“Do you guys need any more help?” Chandler asked.
“Nope, we’re just about finished,” Vanessa answered.
“Where’s Ky?” Faith asked. When she had left the living room, Chandler was helping her assemble some new toy that her mother bought her.
“She’s with Mel,” Chandler assured the blonde.
“You left her with Mel?” Faith asked in distaste.
“And Andy,” Chandler clarified. “What do you have against Mel?”
“Well for starters she’s way too peppy,” Vanessa answered.
“Exactly!” Faith exclaimed. “Thank you, Mom!”
“I think she’s nice,” Chandler defended the woman.
“Of course you do,” Vanessa scoffed. “You act just like her.”
“Oh my God!” Faith exclaimed. “You’re right. She does act like her.”
“You know I always wondered where Faith got her character from and now I’ve finally figured it out,” Chandler said.
“You better believe it,” Vanessa snapped her fingers.
Chandler shook her head as she turned to smile at the blonde.
“We can get going soon,” Faith said. “Its way passed Ky’s bedtime and soon she actually will be a little monster.”
“Okay,” Chandler said. “I’ll go get her ready.”
“You two get home safely,” Vanessa said. “You better call me the second you walk into the house.”
“I’ll make sure she does Vanessa,” Chandler responded.
“Thank you, Chandler. I don’t know what I’d do without you in my daughter’s life.”
“Subtle, Mom,” Faith rolled her eyes.
Faith was happy that her mother had come this far. She used to think she’d never be able to have a relationship with her mother and be gay. But, people truly could change. If it was one thing that Faith learned from the entire experience, it was that you had to give people a chance. She couldn’t always expect the worse from people. Love could motivate people to change their entire belief system. She was grateful that she had such loving parents that loved her enough to adjust everything they ever thought.
Chapter 21
As Chandler came through the front door to their house, she let out a shaky breath. Recently all she and Faith had been doing was arguing with each other. If they weren’t arguing they were just silent. She preferred the arguing to the silence. The silence was deafening. It made her feel like they had no hope. She didn’t know what to do anymore.
When Chandler got to the living room she found Faith looking at her laptop.
Faith barely looked up at the woman in acknowledgment.
“Hey,” Chandler said quietly.
“What are you doing here?” Faith asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing, I’m just surprised to see you here and not at the hospital.”
“I’m not on call tonight,” Chandler said.
“You weren’t on call last night either. That didn’t stop you from sleeping at the hospital.”
“I got done late last night,” Chandler defended herself. “It was better for me to just stay the night since I had six AM rounds.”
“Right,” Faith said emotionless.
“Not that you can really blame me for sleeping at the hospital,” Chandler said under her breath.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Faith asked defensively.
“Why would I want to be here? So we can snipe at each other some more?”
“The reason I snipe at you is because you are never here!”
“That is not true!”
“Chandler, you have a better relationship with the people at work than you do with me!”
“That’s ridiculous, Faith!”
“Is it? I’m sure Carol in radiology spends more time with you than I do!”
“Carol is just a friend!”
“I know that!” Faith exclaimed, rising to her feet. “That wasn’t my point. I wasn’t insinuating that you were cheating on me. I’m insinuating that you care more about work than you care about me!”
“That’s not true,” Chandler spat. “You know that I love you. I can’t control my work schedule.”
“You cover other people’s shifts instead of coming home!”
“That wasn’t until recently!”
“We’re already having problems and you just want to add to them!”
“I’m working, Faith! It’s my job! Not all of us have the luxury of taking time off of work to take care of their children.”
“Face it Chandler! You love your job more than you love me and Ky!”
Chandler stared at the blonde like she had just slapped her across the face. Faith looked shocked that the accusation had actually come out of her mouth. How did they get here? They used to be so in love. How did they get to the point where they were deliberately trying to hurt each other?
Before either of the women knew what was happening, Faith closed the tense air between them and locked her lips to the brunette’s lips. Chandler instantly reciprocated the kiss.
Chandler took control of the situation and pushed the blonde back onto the couch, a little more forcefully than Faith was used to.
Faith looked up at the brunette, a little taken back at first. Chandler took her own shirt off before grabbing hold of Faith’s. She pulled it over the blonde’s head, quickly unclasping her bra afterwards.
Chandler wasted no time in stripping the rest of her and Faith’s clothes off of them. As soon as they were both completely naked, Chandler pushed Faith onto her back. She got between the woman’s legs and looked down at the woman.
Faith shuddered at how her lover was looking at her. She had never looked at her like that before, especially during sex. What was once a look of immense love was now what could only be described as pure desperation. Things were so different between the two women. It worried Faith, but at the same time, she needed this. She hadn’t felt close to Chandler in months. She knew that the anger between them was still there, but she didn’t care.
Chandler suddenly lowered herself and dragged her tongue up the woman’s slit. Faith cried out at the overwhelming movements Chandler was making. It wasn’t going to take long for Faith to lose control.
Just as Faith was about to cum, Chandler stopped and climbed her way back up to look down at the blonde.
Faith exhaled in annoyance and opened her eyes to look up at the brunette. Chandler had a sly smirk on her face. She was enjoying teasing the blonde.
“Seriously?” Faith asked.
“What?” Chandler asked in mocked innocence.
“You know what, Chan! Are you seriously going to…?”
Chandler cut Faith off by crashing her lips into her lips. She kept their lips locked as she pushed her sex into her sex.
Faith turned her head and moaned loudly into the brunette’s ear.
“Better?” Chandler asked, voice husky with desire.
Faith could only moan in response.
Chandler thrusted into Faith over and over again. She slowly picked up speed and applied more pressure between the two of them.
Chandler stayed in between the blonde’s legs as she felt her come undone beneath her. She looked down at her fiancé, taking deep breaths. She and Faith had never had sex when they were upset with each other. It felt so different from what she had ever experienced with her love.
Making love to Faith always felt so right. But, what they had just shared felt so wrong.
Present
Chandler stayed over at the house for Christmas Eve. She hadn’t moved back home yet, but they thought it made sense for her to be there for Christmas morning with Ky.
Ky was already playing with her new toys that she had received from Santa. Though, it seemed that she was having more fun with the boxes that the toys came in.
“Maybe next year we can save a couple hundred dollars and just get her boxes,” Chandler suggested as she brought Faith a mug of coffee. She sat down next to the blonde o
n the couch.
“We should enjoy it while it lasts,” Faith said. “Soon she’ll just want iPad’s and video games.”
“Ugh, no way! She is not going to be one of those annoying kids that always have their eyes glued to a screen.”
“I’m pretty sure it’s the inevitable, Chan,” Faith sighed.
“Maybe we should pretend we’re Amish,” Chandler suggested.
Faith laughed as she looked on at their daughter playing.
“Hey, have you given any thought to my California idea?” Chandler asked.
“I have,” Faith started. “If you’re really okay with it, I think moving to California would be great.”
“Yeah?” Chandler grinned.
“Yeah,” Faith said. “You’re right. It would be a great fresh start and I think raising Ky in California would be better than raising her in the busy streets of New York.”
“People are pretty stuck up here,” Chandler agreed.
“Yeah and I really don’t want us to spend any time away from each other, Chan. I want us to work this time.”
“I do too,” Chandler said. “I have something for you.”
“You already gave me my Christmas gifts.”
“This isn’t a Christmas gift,” Chandler smiled as she reached into her pocket. She pulled out a tiny black velvet box.
Faith’s breath stopped as she looked at the tiny box in Chandler’s hand. There was no way this was real. It couldn’t be what she thought it was.
Chandler opened the box and sure enough, it was the ring. The ring that Chandler used to propose to Faith the first time. The ring she had regretfully given back to the brunette.
“So, I’m an idiot,” Chandler said.
“What?” Faith questioned.
“I’m an idiot for asking you to take us slow. We don’t need to start over for me to know how I feel about you. I know that I love you. I’ve loved you since the day that I met you and I’ll never stop loving you. I should have never let work get in the way of that. I know we just got back together, but I don’t need any more time. I’m already sure that I want to be able to call you my wife.” Chandler smiled tearfully as she took a deep breath. “You are the best thing that ever happened to me, Faith Cahill. You would make me the happiest person alive if you’d marry me.”
Faith stayed quiet. She knew if she spoke her voice would crack and the tears building up in her eyes would fall.
“I would be honored to be your wife,” Faith said, her voice heavy with emotion as she smiled tearfully at the brunette.
“Really?” Chandler asked.
“Of course! How could I not?”
Chandler smiled as she crashed her lips against Faith’s, holding her face in her hands.
Through everything that the couple had been through, one thing had never changed. The love that the two shared between them would never falter. Faith and Chandler would always be soul mates.
Chapter 22
Faith and Chandler were sitting in the kitchen. The two had remained silent for the last five minutes. They knew that they needed to talk, but neither of them knew where to start.
Chandler was afraid that she was going to say something wrong. She didn’t want to fight with Faith anymore. It was taking a huge toll on the brunette.
Faith couldn’t bring herself to say what she wanted out loud. Saying it would make it real. She didn’t want her and Chandler to be over, but she felt like they were.
“Can you just say it?” Chandler asked quietly.
“What?” Faith questioned.
“I know what you’re going to say,” Chandler cried. “So just say it, please.”
Green eyes met hazel eyes as Faith looked at Chandler in sorrow.
“We both aren’t happy. We’ve been ignoring it for so long. But, I can’t ignore it anymore, Chan. I really feel like we have to…” Faith stopped, unable to say it.
“We have to what?” Chandler asked knowingly.
“I feel like we have to break up,” Faith said quietly. She looked down at her hands, unable to see the hurt look on Chandler’s face.
“Is that really what you want?” Chandler asked in disbelief.
“It’s not what I want,” Faith said adamantly. “It’s what I feel I need.”
“You need to be away from me?”
“No, it’s not like that. I still love you, but we don’t even talk anymore. We’re together, but we’re not together.”
“Faith, I know we don’t spend as much time together as we used to, but is that really a reason to call it quits on our relationship?” Chandler asked emotionally.
“Chan, any time we’re together we’re either arguing or not talking at all. We don’t communicate anymore. The only thing keeping us together now is Ky.”
Chandler couldn’t argue with that. She couldn’t remember the last conversation they had together where they weren’t fighting. Things had changed so much between them in the last year.
“You’re my best friend, Faith,” Chandler cried. “I don’t want to give that up.”
“I don’t either,” Faith sobbed. “That’s the last thing I want. I want us to always be friends, Chan. I just don’t think we can be together anymore.”
The brunette couldn’t believe this was where they had ended up. Faith was the love of her life. She meant everything to her. She gave her the most important gift she could ever ask for, Ky. She made her a mom. How could they be over?
Present—3 Months Later
Andy and Craig had helped Faith and Chandler move their things to California. The couple had found a nice house just outside of Los Angeles.
Starting next month Chandler was going to be working at UCLA Medical Center as an attending pediatric surgeon. She wanted to take a little time off to get their family situated. It was the first time in the last eight years that she would be able to focus on just her family.
“Ky jump!” Ky exclaimed. She was standing at the top of the steps leading up to their new house.
“No, Ky no jump!” Faith said pointedly.
“Why Ky no jump?” the girl asked confused.
“Because Ky is going to get hurt if she does,” Chandler said for Faith. “And mommies will be mad.”
“Yeah, Ky,” Craig said. “You don’t want to make mommies mad do you?”
“Mama funny mad,” Ky laughed.
Faith rolled her eyes as she picked up the toddler and carried her into the house, Chandler following her inside.
“She’s right you know,” Chandler smiled. “You are pretty funny when you’re mad.”
“Don’t encourage her,” Faith said. “She’s actually intentionally doing things to make me mad now.”
“I think it’s cute,” Andy said, joining the family of three in the living room.
“Of course you do, Andrew,” Faith said, glaring at the man.
“Okay, you have got to stop using my full name!”
“I’ll stop using your full name when you shave off that stuff all over your face!”
“It’s called a beard!”
“It’s called ugly!”
“Mama funny!” Ky laughed.
Chandler and Craig laughed at their daughter as the twins glared at each other.
“I’m serious, Andrew,” Faith said. “Shave it off!”
“No!” Andy said. He walked back out of the house to grab more boxes.
Faith wasn’t looking forward to saying goodbye to her brother. The siblings had been together for their entire lives. Living so far apart was definitely going to take some getting used to.
“Everything okay?” Craig asked.
“Yeah,” Faith said. “I’m just really going to miss you and Andy.”
“Don’t worry,” Craig said, putting a reassuring hand on the woman’s shoulder. “I’ll be visiting all of the time. I’m sure Andy will too.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with us moving here with Ky?”
“No, I’m not. You’ll have to sell the house and move back to
New York.”
“Seriously?” Faith asked.
“Of course not!” Craig exclaimed. “Faith I think it’s great that you guys are moving here. Ky will enjoy living here more than she’d enjoy New York.”
“But you won’t get to see her as much anymore.”
“Yeah, but that’s what Facetime is for. Besides, the gym practically runs itself now. This gives me the perfect excuse to visit California more. I’ll even have a place to stay when I come.”
“Always,” Faith said, pulling the man into a hug.
Craig had been a huge part of Faith’s life. Not only did he help her and Chandler have Ky, but he also helped her realize how she felt about Chandler back in high school. She would always be grateful for the friendship she had with the man.
“Ky go outside?” Ky asked.
“We can go play outside, Ky,” Craig said. He chased after the toddler towards the spacious backyard.
Faith and Chandler walked into the kitchen and watched Craig and Ky playing outside through a window overlooking the sink.
“She already loves it here,” Chandler smiled, wrapping her arm around the blonde. “You know we should probably get working on giving Ky a playmate.”
Faith smiled at the brunette as she bit her lower lip.
“Must you do that? You know that’s always my weakness.”
“That’s why I do it,” Faith grinned, kissing the brunette.
“I guess we should focus on getting married first,” Chandler said.
“I can’t wait to marry you,” Faith responded, wrapping her arms around the woman’s neck.
“I’m so glad that you and I realized that we’re better together rather than apart. I have to be honest; I don’t like just being your friend.”
“That’s because we were meant to be so much more than that. It just took a little time apart to make us realize that.”
“Yeah, but that’s it. I don’t want us to ever spend any time apart again. If at any time either of us is unhappy we have to talk through it. What you and I have together is so special. If you find love like the love we share, you should hold onto it like your life depends on it.”
Faith quirked her eyebrow at the familiarity of the statement. “Peyton said the same thing.”
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