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“You owe me nothing,” said Florence.

“Oh, I do,” Hadley said. “We both owe each other everything. We owe each other love and happiness, a family of our own one day, children, puppies and holidays and arguments and making up and the whole world.”

“Children?” Florence stuttered.

“Of course,” said Hadley. Then she looked worried. “Hold on, we've never talked about that, have we? I just assumed, I mean, if you don't want...”

“No,” Florence said. “No. I do. I just never thought...”

And Hadley was standing right there, her blonde curls gleaming and her blue eyes round and sparkling and Florence could see the child that they would have. She could see a little girl with Hadley's golden curls. She could see a little boy with her own dark eyebrows, sliding glasses up his nose with one finger.

“I love you.”

The words spilled out without her even thinking about them. For the first time they weren't in response to Hadley saying them. For the first time they were uniquely and definitely Florence's own words.

“I know,” grinned Hadley. “I love you too.”

Florence's heart filled up so much she thought it might burst and she didn't know what to do or say. She just stood there looking at the woman who would be her wife, until Hadley took her by the hand and started to lead her home.