It's All Part of the Story

October 2015

"My family keeps calling you my girlfriend," Karlie grumbles and Taylor meets her eyes through the mirror.

"Is that not what I am?" Taylor asks after spitting out her toothpaste but before continuing to brush her teeth.

Both girls are going through their respective night-time routines at Karlie's parent's house in upstate New York having spent the past few days there celebrating Tracy's birthday. When they had first started dating, both of them had thrown themselves headfirst into getting to know each other's families, knowing how important family was to both of them. It never failed to make Karlie smile, the fact that Taylor fit in so seamlessly with her family, helping her Mom out in the kitchen, bickering with Kristine and Kimby and talking to Kari about her school work.

"It feels like... not enough?" Karlie says while running a brush through her hair, perched on the side of the bathtub. "We're more than just girlfriends."

"Partners," Taylor mouths around her toothbrush but Karlie scrunches up her face. 

"I hate that word. It's like we're playing tennis or lawyers," Karlie says flippantly and Taylor snorts, trying not to laugh too hard as she rinses her mouth. 

"Well we're not engaged or married yet so wife and fiancée are out of the question," Taylor says offhandedly as she reaches for the dental floss. 

When Karlie doesn't immediately respond, Taylor looks up and finds Karlie staring at her with a coy half-grin. 

"What?"

"Yet."

"What?" Taylor asks, genuinely confused. 

"You said we aren't married yet," Karlie says, grin widening slowly as she moves to stand behind Taylor. 

Karlie snakes her arms around Taylor's waist as colour seeps into Taylor's cheeks. 

"You want to marry me?" Karlie asks softly locking eyes with Taylor in the mirror.

Taylor turns and leans back against the counter, staring at Karlie as she figures out what to say. There's part of her that wants to make a joke to brush this off but Karlie is looking at her so open and earnest that she can't. 

"Is that not where this is going?" Taylor asks, gesturing between herself and Karlie and Karlie can tell she doesn't mean the bite that undercuts her words, that it's panic at her slip up more than anything. 

Karlie rolls her eyes but she can't stop smiling, shakes her head fondly as she slides her hand beneath Taylor's camisole to splay her fingers against the soft skin of her back. 

"I really hope so," Karlie whispers as she ducks her head to rest her forehead against Taylor's. 

She feels the tension drain from Taylor's body as she melts into Karlie, dropping her head to rest on Karlie's shoulder. 

"Yeah?" Taylor asks in a small voice and Karlie just nods her head and leans down to kiss her soft and slow.

"You wanna marry me, that's embarrassing babe," Karlie giggles as they pull apart.

"You literally just said you wanted to marry me too," Taylor whines as she swats at Karlie's chest. 

"Yeah, but you said it first," Karlie points out and she tightens her arms around Taylor who is trying to squirm out of her grasp. 

"I'm dating an actual five year-old," Taylor says as she rolls her eyes and glares up at Karlie.

"You're the one who wants to marry me," Karlie shrugs and she can't help but smile as it hits her for the second time that night that that's true. Taylor does want to marry her.

"Believe me, I'm re-thinking that already," Taylor says sarcastically. 

"You don't mean that, you love me." Karlie says softly before ducking down to press her lips against Taylor's again, effectively cutting off any further protest. 

 "I love you," Taylor whispers in the space between them and Karlie's grin widens as she leans in again. 

"I love you too," she replies, the words brushing against Taylor's lips as Karlie moves even closer and Taylor smiles, leaning in and kissing Karlie firmly.