Page 85 of Watching Henry

“You're about to start a business together,” Eleanor continued. “Do you really think that Hadley's going to run off without you now?”

Florence wiped her forehead, put into words it did sound silly. “I don't know,” she said truthfully. “School's been tying Hadley to this place, and now she's done, well, maybe she's going to find that she wants something different, somewhere different. Someone different.”

“Psh,” scoffed Eleanor. “You've been tying Hadley to this place, nothing else. And you're an idiot if you can't see how absolutely besotted she is with you.”

“But why?” Florence asked plaintively.

Eleanor rolled her eyes. “Because, despite the fact that you can be annoying as all get out, inflexible, old-fashioned, and just occasionally a spoil-sport, you're also funny, smart, attractive, kind and a beautiful person. Sometimes I think you're the only person that doesn't see that, Florence.”

“But Hadley is all those good things too,” Florence pointed out.

“Which is why you're the perfect match,” said Eleanor.

Music started to play and Florence's words were drowned out so she turned back toward the stage. Maybe Eleanor was right. On the other hand, maybe she was wrong. Either way, her anxiety was only slightly calmed.

“HERE! OVER HERE!” Hadley waved her arms madly and Florence grinned as soon as she saw her, running over.

“Congratulations,” she said, clasping Hadley in her arms and marveling just like always at her warmth and softness.

“Officially a graduate,” Hadley beamed proudly.

“And looking very smart in your cap and gown.”

Hadley rolled her eyes. “I'm boiling and I can't wait to get out of them.”

Florence felt a beat in her stomach, a pulsing between her legs and Hadley leaned in closer which made the feeling even worse.

“You know, your cheeks flush when you're turned on,” Hadley whispered. “It's a dead give away.”

Florence pulled back. “We're in public,” she said.

“Fine,” huffed Hadley. “But remember those feelings for later, please.”

“I'm so proud of you,” Florence said.

“I'm proud of me,” said Hadley. “Four years, who'd have thought that I could stick things out that long?”

“Four years isn't that long.”

“It's an eternity,” Hadley said. “It's so long that I've forgotten what life was like before school and books and everything else.”

Forgotten what life was like before me, Florence added in her head. She swallowed and was about to say something, when Hadley's phone rang.

“Hold on,” Hadley said, pulling her mobile out from the depths of her gown. “It's dad. I'll just talk to him for a minute. Don't move!”

She rushed off with her phone pressed to her ear and Florence watched her go. She didn't blame her for walking away, Hadley's father hadn't been able to attend the ceremony due to a minor but urgent operation, and it was nice that he'd called.

Perhaps it was best that she'd been interrupted too. Perhaps she needed a little more time to figure out what to say and how to say it. A little more time to think about how to offer Hadley her freedom if that was what she wanted.

Eleanor was right, they'd been through a lot in the last four years. And they were planning to open a business together. But that didn't mean that they had to stay together as a couple. If Hadley needed her freedom back, if she needed to experiment again, then the last thing that Florence wanted was to stand in her way.

Even though letting her go would break her heart irreparably.

Hadley smiled at her from across the courtyard and Florence almost gasped at the pain of thinking that one day that smile might not be for her.

But the last thing she wanted to do was trap Hadley. The last thing she wanted was for all of this to turn sour and bad and wrong.

She'd talk to her, she decided. After all this was over and done with.