In the past few days I have been coming around to the idea of leaving Gabrielle and Christina to their own devices. Between Hatsumi, Danit, and Brid, I have come to see it less as a surrender and more as an opportunity to give myself some space to breathe. Still, I had to check in with them, just to be sure.
I joined them in the narrow window they had together this afternoon—half an hour between Gabrielle getting off work and Christina having to go in. They were Christina’s apartment, lounging on the couch with Walter marching back and forth between the two of them, unable to decide who needs his love more.
“I love this dog,” Christina said, wrapping her arms around him as he licked her face. “I would do anything for this dog.”
Gabrielle leaned closer, which reminded Walter of her presence, and he wriggled free to go back to her. “Would you do anything for me?”
Christina pretended to think about it. “Well…almost anything.”
Laughing, Gabrielle stretched out on the couch, resting her head on Christina’s stomach. “So what you’re saying is, if this relationship doesn’t work out, the dog can stay, but I have to go?”
“Oh, definitely. If we break up, we’ll have to write up a custody agreement.”
Smiling, Gabrielle planted Walter firmly on the floor and lifted herself up to be even with Christina. “That sounds like too much work. We should just make sure that we don’t break up.”
Christina put her arms around Gabrielle. “Sounds like a plan to me,” she murmured and kissed Gabrielle, pulling her close so that Gabrielle’s long black hair hid their faces.
They are so easy and content with one another. I can easily see this relationship lasting, and even if it doesn’t, it has already done both of them so much good. There’s little enough that they need from me now.
So I spread my wings over them and blessed them, filling them with all the love I could give. “I leave with a good heart, knowing that you will care just as well for one another as I could,” I whispered. “And don’t worry—Inca will still be with you, and I will check in with her to be sure that all is well.”
I left them happy and peaceful, and for the first time in a long time, I felt that, too.