Page 97 of Love Is…?
“I knew I was falling in love with Sam because she occupied a lot of time in my thoughts. When we were first getting to know each other, we used to have long conversations late into the night about anything and everything. Usually over a glass of wine, and I’d spend the next day remembering bits and pieces of those chats. It’s quite sappy.”
Sam lifts Abigail’s hand off the table then places it back down. A mock frown appears on her face.
“Hey. I’ll determine the sappiness of something. Let me see… Survey says, not sappy.”
Abigail looks at me, and shrugs.
“There you go. It isn’t sappy, but you know what it is? It’s delightful.”
Is a wedding a symbol of love? Both women answer at the same time, and Sam stops, deferring to Abigail.
“It does mean a public promise, that’s true, but neither of us really needs to make public our promise of love. It’s ours. Our family’s. I like that the people close to us can celebrate this moment. You know? I don’t think love is a thing that you give or get. I think it’s something that grows between two people. Sometimes the love grows quickly. Maybe it takes a while. But I think to be authentic, it needs both people to be seen by the other, and I think a wedding, hopefully, is where you see each other.”
I point out that this profile will be making their love quite public. Abigail smiles at Sam, then kisses their joined hands.
“Yes. We haven’t hidden our relationship from the public, but we are protective of our personal life. It’s important to draw the line between what we share and what we keep to ourselves. I think people, particularly people in Melbourne, appreciate the distinction.”
Social media is global, not just based in Melbourne. Will the world appreciate the distinction? How does social media affecttheir lives and how will it affect their wedding plans? Sam lets go of Abigail’s hand, and, as in all her interviews, uses her hands to elaborate every point.
“Social media enhances the reach of our work. Abby’s with her career. Mine with the MTC. It provides more outlets for promotion. A tool to use, so to speak. It allows the public to see into the inner workings of this place, for example, but it can be an incredible time suck. The MTC has a fabulous PR team, and so does Abby, and they look after that aspect for us. That’s not to say we don’t swing by occasionally. Instagram mostly. Well, Abby does. I’m not a fan of social media. I see it more as a necessary evil. So, to answer your question, and I can speak for Abby, our wedding is our business.”
Sam’s phone buzzes, and after a quick check, she stands, apologising as she needs to attend to business with the scholarship students. She squeezes Abigail’s shoulder, and with a wave, leaves the room. Abigail watches the door, then turns to me.
“My person.”
They are very much each other’s person, which draws a nod.
“It’s what I was saying in one of our earlier interviews. I’m not sure if you’ve used it in this profile, but the idea of a person somehow knowing that they are destined for another is quite cosmic. Like, they know in their heart that they will eventually meet. I’m not one for mystical thoughts at all. Despite my career in creating fantasy and make-believe, I’m actually quite boring,so magical mystical ideas such as soul mates are not my forte. But perhaps it’s important to believe in intangible ideas.”
I tell her that Sam made mention of a person finding their person, and Abigail smiles softly.
“I thought she might. Sam’s convinced that all the events prior to us meeting were destined to happen, that they lined up to the point where we met. She’s convinced that we couldn’t possibly be with anybody else. Sam is truly the ultimate romantic.”
It is the final interview, and before I am able to express my gratitude, Abigail leans over to pat the back of my hand.
“Thank you for this experience. I really have enjoyed the process. For all my talk about not letting people in, I’ve done a remarkable job at ignoring that advice. Seriously, it has not been intrusive at all, and I’ve enjoyed talking about this topic in depth. Analysing what love is has been quite a philosophical journey.”
Abigail clasps her hands together, the sleeves of her business jacket riding up. She stares at her joined hands for a while. The silence is comfortable, as if she is still travelling that philosophical journey.
“I really believe that we all have the ability to love but sometimes we sit uncomfortably with reasons to not receive love or let us be open to love. Whether it’s because we don’t trust ourselves, or the other person, enough to give our hearts, or maybe we tell ourselves that we don’t deserve love, a beautiful love. Whatever the reason, it’s a wall. Truelove is difficult to find because we must look past a wall, a smokescreen. Hospitals should establish a triage centre just for people who look for love through other people’s fires. Smoke inhalation everywhere. So, to be able to trust yourself to be in love, to be vulnerable, is a gift. Love is trust.”
Abigail huffs out a breath, like she’s run a race. Perhaps she has. The wedding, the feeling of completion, the idea that she and Sam are two people travelling on the same path in the same direction; perhaps her relationship is a breath of fresh air.She hums in agreement.
“Yes. I like that. When I met Sam, a lot of my smoke blew away.”
I’m suddenly the recipient of a smile that wrinkles the skin at the corners of her eyes. Abigail presses her hands together as if in prayer, places them against her lips, and breathes through the gap. Then shares another grin. One of happiness.
“You know what love is? Love is when you can see so clearly you discover that your person is standing right in front of you.”
Chapter
Nineteen
Jayde couldn’t decidewhether Tessa’s countenance was strong or determined or resolute when she returned through the gate, but all possibilities warmed her heart.
She reached for her hand, which Tessa clung on to, and then Tessa turned to Abby.
“I’m so sorry.”