Page 116 of Paradigm

She actually found herself glad that she’d have to give up the apartment because being there without Arlowe wasn’t helping. She could still picture them walking up and down the stairs for their walks or trips to the store and dinners out. She could still see Arlowe working on the sofa. She could still feel Arlowe’s presence in the bed that she considered theirs, so it was a good thing that she had to move. Eline didn’t want to move back in with her parents, but she also didn’t want to try to find an apartment here since she was hoping that her visa would be approved and that she wouldn’t need it. Arlowe had worked things out with Enya, and the moment Eline could move back, she would be living with the two of them, falling asleep next to her girlfriend again and finally planning the life they wanted together almost thirteen years after they’d met.

For the past month, they’d done their best to text and keep up their at least once-daily video calls, trying for two on the days when they could, and Eline had continued to check her visa status. Arlowe had the ability to check from her end as well, and Eline knew that she probably refreshed the web page a hundred times a day. All they both wanted was to be together, and she only hoped that they got a chance to do it in the same country because while she knew that they’d get married one day, she hoped they wouldn’t have to be long-distance like this until they could.

“Oh, my God…” she said, covering her mouth.

“What?” Arlowe asked.

Arlowe had been changing for bed in her room back at home, and Eline looked from her laptop to her phone, where she saw Arlowe topless over by her dresser.

“Babe,” she said.

“What?” Arlowe repeated.

“Babe!”

“Eline, what? What the hell?”

Arlowe picked up her tablet, so all Eline could see was now her face.

“It’s approved.” She pointed to her laptop, which Arlowe couldn’t see, so she decided to hold it up and show her. “Babe, it’s approved! The status had been changed twenty-four minutes ago. Oh, my God.”

“Approved?” Arlowe said almost in disbelief. “Really?”

Eline moved the computer in order to read more than just one word.

“It says I can expect an email with the information within the next twenty-four hours and can proceed from there. I… I can move back.”

Arlowe slipped into a T‑shirt and sat down, holding the tablet back a bit so Eline could see her better now.

“You’re moving back?”

“I hope you really meant it when you said that I could move in, because it looks like I’ll be there soon.”

“Babe, you’re moving here!” Arlowe said.

“Yes,” she replied and felt something running down her cheek, so she wiped it away, realizing it was a tear only after the fact. “God, Arlowe, we…”

“I know,” Arlowe said. “Come home to me.”

“I am, my love.”

◆◆◆

It took another few weeks for everything to be completely taken care of and for her to move out of her apartment. She’d also had to quit her job, which had been surprisingly easy because, as it had turned out, the professor-turned-entrepreneur was a bit of a perfectionist and wanted to do the work himself, at least for the next few months, or so he had told her upon her letting him know that she wanted to leave.

Eline’s parents had dropped her off at the airport, and she’d hugged them both hard just like she had the first time. Her mom had cried. Her father had given her a strong shoulder squeeze, and Eline had made it through security, managing to hold back her own tears because she would miss her parents dearly.

It felt like a day later, but it was less than twelve hours, really – after security, boarding, the flight itself, and customs – that Eline made her way to baggage claim, where she knew Arlowe would be waiting for her. She was starting her job at Arlowe’s company the following Monday, but Arlowe had taken the week off before then so that they could have time together. Eline had been surprised that Arlowe had offered to take time off when things had been so busy for her, but she shouldn’t have been because Arlowe loved her how she loved Arlowe, and they both wanted as much time together as possible after losing so much.

When she spotted Arlowe, she actually stopped walking for a moment just to take her in. Arlowe was wearing a T‑shirt that Eline recognized as her own – one that Arlowe had, apparently, stolen from her during her most recent trip to Amsterdam – and she was holding out a single red tulip. As soon as Arlowe’s eyes met hers, her shoulders dropped in relief the same way that Eline’s had a moment before, and they walked toward each other briskly. Then, when they were only about a foot away, Eline stopped and shook her head.

“I’m here,” she said, barely able to believe it herself.

“You’re home,” Arlowe replied and pulled her into her arms, holding on tight now.

“I love you,” Eline said, minutes later, still not moving out of their embrace.

“I love you,” Arlowe said back before pulling away a bit just to kiss her. “No more goodbyes at airports unless we’re the ones saying goodbye to other people because we’re traveling somewhere together. Deal?”