Serial: Down the River – Chapter Forty-Six

I’m finally revisiting the characters from The River City Chronicles nine years after their original timeline. I’ll be running the series weekly here on my blog, and then will release it in book form at the end of the run. Hope you enjoy catching up with all your faves and all their new secrets!

Today, Marissa and Ainsley celebrate the good news, and pledge to chart a new course…

< Read Chapter 45

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Chapter Forty-Six
Muffins on a Sunday Morning

“Are you fucking serious?” Marissa wasn’t proud of the fact that, at the end of that sentence, her voice reached one of the upper octaves usually reserved for shattering glass. But she couldn’t help herself.

Ainsley had shown up on her doorstep early Sunday morning, with a mocha and a latte from the Everyday Grind in one hand and a sack of pastries in the other, grinning from ear to ear. Marissa had demanded to know what was up, but she’d insisted on laying out her purchases—two glorious apple caramel muffins, the aforementioned coffee, and a bright spray of yellow flowers.

Crocus, maybe? They were lovely little things, like golden trumpets.

Then Ainsley had dropped the news about Jun Seo.

Marissa had questions. “But wait… what about everything that happened at the gallery? Did they mention that? Will you have to work with that horrible man? Do your parents know? What about the commute—”

Ainsley stopped her with a kiss.

Marissa relaxed into it, letting go of her questions for the moment and simply enjoying the deliciously beautiful woman sitting in front of her. How did I get so lucky? Just a few weeks before, she’d been in despair that her life would never change.

The sweet kiss lasted a couple hours, or maybe it only seemed like it, because her mocha was still hot when they finished. Still, she dialed things back a bit, taking a sip and watching Ainsley through half-lidded eyes.

“They apologized—they were really offended on my behalf. They even fired the bastard, so no, I won’t have to work with him. And no. I haven’t told my parents yet, but I will.” Ainsley peeled off the wrapper from one of the muffins. She bit into it, and a grin spread across her face. “Oh my god. It really is true. The tops are the best part.”

Marissa had more questions, but dammit, she was hungry too. She grabbed the other muffin and made short work of it, all but inhaling the poor thing. Ainsley was right. It was delicious, especially the top with its apple slices and gobs of caramel. “So when do you start?” She licked the crumbs and sticky bits off her fingers.

“Tomorrow.” Ainsley was daintier with hers. Or maybe she was toying with it like a cat might do with a particularly plump and defenseless mouse. “Right now I just want to finish my breakfast and bask in the glory of it all. Working for Jun Seo!” She sank back in the gray kitchen chair and closed her eyes. “It’s what I’ve always dreamed about.”

Marissa raised an eyebrow. “Working with a non-binary Southern Korean artist, after their manager tried to sexually assault you?”

Aisley flinched.

“Sorry. I was going for funny.” Marissa put a hand on Ainsley’s in apology. “Too soon?”

“Yeah, maybe just a little. But no, not that exactly. Working with a real artist. Getting a leg up in the business.” She finished off the muffin and took a swig of her latte.

Marissa could understand that. “What about your parents?” She hadn’t met them yet, but from what Ainsley had said, they wouldn’t exactly be overjoyed by her dropping out of college. Especially the part about giving up on being a doctor to pursue a more… artistic career.

“Let’s not talk about that right now.” Ainsley finished her latte and pulled Marissa in for another kiss.

It was a surprisingly effective distraction tactic, especially when Ainsley pulled away and whispered in her ear: “Wanna celebrate in a more… intimate way?” Her voice was husky, and it sent shivers up Marissa’s spine.

Don’t have to ask me twice. She took Ainsley’s hand and pulled her toward the bedroom, her heart pounding in her chest. It was turning out to be an excellent day.

Ainsley lay on her side, staring out the window at the gray walls of the next building over, her breathing slowing, the sheen of sweat on her naked back and shoulder cooling under the apartment’s air conditioning. Marissa’s apartment was a study in white and shades of gray, almost Zen in its monochrome intensity.

Behind her, Marissa was purring like a kitten.

“Good for you too?” A smile curved her lips.

“Oh my God. You have no idea.” Marissa’s voice was soft, a whisper followed by a satisfied sigh. “You were… that was incredible.”

Ainsley rolled over to face her. “You were pretty good yourself.” For a few moments, time had been suspended, all of her worries pushed out of her head into the ether. For a magical interval, only Marissa had existed, the glorious expanse of her soft skin, her warm naked lips, her heart beating rapidly under Ainsley’s seeking touch like a wild thing.

But now her worries were back.

She shoved them aside, hoping for a couple more moments of peace. She traced Marissa’s jawline with a finger, eliciting a ghost of a smile. “You are so beautiful. I wish I had my pencil so I could draw you.”

Marissa turned to face her, the smile broadening to light up her face. “Look into my eyes.”

Her eyes were a beautiful, warm brown, like chocolate and honey. “I’m looking.” A thrill ran through her at the intensity of Marissa’s gaze.

“I want to remember you just like this. And I want you to remember me, too. No photos, no pictures, no pencils. Just the two of us here together, alone, in the gauzy Sunday morning light, the afterglow of what we just did together.”

Ainsley laughed. “You have the soul of an artist.”

Marissa shook her head, her eyes flashing. “I can’t draw to save my life.”

“Maybe not, but you see the world like one.” She leaned forward and gave Marissa a soft kiss.

Marissa kissed her back, briefly, but then pulled away. “You need to call your parents.”

Ainsley snorted. “Your foreplay needs work.”

“Well, technically it would be afterplay. But I’m serious. You have two parents who love you—you don’t know how lucky you are.” A shadow flickered across her face but was gone in an instant. “You need to tell them.”

Ainsley scrunched up her face. “I don’t wanna.”

Marissa took her hand. “You can do this. I’ll help you. I’ll be right by your side while you do it.”

“You don’t have to…”

“I want to.” Marissa squeezed her hand. “Look, this is what you’ve always dreamed of, right?”

Ainsley nodded. “Since I was a little girl. But they will be so disappointed—”

“It’s your life to live, not theirs.” She frowned.

“What?” In that moment, they were attuned to one another, connected by a thread so fine that Ainsley could feel each little tug of Marissa’s soul.

Marissa closed her eyes. “I’m an idiot. That’s all.”

Ainsley let go of her hand and reached up to push a lock of golden hair behind her ear. “Why?”

Marissa stared at her in mock-anger. “You’re supposed to tell me I’m not an idiot.”

Ainsley laughed. “We’re all idiots sometimes. Why do you think you’re one now?”

“Because here I am giving you advice to follow your heart. And I’ve let myself stop following my own.” Her hand touched her chest, clutching slowly at the space above her breasts.

“Ah.” Ainsley leaned forward, putting her forehead against Marissa’s. “And what does your heart want you to do?”

“I want to cook.” She smiled wistfully. “I was always happiest when I was working at Ragazzi—”

“Then you should cook.” It seemed simple enough to her. Suddenly Marissa’s drab gray existence made sense. She was punishing herself.

Marissa frowned. “It’s not that easy. What about my job? What will Marcos and Dave think?”

“It’s your life to live, not theirs.”

Marissa laughed softly. “Damn you. Using my own words against me.”

“They’re good words.” Ainsly rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. “I’ll do it if you will.” It sounded like a dare.

“Change my life? I don’t know…”

“Don’t you want to be happy?” And there it was, the question that underlay everything. She wasn’t happy. Marissa wasn’t happy either. But they could be, if they held each other’s hands and stepped out into the unknown together.

“I… think I do.” Marissa sat up, staring down at her. “Holy crap. The idea scares the shit out of me. But I really do.”

Ainsley lifted herself up and put her arms around Marissa, pulling her close again. “Then that’s what we’ll do. Come with me tonight to tell my parents? If you don’t, I’m afraid I’ll lose my nerve.” She started shaking at the thought of actually going through with it. Her mother and father would be so angry.

Marissa put her warm palms on Ainsley’s cheeks, looking into her eyes again. “We’ll do this together. We’ll choose happiness.”

Ainsley looked into her eyes again. They were warm and full of love. “Happiness.”

Somehow, together they’d get through all the hard parts, and reach the other side.

“I think I’m falling in love with you.” Marissa’s eyes searched hers, challenging her to respond.

Unable to find the words Marissa wanted from her, Ainsley kissed her again instead, hoping against hope that it was enough.