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“Go before I try to take you with me.”

Palmer finally got off the plane, but she didn’t leave right away. She stayed on the tarmac until the plane moved down the runway and took off. She watched it for a while until she could no longer see it. Then, she climbed into her car and cried.

???

“Hey, sweetie. Did Elizabeth’s plane get off okay?” her mom asked.

“Unfortunately,” Palmer replied, flopping down on the sofa.

“You’ve got it bad, don’t you, kiddo?” her mom asked.

Palmer looked at her mom, who was getting ready to leave for work.

“I told her I love her today.”

“You did?” She sat down next to Palmer.

“Yeah.”

“And did she say it back?”

“Yes.” Palmer smiled. “She said itfirst, actually.”

“Well, that’s good.” Her mom patted her leg. “When can you see her again?”

“I don’t know. I’m on thin ice at work already.”

“Why?”

“Because I fell in love with the woman I was supposed to be writing about, and all the juicy stuff got left out of my piece.”

“Juicy stuff?” her mother asked, lifting an eyebrow at her.

“Not that. We haven’t done that yet. We just kissed for the first time the other day, Mom.”

“Taking things slow?”

“Wouldn’tyou? She’s a Queen of a country, and she lives thousands of miles away. Plus, she just lost pretty much everyone she loved, including an ex-girlfriend. Well, they were still technically together when Teagan died, but it was over before then, I think. At least, that’s how Elizabeth describes it.”

“Okay. Okay. Hold on. Your father told me Elizabeth isn’t out back home.”

“She’s not. She was in a very long-term relationship with her brother’s wife.”

“What?” her mother asked, shocked.

“It’s not like that. Her brother was gay, too. He and Teagan – that’s Elizabeth’s lifelong best friend and long-term girlfriend – got married because it allowed Teagan and Elizabeth to be together, and for Alex – that’s Elizabeth’s brother – to not have to worry about finding a real wife.”

“Honey, this sounds like a soap opera.”

“It sounds worse than it is, but she and Teagan were together for a long time. And it’s not like they broke up; Teagan died, Mom.”

“But Elizabeth told you she loves you, honey.”

“She did, and I believe her. It’s just… I don’t know if she’s ready for everything with someone.”

“Are you talking about sex? And if you are, and you’re not willing to wait for that sweet, beautiful young lady to work through what–”

“Mom, no,” Palmer interrupted her. “It’s not just sex. I mean, itissex, but–”