Chapter 13
“Are we going to Fancy’s tonight?” Jaims asked glancing over at Raquel.
They’d spent a great deal of time alone in the apartment since the week before when they’d begun their relationship. When Jaims wasn’t at work, they were in the apartment, either having sex, or watching movies, or ordering take out. Now it was Saturday, and they were heading into an evening, on a day where they’d normally go to the club. They hadn’t talked about how they would handle their friends knowing they were a couple.
Raquel contemplated the question, they were sitting on the couch, having just concluded yet another disaster movie.
“We can.” Raquel finally answered.
Jaims nodded slowly. “Sure we ready for that?”
Raquel considered for a moment and finally nodded. “What the hell?” She shrugged. “Let’s do it.”
They arrived at Fancy’s, it was still a bit early, so it wasn’t crowded. Walking over to the table they usually shared with the rest of the crew, they could see only Jayden and Ari were there.
“Hey,” Jaims called, as they joined them.
Jayden turned around, smiling, and observed that they were holding hands. Her eyes made their way up to Jaims’ face, and she grinned.
“Hi!” she said in a neutral tone, moving to stand and hugging Jaims, and then Raquel.
Jaims and Raquel exchanged a surprised look, but neither of them said anything about Jayden’s casual acceptance.
“I’ll get beers,” Raquel told Jaims. “BB, you and Ari good? Or do you need refills?”
“Another Coke for me, thanks!” Ari smiled.
“I’m good.” Jayden nodded, watching Raquel nod and walk away. “So…” Jayden began as she sat down next to where Jaims sat, “this is, um…new.”
“Yeah.” Jaims gave the youngest member of the crew a lopsided grin. “It definitely is.”
“You look happy.” Jayden observed.
Jaims bit her lips, nodding. “I am.”
“More importantly.” Ari leaned forward, putting her hand on Jaims’ knee. “Raquel looks really happy too.”
Jaims’ eyes widened, blowing her breath out. “I think we’re both freaked about what everyone is going to say.”
Jayden pressed her lips together in a smirk. “Well, you know Errol and L Word will have shit to say, right?”
“That’s a given.” Jaims chuckled.
“I think you might be surprised by everyone else,” Jayden told her.
“I hope that’s a good thing,” Jaims sighed.
When Raquel came back to the table, the foursome sat and drank and talked until the rest of the crew arrived.
“New couple alert,” Shayne commented as she sat down at the table with her beer in hand.
“Alert, alert!” Flynn said excitedly, as she too sat down, reaching over to pat Raquel on the shoulder. “About fuckin’ time!”
“How so?” Raquel canted her head.
“Well, we know Jaims’ has been into ya forever,” Shayne said.
“And it’s a good thing,” Steel commented from behind them.
Flynn nodded. “Definitely.”
“Yup,” Shayne agreed.
“Bloody right,” Case added as she walked over to the table.
Jaims nodded, looking over at Raquel who simply shrugged. “Not sure why we thought anyone would be weirded out.”
“’Cause they’re all weird already.” Jaims laughed.
“Ha, ha,” Zion said, reaching around both Jaims’ and Raquel’s shoulders to hug them both. “Happy for you two.”
“Thank ya.” Raquel winked.
Raquel’s brothers were pleased for them too. They’d driven up to the college to visit the boys, and let them know about them being together.
“Now we’re really going to be a family!” Jackson exuded.
“And it’s about damned time!” Garrett laughed.
“So, you’re both okay with this?” asked Raquel.
“Why wouldn’t we be?” Jackson said. “You two have been our family since we lost Mom and Dad.”
Garrett nodded. “I was surprised you two didn’t become a couple before now.”
“Really?” Raquel asked, looking dumbfounded.
Jackson laughed. “I’m glad you finally got it together.”
“Seriously.” Garrett rolled his eyes.
“So that was a shocker,” Raquel commented in the car as they drove out of the campus.
Jaims laughed. “Yeah I guess we were the only ones that didn’t think we should be a couple.”
“Well, we’re stupid, so…” Raquel chuckled, as she shook her head.
Jaims smiled warmly. “Speak for yourself.”
“Ya know…” Raquel concluded, squeezing Jaims’ hand that she held as Jaims drove.
They were both quiet for a bit. Jaims glanced over at Raquel, seeing her lost in thought. “You thinking about tomorrow?”
Raquel sighed loudly. “Yeah, not sure I’m ready.”
The following day, Raquel had her physical qualifications test to get back onto the force. She’d been working out and was physically ready, but Jaims knew that she was worried.
“Rock, you’re ready,” Jaims told her. “You know what to expect, and you are totally on it. Okay?”
Raquel screwed up her lips. “Yeah, I know you’re right, but I guess I’m just afraid to hope, ya know?”
Jaims nodded. “I know, but I really think you’ve got this.”
“We’ll see.”
That night, they had Sunday dinner with Jaims’ family, and officially announced themselves as a couple.
“Well, it’s about fricking time!” Carlo laughed.
Jaims’ parents hugged them both, congratulating them.
Teresa canted her head at the two, holding hands and smiling. “You look good together.”
“Thanks, sis.” Jaims smiled happily.
Over dinner, Jaims mentioned that Raquel was doing her physical agility test the next day.
“So don’t harass her about eating dessert or keeping us here late,” Jaims said, giving her parents a pointed look.
“So, you’re ready to go back?” Daniel asked.
Raquel drew in a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. “I really need to get back to work.”
“Then we hope it goes well tomorrow,” Celeste offered.
“Thanks.” Raquel nodded. “I hope so too.”
“It’ll go great,” Jaims said, bumping her shoulder with Raquel’s. “You’ve been working hard, and it’ll show tomorrow.”
Raquel hoped Jaims was right.
The following day, Jaims waited impatiently at work to get a call from Raquel. Her test was scheduled for 10 a.m., and by noon, Jaims was going nuts. She hadn’t heard from her girlfriend. She’d texted Raquel, called, but with no answer.
Sitting in her small office, Jaims started having thoughts about Raquel falling off the wagon. She was lost in those thoughts when there was a knock on her door.
“Come!” Jaims called, turning her chair around to face the door.
Raquel walked in, smiling at Jaims, as she handed her a red rose. Jaims stood up, taking the rose and leaning in to kiss Raquel. They kissed for a long moment. “I was completely freaking out,” Jaims admitted.
“I figured.” Raquel grinned. “I passed.”
“Of course!” Jaims exclaimed. “But where have you been?”
Raquel canted her head, seeing the worry etched in Jaims’ eyes. “I wasn’t doing drugs; I can tell you that.”
Jaims pressed her lips together, worried that her negative thoughts would piss Raquel off. Memories of the bad times replayed in her head.
Raquel’s mouth on hers stopped those thoughts immediately.
“I’m never doing that shit again, okay?” Raquel told her when their lips parted. “I’m with you, and now I’m back on the force. I was just filling out paperwork after I passed the test. That’s all, I promise.”
Jaims shook her head. “I’m sorry, I guess I’m just still a little gun shy, you know?”
Raquel put her hands on Jaims’ shoulders. “I get it. You don’t know that you can trust me.” Jaims drew in a sharp breath, ready to deny that statement. “Jaims!” Raquel interrupted whatever Jaims was about to say. “I totally understand, okay? I didn’t give you a lot of reasons to trust me since I’ve been back.”
“I’m sorry.” Jaims shook her head again, feeling miserable for not having more faith.
“You don’t need to be sorry,” Raquel told her. “I need to prove to you that you can trust me again.” She put her finger to Jaims’ lips. “And I’m going to do that.”
Jaims smiled, relieved that her fears weren’t being dismissed, and nor were they making Raquel mad.
“You know,” Jaims said, grinning, “this might just work out.”
“Oh, it’s gonna work out,” Raquel told her, a mischievous grin on her lips, “I’ll make sure of that!”