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“I'd like that. A movie sounds good.”
“Will you stay with me tonight?”
She smiled. “I would love to.”
While she showered, it suddenly dawned on her that they hadn’t used a condom. It was her fault, really; she’d pretty much attacked him on her deck, and they’d both gotten swept up in the moment. She felt a flash of panic, but it was brief. They would discuss it like adults, and would determine the best way to handle it.
When she came out of the bathroom wrapped in her robe, she was surprised to see him sitting on her bed and holding a condom he’d obviously retrieved from her nightstand.
“Look what I found,” he said quietly.
“Oh. Yeah,” she said calmly. “I just had the same realization in the shower. Is there anything I need to know about? I mean, as far as your health?”
“No, of course not. Nothing.”
“That's what I figured. And you don’t have anything to worry about with me. You cleared out some cobwebs, but that’s about it.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Okay, that’s good.” He paused. “But what about—”
“I'm on the pill.” Her gaze fell away from his, and she turned to look into her closet. “I never forget to take it. Ever. So we should be okay there too.”
He rose and grasped her shoulders, turning her to face him. “That’s reassuring, but I want you to know that if anything like that ever happened—”
“You don’t have to say it, Will. I already know.”
* * *
Time got away from them,and they decided to forgo the movie and just go out for dinner. After arriving back at Will’s, they invited Georgiana to come along, and while Will went to shower, Elizabeth took the opportunity to ask her about her interview.
“I think it went well. Once I was there, I wasn't so nervous.”
“When do you think you'll hear from them?”
“They said they'd call the first week of August.”
Elizabeth noticed the way Georgie fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, and looked at her curiously. “Is there anything else?”
Georgiana shrugged. “They asked if I wouldn't mind explaining why I’d taken a leave of absence from my old job, and why I was choosing to terminate my employment with the City of Boston. I guess it just—it caught me off guard. It shouldn't have, it's a logical question.”
“What did you say?”
“I told them the truth. I said I’d been the victim of a violent crime and needed the time to regroup.”
“That must have been difficult for you.”
“You know what? Once I said it, once it was out there, I was relieved. For the past six months, I've felt like what happened to me has defined me. But I don't feel like that anymore. I feel like I have a purpose again, I guess. I can't wait to get back to teaching, to be in a classroom surrounded by inquisitive little minds. It makes me so happy.”
Elizabeth smiled. “You've come a long way.”
“I have, haven't I? I'm going to tell Will tonight that I'm moving out and about my job interviews. He'll be happy for me, don't you think?”
“I think he'll be ecstatic about you looking for a job here. The moving out thing…I’m not so sure about that. He likes having you around.”
“Because he wants to keep an eye on me.”
Elizabeth only smiled.
“I'm only going across the back lawn, for Pete's sake. I think Will can handle it.”
