"All right," she acquiesced. "Okasa and I will tuck Adam back into bed. Call when you get there?"
Charisma leaned over and brushed their lips together without thought, then froze. She hadn't intended their first kiss to be so casual... or in front of an audience. "Um...."
"Go," Brianna commanded. "We'll talk about that when you get home."
"Um...."
Kay snickered and turned Charisma towards the door. "C'mon, Senator. I'm pretty sure you want to have that conversation as soon as possible - in great length and with enthusiasm. The sooner we get your brain cells back on track and see about Es, the sooner you can come home and try that again without your son between you and an audience around."
"Kay," Brianna said sternly. "Stop teasing Charisma and go check on Es. One of you call us once you know something."
Kay frowned but bobbed her head as she and Charisma made their way to the garage. "I'd forgotten how bossy she gets," she muttered as she climbed into the passenger seat. Charisma chuckled.
"It's good to know some things never change." Then she pulled out of the garage and turned the SUV towards Esmeralda's house.
************
The house was dark and silent when they arrived, and they stared at one another with apprehension before exiting the SUV and walking to the door. Charisma knocked and rang the bell, but there was no response. Kay took her phone out - they could hear the phone inside ringing, but there was no sound to indicate anyone was home to answer it. They looked at one another before Charisma lifted the potted plant neat the door to swipe the extra key.
"Are you sure, Charisma?"
Charisma nodded. "Yes. Something's not right - we both know that. If Es is just sleeping deep, she'll forgive us; if not, we need to know."
"All right," Kay said, stepping aside. "You want me to...?" Charisma shook her head.
"No. I think this is something I need to do," sliding the key into the lock and opening the door. "Es?" she called out. "Es? It's Charisma. It's Charisma and Kay." They poked their heads into the living room and the kitchen before reaching the bedroom. The minute Charisma opened that door, they knew. But they crossed to the bed so they could check to be sure, tears welling when they saw the smile that graced Esmeralda's face in death.
"I think she found Saphira," Kay commented as she put the phone to her ear. Charisma nodded but didn't answer, then Kay's attention was taken explaining the situation to Brianna. "Don't speed," Kay cautioned Brianna. "We'll be here, but you need to get here safely, all right?" nodding when Brianna replied in the affirmative. Kay hung up and turned to Charisma. "Okasa is going to call the authorities in a few minutes and she's going to stay with Adam. Brianna is on her way over, and I'll head out when she arrives. I figure the two of you would like to say goodbye alone."
"Thank you," Charisma said quietly. "Thank you for understanding, and for.... I want you to know that I'm trying, Kay. I know you're important to Bri and that makes you important to me. I would like to try to be friends, but you're going to have to be patient with me. I'm selfish sometimes and I don't share very well - I never have. And I don't always like being told the truth... even if it's something I need to hear."
Kay smiled. "Do you love her, Charisma?"
"Heart and soul, Kay."
"That's all I need to know. The rest we can figure out as we go along." She saw bright lights turn into the drive. "Gotta go." She walked down the steps and intercepted Brianna, taking her keys and whispering something before getting into Brianna's vehicle and leaving. Brianna met Charisma in the doorway, and they embraced for a long moment before Brianna stepped back slightly and grasped Charisma hand.
"C'mon. Time to say our goodbyes before this place becomes a circus."
Chapter CIX
They walked to Esmeralda's bedside still holding hands, then Brianna dropped to her knees and Charisma released her hand, though she kept a hand on one shoulder. Brianna put both hands over Esmeralda's cooling ones, shivering when the reality of her death settled in the pit of her stomach. A tear rolled down her cheek, and Brianna let it fall, keeping her focus on the happiness and peace so clear on Esmeralda's face.
"Hey, Es," she said softly. "I know you're with Saphira - I can tell by the expression on your face. You look really happy to be wherever you are, so I hope we're not interrupting anything, but we wanted to say goodbye privately." Brianna paused and inhaled slowly. "You and Saphira were good friends, Es, and I'm not really sure I would have survived very long in this place without your friendship in my life. So thank you - thank you both so much. You were amazing, and I'm glad I got the chance to know you both." She sniffed and blew out a shaky breath. "Be happy, Es. We'll miss you."
"Thank you, Es," Charisma whispered before Brianna could shift from her position on the floor. She clenched the shoulder under her hand slightly, feeling Brianna cover that hand with one of hers and smiling at the warmth that followed. "For everything - your friendship; your faith; your encouragement and your love. You'll never know the true difference you made in my life - in the lives of everyone you touched. But we will, and we'll never forget. God bless you, Es. I hope you and Saphira enjoy happiness together in whatever eternity you share."
Brianna stood slowly and Charisma slipped behind her and slid her arms around her waist. Brianna didn't hesitate, but leaned into Charisma and covered her arms in a kind of reverse hug, sighing silently at just how right this felt. And she wondered if Esmeralda could see them - if she was happy for them. She looked at the smile again that Esmeralda wore and knew it for the truth.
"Kay thought Es must have found Saphira too," Charisma whispered into Brianna's ear. "Despite everything, that makes me happy... knowing they're together again. Because I know how wonderful that feels - to be reunited with the one you're meant to be with forever."
Brianna stiffened slightly, but before Charisma could react to her response, Brianna turned in Charisma's arms, and Charisma locked her arms around Brianna's waist. Not tightly, but enough to prevent her from leaving Charisma's embrace prematurely. To Charisma's surprise, Brianna didn't hesitate or try to pull away - instead, she wrapped her hands together behind Charisma's neck.
"Do you mean that, Charisma?"
Blue eyes studied green intently and the gaze was returned stare for stare. Charisma leaned their foreheads together so their eyes were forced to cross to keep one another in focus. "So much, Bri. I know it's taken me forever to get here, but the last few months have shown me so much I refused to see before - how much I missed you when you were out of my life; how glad I am to have you back... even as just my best friend again; how amazing you are and how much we have both grown while still remaining at our cores the women we were in college. But mostly I've learned how very much I love you, and just how right that feeling is." She lifted her head and looked in the direction of the bed where Esmeralda still rested in the peace she'd found in death. "If it was anyone else, I'd probably feel very weird about making this kind of confession by their deathbed, but it seems right that Es be witness to this. After all, she bears some of the responsibility for bringing us back together." Charisma looked back at Brianna, and wondered how she could ever have missed the look of love and devotion staring back at her. "I love you, Brianna Walker... so much. I'm sorry it took me so long to get to this point, but thank you for being patient with me. Thank you for giving me another chance."
She leaned her head down as Brianna tilted her head up, letting their lips come into full contact this time. It remained chaste - just a light touching of lips over and over as they made promises in front of the one witness who deserved to see them. And it was so new that they wanted to savor the sensations flowing between them with just the barest of connections. They understood... and knew Esmeralda would too.