Page 89 of Five Years

Ariana laughed. “So do you.”

They sank back against the cushions, tangled up together. The world outside was cold and shimmering, but inside, everything glowed. For a while, they didn’t talk. Leah’s fingers drew lazy circles along Ariana’s collarbone. Ariana’s hand rested against Leah’s thigh, her thumb brushing gently back and forth. It was domestic, ordinary, and somehow sacred.

“Do you ever think about how far we’ve come?” Leah murmured.

“All the time,” Ariana said. “Sometimes I still wake up expecting it all to disappear.”

Leah shifted, cupping her face in both hands. “Never.”

The air between them softened. Another kiss—slow, deliberate.

Later, when the candles had burned low and the movie had ended, Leah rested her head against Ariana’s shoulder.

“You know,” Leah whispered, “if you told the Leah from a couple of years ago that this would be her life—”

“She wouldn’t have believed you,” Ariana finished, smiling.

“Maybe not. But she’d be proud.”

They sat there for a long time, watching the city from their living room window. Leah didn’t know what came next, and for once, she didn’t need to. She was exactly where she was meant to be.