Page 37 of Better Than Expected

“Seriously,” Caroline agreed with Abbie, “The best trick-or-treat.”

“That’s just because you stole all of our Milky Ways,” Norah said over her shoulder with a laugh at her aunt.

“And I had a great time doing it!”

Hannah just shook her head at all of them affectionately as she opened the door. “Okay, girls, it’s only seven. What do you want to do now?”

“Norah’s going to come play in my room and we’re going to go through all of our candy!” Abbie grabbed Norah’s hand and the two of them started running up the stairs.

Having her arm looped through Caroline’s, Hannah could feel how she tensed as the girls’ footsteps disappeared up the stairs under the din of giggles.

Hannah spun on her heel to face Caroline, arching an eyebrow at her, concerned. “You okay? What’s this whole tense feeling about?”

She really needed to know, because they hadn’t really had any of those sort of tense moments in over a month.

Caroline’s eyes searched hers. “Uh, just – what Abbie said made me a little…” She trailed off, arching a questioning eyebrow at Hannah.

Who replayed her daughter’s words over in her head until she realized what Caroline was talking about. My room.

“Her room,” she murmured, tasting the words on her lips, the permanence of it making her feel a little tense herself.

It would be easy to stop there, but in the last couple of months, she had so many talks about this.

The future was going to come no matter what, and she wasn’t going to push anything, but she wasn’t going to stop it, either. She couldn’t.

But she had to… embrace the forward steps as much as she could.

She and Abbie stayed the night at Caroline’s usually at least once a week. Sometimes more. And Abbie had a room that Caroline furnished with Abbie’s input, where Abbie kept several belongings.

It… it was her room. Pretending otherwise would be a disservice to herself, Caroline, and Abbie, all at once.

“Her room,” Caroline repeated, watching Hannah closely, eyes a little guarded.

Even though she got the slightest worry niggling in her stomach, she swallowed hard and nodded. The smile that worked itself onto her lips wasn’t forced, even if it was a little riddled with nerves.

“Unless you know another kid who’s sleeping up in that room on the nights that we’re not here…” she trailed off and offered a laugh that showed her nerves, but – it wasn’t like she could hide them from Caroline anyway.

She met Caroline’s searching gaze head-on, not backing down at all from the intensity there. And she didn’t try to mask anything she was feeling, either.

All she knew was that in reward for her honesty and maybe her bravery – because perhaps it wasn’t really brave, but it felt like it, to Hannah – Caroline smiled brightly. She slid her hand into Hannah’s hair, the hold warm and strong and familiar, as she tugged Hannah down.

She went with it easily, wanting, as Caroline rocked up onto her tiptoes and pressed her lips against Hannah’s, the kiss warm and enthusiastic, tasting just a bit like chocolate.

And something in her kiss quieted those nerves. Hannah found herself genuinely smiling as Caroline pulled back.

“On this day last year, you called me baby. So maybe last Halloween was better,” Caroline whispered, her dark eyes glinting with happiness.

Hannah shook her head. “Do not call the day you were injured like that the best day. It’s not allowed.”

“I love when you lay down the law,” Caroline teased, before she pushed up onto her tiptoes again and nipped at Hannah’s jaw. “Why don’t I show you to my room while the girls are occupied?”

Hannah’s hands landed on Caroline’s hips as she blindly followed her lead.

November 24 – This Year

“What was I even thinking? Sure, Ma, I’ll host Thanksgiving?” Caroline lamented with a comical imitation of herself. “I don’t even like Thanksgiving! And now all of those people are going to be at my house all day!”

Hannah looked over at her, taking note of the dejected look on Caroline’s face as she stared at her hands helplessly. Covered in flour, as she’d been attempting to rollout a pie crust. Attempting being a very key word.

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