Page 54 of Heal You
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Relaxingafter a long but beautiful day in the sun, Jan rested back on the super king-sized bed she’d shared with Morgan for the last week and clasped her hands behind her head.Morgan was packing away whatever she wouldn’t need for the last night here on the island, but Jan preferred to run around at the last minute.She wouldn’t usually do that, but the moment she opened her suitcase, she knew she would be sad all over again.She’d already spent the morning feeling that way; there wasn’t a chance she was allowing her mood to affect this evening, too.
Morgan appeared in the doorway with her phone in her hand.“Finn has texted me.”
“Oh?”Jan sat up on her elbows and eyed Morgan across the room.“Is she okay?”
“She…wants to know why I decided to visit friends in England instead of going on my usual holiday abroad.”
“It’s a fair question, I suppose.If I had to choose between England or Meloneras, I know where I’d rather be.”
Morgan stepped into the room and took a seat on the edge of the bed.“I don’t know why I feel paranoid about her message, but I do.As though she’s trying to catch me out, and she already knows about us, you know?”
“Trust me, if she knew about us, she wouldn’t be texting you.She’d be calling me…or Gill would be, demanding answers.”Jan took Morgan’s phone from her hand and set it down on the bed.“Come and rest with me for a minute.Get out of your head and just enjoy our last night here together.”
Morgan crawled towards Jan and smiled into a kiss.“You have a gorgeous tan.Everyone is going to be jealous when you get back.”
“Mm.What wedidn’tthink about was how you’re going to explain your tan.”Jan drew back and frowned.“No, really.Howareyou going to explain it?Gillian said it’s been raining continuously.”
Morgan lifted a shoulder.“Honestly, I don’t really care.”
Jan understood that, but it just made everything feel deceptive all over again.She hadn’t had time to think anything through before she left England; she’d been too high on the idea of having Morgan to herself.“I’m sure you’ll think of something if you happen to bump into Finn.You and I both know it’s the first thing she’ll pick up on.”
“I know.Once again…she’s like a bloodhound.”
Jan fell back onto the mattress, gripping Morgan’s tank top as she did so.Morgan landed on top of her with an ‘oomph’, and then those gentle fingertips found the side of Jan’s neck, soothing her skin.“Maybe I should just send Gill a message and reveal all of this.If nothing else, I won’t be there for her to give me a grilling.”
“She means more to you than that.”Morgan brushed Jan’s hair from her face and smiled.“If you want to do it together, just say the word, and I’ll be right there with you.”
That wasn’t the worst idea in the world, but Jan would prefer to sit down with Gillian alone and ease it into the conversation.Mostly because she had no idea how Gillian would respond but also because there would probably be a lot of questions and confusion.“I appreciate you for offering, but I’ll be just fine doing it alone.”Jan craned her neck and kissed the tip of Morgan’s nose.“And once it’s all out in the open, we’ll all get together and have a great night out.Dinner will be on me.”
Morgan sighed as she propped her head in her hand.“You think it’ll be that easy?”
“Of course.Gillian isn’t really in a position to question my sexuality when she’s now married to a woman herself.”
“Fair point.”
As Jan considered how long they had to get ready—perhaps a roll in the sheets beforehand—her phone started to ring on the side table next to the bed.She reached for it, lifting her brows when Gillian’s name was displayed on the screen.“Speak of the devil.”She pressed a finger to Morgan’s lips and answered the call.“Hi, Gill.Everything okay?”
“Of course.I was just wondering if you’d heard anything from the estate agent yet?”
Jan smiled when Morgan shifted off her but rested her head against Jan’s chest.Her hand found Morgan’s luscious hair, everything within Jan settling as she stroked her fingers through her locks.“I called them this morning.They believe we’re looking at offers over eight hundred thousand.”
“Nice.You should be able to find yourself something really lovely when you start looking.Just…make sure it still has a decent-sized garden.You know I love your garden parties, and there’sno wayI’m giving them up because Phil is a disgusting prick!”
“Noted.I’ll be sure to invite you along to any viewings.You’d have the final say, of course.”Jan laughed.“I’m flying home tomorrow, so once I’m settled in again, I’ll call you and come over for coffee.”
“Lovely.I can’t wait to hear all about your trip.Have a safe flight home.”
“Love to Finn.Bye, Gill.”Jan ended the call and lowered her phone to the bed.The silence of the apartment enveloped her, Morgan too, and in this moment, Jan just wanted to shout from the rooftops that she was happy and thrilled with the direction her life would soon be taking.“Remind me what time our dinner reservation is again?”
“Seven,” Morgan said quietly as she draped an arm across Jan’s stomach.“The last supper.”
“The last of this holiday, yes.But just one of many everywhere else.”Jan shifted further down the bed and wrapped Morgan up in her arms.The sun and the heat had really taken it out of them today, so a nap was required before she took Morgan for dinner at a place that had exceptional reviews…along with incredible views of the island.“In case I forget to tell you, you’ve made me the happiest woman in the world these last couple of months.”
Morgan didn’t say anything.Instead, she held onto Jan far tighter than she ever had before, nuzzled into her, and sighed.
It’s time to live for yourself, not everyone else.
