The time she spent with Rene almost felt like some sort of dream, but also felt so real that she couldn’t question it. That love meant just as much to her as making sure Matteo grew up well; the encouragement of actually being there for him helped.
Adelinde honestly considered taking the next step as soon as August. Not everyone would be so willing to go anywhere on her whim—not everyone could be trusted to travel with her in general. She knew different factors played into it, but Mark didn’t have as much concerns about Rene as he did with Aurik; Rene interacted better with Matteo than some of his caretakers at this point, genuinely understanding him and knowing how to help him if he needed it.
Whenever they sat together to work on their song—all sections but the third verse fully determined by now, which they had some trouble finding something that sounded ‘right’—they tended to lose track of time, often requiring both Matteo and Mark to confirm how long they spent coming up with the right sounds. Adelinde appreciated Rene for letting her sleep near her whenever she had a nightmare.
Her decision came when she went into her room, completely forgetting about locking the door for the night until the next morning when she went to leave. The amount of locks she used decreased as time went on, but she usually remembered—or considered, at least—locking the door when she slept on her own.
When she thought about it, she stopped really fearing anyone coming in a few months ago. Locking the door had just been a habit.
Adelinde didn’t really need to hesitate once she realized that. If what she had with Rene now seemed like a waking dream—fully real and believable to be so—then Aurik’s greeting, kiss, and attack was akin to a dulled nightmare—something that seemed to happen ages ago in some distant past. Whether five years to recover was short or long, she considered it to be an achievement.
She looked for and bought a ring that day in early April, hiding the little box in one of the drawers in her dresser so Rene wouldn’t find it if she spent a night with her between then and whenever she knew what she would say. Drawing on some part of old advice and her own experience, Adelinde brought Rene out for a date to the conservatory in June, tucking the ring and its box into a purse for safekeeping.
At first they just continued working on their song; they could spend hours just mulling over what elements to incorporate into the third verse, how they wanted it to sound and what it should symbolize. Adelinde smiled at Rene, who moved the chair and guitar closer to the piano for now.
“Could we replay it from the start?” Adelinde asked.
“Sure.”
Rene paused, took a moment to readjust, then started the song again. Adelinde took a little breath, then carried on with a half-rehearsed half-rambling conversation when the appropriate time came in the song.
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“I was terrified when I met you, to be honest.”
“I could tell,” Rene mused.
“You were the first stranger I talked to in two years,” Adelinde said. “I’m still a bit baffled on the reason, but… I think you seemed more understanding than some of the other people who were trying to help me. It took me a while to realize I had feelings for you.”
Rene smiled. “I’d have to call it love at first sight on my end. I recognized it almost immediately, even if my last love was years ago.”
The song continued into the chorus, musically describing their love in general, before going into the second verse. Rene spoke before Adelinde could carry on, but she didn’t stop her. The topic was close enough to what Adelinde would have brought up anyway.
“I didn’t mean to confess when I did,” Rene admitted. “It just…felt right in the moment, even if I regretted it when you left.”
“I can only thank you for that now,” Adelinde said. She gave her a curious look. “What would have been your ‘ideal’ confession?”
“I’m not completely sure,” Rene replied honestly. “In my head, at least, I actually confirmed you liked women first; I’d mention Hannah just to see your reaction, maybe ask if you happened to have eyed any girls in the past.”
“I’ve always held some kind of attraction towards both, but I needed a biological child as an heir; that’s no longer a problem, now that I have Matteo.”
The song drifted into the chorus again without either noticing.
“We’ve done a lot since then,” Adelinde said. She slowed her playing to a stop as the song reached the end of its determined parts, and Rene did the same. On to the unknown third verse. “We’ve both grown. I can look back and truly acknowledge that.”
Adelinde stood up and walked over to give Rene a kiss, which prompted her to stand as well when they pulled away. Rene smiled, lightly brushed Adelinde’s cheek, then came close enough to offer a second kiss. In its duration, Adelinde opened her purse, gently touching the box with the ring.
She smiled as well when it ended. “You’re very patient and considerate. I didn’t really think second love was a possibility, but with you… I can’t picture my life without you. To that end…”
She took a small step back, Rene curious at first before noticing the box. Her eyes showed some kind of amazement, but she let Adelinde take out the box, open it, and show her the ring.
“It would be fitting,” Adelinde said, fully confident in her choice, “If you would be my wife?”
Rene’s immediate response, much like earlier milestones, was a laugh and a kiss Adelinde gratefully accepted. After they took a step back, Rene gently took the ring and slipped it on her finger. Adelinde couldn’t remember her smile ever being wider, so content and happy without any other emotion overshadowing it.
Once Adelinde put the now-empty box back in her purse, Rene came closer again to hug her.
“I love you,” she said, close to a whisper near Adelinde’s ear. “I used to think I didn’t fit in with the world—that this nation didn’t have a place for me and it never would. You proved me wrong; you gave me a place at your side, and I’ll never decline that opportunity. Some people have to choose between what they’re expected to do and what they want to do, and a majority try to manage both at once. At this point…damn expectations. All I need is a life with you.”
Her joy at those words was immense. With that new emotion, they confidently finished the song, showcasing their meeting, the confession, and the ring that had a promise all on its own.