?" she answered me with a frightened child's voice.
“I always thought so, but now I want to prove it to you and do everything possible so that you never feel that way again.”
“I love you, Maya, I love you so much.”
"Me too, I love you, sweetie.”
I lay on top of her and rested my head on her heart, cupping her waist in my arms. She wrapped hers around my shoulders and after placing a kiss on my forehead, she laid her head on mine. We had just realized how lucky we were both to have met her soul mate and her refuge.

WEDNESDAY – 5:25 P.M.

With June, one of my friends from the association, we were putting equipment into the trunk of a car. Despite our protest presence for a good part of the day, nothing changed, the shopping center was certainly going to open. Our discussions oscillated between the hope of a new world and the discouragement of seeing that little was happening. Suddenly, when we had been talking and laughing for a while, she walked up to me and gave me a quick kiss. Despite my astonishment, I quickly pushed her away.
“June, what are you doing? I am in a relationship!”
"I'm sorry, but you told me you two broke up and we kissed the other time.”
“We got back together.” I replied.
"Sorry, I thought you wanted it too.”
“In another world or another time, probably… but Lola is the only one I love… and will probably love for the rest of my life.”
"You told me you've been arguing lately... are you sure?" she asked me, annoyed.
“Yes, I have never been so sure and things are much better between us since we explained ourselves quietly. I'm so sorry June, you're very beautiful and you're adorable but...”
"I'm not Lola... tell her for me that she's very lucky."
"No, I'm the lucky one.”
“Okay.” she just answered me.

We finished putting things away in awkward silence, then I quickly left to find the arms and lips I missed so much. Arrived in the apartment, I looked everywhere for Lola, she had told me that she would be waiting for me at my house at 5:30 p.m. I tried to call her but she didn't answer me so I waited patiently for an hour, then tried calling and texting again. Half an hour later, just as I was about to try my luck again, I heard the door open.
“Sweetheart, I thought something had happened to you, did you run out of battery?”
Instead of Lola, I saw Max appear, with a surprised look.
“What is happening?” he asked me.
“Lola was supposed to meet me here, but she hasn’t answered for an hour and a half.”
“She must have had an impediment, you know it's not her style to stand up.”
“Not like me.” I said with a tone of irony.
“That's not what I meant!”
"I know, I'm the one who saying that.”
“Maya, stop blaming yourself all the time! I will try to call her.”
He took his phone but was no more successful than me. We looked at each other with a surprised look, not really knowing what to do, then Max smiled at me.
"Look, stop worrying, we'll cook dinner and I'm sure she'll be here soon."
“Ok.” I replied, moderately convinced.
But at the end of the meal, we still had no news from Lola and I was really starting to be anxious. Max then took his phone and called the whole mif one by one, but no one could reach her.
“Max, she thought about it and she doesn't want me anymore.” I told him with tears in her eyes.
“Stop, she never stopped loving you… and she told us that you had changed a lot and that she was happy with you right now.”
“Is it true? She said that?”
“Yes, I swear. Listen, let's let the night pass and we'll try again tomorrow, okay?”
“OK, thanks.”
I went to lie down in my bed, but couldn't sleep. I had flashes of both our happy times, our fights, and what our future might be.

THURSDAY – 8:15 A.M.

I woke up startled, without having news from Lola for endless hours, I finally understood what she felt when I was away and guilt mixed with worry. I've been trying to reach her all morning without success. We were in the middle of the school holidays, it was impossible to meet her in high school so, unable to take it anymore, after lunch, I went to her house. I had kept a spare set of keys but I rang the bell anyway. Thierry opened the door for me, looking a little haggard.
“Maya, what are you doing here?” he asked me while kissing me.
"I'm sorry, did I wake you up?"
“I don’t mind. If you're looking for Lola, she's not here.”
“Fuck, she doesn’t answer me since yesterday!”
“She didn’t sleep here last night, I thought she was at your house. Did you quarrel?”
“No, things are going well between us these days... Thierry, I'm really worried, something may have happened to her!”
"Come on, I'll try to call her."
I sat on the sofa, this sofa that had witnessed our hugs but also our arguments. I tapped my foot nervously, biting my nails until he came back with a smile of relief.
"She's with her sister, she slept there last night but she wouldn't tell me why.”
“I don't understand why she doesn't want to answer me, everything was fine until yesterday… Thierry, I don't want to lose her again.” I told him, bursting into tears.
"You're not going to lose her, she loves you so much… and I've never seen her happier than when she's with you."
"Do you… do you think I can go see her at Daphne's? Will they take it badly?”
“No, go get your girl!”
I burst out laughing at his sentence.
“I prefer to see you like that, smiling. Go ahead, I'll pay you the train ticket.”
“No, certainly not!” I exclaimed.
“Listen, my daughter's happiness is priceless, so take it.” he said, putting a twenty euros bill in my hand.
When I accepted, he took me in his arms, like a father would for his daughter.

I ran to the station where I took the first train to pick up, I hoped, my girlfriend. During the train ride and then to Daphne's apartment, I felt the pressure rising. Arrived in front of the Lecomte intercom, I took a deep breath and I pressed, my hand a little shaking.
“Hello.” I heard, after a few seconds.
“Daphne… uh… it’s Maya.”
"Maya! I didn't expect you here! Come up.”
I climbed the stairs two by two to a half-open door, where I timidly stuck my head.
“Come in, Maya.” she told me before kissing me.
"I'm really sorry to come unexpectedly, but I'm looking for Lola. Thierry told me she was at your place.”
"She went out for a walk but I think she'll be back soon… what happened between you two?"
“I don’t know, she stopped answering me suddenly, without giving me a reason.”
“She wouldn’t tell me neither… but she’s mad at you.”
"Daphne, I'm completely lost. We reconciled, she even told the mif that I had changed and that she was happy with me.”
"I'm going to text her to find out when she's coming back."
As she wrote her message, I looked around and recognized Lola's black jacket that I loved so much.
“She's coming back in five minutes, I'm going for a walk.”
“Daphne, no, I don't want to kick you out of your house, I'll wait for her outside.”
"Don't worry, I have some shopping to do.”
“You're sure?” I asked her.
“Yes, go get your girl!”
“You really are from the same family!” I responded with a burst of laughter. “Your dad said exactly the same thing to me.”
"The apple does not fall far from the tree... and we both know how good you are for our baby."
“Thank you… I never dared to tell you this but, since I met Lola, I feel like I have found a family.”
“We're a dysfunctional family, but you're part of it.”
The floodgates failed and I fell into his arms, crying. I was less and less able to control my emotions and it scared me and pleased me at the same time.

As soon as she closed the door, I jumped on Lola's jacket to smell her. My phone rang, it was Max coming for news. Immersed in my conversation and with the noise of the radio, I didn’t hear the door open, nor anyone approach.
“I know Max but I don't know what to do, I can't live without her and I'm always afraid of losing her now… maybe she met someone else and she realized that she didn't love me anymore...”
I turned around and there she was, looking both emotional and accusing. I then realized that I had instinctively put on her jacket, to be closer to her. I hung up and approached her to hug her, but she pushed me away.
“Maya, what are you doing here?”
“You don’t answer my calls since yesterday... if it's to make me understand what you went through every time I was away without giving news, I understood the message and I promise not to never do it.”
"Do you really think that's why?" she yelled.
“I don’t understand, it was better between us, so why? What did I do wrong?”
"You don't suspect it? Maybe you should ask to the one you're cheating on me with!” she threw me into a mixture of anger and sadness.
"Are you talking about the one from the association?"
“You see! And you don't even try to defend yourself… damn, I really thought you had changed… is it with her that you spent your nights when you were away without giving me news? But what dumb I am!”
“Lola, shut up and let me explain.”
“No, I don't want to hear your shitty apologies.”
“Still, you will listen to me and then you will make your decision… I made a lot of mistakes in our relationship but I never cheated on you. Why would I look elsewhere when everything I want is in front of me… yes, June kissed me yesterday but I pushed her away and told her that I was madly in love with my girlfriend.”
“Is it true?” she asked me, surprised.
"I promise you, on my own head, it's true... I know I've hurt you many times but I never wanted to cheat on you, you know I'm not like that!"
"I know.” she finally confessed to me, in one breath... “Is everything you said to Max true?"
"Yeah, I just can't imagine my future without you. I want us to move in together, go on vacation together... and one day start a family together...”
I didn't have time to finish my sentence because Lola jumped on me, pushed me against the wall and kissed me so passionately that I started shaking.
“I missed you so much… and that jacket really suits you!”
“I brought you a box of your favorite chocolate.” I told her.
“Thank you but there is something else I want before that.” she said, smiling.
"But your sister might come back at any moment!"
“We just have to go to the bathroom, there is a latch.” she suggested.

It was enough for me to accept, I grabbed her neck and her buttocks and I stuck her to me. She grabbed my waist and we went to the bathroom, where she quickly locked the door. She grabbed my shirt to pull me closer to her and she kissed me, her tongue playing with mine and I was literally melting. I took off her t-shirt and her bra quickly and took her breasts in my mouth. I had slept with many women before her, but no one had ever put me in such a condition. She pushed me onto the toilet bowl and practically ripped off my pants and panties, then she spread my thighs apart and tickled my clitoris with her tongue, caressing my hips and legs. Lola was this perfect mixture of fire and tenderness, I had guessed it from our first meetings and I had discovered it during our first night together. Right now she was introducing her tongue inside me with such passion that I had shivers. I moaned louder and louder as she picked up the pace. I was about to have an orgasm when we heard Daphne outside the door.
“Well, I see that you are reconciled, I'll prepare something to drink, you're going to need it!”
We stood for a moment, confused, then we burst out laughing.
"Damn, we've been busted in the bathroom twice in a short time, so maybe we need to stop!" I exclaimed.
“I agree with you… but not before you had your orgasm.” she replied with a big smile.
She then started again with her tongue and I bit my lips to make as little noise as possible. When she reached her goal, she got up and hugged me tenderly. As I covered her with kisses, she burst out laughing.
“Well, now we will have to go out and face the sarcasm of my sister.”
“Stop it, it's too embarrassing!”
We got dressed and went to join Daphne, who had prepared some lemonade. We looked at all three and we left in a fit of laughter.
"I'm so glad you made up, you are made for each other.”
"Yes, I don't think we can live without each other." I replied to my sister-in-law.
"Maya, do you mind if I stay here tonight?"
“Not at all, I understand, my sweetheart. I'll see what time the next train is.”
"You can stay, if you want, we'll hug in the couch. Anyway, I don't think hugging you is a problem for you! I mean, if you want?”
"Are you sure you don't mind, sis?”
“No, not at all. It's been a long time since the three of us had a moment!”
“Ok, but only if I can invite you to the restaurant tonight.”
“Okay.” replied the famous Lecomte sisters.

Daphne spent the afternoon showing us around her favorite neighborhoods and then I invited them to a real Japanese restaurant, where I gave them a summary of the culture of my mother's country. Lola and I constantly grab hands or kiss, mostly on the cheek. In the evening, Lola settled between the two most important women in her life and we hugged her. She didn't have the place of making the slightest move, but from her sparkling eyes and her disarming smile, I could see that she was happy. After endless discussions, tickling sessions and endless laughter, we fell asleep.

WEDNESDAY – 1:30 P.M.

For almost a week, we were walked on air with Lola. Long discussions and a new appointment with the shrink had made me understand some of my defense mechanisms. Today, she had offered to accompany us, Bilal, Jo and me to the new protest for the environment. She explained to me that it was because she wanted to be interested in my activities, but I think it was mainly to keep an eye on me, knowing that June would probably be there.
We had practically arrived, carrying signs and between my best friend, the one who had been a great support for me for months and the woman of my life, I was radiant with happiness. I couldn't stop smiling stupidly, which greatly amused my three friends and Lola had just whispered in my ear "you have the most beautiful smile on this earth that is going badly". Her statement and the way she had caressed my cheek sent shivers down my spine. Lola had always been the only drug I needed. But, when we arrived at the place of the protest and when Lola had seen June in the distance, I had felt her accusing gaze and her hand twitching in mine. She kept kissing me and clinging to me, Lola had always been very affectionate but never so much and I realized that she did it especially when June turned her gaze towards us. She was jealous and I should have found this situation embarrassing but, for me, it proved that she really loves me.
“Lola, you have nothing to fear, I only see you, I only love you.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You think I don’t see your little game? You jump on me as soon as you see June.”
“Not at all... well maybe a little. But I'm afraid that you'll tell yourself that she suits you more, that she's what you need.” she answered me with the look of a frightened little puppy.
“You are the best thing on this planet for me. Despite the difficult times we went through together, it was the happiest two years of my life. I have…”
I didn't have time to finish my sentence because Jo jumped on us, put her arms on both of our shoulders and her head between ours.
"Girls, promise me never to separate you again! I don't want to lose my two best friends and you two love each other too much to act so stupid.”
We looked at each other with Lola and at the same time, we placed a kiss on the cheeks of Jo, who stamped with contentment. She remained like that for long minutes, without moving.
“Jo, are you going to spend the whole contest like this?” Lola asked her.
“Yes, why? It bothers you?”
“Well, you are preventing us from moving. And then, we will have to demonstrate at some point!”
Hearing those words from Lola filled me with happiness as Jo walked away from us grumbling. We spent several hours protesting, Lola becoming more and more involved and even asking me questions about the environment.

As I was leaving, while I was discussing with Bilal the plan to create new nuclear stations, I saw June walking towards Lola. I approached and hid behind a wall, only wanting to intervene in the case of a violent conflict.
"So you're the famous Lola!"
“Hello, June.” she replied sulkily.
"How do you know my name?" June wondered.
“I saw you kissing with Maya.”
"Yeah, I'm sorry. I thought you were separated, I took a chance.”
“And I understand you, Maya is the most beautiful girl on the planet!”
I smiled as much at Lola's reflection as at her defiance.
"Look Lola, I'm so sorry I kissed her." June continued. “And don't worry, she immediately pushed me away.”
"I know, she told me.”
"Don't worry, she's crazy about you… you're really lucky, you know that?"
“Yes, I know.” she replied with a lovely smile.
Then she pulled herself together and looked June straight in the eye.
“You seem to be nice but I warn you, if you approach my girlfriend again, I'll break both your knees, is that clear?”
“It couldn't be clearer. Bye, Lola.”
When June was out of sight, I approached Lola.
"Damn, how sexy are you when you're jealous!"
“She pissed me off, kiss me right away.” she ordered me.
What I hastened to do. I grabbed her face in both hands, leaned her back and devoured her lips as she pulled my body closer to hers.
"I don't think I could ever get tired of your lips." I whispered.
"You’d better, I'm here for a little while.”
“Anyway, the first one that approaches, you fight with her, my little badass princess!”
We burst out laughing in our kiss and then just stayed in each other's arms for a moment, until Jo hugged us from behind, followed by Bilal who wrapped his arms around everyone. From a distance, we must have looked like four idiots, but I, enveloped in all this love, felt happy and serene.

FRIDAY – 8:02 P.M.

It had been more than two months since Lola and I had reconnected and despite some disputes and adjustments between our two tempers, everything was going very well between us. We had found a good balance between our two conceptions of love and our busy schedules. Indeed, I had decided, on the advice and with the help of Vallès, to pass the diploma as a free candidate. I had stopped my last year of school only a few months before the diploma and with the help of the mif, I was progressing quickly in my revisions. I wanted a bright future for Lola and me and the shrink sessions and good studies for both of us would probably allow it. Today, however, I had decided to put my revisions on hold for a very special day. Everything was ready, Max was with his parents for the weekend and Joe and Redouane had helped me prepare the apartment. All that was missing was the one I had prepared everything for, a badass princess who was thinking of coming to a party with her friends. The moment I heard the front door slam my heart sank with apprehension but mostly because that was what happened every time she came.
“Hey everyone.” she yelled as she walked in, then her jaw dropped.
"Sorry, it's just me!”
While she was rooted to the spot detailing the decoration of the apartment, candles, heart-shaped balloons and romantic music, I took the opportunity to observe her super sexy outfit.
"Did you do all this for me?" she told me, visibly moved.
"Yeah, it's a special day.”
“What? I don’t understand, our anniversary is only in a month and a half!”
“Today, it’s been two years since you came into my life and turned everything upside down… it’s been two years since I fell in love with you.”
His lack of response made my stomach be tied.
"You don't like it, do you?" I told her in a barely audible voice. “Do you think that's too much? Or is that not enough?”
“It’s perfect Maya… no one has ever done that for me!”
She then ran up to me to hug me and covered me with kisses and thanks.
“I have a present for you, do you want it now or do you prefer to wait for the dessert?”
"Now, now!" she screamed, jumping in place like a child discovering her presents on Christmas morning.
“Ok, don’t move, I'll be back.”

After a few minutes, I came out of my room. I had put on a purple wig and a navy jumpsuit and was holding a large notebook in my hand. I had even pushed the staging by doing the same makeup, with a small dot under the eyes.
“Oh my god, did you really do all this for me?”
“No, I did it for Bilal… of course it’s for you, banana!”
"And what is this notebook? What's this? What's this?”
I took her hand and pulled her to the sofa. She sat on my lap and I rested the notebook on her lap, while I rested my chin on her shoulder.
“This is the book of our story, I took the thickest one I found. This sentence is the first you said to me. Here are the photos of our first evening together, at the racetrack. Here is our first photo together, only both of us, and right there, the first sms you sent me. On this page, it's the first little note you left me and there, the image of the exact moment of Eliott’s movie when you said "I love you" and here, a drawing which represents the dandelions I drew our first morning together…”
As I continued to list all that I had collected to tell our story, a tear drop on the notebook. She turned to me crying, I rested my forehead against hers and wiped her tears away with my thumbs. She turned completely around to sit astride me and rested her face on my neck. I could feel her heart beating fast so I started stroking his hair very gently, even though I too was struggling to calm my heartbeat and hold back my tears. We stood for a moment just enjoying each other's embrace, until I felt her smile.
“What's the matter?” I asked her, intrigued.
"Did you take an accelerated course in romance?"
“Shut up, bad girl and kiss me!”
She didn't have to be asked and gave me the most tender kiss and the most languorous look I have ever experienced. We stayed on the sofa for a long time cuddling and imagining our future together. For the first time in my life, I was not thinking about my painful past and I was no longer afraid of the future.

FRIDAY – 3:35 P.M.

The seven of us were walking towards the school, both impatient and anxious. We could have looked at the results of the diploma on the internet, but we insisted on the ceremonial of the sheets displayed on the walls of the school. I felt Lola's hand crush mine but, for nothing in the world, I wouldn’t have refused this contact with the one who had become my closest family. Bilal tried to calm Jo, who had turned into an electric battery, while Tiff morally supported Max and Redouane. Arrived in front of the school, we joined our hands and let out our battle cry, then Lola kissed me quickly.
“I believe in you.” she whispered to me.
“I believe in you too… and in us.”
She smiled at me and took my hand to drag me in front of the results sheet, feeling that I dared not move forward. She insisted on looking for my name before hers, which I found adorable.
“You got it, Maya, you got it! And with mention Fairly Well, you're too strong, my sweetheart!”
During this time, I was looking for hers and when I saw her name in the list of admitted, I jumped even more for joy than for my result.
“You too, my darling, you have it!”
We normally didn't have the right but we couldn't help it, I took her face in my hands and kissed her for a long time. We leaned our foreheads together, smiling.
“I'm so proud of you, you can’t imagine.” I said.
“You see, the cassos can also get away with it!”
“And the orphans in need too… shall we see the others to find out if they got it?”

We approached the rest of the group, where we spotted Bilal comforting his girlfriend and his best friend. Tiff had obtained it with honors, Max and Bilal with honors Fairly Well, but Jo and Redouane failed. We tried to cheer up the moral of the two dropouts and we promised to have them revise day and night so that the whole group would get their diploma the same year.
"Well, since you haven't gotten it yet, which will be soon, we're canceling the party tonight." Tiff said.
"Certainly not!" replied Jo. “Nothing can stop me from dancing with Bilal, for once he’s free!”
"Yes, don't worry, I'm going to pretend I'm out of battery so that my mother isn't on my back tonight." Redouane continued.
"Are you sure?" Lola asked. “We can have a party after the catch-ups.”
“No, you don’t want to party tonight or what?” shouted Joe.
“Yes, yes!” we answered in chorus.
“So, we meet at 7 p.m. at the roommate!” concluded Maya.

Bilal and Redouane accompanied Jo to her home, to make it easier to sweeten the pill with her parents. Max left with Tiff enjoying Moïra before the evening and Lola suggested that we spend the end of the day quietly lying under the sun, in our favorite park. We found a quiet place, far enough away from the crowd of children, and spread out the fabric that Lola had taken. She lay down and held out her arms to me with a touching smile and I broke down in half a second. I settled on top of her, my head on her chest, her breath and heartbeat punctuating mine. She started, with one hand, to caress my hair that I had let grow back and, with the other, my lower back under my t-shirt. Between the results of the diploma, the sun, the sound of birds and the tenderness of Lola, I felt completely serene, so much so that I fell asleep. When I woke up and turned my head towards her, I saw her grimacing.
"What is it, my sweetheart?" I asked her, worried.
“It's nothing, I just have a cramp.”
"Why didn't you wake me up?"
“You were too beautiful, I didn’t want to... damn, my girl is the smartest and the hottest on earth!” she answered me.
“Me too, my girl is the smartest and hottest!”
We burst out laughing and I got up to massage her paralyzed calf, then I went back to my original place and started to kiss her very gently. She ran her hand under my shirt again and slid it up my ass. I ran mine under her shirt, along her waist, her stomach, then, her breasts. Our kisses, our caresses and our rubbings became more and more impatient.
“Maya, I really want you, but it’s too dangerous here.”
“It's true that it's been a while since you were arrested by the cops!”
“Very amusing... we come back to the apartment?”
“Immediately!” I replied, impatient.
I stood up quickly and grabbed her hand but pulled her arm so hard that she ended up in my embrace. She took the opportunity to steal a kiss from me, then we put our things away quickly. Fortunately, the park was only five minutes from my apartment because the journey was an ordeal, the desire increasing as my room approached. Outside the front door, I blocked her against the wall and kissed her passionately, while she smiled in the kiss. After having, with difficulty, put the key in the lock, I shouted “Is anyone there?" We waited a few seconds for an answer that never came so, as I unbuttoned Lola's shirt, she grabbed my waist and dragged me to the bed. We collapsed on it laughing.
“We have an hour to make love and get ready… we’ll have to be efficient.” exclaimed Lola.
"What romanticism!"
“Yeah, I think we swapped personalities.” she smirked.
“We’re wasting time…”
I didn't have time to finish my sentence because her lips were on mine and her tongue explored my mouth. In a few seconds, we were completely naked and between the desire at its peak and the time that passed, we reached a simultaneous orgasm quickly. We remained a little entwined to bring down the pressure then we took a shower together, while discussing and laughing. I let Lola do my makeup and she accepted that I choose her clothes.

At 7 p.m., we were ready, Lola sexier than ever. Everyone arrived a little late, Jo and Bilal with beers, Tiff and Max with pizzas, Redouane with his good humor despite the diploma results. We settled around the coffee table, Lola in my arms.
“Damn, I don't believe it, you've become this super cute couple that makes everyone jealous!” exclaimed Jo, looking at Lola and me.
"Don't tell her that, I'm so happy that she's so romantic and affectionate... I'm warning you, if she stops because of you, I'll strangle you!" replied Lola.
"Don't worry, I don't plan to come back like before." I whispered in her ear.
She caressed my cheek and kissed me tenderly, then we turned to Jo with menacing eyes. She made a sign that she wouldn't say anything and then everyone burst out laughing. We then developed a revision program for the two failed students, coupled with relaxation sessions for stress, then we talked about the future.
“As you can imagine, I already enrolled in an architecture school.” Tiff said, while Max remained silent, undecided about his future.
“I found a fashion school but I hope I’ll have time to work at the kebab, my mother really needs this money.” Bilal continued.
“And you? You still have not told us.” asked Max.
We looked at each other with Lola smiling and she nodded for me to speak.
“Lola is going to enroll in psychology school and I enroll in law school. We inquired, we should be able to have scholarships and I will continue hours of supervision in high school.”
There was a moment of latency where everyone looked at each other, surprised at my response, then they congratulated and encouraged us.
“To the effect that a broke orphan and a former drug addict can have a bright future, after all!” exclaimed Lola.
“Because you have a lot of strength and courage.” Tiff replied… “We all have a lot of courage, considering what we have endured.”
“We all managed to get out of it, I'm proud of my mif.” I added.
"Well, is the theme of the evening crying or partying?" said Redouane, to lighten the mood.
“To party!” we all shouted in unison.

We spent a few hours in the apartment talking loudly, bursting out laughing and putting the world to rights, like all young people of our age. Then we went clubbing until 6 a.m. In her short and sexy dress, Lola kept getting hit on but she pushed them all away to come back to me. With my outfit and my makeup, I was also very successful but I only saw her on the dancefloor. After a while, tired of being constantly annoyed, we decided to spend the evening glued to each other, to make it clear that we were a couple and happy. When we got home and Lola started snoring softly, I smiled stupidly. Two years ago, I wouldn’t have imagined meeting the one who would become the most important person in my life, nor enrolling in law. So many trying moments and reversals of situation, but today I had found my balance. I kissed Lola on the forehead and the cheek, then I approached her ear.
“I promise you we will have a great future together… I love you.”
“I love you too.” she replied, hugging me even tighter.

TUESDAY – 10:05 A.M.

“Grandma, please hurry up, they are waiting for us.”
"But who?" she asked me.
"Do you remember Lola?"
I could see that she was searching in her memory, then she had a twinkle in her eyes.
"Yeah, she's your girlfriend. She’s very nice, I like her very much.”
"Me too, I like her a lot.”
“So much the better, my darling... but where are we going?” she asked me again.
“We're going to Lola's sister's boyfriend's grandmother's countryside house.”
I saw from her frown that she didn't understand.
"Never mind, we're going to the countryside for a few days."
We left for the exit door of the retirement home, where Lola was waiting for us. She kissed me then took Suzanne in her arms. There was a beautiful affection and complicity between them that filled me with joy.
“My father is waiting for us a little further up the street.”
Suzanne took her arm and Lola smiled back. I walked behind them, so I could enjoy the spectacle of my past and future together. When he saw us, Thierry kissed me and greeted Suzanne, who took him in her arms, which seemed to surprise him.
“Cool, we’ll arrive just in time to put our feet under the table!” Lola said.
With Thierry, we looked at each other and sighed in spite. I sat in the back with my grandma so she wouldn't get lost, but I couldn't help but stare at Lola on the ride. Every time she realized it, she turned and smiled at me, which in turn made me smile.
“But you aren’t both done with your silly smiles!” laughed Thierry.
“Holy fuck, it's not true, we became silly!” replied Lola.
“Watch your language, girl.”
"You just have to stop making fun of us!”
“Just kidding, I'm happy to see you happy.” Thierry replied, stroking her cheek.
"Thank you, dad." she told him, smiling.

After a few minutes of travel, Suzanne fell asleep on my shoulder for a good hour. She woke up with a start, looking a little lost and turned to me.
"Maya, are your parents coming too?"
Lola turned to me and took my hand in hers, with a loving look of support.
“No, Suzanne, they had an impediment.” Lola replied.
"Next time, maybe then?" she asked.
"Perhaps…" I whispered to her.
I met Thierry's gaze, who seemed both upset by my grandmother's question and proud of Lola's reaction. He smiled at me as tenderly as his daughter, Lola had not only offered me her love and support but also a new family. We arrived around 12:30 a.m., Daphne, Basile, his mother and his grandmother were already waiting for us at the table. Daphne got up and ran to jump into her sister's arms and then she hugged everyone.
“You arrive just in time to put your feet under the table.” she told us.
"Oh you see, I was right!” exclaimed Lola.
Thierry and I raised our eyebrows while laughing, while the two sisters headed towards the table, arm in arm, to join this large blended family.

TUESDAY – 10:35 P.M.

“Cool, you enjoy the pool with this good weather... ok, I leave you, give a kiss to Moira and Tiff from me... I'll tell them that you say hello to them ... bye.”
As I hung up, I heard someone approach the lounge chair next to mine.
"Can I sit here?" Daphne asked me.
“Sure. Don’t you want to play with them anymore?”
“They keep cheating and yelling at each other, I can’t take it anymore.”
"Even Basil's grandmother?" I asked.
"Are you kidding me, she's the worst!"
"Worse than Lola?"
“Well, maybe on the same level.” she ended up admitting, before we burst out laughing… “I'm really happy that you got back together, you really bring her the stability she needs… she managed to get by partly thanks to you, you know.”
“Not at all, well I may have contributed a little, but she got out of it on her own… she is the strongest person I know.”
“I know, I'm so proud of the woman she became… when I think back to what we went through with our mother, then everything that happened when she found out about her father, I really thought we were going to lose her several times.” she told me with tears in her eyes.
“I promise you that I will take good care of her, she is the most important thing in the world with Suzanne.”
"I know, don't worry, I trust you completely.”
“No, but damn, I swear, what a bad loser your grandmother!” we heard in the distance.
"Uh, you're not bad all either." Basile replied.
“Not at all!” Lola protested.

I felt two arms hugging me from behind and then a kiss on my forehead.
"What were you talking about?" she asked us.
“Of things and others...”
"It's very mysterious, all that." she said, blowing.
She settled into my arms, while Basil settled into those of Daphne. She took my wrists and kissed them before tightening our embrace.
“You are too adorable, Mayla!” exclaimed Basil
"How did you call us?" Lola asked.
“Mayla is the contraction of Maya and Lola.”
"I like it." I replied.
"And why is Maya's name first?" complained Lola.
“But you’re annoying!” laughed Daphne. “I don't know how you manage to put up with it, Maya.”
“I force myself.” I told her.
"Is it true, can't you stand me?” Lola asked me, looking worried.
“Of course not, sweetheart… and I don’t think, even if you were horrible to me, I wouldn’t be able to hate you.”
“Me neither.” she replied, turning to kiss me.
While Daphne and Basile looked at us smiling, she whispered to me “Can we go to the bedroom? I want to show you how much I don't hate you.”
“Well, we leave you, we're a little tired.” I said in a voice a little too enthusiastic.
“Of course, rest well girls!” Daphne scoffed.
We laughed, no one being fooled, then we got up and kissed the two lovers. Lola grabbed my hand and led me to the bedroom, where we didn't actually go to bed right away.

The next morning, as I felt a ray of sunshine warm my back and Lola's hand on my hips, I dreamed that my parents were coming to join us today, that they were reuniting with Suzanne and that I could finally introduce Lola and my in-laws. We spent the day together, without alcohol, without alzheimer, without arguments and without dramas, we were just happy to be together on a beautiful summer day. Before dinner, my mom and dad would hug Lola and me and tell me how much they loved me and were proud of me. After a while, I opened my eyes and saw Lola looking at me fondly.
"Why are you smiling like that?" I asked her.
“First, good morning! And I'm smiling because you were smiling in your sleep, you looked so peaceful.”
“Sorry, good morning. I dreamed that my parents were coming today and you could finally meet them. Maybe it's a message for me to make peace with my past and look to the future... with you I hope.”
“With me, of course.” she replied with a smile.
I couldn't help but take her in my arms, while she pecked my lips tenderly.

WEDNESDAY – 7:30 P.M.

“Come on, it's aperitif time!” I heard while I was at the back of the garden, watering and pruning plants with Lola.
“Yeah, no alcohol as usual…” Lola muttered.
"What, are you tempted to drink again?" I asked her, a little anxious.
“No, I'm happy, I don't want to relapse… but it's just that I'm still the only one who doesn't have the right… you don't drink either, but it's a choice… sorry, that's not what I meant, it's because of your father...”
"Don't worry, it's not just because of all the pain it's caused... but I'm thinking that maybe I could become like him... I don't know, I'd rather not try.”
"And you're absolutely right. Look, I have become like my mother.” she answered me with a sad look.
“No, you had a moment of distraction but you have become a wonderful woman, courageous, generous, caring and above all with an extraordinary will.”
"Is that true, do you think I'm a good person?”
“The best.” I said to her, taking her in my arms.
"You too are the most wonderful, strongest person I know." she whispered into the crook of my neck. “I love you so much.”
We stayed in each other's comforting embrace for a while, until Basil told us to bring our butts back immediately.

After a few beers for some and fruit juices for others, I decided it was the moment. I took out a small box and placed it in front of Lola. She looked at me with fried whiting eyes.
“Maya, I love you but we are too young to get married.”
"It's not a marriage proposal!" I replied, bursting into laughter.
She opened the box and took out a fake key and a picture of a building facade.
“Tiff’s father found us, through a colleague, a very cute little two-room apartment, at a reasonable price. Jo agrees to replace me with Max and your father is going to move into a smaller apartment, to contribute to the rent. I inquired, we could have a housing benefit and state aid and my supervision hours could pay the bills and the food… well, if you agree of course.”
“I… Maya… I…”
"You don't want to, do you? It's too late?” I asked her, disappointed.
"Maya, I've been dreaming about it for so long!" she said. “But on condition that I find a small job, to participate.”
“If you promise me it won’t stop you from studying for college.”
“I will not be the first to combine college and a small job.” she replied insistently.
"So, is it ok?"
“Yes, yes, yes.” she screamed, jumping into my arms and kissing me.
Then she jumped into her father's arms to thank him, while everyone applauded, which made us blush.
"I'm so happy." she whispered to me.
"If you're happy, so am I.”
"Maya, are your parents okay with you moving in with Lola?" asked Susan.
“Yeah, I think they would have been ok… and I think they would have loved you a lot, Lola.”
“Me too, I would have liked my mother to know you.” she said with a look filled with sadness. “She died only a few days before I met you.”
"I'm sorry, sweetheart." I replied, stroking her cheek.
“It's like that…”
When I looked away from Lola, I saw Daphne, Thierry and Basile crying. I had forgotten that they too had suffered from the depression and addictions of Lola and her mother. Except that Lola had gotten out of it and she seemed happy now.

SATURDAY – 2:30 P.M.

“So you have all the remaining household appliances, including the washing machine and the dishwasher… Miss Lecomte, haven’t you seen the terrace yet?”
“Uh no, is there a terrace? Are you kidding me?” she replied, stunned.
“No, come see.” he proposed, laughing at the spontaneity of Lola. “Besides, it overlooks a quiet alley… you will see, it’s charming.”
In addition to a nice cozy little apartment on the butte aux cailles, we had a nice terrace and a bike shed. Lola couldn't believe it and seemed to marvel at everything. She had both everything and nothing to do with the one I had met a little over two years ago. She was still this impulsive, sulky, I don't care and tender kid but she had got rid of this anger that she carried against the world and especially against herself. Happiness suited her so well that I wanted to dedicate my life to making her happy.

"I think we've gone around. If the apartment suits you both, we can go to the agency to sign the papers and I'll give you the keys.”
“So, do you like it?” I asked Lola.
“Holy shit, of course!”
“Lola, please, your language.”
"Excuse me, sir, I'm very...”
“Enthusiastic, I see.” he replied, laughing.
“Yes, very, very enthusiastic. It's really ours if we agree?”
“Yes, Tiffany’s father vouched for your seriousness.”
Lola jumped in place, clapping her hands like a sea lion, and I couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Given her barely overreaction, I think we'll take it." I told to our real estate agent.
“Follow me then.”
Lola ran to the door like a little puppy eagerly waiting for to come out. On the outside, she made people think she was a tiger but in reality, she was a harmless little kitten. Arrived at the agency, we sat down to sign the papers and I noticed that Lola was visibly moved. Accustomed to moving countless times, I had forgotten that it was the first time for her and that it was an important step in our relationship. I took her hand and gave her a wink and a big smile to comfort her.
"There we go, the apartment is yours!"
At that time, Lola had no reaction so I got worried and asked her discreetly:
“What is happening? Have you changed your mind?”
“Not at all, but I think he thinks I'm crazy… so I try to play it super sober… we never know if he changes his mind at the last moment.”
"But he just said it was for us!"
"Are you really sure?" she asked me again.
“Yes, I swear to you.”
She then let out a high-pitched cry, while clapping her hands. After a moment of astonishment, the real estate agent and I burst out laughing.
“Miss Lecomte, here are the keys to your apartment.”
“Can I?” she asked me.
I gave her a nod in agreement and she grabbed the keys in a very ceremonial fashion. She turned to me with a smile from ear to ear and I couldn't help but kiss her.
“Your happiness is a pleasure to see.” he told us.
“Thank you.” we replied blushing.

Once out of the agency, Lola absolutely wanted to return to the apartment, our apartment, so we retraced our steps.
“Look, this bakery looks so good, I'm going to buy us croissants in the morning… and this bar, the decoration is so cool, we'll go have an aperitif here… ah, I love this graffiti… so beautiful this scooter, we may be able to buy one when we’ll have saved some money...”
She kept walking while talking non-stop, while I stopped smiling. She realized she was talking to herself only after a few meters and turned to me.
“What’s happening?” she asked me.
“I love you… I love you so much… thank you for making me happy.”
She ran up to me and grabbed my neck, kissing me passionately. I grabbed her waist to press her to me then, when we were out of breath, she took my face in her hands.
“I love you so much too… are we going to test the floor of our apartment?”
"Why the ground? Do you think it will collapse?”
“But no banana, it's because we don't have a mattress or a sofa yet!” she responded with a laugh.
"If that's why, let's go now.”
I grabbed her hand and started running, dragging her with me. I could hear his laughter and his breath mingled and I couldn't help but completely melt with love, desire, hope and happiness.

FRIDAY – 6:12 P.M.

"Are you sure you'll be okay, honey?” I asked her, as she crushed my hand.
“Don't worry, it's not the first!”
“Yes, but this one is really bigger, you’ve been suffering for almost an hour.”
“I wanted it, I got it… thank you for giving it to me, it makes me so happy, my sweetheart.”
“I'm not the only one who participated, your father and the mif too. I would have liked to offer it to you alone, but we are too fair in terms of money.” I answered her.
“No worries. I'm just going to have to show my ass to everybody.”
Seeing my look of incomprehension, she continued.
“They're going to want to see it and since it's November and it's on the thigh, I'm going to have to drop my pants.”
“Considering your big mouth, it will be the first time you'll drop your pants in front of them.”
We burst out laughing, then she grabbed my shirt and pulled my lips to hers.
"You're really going to have to stop moving, otherwise it's going to be a mess."
“Sorry.” we answered in chorus.
“Happy birthday anyway.” I whispered.
“Thank you, my love.” she replied just as softly.

SUNDAY - 11:15 P.M.

It had been almost an hour since Lola had fallen asleep on my lap. I was watching a report on blue whales, while stroking her hair. Before her, I would never have imagined that life together would bring me so much joy. She loved bringing me breakfast in bed, hugging me from behind when I was cooking, and falling asleep on my lap. And I loved when she brought me breakfast, when she hugged me and when I fell asleep in her arms. There were still disagreements but our respective shrinks had given us methods to defuse conflicts and we talked a lot about our pasts, our frustrations and our fears. With all these efforts, everything was quickly settled amicably and very often in our bed. As I was lost in thought, I felt Lola move.
“Hi, my love.” I said, kissing her forehead.
“I think I better go to bed, I have my first class at 8.30 a.m.”
"May I join you, Miss Lecomte-Etienne?"
"I love it when you say that!” she exclaimed with a big smile.
“That's what it’s written on the mailbox.”
"It's going well between us, isn't it? I mean, does it bother you too much that we live together? You can leave for a few days to breathe if you want, as long as you give me news...”
“Lola, shut up, I'm very happy to live with you. I do think it will be good if we do separate weekends from time to time, but not to run away from you, only to find you better.”
“It's true that we found each other very well, when I got back from Daphne's!”
She sat up, placed a tender kiss on my lips, then held out her hand to help me up.
"Come on Grandma, get up." she said mockingly.
“Why do you say that?”
“You can't get up alone, you watch wildlife reports, you drink herbal tea...”
“You'll see if I'm a granny!” I screamed.

I grabbed her ass and lifted her up, she put her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck. I carried her to the bed, where I laid her gently before covering her face with kisses. As her hands slid down my back and up my ass, I took off her t-shirt and shorts and stroked her chest, then started to press kisses down her neck then down her arms, her waist, her hips and to the scars on her thighs.
“It's really beautiful and it blends really well with your scars!”
“Yes, now we are sisters of tattoo-scars.” she told me very happy. “And you really had a great idea to ask Emma to redraw me the phoenix, that she had proposed to me two years ago.”
“I think it suits you so well... despite the obstacles in your life, you are always reborn from your ashes.”

I started very gently brushing her old scars of scarification and the new ones from the tattoo, while blowing hot air. The mixture of hot-cold and pain-pleasure made her shiver, so I placed small lip kisses to soothe them but that only increased her desire. She sat down and grabbed my head in her hands, then gently tugged my hair, which I had now long and natural. She slid her lips down my chin, then licked my mouth with relish. I grabbed her neck to pull her closer to me and my tongue started dancing with hers. She took off my t-shirt and started stroking my crotch, first on my panties and then inside. I felt her desire increase as well so I, too, put my hand in her panties. We introduced our fingers together, in perfect symbiosis, and we made love without taking our eyes off each other. No other person had ever managed to make me feel so many emotions and I still never got tired of her tenderness and her passion when we made love. She lay on her back and I collapsed on top of her, my head in the crook of her neck, as she hugged me tight. When I moved slightly, Lola growled and pulled me back to her.
“Stay there a bit!”
“I just wanted to take the ointment tube behind you, to put on your tattoo.” I replied.
“Sorry, go ahead.”
After catching it, I put a large dab on my finger and started to spread it very gently so as not to hurt her. I felt her shiver and smile at the same time, moved that someone wanted to take care of her.
“Thank you, my sweetheart.”
"It's normal." I told her with a smile.
After I finished, I returned to my favorite place in the world: her arms.

SATURDAY – 7:30 P.M.

“Can you go open, my little rabbit?” Lola asked me placing a quick kiss on my lips. “Damn, I haven't finished preparing the toast, it's not possible!”
"I never thought I'd see you stressing over a meal." I replied, laughing.
“It's our first Christmas in our house, it's important, I want everything to be perfect.”
“It’s just our family, don’t worry! The most important thing is to have a good time together.”
“Thank you for your support, but could you still open the door for them?”
"Oh sorry, I completely forgot!” I exclaimed.
I quickly wiped my hands and ran to open them. Daphne, Basile, Thierry and Suzanne stood outside the front door, arms laden with presents. I brought them inside and hugged everyone warmly.
"Give me your coats, I'll put them in the bedroom. And you can put the gifts under the fir.”
"Thank you Maya. And where is Lola?” Daphne asked.
“She's in the kitchen. Please tell her it's going to be okay, she's so stressed.”
“My sister is cooking and stressing for a family meal. What did you do to her?”
“Nothing at all, it turns out that she loves cooking now.”
“Long gone are the days when she was looking for onions in the fridge!” exclaimed Basil.
We burst out laughing and they rushed to hug and comfort Lola. When I came back, Daphné was taking care of my grandmother who had taken her place in our only armchair, while Thierry and Basile were chatting on the sofa. I stopped in the hallway between the kitchen and the living room to observe this new family that Lola had given me, then my girlfriend who was desperately looking for something in the cupboards. I came in quietly and hugged her from behind.
"What are you looking for, my love?"
"Coriander and basil, I'm sure I bought some!”
“On the terrace… you told me it was to keep them cool.”
"Oh damn, it's true!” she exclaimed, banging her head.
"I'll get them while you finish the rest."
“Thank you.” she replied, kissing me quickly.
Back in the kitchen with the herbs, I asked Lola what I could do to help her.
“You can serve them a drink while waiting for me to finish the entries, it will make them wait a bit.”
“Ok but you join us quickly, it's not the same without you.” I answered her by taking his head in my hands and kissing him languidly.
“I promise, sweetheart.”

Five minutes later, while the conversations about misogyny, homophobia and racism, three things I had been a victim of, were in full swing, Lola entered with a tray filled with toasts, verrines and petits fours. Everyone looked at each other and applauded, except Suzanne who didn't fully understand why she was here. Lola gave us a detailed presentation of her creations, then sat down with me on the floor, her leg glued to mine.
"Help yourself." she said.
What everyone hastened to do, while she waited anxiously for our reactions.
"But it's delicious!" Basil said, his mouth full.
“Downright!” added Daphne.
“I'm too proud of you, my dear.” continued Thierry.
"They seem to like it." Lola whispered to me, with that disarming smile that made me melt every time.
“Me too, I'm too proud of you.” I told her, entwining our fingers and placing a little kiss on the tip of her nose.
She grabbed my face and kissed me slowly, completely ignoring the looks on us. When she finished, she smiled at me, satisfied and just happy. After the aperitif, we all crowded around our little table in the dining room, but the ambient good mood made us forget the lack of space. Lola sat between her sister and me, while I had my grandmother on my left. Lola kept getting up to clear and get the dishes, refusing any help.
"But honey, why can't I get up to help you? It's my home too.”
“I warn you, if you get up, I kick your ass!” she answered me by going back to the kitchen.
"Your sister is a tyrant!" I told Daphne.
“And it's not new, she was already like that little.” she answered me.
“She was completely driving us crazy with her mother.” added Thierry.
“I confess that she scared me a little at first, when I met her!” Basil told us.
"She's very nice to me." my grandmother whispered. “She gives me lots of hugs.”
“Me too, she gives me lots of hugs.” I replied, laughing. “In fact, she’s the most adorable person in the world.”
“Yes, she's a ball of love, her bad girl side doesn't fool anyone.” said Daphne.
“It's not true, I really am a badass princess!” Lola exclaimed as she entered the living room.
“But of course!” replied her sister.
“You'll see.”
She jumped on Daphne then the two gently bickered, until Daphne took her tenderly in her arms.
"I'm so glad you're back in Paris." Lola told her, kissing her.
“And I therefore!” exclaimed Basil. “I was desperate that we would live together one day.”
“Yes, I know what it is, they made ourselves desired, these two.” Lola replied by pointing to me.

We spent an eventful but pleasant meal, where we evoked our missing persons and the moments of the past, the good ones as well as the bad ones. Then the future came to the party with everyone's projects. Suzanne was silent most of the time but seemed happy to be there, while Thierry looked fondly at his two daughters and the people who made their hearts beat. We opened the presents a little after midnight, with the most enthusiastic being the youngest and the oldest in my family, the two people who meant the most to me. I knew that one of my two loves would probably disappear in the years to come, if not completely, then at least her spirit. As for the other, I looked at her lovingly, hoping inside that she would still accompany me for a long time.

SUNDAY – 4:30 P.M.

When I entered the kitchen, Lola was leaning forward, rummaging through a cupboard. I could only see her legs and her buttocks sticking out, but despite the fact that we spent the first day of the year only in bed, this position and the fact that she was in panties revived my desire. I approached and caressed her back, her waist and her buttocks.
"What are you looking for, sweetie?"
“I wanted to prepare us a snack, we will still not stay all day without eating!” she said.
“Good idea, I admit.”
While I remained glued to her, she asked me without turning around:
“You know what are the two things I love the most in the world?”
“Not school, that’s for sure… I don’t know… partying and making love?”
“Also, but no… the two things I love the most are chocolate and you… in that order.”
“A second place is not bad! But why are you telling me this?”
“Go back to bed.” she ordered me. “You'll see.”
“Ok.” I replied, a little surprised.
Following her orders, I went back to bed and waited five minutes for her to come back with a bowl.
"Why did you make only one bowl of hot chocolate?" I asked her.
"It's not chocolate milk and we're not going to drink it!"
Seeing my dubious air, she explained herself.
“I decided, if you agree, to enjoy the two things I love the most: chocolate and my girlfriend. More exactly, chocolate on my girlfriend.”
I smiled at his proposal, finding the idea doubly enticing.
“So you do want it?” she asked me again.
“If I can do it myself, yes.”
"It was planned, don't worry. Now take your clothes off while I go get a towel.”

The idea of mixing sex and chocolate and her ordering me around turned me on to the hilt. So I rushed to take off my clothes, which consisted only of a t-shirt and panties. She came back completely naked, spread two towels on the sheet and grabbed the bowl of chocolate.
“Lie down on the towels, sweetheart.”
I complied and she kissed me before dropping warm melted chocolate from my hand to my shoulder. She then licked it gently, emitting moans of contentment. Feeling her tongue on my skin made me shiver and liquefy with pleasure. Then she smeared chocolate again on my neck, forehead and cheeks and licked it off as well. No longer holding, I kissed her passionately but she asked me to stop.
“Shut your mouth, please.”
“Damn, I love it when you give me orders… but don’t like it too much!” I told her.
“I promise… shut up now.”
She took a spoonful of chocolate and placed it on my chin and my lips, before licking them and kissing them very slowly. I couldn't resist and I kissed her, the taste of chocolate mixed with Lola's brought me to the edge of orgasm. She took some chocolate and spread it on my chest and my belly then she took my breasts in her mouth. For long minutes, she sucked and kissed them frantically until my nipples were hard, then she licked my tense belly. I couldn't suppress little cries of pleasure that seemed to satisfy Lola. She slid a little lower, lifted my legs and smeared chocolate on my thighs and around my cock then she started licking and kissing them. When she started taking my clit in her mouth and then pushing her tongue inside me, moaning, I grabbed the sheets and her hair and bit my lip to keep from screaming.
“We don’t care about the neighbors, don't hold back my sweetheart.” she said smiling.
I cried out in pleasure as she picked up the pace and my whole body shook.
“Oh fuck, that was…”
“Good?” she asked me.
"That was great... but now it's my turn... I'm hungry."

I sat down, pulling her with me, then dipped my fingers in the chocolate, before bringing them to her mouth. She sucked my fingers with passion and softness, which had the effect of rekindling my desire. I grabbed her and turned her over so she was lying on her belly. I sat astride her and lifted her hair up, before kissing the back of her neck for a long time. She turned her head and grabbed me to reach her lips, then I took chocolate and dropped it from the back of her neck to her waist. I licked her back as she twitched in pleasure and she grabbed the pillow. I then deposited chocolate along her legs and I licked from her calves to the birth of her buttocks. Then I kissed her buttocks for a long time, before grabbing them and lifting them up to be able to caress her clitoris. As she moaned, I stuck my tongue in and licked her frantically until she had an orgasm. Exhausted, I lay on top of her and buried my head in her hair. I heard her breathing heavily and then she laughed.
“Finally, I think the neighbors will hate us!”
"I think they'd rather hear people having sex than yelling at each other." I smiled back at her.
She turned around and cupped my face in her hands, while kissing the corner of my mouth.
“There was a little chocolate left over there.” she explained. “It was a good idea, right?”
"Excellent... why didn't we think of that before?"
“I don’t know but in any case, we will have to plan a chocolate budget in our expenses now!”
“Thank you Lola, this year is off to a really good start… I love you.”
“I love you too.” she replied, smiling and kissing me.

SATURDAY – 5:55 P.M.

"Can you drop these boxes here?" Lola asked them.
"Yes, of course, ma'am. These are the last.”
“Great, you are very efficient! I will advise you to my clients if they have to move out.”
“Thank you, I wish you a pleasant end of the day.”
"You too." she replied.
After walking around our new apartment, I sat down on the floor, my back against the wall, among the boxes. Lola came to sit next to me, as close as possible and intertwined our fingers.
"I miss our old place already." I said quietly.
“You? You who kept moving, do you miss our apartment?”
“Yes… because it was our first apartment together… and it was the first time I really felt at home… you know what I mean?”
"Perfectly.” she replied with a smile. “Maya, you are not only the person I love the most in the world but you are also my best friend, my compass, my home… and I would love to be the mother of our children.”
I turned to her with a surprised look.
“This is the first time you've mentioned it!”
“Well, in fact, since I became an aunt, it makes me want to... and then I would love a little you.”
"So I'm going to carry it?" I asked her smiling.
“Yes, since you are older than me, you will be pregnant first and our daughter will be called Emiko, like your mother. For the second, it will be me and if it’s a girl, we will call her Julie, like my mother. If it's a boy, I don't know yet but I'm thinking about it.”
“Ok, so in fact, you have already planned everything! I have my say?”
"Not really." she said with a laugh. “I just hope we get there... I mean, we weren't necessarily spoiled parents-wise... we tell ourselves that we will always do better than them but in the end, we make a lot of mistakes.”
“Sweetheart, we all make mistakes, it’s normal. But, for me, my biggest mistake was to leave you last year. It's my fault if you...”
“Stop immediately! I was an adult, I knew very well what I was doing.”
“When Clément called me, I thought I was going to faint.” I told her crying.
"I'm so sorry." she replied, crying back. “I should not have…”
I held her in my arms until her twitching and crying stopped.
“I may be like her...” she said under her breath.
"No, you're not. You managed to get out of it each time, you can imagine the strength of character it takes!”
“I dunno…”
“Well, I know. In addition, it allowed me to understand, once again, that I could not live without you. When they told me you almost passed away, I just couldn't imagine my future without you.”
"I think we're doomed to end our life together then." she said with a disarming smile.
“I think so.”

I caressed her cheek and kissed her very tenderly. She sat on my lap and rested her head on my shoulder as I grabbed her waist and the back of her head. We stayed a little while, simply entwined, trying to appease our fears and our traumas. After a while, I felt her smile into my shoulder so I grabbed her head in my hands and rested my forehead against hers, looking into her eyes.
"What is it, baby? Why are you smiling?”
“Frankly, I would have been told at 16 that later I would be a shrink and in a relationship, for eight years, with the sexiest girl on earth… I don't know why but I always thought that I would die young or I wouldn't do anything with my life...”
"Me neither, I didn't imagine a future like that.” I answered her. “Despite the arguments and separations, you are the best thing that has happened to me.”
“You too are the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
“Well, we make this baby?”
“Of course! We have to inaugurate our new bedroom.” she said to me, getting up and holding out her hand to me.
Once standing, she lifted me in her arms.
"We have to do this properly!"
“Woah, since you've been doing sports, you've gained muscle!” I told her, laughing.
I grabbed the back of her head to pull her closer so I could kiss her as she carried me to the mattress on the floor. Wanting to put me down gently, she slipped and we collapsed on top of each other. We burst out laughing, then she stopped and looked at me with the same eyes she had on our first urbex party. I caressed her cheeks and then her lips, before kissing her neck and then back to the lips I knew best. She bit my bottom lip gently, while I smiled contentedly while kissing her. For a few minutes, we contented ourselves with languorous kisses and delicate caresses, but the passion that we still had for each other quickly took over.

Lola sat on top of me and took off her blouse, bra and jeans. As I reached out my hands to caress her breasts, she grabbed my wrists and slammed them behind my head. I first caressed her breasts with my nose and then with my lips, before kissing and licking them. She was moaning in pleasure, while I still couldn't move. After a moment, she released her grip and I immediately grabbed her neck to bring her face closer to mine, while sliding my other hand from the back of her neck to her buttocks. She sat down again, training me with her then took off my t-shirt, kissed me passionately and then laid me back on the mattress. I was a puppet in his hands and I loved it. She started kissing my neck, then my chest and belly, while brushing her nails against my arms, my waist and then my hips. I shivered with pleasure in her hands and loved it. Then she slid her body a little lower and unbuttoned my pants while kissing my lower belly for a long time and stroking my breasts. She then took off my pants and panties completely and kissed and licked from my toes to my scar. Unable to hold on anymore, I sat up and grabbed her face to kiss her furiously, but she pulled me back down again. She resumed caressing my scar and my tattoo, then lifted my legs up to get between them and took my clit in her mouth. As she licked me faster and faster, I dug my nails into the mattress and her back. I moaned with pleasure between her lips and I loved it. She stopped after my second orgasm and laid her head on my stomach as I tried to get my heart rate back to normal.
“It was a great inauguration.” I told her, stroking her hair.

She turned her head and rested her chin on my stomach, then just smiled at me, looking at me tenderly. In those moments, we never needed to talk to understand each other. She lay down next to me and grabbed her water bottle to quench her thirst, I took the opportunity to hug her from behind and lay my head in her neck. We stayed for a while just enjoying each other's warm embrace but as I kissed Lola on the neck and caressed her breasts, she took my hand and placed it on her stomach and a little lower. I took off her panties then I slid my hand from her buttocks to her hips and then her crotch. As I stroked her clitoris, she took my hand for me to penetrate her, which I did gently at first and then faster and faster. One of her hands gripped my hips, while the other held tightly my arm which I had wrapped around her waist to hold her to me. I kissed her shoulders, her shoulder blades, her neck and every inch of skin I could reach. After a moment, I felt her stiffen and dig her nails into my arm, before completely releasing. She turned to face me, a big smile on her face.
“My love, I want to do everything so that you always have that smile... that you are never unhappy again.”
“It’s already the case, you make me happy.” she replied.
“Is it true?”
“Yes.”
“You make me happy too.” I said, kissing her forehead.
She smiled, kissed me and then stuck to me, intertwining our legs and arms. I rested my face against her and smiled. It's true, I was happy with her.

THURSDAY – 2:22 A.M.

“Lola, wake up!” I screamed.
"What, what's going on? Why is it wet? Did you pee in the bed?”
“No, idiot, my water broke!”
"Damn it, what should I do?” she exclaimed, completely distraught.
“Calm down, we trained a lot of times, you'll get there.”
"Where's the bag? Damn, I put it there yesterday, why isn't it there anymore?”
"It's right behind you.”
“Whew… wait, I’m going to help you get changed and get up.”
She quickly took off my tracksuit and panties to put some dry ones on, then grabbed me by the shoulders, as I moaned in pain.
“Honey, I’m sure a lot of doctors and patients would be delighted to see you arrive in your panties, but I have to admit that I don’t like it a lot.”
“Yes, of course, I'll put on pants and I'll get our coats... don't move from there.” she added, looking in the wardrobe.
"Don't worry, I won't move. Do you have the car keys too?”
She reached into her purse while putting on some clothes and proudly showed me our car keys. She helped me put on my coat, then took my face in her hands and kissed me.
"Sweetheart, I'm so happy, I'm so happy, I'm so happy...”
"I'm very happy too, but I'm also in a lot of pain so could you take me to the hospital, like now?" I asked her.
“Sorry, yes, let's go.”
She picked me up again, grabbed the bags and helped me walk to the elevator. As we waited for it, my head resting on her shoulder, I asked her if she had taken the key to the apartment. She rummaged through her coat and purse, then looked at me guiltily.
"I'll ask Daphne to bring her spare keys… I'm really crap, I'm sorry."
“No, you're not crap, just a little stressed... don't worry, everything will be fine.” I replied, by kissing her.
"I'm not supposed to be the one to comfort you normally?"
“We don’t care. Give me a hug while waiting for the elevator to arrive.”

THURSDAY – 6:15 P.M.

As Lola sat on the chair next to my bed, rocking and kissing our daughter Emiko, I looked at the people responsible for this din, my family. Eliott and Lucas played with Paul, my nephew, while Moïra took care of Jo and Bilal's daughter. Tiff was chatting with Thierry and Mélanie, his new wife, while Max's new girlfriend was getting to know Daphne. We heard someone knocking and everyone stopped, thinking it was a nurse coming to reprimand us. Instead, Redouane appeared with his new fiancée, Ambre.
“Look who I ran into in the lobby, completely lost!” he told us.
He opened the door and Sekou came in, a bunch of flowers in his hands.
“Sekou, it's not possible!” screamed Jo, jumping into his arms.
"Did you come from London on purpose?" Lola asked him.
“I was not going to miss it, anyway!” he answered us.
He went around the people present to kiss them, then took Lola and Emiko in his arms, before hugging me for a long time.
“I'm so glad you're here.” I said, stroking his arm.

"I'm so glad you all came too, even though there are a lot of people missing." Lola said, her voice cracking. “Susan and Mom would have loved Emiko… and I'm sure your parents would too.”
Sekou took Emiko in his arms and Lola came into mine. She buried her head in my shoulder, while I hid my tears in her hair. When we looked up, our family members all had tears in their eyes. We have all been tested by life, illness, bereavement, addictions, poverty, homophobia, transphobia, racism, depression, bipolarity or early pregnancy, but the love and support of our loved ones allowed us to come out of it, probably even stronger.

After half an hour of Emiko going from arm to arm, we heard the door open again.
"Who else are we waiting for?" Lola asked enthusiastically.
“Excuse me but there are really too many people in this room! In addition, it’s soon the end of the visits.” exclaimed the head nurse. ‘Who is the father?”
"It's me." Lola replied, annoyed.
"Excuse me." the nurse told her.
“Yeah.” Lola just replied, to the discreet laughter of her friends and family, accustomed to her hot-tempered nature.
“Anyway, we have to go home, I'm going to Milan fashion week tomorrow.” Bilal told us.
"And I'm leaving for Prague the day after tomorrow, for a shoot." Eliott continued.
“How you show off!” laughed Max.
As Emiko was finally back in my arms, our friends all came to hug us, while Lola walked them to the door. While she was chatting with the last to leave, Daphne and Thierry hugged me for a long time, before covering Emiko with kisses.
“Thank you for making my little sister happy and for enlarging the family.”
“Yes, thank you for helping her get out of it and for always supporting her.” added Thierry.
“And I thank you for giving me a family again.” I told them, affected.
“Well, you don’t intend to leave me alone with my girlfriend and our daughter at some point?”
"Bad kid!" replied her father, hugging her very tightly and kissing her on the forehead.
Her sister showered her with kisses and recommendations on infants, before slipping away in turn.

“I love them all, but I thought we would never be peaceful.”
"It's true, you're a bad kid!” I replied with a smile.
“Yes, but still, if I hadn't been a bad kid, I would never have done TIG and we would never have met.”
"You're right… it's funny, I can't imagine what the last ten years would have been like without you."
“Me neither, nor the next ten…”
“Come here, my love.” I asked her.
I pushed myself aside to make room for her and she lay down next to me, then I placed Emiko between the two of us. Lola put her hand on my waist then caressed my hips and buttocks, while kissing our daughter very gently. She lifted her head and looked at me.
"Thank you for giving me the most beautiful baby in the world... do you think we're not going to make too many mistakes with her?"
"We're going to do what we can, as best we can... but the most important thing is that we all love each other very much." I replied.
I then spoke in Japanese very softly, looking at them lovingly.
"Isn't that the sentence you said to me in the greenhouse?" Lola asked.
“Yes, indeed… it is a poem by Ki No Tomonori… “What is life? Something as fleeting as dew. But to meet you, I would give it without regret.”
And it was true, I would have given my life for the two girls lying next to me. I had lived thirty years of drama, pain, doubts and wanderings but also thirty years of love, sharing, passion and happiness, of which the last ten had been the most beautiful. Lola caressed my cheek as I grabbed her neck to pull her closer to me. She kissed me in such a tender and passionate way that my body couldn't help shivering, as it had always done at her touch. We lay back, gazing into each other's eyes and smiling, confident in our future.