Welcome to Gaia! ::

Lorey went to get herself into a dryer outfit and brush her hair. It didn't take long at all until she was back out to see a fire going, and Richard in the kitchen dialing something up.

"Hey, you," she said, hugging him from behind. "You know, my boss was just raving over you once you were gone. Thinks you're a real catch, though I don't remember having to snatch you up."

Lorey leaned up on the counter, just looking at him and smiling. This man would be her husband. This man would be the father of children, if he wanted them, and she wouldn't have it any other way...

"I love you. Truly and honestly, I wouldn't know where I'd be without you..." Her eyes took on a sad light as she shoved off the counter's edge towards him again, this time hugging him from the front. The shirt he wore smelled nice and fresh against her face, which was soon buried.
"We should meet your mother, though. We are planning on getting married, after all."

"You were the one who brought it up," she said with a poke to his stomach. "And if you wanted to try and patch things up, you should do it now while you still have the pluck."
Although she had to admit, she was frightened of this woman, and wasn't at all sure she wanted to meet her at all.

"I'll be with you... and we'll make this better. If you want."

"Then we should meet her." Lorey smiled up into his big brown eyes with her blue ones and kissed him deeply, broken only by the loud buzz the oven made once the hot coco was all ready. This upcoming trip would either be disastrous or heartwarming.
Lorey wished she knew which one.

Lorey thought about the visit with some dread, but most of it ebbed away once she was cuddled up with Richard with her mug. This was peace, this was safety, and warmth, and love. How she wished he could have the same from his own mother.

"When would you want to see her?" she mumbled, nearly dozing off after her day.

"I know!" she said with soft excitement. "We're going to be married, and be happy. Together forever. Right?"
Secretly she wondered if her mother had said the same to her father on some night, maybe on the one when she herself was conceived. Her forever had been very, very short. It had lasted as long as her father's dedication.

And then, with a sickening, short pang, she wondered if Richard and Rose had said the same. Rose was always with him, she reminded herself. Did Richard try to suppress those memories? Did he feel ashamed to think of Rose when he had her?
Lorey hoped not. That was the last thing she wanted to be: a suppression for memories that should have made him happy.

Lorey shrugged and laughed at him as he went off. Such a goof sometimes... she never would have guessed it when they'd first met, when she was very alone and frightened, while he was wrapped up in his grief and bad habits. They'd helped each other in so many ways that Lorey wondered what the future would bring.