Black & White

January 4, 2020

Chaney awoke to light kisses along her bare shoulder blade and it brought a small smile to her face. She grinned, and kept her eyes closed as she curled her body into Halvo’s embrace. She wouldn’t deny how much she enjoyed waking up in his arms the last few days.

“Good morning,” he grinned against her skin as he continued kissing her shoulders. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back into his chest as their legs tangled together.

She nestled into his embrace and held his hand that was wrapped around her waist and interlocked their fingers. “Morning,” she hummed happily. “I could get used to waking up like this,” she sighed happily as she played with his fingers.

He smiled and nestled his head into her neck and shoulder. “I could, too. And we can now...Mrs. Halvorsen,” he smirked as he started kissing her shoulder.

She giggled. “Halvo, we’re not married yet.”

“So? I can’t wait to call you my wife.”

She turned around and cupped the side of his face before kissing him. He moved to lay her on her back as he hovered over her when her phone started ringing.

“Halv--” she muttered between kisses. “My phone…”

“Ignore it,” he mumbled as he began to kiss the side of her neck.

She chuckled as she tried to push his head away. “Stop, I need to answer my phone. It could be important.” Halvo had her pinned down so she was blindly grappling for her phone on the small bedside table. She was able to turn her head to see who was calling. She pushed his chest with her other hand. “Halv, get up. I need to answer this.”

He groaned and rolled off her onto the bed, looking at her. Chaney chuckled and leaned over to kiss his forehead. She quickly sat up, pulling the sheet up to wrap around her as she answered the phone.

“Kelly?”

“Chaney! I’m so glad I caught you. I hope I didn’t wake you…” she mumbled unsure.

“No! I’m awake,” Chaney giggled as she shot an accusatory glare towards Halvo. “What’s up?”

“I was wondering if we could meet up for brunch? I wanted to talk to you…”

Chaney caught on to the off-sound of Kelly’s tone. She shot a glance towards Halvo who was looking at her with a furrowed brow before shaking it off and replying. “Yeah, I can meet you. When did you want to meet up?”

“Maybe like 45 minutes? I figured I could drive by and pick you up...just send me the address and I’ll be there.”

“Yeah, I’ll see you shortly.” Chaney hung up the phone and set it back down on the bedside table.

Halvo rolled over to his side and propped himself up on his elbow and grasped one of her hands. “What was that about?”

“It was Kelly. She wants me to meet for brunch.”

“Oh, well...what’s wrong with that? You look worried,” he mused as he played with her fingers.

She shrugged. “Something just sounded a bit off. She’ll be here in less than an hour so I need to get ready.” Chaney leaned down and pecked his lips a couple times. She leaned over the side of the bed and grabbed Halvo’s shirt that was currently laying on the floor. “I’m gonna go shower. You should think about getting out of bed,” she chuckled as she slipped his shirt over her head. “I think Alex is off work today if you guys wanna hang out. I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone.”

He dramatically sighed as he watched her dress. “Do you really have to wear a shirt?”

“In my brother’s apartment that I’m currently crashing? Yes Halvo, I think I do,” she chuckled. She walked over to the other side of her room where her duffle bag was and started rifling through it for clothes to wear for the day.

He smiled as he observed the bag on the ground. She used his bag. He could tell from its appearance that it was something she used a lot. It was worn and scuffed up. He wanted to ask her about it, but he thought better of it since he left a note in there. She knew it was from him, so he wasn’t going to be that person to ask if she liked it.

“Alright babe, I’m getting cleaned up. Get your lazy ass out of bed and do the same,” she chuckled.

Chaney walked across the hall to the bathroom, setting her clothes on top of the toilet seat as she started the shower water. She stripped of the shirt of Halvo’s she had been wearing and waited for the water to warm up. She looked around the bathroom and saw that it, much like the rest of the apartment, hadn’t changed too much since she left five years prior. Everything in the apartment was essentially intact and the way she left it, with an exception to her room which was now a guest room.

She stepped in the shower and started rinsing off as she thought more about this apartment. Part of her really missed living there. It was the start of her independence. She had so many memories, good and bad, from the few months she lived there.

She quickly cleaned up and rinsed off before stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around her body as she looked at her reflection in the fogged up mirror. She leaned forward, using her forearm to wipe off a spot on the mirror to look at her reflection. She looked happier. She was happy in San Francisco. It was an important part of her journey to self discovery. She learned a lot about who she was and what she wanted to do with her life. There was more of a direction and purpose to what she was doing with her life now than when she initially left for San Francisco.

However, now, she was ready to start a new chapter of her life. One that would now include Halvo. She smiled at the thought as she looked at her reflection and tried to picture herself as a bride. It brought a huge smile to her face and she quickly dried off and dressed before dropping off her dirty clothes back in her old room. She was relieved to see that Halvo wasn’t in bed and walked to the kitchen to see him perched at the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room eating a bowl of cereal. In his boxers.

She chuckled and kissed his cheek. “At least you’re out of bed. Kelly just texted me and she’ll be here in a couple minutes. We can hang out when I get back,” she smirked against his cheek before placing a lingering kiss on his cheek.

He set his spoon back in his cereal bowl and cupped the side of her face to connect their lips when her phone started ringing.

Chaney quickly separated from him and pulled out her phone. “Oh! Kelly’s here. I’ll see you later babe.” She pecked his lips and darted out the door. She ran down the stairs and spotted Kelly parked in front of the apartment building, looking up to see if she could spot Chaney coming down.

When she saw Chaney emerge, Kelly waved her over and unlocked her car doors so she could get in.

“Hey Chane! I’m so glad you were able to meet up so last minute…”

“Of course! It’s no problem at all. I didn’t have any plans anyway,” she chuckled.

Kelly gave her a forced smile as she backed out and drove them downtown to the small bistro the pair used to frequent. It was located in the warehouse where their studio was and they would often eat there when they spent long days working on their pieces. Kelly pulled into the small gravel parking lot across the street and parked before they walked into the bistro.

“Chaney and Kelly as I live and breathe!” came a voice from somewhere in the back.

“Momma Jo? Is that you?” Kelly asked as she peered her head around, trying to find the beloved cook and owner of the small establishment.

She stepped out, untying her apron from around her torso as she went to greet the girls. “Aren’t you pair a sight for sore eyes,” she chuckled. “I haven’t seen you ladies in here in years! Chaney, it’s been what...five years or better?”

Chaney meekly nodded. “Yeah...sorry Momma Jo. I got a gig over in San Fran and I’ve been living there and making art the last five years,” she admitted sheepishly.

“Well sweetheart, you’re looking better than ever. Such a healthy glow on your face. Not like that sickly look you used to adorn,” she tutted. “The west coast sun has done you well. And Kelly...it’s been only a couple years. Where did you disappear to?” she asked expectantly.

“I had to ditch the art world for a few years sadly. I joined the corporate world and now I travel all the time. Though, that’s all about to change because…” she held up her left hand with her diamond that John gave her.

Momma Jo’s eyes widened and she pulled her glasses onto her nose so she could see better. She picked up Kelly’s hand and let out a low whistle. “That’s a gorgeous ring. He looks like a keeper! What about you Chaney? What lucky guy has captured your attention?”

She sheepishly smiled and held up her hand, showing off her own engagement ring.

“My, my ladies. I’m so happy for you both. Brunch is on the house today. Go grab your table and I’ll bring your drinks out shortly. Do you want your usual?”

They both nodded with smiles and made their way to take a seat at the table they used to always sit at.

Chaney looked around, and much like her apartment, it hadn’t changed. She was relieved at seeing so little had changed here since she left five years prior. It gave her more hope that she and Halvo would be able to pick up where they left off a lot easier.

“So...there was a purpose behind this brunch…” Kelly stated sheepishly as she played with her napkin.

“What’s goin’ on Kell?”

“Well, you know how John and I are engaged. We’ve been engaged for...months now, but we never really celebrated it or anything because we didn’t have a date in mind for the wedding. We were both waiting for our schedules to slow down so we could have time to plan and not feel so rushed to get married. Well...our schedules have slowed down and we’re thinking about a mid-summer wedding.

“But before I get to that, now that we know this engagement has an end date,” she chuckled, “we can finally celebrate it. And I had this idea...which you’re more than welcome to shoot down. It won’t hurt my feelings and I hope you’re okay with it. But, I was thinking the other day...you recently got engaged. We both have very similar groups of friends. What would you say to having a joint engagement party?” she asked hesitantly.

Chaney relaxed when she heard what it was Kelly wanted. She was afraid something bad had happened.

“That actually sounds fantastic. I’m sure Halvo and John would appreciate having one less party to attend. Well...you know what kind of party I mean,” she chuckled.

Kelly sighed in relief. “I’m so glad you think so,” she smiled. “I also have another question for you...and this will all be dependant on when you and Halvo decide to tie the knot…”

“What would that be?” Chaney asked curiously as she took a sip of the water that was just placed on their table.

“Well, would you be one of my bridesmaids? If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even know John. And you’ve been such a good friend to me over the last few years despite how little we actually saw each other. I wouldn’t even be engaged to John if it weren’t for you.”

Her last words stung Chaney for some reason, but she pushed that aside and smiled. “Of course! I would love to.”

“Great! My friend Melody from art school is actually coming down to stay and help plan the wedding. She’s a bit of a nomad and is able to work from anywhere. I would love for the two of you to help me plan this wedding. You girls will be my right hand women,” she chuckled. “I can’t choose a maid of honor out of the two of you, so I’m requesting you both.”

Chaney laughed. “I’m honored. It sounds like fun. When is she coming down?”

Kelly pondered for a moment. “I’m not sure. But she said she would make sure to be here a couple days before we have the engagement party so she can help us plan and set up. Do you think it would be too late notice to have it next weekend?”

“As in a week from today? Or this coming Friday?” Chaney asked quasi-skeptically.

“I was kind of hoping for this Friday…” she replied as she bit her lip.

Chaney took a deep breath. “I’ll talk to Halvo, but it should be alright. I mean, my parents still live around here...I think. I haven’t really talked to them since I moved out…” she mused.

“Oh! I should’ve clarified. This would be specifically for friends. I’m saving the special one with family and super close friends for later. This is just an excuse to get all the guys together to drink and celebrate our engagements,” Kelly chuckled.

WIth a sigh of relief, Chaney smiled. “That’s more doable,” she chuckled. “Ok, so we should start planning where this will be and get the word out. Shit, I need to start moving my stuff here…”

“One thing at a time girl. Don’t get too ahead of yourself. Focus right now on immediate things and work your way out. You’ll burn out quickly otherwise.”

“You’re right. Ok, what were you thinking? Where should we host this shendig?”

“Not sure. Would the 8123 offices be too cliche?”

Chaney laughed. “Um...a bit. That’s where they always hold parties.”

“Wait a second. Why don’t we just have it at our house? I mean, we were at home when John proposed to me. And for you, it was because you reunited with Halvo at our house...I mean, would that be alright?”

“Yeah! I think that’d be a good idea. I’m sure that would also be good for John because he wouldn’t have to worry about driving home,” she chuckled.

“Speaking of John…” Kelly started. “I’m really sorry about him and how he talked to you the other night.”

Chaney rolled her eyes. “Don’t apologize for him. Sadly, this is normal for our relationship,” she chuckled darkly. “John and I have gone through rounds essentially our entire friendship. We fight about as much as we get along,” she smiled.

“But...how is that healthy? I mean...surely that can’t be a good friendship….fighting all the time?”

“But that’s John though. He and I are both super hard-headed and stubborn people. Neither of us will back down in an arguement,” she chuckled. “God, you should have seen us when we first met. The first few months were pretty rocky and he legitimately hated me.”

Kelly looked at her shocked. “You’re joking...I would have never guessed that based on what he told me about you guys,” she said as she took a big sip of her water through her straw.

“What exactly did he tell you about us…?” Chaney nervously asked. She wasn’t sure who all knew of hers and John’s intimate history.

“Just that you guys met through Halvo. And that you guys used to hang out and go for drives a lot when you were stressed,” she shrugged. “Sounded like you guys had fun together.

“If you only knew how much ‘fun’...” Chaney muttered under her breath.

“What was that?”

“You have no idea how much fun,” Chaney said through a forced smile.

She realized then that this was going to be harder than she thought. Currently no one else but she and John knew about their history. As ideal as that is, she couldn’t help but feel bad about not talking to anyone about it. Keeping it secret. It’s not like either of them were doing anything wrong. They weren’t cheating on anyone and it was their way to say goodbye to each other. If that were the case, Chaney didn’t understand why she felt so guilty about it all. Clearly it couldn’t have been so bad if John wasn’t saying anything about it. He seemed to move on past it as well, so she would. They would both act like it never happened and live happily with their spouse.

The more she thought about it, the more okay she became with the fact that John never mentioned their escapade with anyone. It was if they had a clean slate now that she had returned and for that she was grateful.

“So I never really heard the story about how you guys got engaged other than he took you out and you came back with a ring. Spill,” Kelly gushed with a smile as she leaned over the table closer to Chaney.

Chaney went into details about how he took her to the same place they went skinny dipping to which Chaney explained the significance of the scenario in relation to their childhood. Chaney couldn’t help but get mushy as she talked about how perfect Halvo had proposed to her and how thoughtful it all was. It may have been something that was planned in an afternoon, but it was full of meaning and significance for the both of them. It was a physical place that she could go back and visit and point to specific places where various things happened. Thinking about that only made her smile widen and her cheeks turn more crimson as she gushed about him.

Kelly sat and listened with as much enthusiasm as Chaney was relaying the story. Kelly couldn’t help but try to bite back her smile at how adorable Chaney and Halvo were and she was so excited to see her friend so happy. The same friend that introduced her to her own reason for being so happy.

“...and that’s when he pulled out the most gorgeous ring. It was his mother’s and his grandmother’s,” Chaney gushed.

“Oh my god! That’s so adorable. Let me see your ring again!”

Chaney held out her hand so Kelly could take a look at it better.

“Wow, that’s seriously such a gorgeous ring. And the fact that it’s a family heirloom?! That’s huge.”

“I know! I was shocked honestly. But his mom said that she would only let him propose with her ring if it was to me,” she sheepishly smiled as she bit her lip.

“You guys sound adorable. Which...leads me to another question, if you don’t mind my asking…”

“What’s that…” Chaney hesitantly replied. She was scared of what Kelly might ask.

“What exactly happened between you and Halvo? You two seem so perfect for each other. John just said that you guys went through a rough patch that, at the time, was irreparable. Now it’s like you never even fought. Not that I’m not thrilled for you guys working things out, but that’s quite the turnaround.”

Chaney sighed, trying to figure out how best to answer this. To be honest, she didn’t quite know the answer herself. “I don’t know...we just...make sense I guess. We practically grew up together and have been best friends most of our lives. We’d both always sort of liked each other, but were too chicken to ever do anything about it until one day we did. Then shit hit the fan and he said and did some things that he shouldn’t have. I reacted poorly to it, and we split. We tried to repair the friendship months later, but it never really panned out. Despite all that, I never stopped loving him. He was, and is, my first love. The one I shared most of my firsts with. So to be separated from him for as long as I was...you know what they say, ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’; well it did. The longer I was away from him, the more I missed him and wished I would have tried harder to repair things with him when I still had the chance. But all it took was seeing him again after five years and it was like both of our past misdoings had been swept under the rug. We have a fresh start now.”

Kelly sat there, trying to absorb what she was hearing. She was even more curious now to find out what happened between Chaney and Halvo. Though now she had a better understanding of why Chaney never brought him up in the past. When they met, it was after the pair had split and from what John was saying, was during the time before they tried mending their friendship. Something about the whole situation didn’t quite set well with Kelly though, and she couldn’t put her finger on it. Sure, Chaney and John’s stories matched up; but they both seemed to be withholding some crucial part of the story and she was determined to figure out what it was.