Life of Anne Pt. 02 - Connection

Hey there,

Welcome to part two of Life of Anne. You can read this on its own, but if you want the full picture, I'd recommend checking out Life of Anne Pt. 01 - Orientation on my author page first.

Just a heads-up, this part includes a mild form of coerced sex and some scenes that might come across as incestuous, though there's absolutely no blood relation between the characters. I hope that doesn't scare you off, because honestly, I think Anne's journey is a pretty special one. It's messy, honest, and full of those moments where you're just trying to figure out who you are and what you want.

All characters in this story are 18 or older.

Enjoy the read!

NightAelf

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Connections

There I was, just shy of twenty-two. Everything I owned that mattered was shoved into one big camping backpack and a beat-up sports bag. Eight hundred guilders in my pocket, a head full of static. I sat at a café terrace in Amsterdam, surrounded by tourists, in a city that never felt like mine, a city that swallowed me whole.

I had no plan. No clue what came next. I just knew I had to get away. Something just wasn't right anymore.

The world I'd landed in felt off. Not quite mine. Maybe going back home was an option. My mom probably wouldn't have even noticed I was gone. But just the thought of crossing that threshold again made my chest tighten in a way I couldn't explain.

I told myself it was nothing. Just nerves or maybe exhaustion. But beneath it there was something else, something I couldn't name yet. A small fissure running beneath my skin, barely visible, barely there.

I kept breathing, kept moving forward, unaware that with every step those cracks were quietly spreading.

I'd brought my address book, out of habit mostly. I flipped through it with little hope. Aunt Klara, no. Uncle Theo, definitely not. Still in the village, the type to call my parents the moment I hung up. Former classmates, all gone, living lives I wasn't part of. Marley, not even close.

One name after another, I crossed off in my mind until I stopped at hers, Aunt Helena.

Well, not really an aunt, she was our neighbor back home in the village. She moved to The Hague when I was fourteen. Nobody really explained to me why, just that she had to go. She'd always been kind. Asked questions no one else dared. Actually listened, unlike my mother who mostly talked at me.

There's no such thing as a stupid question she used to say. Only stupid answers.

So I decided to call her.

Dragging her bags through the city center, Anne finally found a tobacconist where she bought a fifteen-guilder phone card. The first phone booth didn't work. In the second, a man was yelling in a language she didn't recognize. Too tired to keep searching, she sank down onto a low stone wall and let the city blur around her. Everything was still rushing through her body. The journey. The loneliness. The doubt.

When the booth finally emptied, I got up, stepped inside, closed the little door behind me and dialed the number. It just kept ringing. Every tone felt like the line might drop, like it could all dissolve before anyone picked up. But then a voice came through, hurried but warm. "Helena Dijkema speaking."

"This is Anne. Anne Boersma."

There was a pause. Just long enough for my chest to tighten. But then Helena's voice broke open in cheerful surprise. "Anne, what a lovely surprise."

It was exactly what I had hoped for but had not dared to expect. A real welcome. That flicker of recognition. Helena started firing questions before I could get a word in. Where had I been, what had I been doing, was I alright?

In one of the rare silences I managed to squeeze out the only thing that really mattered. Could I come over? Helena did not hesitate. No questions. No conditions. Just that steady familiar voice asking where I was.

I did not tell her I was calling from a phone booth with two bags at my feet and no one knowing where I had gone. I did not explain how I had slipped away without a word. I just said I needed to see her.

We agreed I would take the next train to The Hague and from there catch tram 11. She said she would wait at the Van Boetzelaerlaan stop. Knowing someone would be there settled something in me, even if it was only for one night.

At the station I looked down at the ticket in my hand, now slightly damp from my sweaty fingers. And I knew I was on my way. Not necessarily toward a solution, but toward a place where my story was allowed to land.

When I stepped off the tram, she was already waiting. She looked first at my bags, then at me.

"What's the plan, Anne?" she asked.

I broke down. Tears came fast and hot. "I don't know. But please don't send me back."

"Alright," she said softly. "Let's head home first. I'll make some tea, then we can have some stroopwafels. After that, we'll sit down and you can tell me everything. We'll figure it out together."

So I followed her, feeling the weight of everything in more ways than one. I honestly had no idea where she lived, but I let myself be led like a meek lamb. The few streets slipped past me, one after another, and after about five minutes we stopped. It looked like a cozy place, but at that moment none of it meant anything to me.

The apartment was warm and quiet, nothing like the chaos in my head. She poured the tea, handed me a cup, and placed a plate with stroopwafels between us. I took a bite, the sweet syrup a tiny comfort against the storm inside.

I started talking. It wasn't easy, the words came slow and stumbling, like I had to push them out against some invisible wall. I told her about Marley, about the silence that had grown around me, about Amsterdam and how lonely it made me feel. How I didn't really belong there or anywhere. I confessed that I hadn't really spoken to my parents in weeks. Maybe they hadn't even noticed I was gone.

Helena didn't interrupt. She just listened, wrapping an arm around my shoulders when I faltered.

"Your mother's worried," she said quietly. "She told me last time we spoke on the phone. I've always said you're stubborn and strong. But even strong girls break sometimes."

"You need to let her know where you are," she said gently.

I shook my head, voice barely a whisper. "I can't. I just can't."

She squeezed my shoulder. "You don't have to explain everything right now. Just tell her you're safe. That you're here."

I looked at her, eyes pleading. "Can you call her? Please?"

She met my gaze. "Just this once. But Anne, you can't just run and expect someone else to fix it for you. You're almost twenty-two now. This is the real world. But you're not alone. We'll get through this. Together."

Helena didn't want me calling her aunt anymore. Just Helena, she said. To me, she was still just Aunt Helena. I called her aunt plenty of times, without any fuss. She didn't mind at all. What mattered most to her was that I knew she saw me as an equal, not just that little girl from the village. That made it easier for me to trust her, to be myself around her.

She was more practical and direct than I'd expected. She laid down a few rules. If I wasn't willing to follow them, I could just pack up and leave the next day. I was pretty annoyed at first, but as I listened, I realized her demands weren't unreasonable. She wanted me to find at least a summer job and to start seriously thinking about my future. She also planned to call my parents and try to work something out with them. If they didn't agree to her plan, well, I'd have no choice but to go back home.

My parents weren't thrilled when they found out I'd gone to stay with Helena. But to my surprise, they agreed to Helena's plan. Somewhere deep down, I was glad she gave me those choices, it gave my life a bit of direction again.

I found myself in the Statenkwartier, a part of The Hague that felt caught between two worlds in the early '90s. Old houses with tall ceilings and wide streets, where neighbors still knew each other's names. It wasn't noisy, but far from quiet. Tradition rubbed softly against change, and beneath it all simmered a tension no one talked about, a place reluctant to let go of its past even as it changed.

Under Helena's care, I started to come alive again. She was fun, stubborn, and warm, a woman who surprised me in more ways than one. She was attracted to both men and women, which caught me completely off guard. Until then, I'd only known love with Jerrald and Marley. I never imagined this was something others experienced too, something that could feel familiar and real.

I'd never read about it in the encyclopedia tucked away in my parents' cabinet, nor in those library books I'd skimmed through. Honestly, I never really thought much about it. It just happened, and I was fine with it as it was.

But seeing Helena live her truth like that, it was strange and comforting all at once. It made me realize there was more to love and desire than I'd given myself credit for. And somehow, that opened up a little more space inside me.

At the time, she was seeing a decent guy named Pete, and somehow we all found a way to make it work. The nights Pete stayed over were anything but quiet. Moans and groans floated from her room, impossible to ignore. Honestly, I often found it strangely exciting and more than once I satisfied myself listening to those sounds.

Very soon, I had found a summer job at a nursing home not too far from where we were living. I helped with coffee and tea rounds, and three afternoons a week I joined in with various group activities. I genuinely enjoyed it. I felt useful again, and slowly the idea started forming that maybe I could study to become a nurse's aide.

There was one caregiver who stood out to me, a woman named Marion. Every time I saw her, I felt this flutter deep in my stomach. She had long, wavy dark brown hair and a soft, slightly curvy figure, but what drew me in most was her laugh. You could hear it echoing from the other side of the hallway, loud and full and real. And every time it did, something in me lit up. That laugh made me feel like maybe life wasn't as heavy as I thought.

After about five weeks of working there, I couldn't deny it anymore. I was in love with Marion.

Helena had noticed something too. I was less gloomy, more talkative, and I actually looked forward to going to work. One afternoon, after an activity Marion and I had done together, I came home grinning like a fool. Helena gave me a look, tilted her head, and said, "Is my little Anne in love?"

I didn't even answer. My face said enough. I wasn't used to being open about these things. Most of what I'd felt before had been quiet, hidden, folded away in corners where nobody could see it. But this felt different. It felt nice not to have to keep secrets. Still, I hadn't said anything to Marion. I was scared. Really scared. The breakup with Marley still haunted me, and it had left me questioning myself more than I cared to admit.

Helena told me not to wait too long. That if I felt something, I should act on it. She said the worst that could happen was hearing no. But even that felt like too much. I didn't know if I could handle that kind of rejection again.

The solution pretty much landed right in my lap. After a long and exhausting movement activity with the physiotherapist, a handful of volunteers, Marion, and me, started bringing the residents back to their rooms. On the way, Marion made some sharp remark that had everyone laughing again, the way only she could.

Mrs. Pronk was the last one we brought back to her room, and just before we got there, she looked at Marion and said, "Child, your husband must be going out of his mind with you talking like that all day."

Marion burst out laughing and said, "If I had a husband, maybe. But none of my girlfriends have ever complained." Then she looked straight at me and gave me this wicked wink that lit a fire in my chest.

Mrs. Pronk replied that maybe it was time she found herself a man anyway, and Marion said something back that I couldn't quite catch. But I hoped it meant exactly what I thought it did, because that look she gave me really seemed to say something.

Once Mrs. Pronk was all settled in, Marion and I walked back to the changing rooms, talking the whole way like nothing had happened. I had finished my shift and she was about to go on her break. And right then, caught in the warmth of the moment, I asked her. Just like that. I asked if she maybe wanted to grab a drink with me sometime, after work.

She said no.

My heart sank for a second, but before I could even react she smiled and said the weekend would be better, since she'd have the evening off. That grin on her face made everything inside me light up.

We made plans to meet on Saturday, at a café on the Grote Markt. Just before I turned to leave, she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. "See you Saturday," she whispered.

Two more days. I had a date.

When I got home, I could hardly wait for Helena to walk through the door so I could tell her everything.

I'd spent hours getting ready, pacing between the mirror and my wardrobe while Helena hovered nearby, teasing me every chance she got. My excitement must've been contagious, because even Pete couldn't resist joining in. "Looks like it's just the two of us tonight, Lena," he said with a grin. "You'd better brace yourself."

Helena gave him a kiss on the cheek and whispered something in his ear that made his face flush a deep red. I saw him shift awkwardly, clearly flustered. "You two are like teenagers," I said, rolling my eyes, though I had already decided I wouldn't be home early.

Marion was already on the terrace when I arrived, sipping from her glass and scanning the crowd. "I got here super early," she said with a half-smile when she saw the look on my face. I laughed, feeling some of the nerves melt away.

Despite the tension buzzing just under the surface, the night felt easy. We talked about everything. I told her about Jerrald, about Marley, about why I'd ended up in The Hague. She listened closely, never interrupting, just quietly taking it all in. Then she shared her story, how she'd had a few girlfriends before, how she'd noticed me from the very start.

Time slipped by like it always does when things feel right. At one point, she glanced at her watch and looked back up at me.

"Any other plans for tonight?"

I told her about Helena and Pete, and how I figured they wouldn't mind a bit of space tonight. Marion laughed and said she lived just around the corner, and if I wanted, we could go back to hers for a drink, maybe talk some more.

There was a flutter low in my belly, that quiet rush of wanting and not quite knowing. But I didn't hesitate.

"Yes," I said. "I'd really like that."

After a fifteen-minute walk, we reached her place, a top-floor flat in a narrow, leaning street. It looked lived-in and warm. Nothing matched, yet everything somehow belonged. I dropped onto the two-seater couch, the only proper place to sit. When Marion came back with the drinks, she sank down right next to me. The seat was narrow, and I didn't mind how close we ended up. Her arm rested on the backrest, and without thinking, I leaned my head against it.

She took the glass from my hand and placed it on the table, then shifted her body to face me. "Well," she said with a half-smile, "here we are." Her eyes searched mine for a sign. I didn't give her time to find one. I leaned in and pressed my lips against hers.

She pulled back for a second, surprised maybe, but I followed her, kissed her again, softly. When her lips opened, I felt the warmth of her breath, the slow welcome of her mouth. After some gentle kisses on her lips, she opened her mouth and I licked the inside of her lips. French kissing always made me instantly horny and passionately I crawled into her lap. Her hands slid down my back and I traced a wet trail with my tongue to her neck where I also gently bit her for a moment. When I looked up at her I saw the desire burning in her eyes and quickly I descended with my mouth back on hers. Our tongues got into a fight and her hands slipped under my blouse. As we gasped for a moment, Marion managed to say that we had better go to her bedroom. I jumped up from her lap and pulled her upright. Clothes fell away as we stumbled down the hall, not caring where they landed. We reached the bed half-dressed and entirely undone.

With a hunger I hadn't expected, Marion pushed me down onto the bed, stripping away the last layers between us with quick, impatient hands. I drank in the sight of her, every line, every curve and felt the rush of desire surge through me.

"Do you really want this?" she asked, her voice low and hoarse.

Her question caught me off guard. "Don't you?" I asked, suddenly unsure.

"I want all of you," she whispered, her eyes dark with need. "Every part. I want to make you mine."

Something in the way she said it sent shivers down my spine. And I didn't answer with words. I just pulled her closer, needing her to feel how much I wanted it too.

After the hesitant exploration with Jerrald and the soft, searching tenderness I'd had with Marley, being with Marion was something else entirely. It wasn't gentle or slow. It was fierce. Intense. Like she wanted to burn through every boundary I didn't even know I had.

It caught me off guard, at first. The way she took control. The hunger in her hands, her mouth, the way she looked at me like I was something she'd been starving for. I wasn't used to that kind of urgency, but somehow, it didn't scare me. It woke something up.

I was still figuring things out, still full of doubt. But in that moment, with her, it didn't matter. I wanted her. All of her. And I wanted to be wanted like that.

Marion roughly pushed my legs apart and let her fingers slide into my dripping wet pussy. "How wet you are!" she panted hornily in my ear. Hard she pumped two more fingers inside me and in no time there were 4 fingers in my tight hole.

It did hurt for a moment, sharp and sudden, and I was a little taken aback by how assertive she was. There was a rawness to it, something almost unfamiliar. But before I could get lost in hesitation, the sensation shifted, intensity folding into something deeper. The overwhelming feeling of being claimed, of giving in completely, washed over me.

Before I knew it, my body was answering hers. I moved with her, not against her, drawn into the rhythm, into the heat of it. Every nerve felt awake. I wasn't thinking. I was feeling. Reaching. Letting go. Marion didn't want me to touch her and suddenly we were caught in this heated kind of battle. Every time I tried to reach for her, she'd push her fingers even deeper, like she was daring me to stop. It got intense, and before I knew it, she snapped at me, her voice firm and low: "Now you stay quiet and behave, or I'll tie you up." Her words hit me hard. So many feelings crashed through me all at once, but mostly I felt like I was about to come undone. I gave in to the battle and rolled onto my side, draping my leg over Marion's hip. That way, she had all the space she needed for her fingers, and I could kiss her freely.

I felt the storm rising from my toes, rushing up through me, my body curling into a blissful cramp. It was like fireworks exploding all around the room. Completely spent, I collapsed back onto the bed.

Marion slowly pulled her fingers out, and a warm wave of wetness followed onto the bed. Completely spent, drenched in sweat and buzzing from the orgasm, I lay there savoring the afterglow. I hadn't even noticed when Marion got up, but she came back with a big, soft towel. Gently, she started drying me off, and I purred like a contented cat on the bed. Once I was dry, Marion climbed back on top of me and kissed me deeply again. I savored her warm body pressed against mine and the feel of her wet, warm tongue exploring my mouth.

When I rolled her onto her back, she didn't even try to protest. I traced my tongue along her lips and down her neck, and she let out a soft moan she couldn't hold back. Her nipples were rock hard, begging for attention, so I took one into my mouth. At first, I traced lazy circles with my tongue, but the memory of Marion's rough, passionate touch earlier gave me the guts to get a little bolder. Without warning, I sucked hard on her nipple. I heard her gasp sharply, clearly surprised, but that shock quickly melted into fierce desire. "Yes, suck hard like that, oh, that feels so good," she moaned, encouraging me on.

A layer of perspiration came over her body and I noticed that she was getting hotter and hotter. As I was working her nipples with my lips, tongue and teeth, my hand slid toward her wet pussy. Moisture was already dripping down and running down her buttock. Quickly I inserted three fingers at a time into her pussy, but I noticed she was used to that. Quickly I inserted a fourth as well. Marion began to move her pelvis delightfully and fuck herself on my fingers. My mouth left her nipples to lick through her belly to her pussy.

Her lusty smell was evident and I buried my face deep between her legs to soak it all up. It was so hot to watch Marion writhe violently beneath my fingers, her body twisting with need. I dove in with my tongue, licking her clit wildly, desperate to match the fire in her eyes. She was losing herself, moaning and gasping as she kneaded and pinched her nipples hard. "Stick your whole hand in," she cried out, breathless. That caught me off guard, it sounded intense, even a little scary, but the heat in her voice made it impossible to say no.

I honestly didn't really know what to do. Luckily, Marion noticed my uncertainty and took a moment to guide me through it. Slowly, I pulled my four fingers back, then carefully pushed them back inside, this time adding my thumb. It felt like there was a tight elastic band wrapped around my wrist and I froze for a moment. Marion started to move gently and asked if I could make a fist with my hand. "Doesn't it hurt?" I asked.

"No, it... is... delicious," she moaned. Curious to see more, I lowered my head back down to her pussy. Every time I pulled my arm out just a little, I'd tug her clit out with it. I could feel the syrupy wetness dripping between my own legs. It was a strange but incredibly hot experience, and I loved watching it. Now and then, I let my tongue trace a slow circle over her hood, but Marion was starting to move harder and harder, losing herself in the moment.

I felt her pussy closing tightly around my wrist and she cried out, "Pull your hand away!"it took me some effort to get my hand out of her pussy, But just my little fidgeting made her go even crazier. Barely had I pulled my hand away when she came, trembling and gasping like she'd been set on fire. Violently and squirting. Her orgasm came in waves and with each wave she squirted out a jet of pussyjuice. I was fascinated by what I saw, trying to catch every drop with my mouth. I'm not sure what I expected, but it didn't really taste like much. It was sweet and syrupy, but also warm and soft. Then it was my turn to grab the towel and I dried Marion off while she lay there, exhausted and gasping. She looked at me with a sweet smile and asked if I liked it. My eyes said it all, and I straddled her again, diving back into those delicious kisses.

I slid my leg between hers, wet and warm with desire, and began to ride her leg. Her hands gripped my ass and pushed me deeper, harder against her. That delicious tingle of an approaching orgasm was building quickly, my body almost trembling. Then suddenly Marion pulled me away.

"Don't run away, little horny girl," she whispered, rising from the bed.

My head was spinning, my fingers finding my clit at lightning speed. Slowly I turned, each time just before climax I stopped to tease myself even deeper, the tension almost unbearable. I loved teasing my orgasm, stretching it out, curious about what Marion had in mind next. I didn't have to wait long, she came back wearing a strap-on. A woman with a strap-on, how hot was that! My body already hummed with anticipation, eager for her to slide between my legs.

But instead, she laid back on the bed and gave me a clear look, she wanted me to ride her. I'd handled Jerald's cock before, but Marion's was bigger, thicker, a whole different kind of challenge. It took some effort at first to get him inside, but fortunately I was so horny and wet that it didn't hurt. "I want you to go back and forth slowly," Marion said, stuffing a pillow behind her back. "I want to see it go in and out of you deliciously slowly." Hornily we looked at each other and carefully I bent down to give her a nice hot kiss. Then I sat down as comfortably as I possibly could and began to move back and forth over the dildo.

Marion's hands were on my legs and she began to work my clit with a thumb. It took a lot of effort for me not to fuck myself to orgasm at a rapid pace, but the thrill of the slow movement and Marion's thumb were indescribable. "I'm gonna come" I squeaked and Marion began to move against my thrusts. Harder and harder she thrust the dildo into me and with a loud scream I came.

Marion just kept moving, and before long, another orgasm hit me hard. Totally spent, I collapsed over her, and she kissed my cheeks, my eyes, and finally my mouth, all so softly. I slid off her, and together we made our way to the bathroom. We both needed a moment to freshen up.

"Are you staying over?" Marion asked, and when I nodded, she gave me a gentle kiss on the lips.

I fell asleep in Marion's arms and didn't wake up until around noon the next day. When I opened my eyes, she was watching me and gave me a soft kiss. "You're so beautiful, and you sleep so sweetly," she said. I smiled at her, still half in a dream. When I got up to go to the bathroom, she playfully tapped my ass.

"Can I call Helena?" I asked, and she pointed me to the phone in the room. Helena was a bit worried I hadn't come home, but after I talked to her, she understood everything. "Make sure you come home soon, your parents are coming for dinner," she said. I had completely forgotten about the dinner we'd arranged two weeks ago, and a nervous flutter stirred in my stomach.

On the way back to the bedroom, I grabbed my clothes and dressed quickly. Marion had turned onto her stomach and gave me a searching look. "Leaving so soon?" she asked. I explained my parents were coming over and I had some things to prepare. We said goodbye with a long, hot kiss.

Once home, the first thing I did was take a shower and put on clean clothes. Helena joined me in the bathroom, chatting away, wanting to know everything about Marion. I told her about the night without hesitation. "Let's just not tell your parents about this," she said with a wink. Startled, I peeked around the shower curtain and said, "No way, that's none of their business." She laughed, kissed me, and left to get dinner ready.

Dinner with my parents went surprisingly well. Helena had invited Pete too, and everyone got along great. Mom told me she finally felt settled in Amsterdam, and Dad seemed to like the place as well. They missed me a lot, and we agreed I'd come stay over again soon. I was relieved they weren't angry anymore and that they understood how upside down my life had been in my head. They said they were proud I was sticking to my 'aunt's' rules and standing up for myself.

While clearing the table, Mom came into the kitchen to help. "Anne, Marley has called so many times. She's asking if you'll please call her back."

A punch hit my stomach and tears welled up in my eyes. Mom pulled me into a hug, and it felt warm and comforting. "Just think about it, okay?" she whispered into my ear.

I kept putting off calling Marley. Every time I thought about it, something in my chest clenched. Instead, I threw myself into my time with Marion. We didn't talk all that much about the future or the past, we just found each other in the present. Most of our days together revolved around each other's bodies. There was something liberating about it, something uncomplicated, and I needed that.

It didn't take long before I realised we didn't have that much in common beyond the heat. We came from different worlds, different ideas of love, of life, of where things were headed. But it didn't really matter. I was still finding my feet and Marion never asked for more than what I could give.

By then I'd also started a training program to become a dietary assistant at the care home. It was more work than I expected, lots of books, lots of homework, but I liked it. It gave me a rhythm, a reason to get out of bed, a sense of direction I'd been missing for too long.

Around that same time, Pete left. I missed him, honestly. He had a quiet way of balancing things in the house, of keeping my auntie grounded. Helena didn't talk much about why it ended, but from the few things she did share, I gathered he'd struggled with her openness.

Helena had always been honest, with me, with herself. She wanted space, freedom, and sometimes that meant being with a woman. Pete couldn't handle that. She tried to explain it to him, tried to soften it, but in the end, he wanted something more traditional.

It wasn't until one night, while we were cleaning up the kitchen, that she looked at me and said, almost casually, "You know, you've made me remember things. How it feels. What I miss." She didn't have to say more. I knew what she meant.

Helena had always been striking, the kind of woman people turned their heads for. Men. Women. Everyone noticed her. But she wasn't chasing anything anymore. She liked her quiet life, her books, her plants, her routines. She wasn't looking to date or fall in love again. She just missed being touched the way only a woman could.

And somehow, in that moment, between tea mugs and drying dishes, I understood her better than I ever had.

By now, Marion and I were really just friends with benefits. Nothing more, nothing less. She had started dating other women again, and oddly enough, I didn't feel the slightest hint of jealousy. If anything, it made me bold. A little idea popped into my head, something cheeky, something fun. I asked Marion if she'd be up for a surprise. She'd let slip more than once that she thought my aunt was, and I quote, "a damn sexy woman," and when I told her what I had in mind, she grinned that wicked grin of hers and said, "Count me in."

The plan was simple. I would invite my aunt out for dinner, just the two of us, a girls' night out. Only, instead of me, Marion would be the one waiting at the table. After that, it would be up to Marion and my aunt to see what might happen.

At first, Helena wasn't too keen on going out to dinner, she said she was tired, not in the mood, and that a glass of wine on the couch sounded better. But I managed to convince her. Told her we both needed a break. A night out. Just some fun.

I told Marion what I had arranged with my aunt, and to my own surprise, the whole plan turned me on more than I expected. When I admitted that to Marion, we somehow ended up tangled together in my bed again.

Even though Marion usually liked to take the lead, this was my space, my rules. Before she could say anything, I had her on her back, her body warm beneath mine. I kissed her face, then her mouth, letting our tongues meet and play, slowly and deeply. Her hands were in my hair, pulling me closer.

I undid her jeans with deliberate fingers, feeling her breath hitch as I slid them down. She wore one of those tight boxer briefs I always loved, something about them was just irresistible. I slipped my hand inside, slowly, teasing, until she gasped.

After we were done and lying against each other on the bed, I suddenly whispered, "I want to watch." Marion looked at me in surprise for a moment, but her mouth quickly curled into a mischievous smile. "What a feisty thing you are," she said with a twinkle in her eyes.

I told her my plan: that she should just let my aunt take her home, and that I would wait quietly in the dark in her bedroom. Marion gave me another long, deep kiss, a silent promise of what was to come. Then she had to hurry, she had a late shift.

The tension in the room lingered, warm and unspoken, as if the night was still full of secrets.

That Saturday I took my aunt out to dinner. We had agreed to meet at an Argentinian restaurant on the Denneweg. First I still had to work, then I would bike straight to the center, at least that's what I had told Helena. Marion had the whole day off, so everything was arranged. Before I left I called her to go over everything one more time.

Cycling home, I felt my heart beat faster. My aunt had to be gone by now, otherwise she would never be in time for "our" dinner. To pass the time, I turned on some television, an exciting movie, but my attention was only half there.

Around 10:30 I turned off the big lights and left only the soft ones on. I had already showered and was sitting alone in my bathrobe in my aunt's bedroom. Ready for my role on "live television," I had prepared a vibrator next to my chair. I had made it clear to Marion that I myself did not want sex with Helena; that was just a little too far for me. But I had placed my strap-on next to the bed, in case Marion needed it.

At half past eleven, I heard footsteps and quiet giggles coming up the stairs. My aunt whispered to Marion to keep it down, saying I was already asleep. I could hear them bumping into things in the hallway, and through the giggles, unmistakable moans carried clearly into the room.

My excitement grew stronger, and I was eager for them to come inside. The chair was placed so my aunt wouldn't see me immediately when they entered, and Marion made sure to tease her enough so she wouldn't mind my presence. When they finally stepped into the bedroom, both were already partially undressed. My aunt's flushed cheeks showed her excitement, and it made her look even more beautiful to me.

Marion gently laid her down on the bed and quickly settled on top of her. The scarf my aunt had been wearing was now in Marion's hand, and once my aunt was lying back, Marion tied it softly over her eyes. With my aunt unable to see, Marion glanced over at me. I gave a thumbs-up and blew a kiss into the air.

Marion was licking my aunt's whole body. Helena was quivering with excitement on the bed. She kept moving her hips upward. Meanwhile, Marion had stripped both my aunt and herself of all clothing and even though I had seen my aunt naked many times before, I felt a warm, intense admiration for my aunt and was now greatly aroused by that beautiful naked body.

My robe had already slipped off my shoulders and I was gently exploring myself with my fingers, searching for that spot that made me relax and feel pleasure. Marion was tenderly exploring my aunt's snatch with her tongue, and I couldn't resist standing up to gently stroke Marion's butt. I traced my finger through her wetness and gently circled her little pucker. Marion moaned deeply, moving her hips in rhythm, pushing her butt against my teasing finger. Slowly, I slid my finger in her ass.

Marion was still frantically pleasuring my aunt's pussy, when she suddenly noticed something. She pulled the scarf from her face and her gaze searched the room until she saw me. Her eyes grew big, full of surprise, but also something else, a kind of playful mischief.

"I suspected you had something to do with this," she said with a husky laugh. Her voice trembled, not from embarrassment, but from excitement.

I shrugged guiltily and couldn't suppress a grin. Marion looked up briefly, raised an eyebrow and said with a chuckle, "Well, at least the surprise succeeded." Meanwhile, I kept fingering Marion's ass harder and harder. Due to my enthusiasm, Marion started licking Helena's pussy faster and even more eagerly. They came to a delicious climax together. Marion turned around and gave me a French kiss. It was strangely exciting to taste my aunt's cum. I patted Marion's ass and whispered "the dildo is next to the bed." I went back to my chair and grabbed the vibrator while my aunt looked at me hornily. Challenging me, I began to swirl the vibrator along my clit and opened my legs all the way.

Meanwhile, Marion was now wearing the strap-on and her gaze was determined as she bent down to the bed again. She teasingly pressed the tip against Helena's clit and began to slowly rub back and forth. My aunt lay there her breathing was heavy and irregular. Without further words, Marion pressed the tip of the dildo between my aunt's lips, who moaned softly receptively, as if she knew exactly what to expect and was now fully open to it. Their bodies found each other naturally in a rhythm similar to music, slowly building up, but full of charge.

It was an intimate, charged moment, no rush, just the tangible desire between them, playing out in every touch, every movement, every breath and thrust that broke the silence. All that could be heard were moans and the clanging of flesh on flesh.

Marion was kneading my aunt's breasts and each time the climax for Helena was near she stopped, to which my aunt begged for more. It made me I was nearly losing my mind from the sheer heat of it, the way it set my body on fire and I was furiously working the vibrator in and out of my soaking wet pussy. Every time Marion paused with my aunt, I couldn't help but stop myself too, riding the wave of her movements. Then Marion signaled my aunt to get on her elbows and knees facing me, and I felt the heat rise even more. That way, my aunt had a perfect view of me, and I could watch her face, catch every flicker of surprise and pleasure. The closeness, the shared awareness of being seen, made everything even more intense.

Up until then, it had all been incredibly arousing, deeply erotic, but now the tension reached a peak. Everything shifted, no more teasing, no more holding back. It turned into raw, unfiltered sex, a shared hunger to finally reach the release we had delayed for so long.

Marion started fucking like a beast and my aunt looked at me tensely and lustfully. I saw all kinds of emotions pass on her face and I immediately recognized when she was about to cum. I tried to match my own pleasure to hers and shortly after each other we climaxed. I bent down from my chair and gave my aunt a hot and intense tongue kiss.

Marion unbuckled the dildo and handed it to me. Quickly I put it on and Marion bent over. She pulled my aunt into a position that she could lick her delicious pussy one more time and I pushed the dildo into Marion from behind and fucked her doggy style. Not much later Marion had an intense orgasm and my aunt also came once more.

Exhausted, the three of us crawled into bed and we fell asleep in each other's arms.

Late the next morning, I was the first to wake. I lay still for a moment, watching the two women beside me, both relaxed in sleep, their bodies soft in the pale light filtering through the curtains. Quietly, I slipped out of bed and padded to the kitchen.

As the coffee machine murmured to life, a familiar thought stirred in me. Today was the day I needed to call Marley. I hadn't forgotten, not really. Her name had been hovering somewhere at the edge of everything for days now. While the coffee brewed, I rifled through my things, searching for her number, feeling the weight of everything that might come with dialing it.

I had been a little worried about how we'd act around each other after the night before, but neither Marion nor my aunt seemed the least bit troubled. In fact, Helena seemed more cheerful and relaxed than I had ever seen her. There was a kind of glow about her, like something had lifted.

After the coffee, Marion went to take a shower. She had evening shifts all week, and her first one started later that day. I stayed behind with Helena, and together we tidied up the bedroom a little. The air between us felt warm, familiar, even playful. With a mischievous grin, Helena handed me the strap-on we'd used the night before, a small gesture full of unspoken memories. "That was absolutely amazing, sweetheart," she said, placing a soft kiss on my lips. It was gentle, not heavy with meaning. Just a quiet thank you, a shared moment between two people who understood something without needing to explain it.

I was still so young back then, still figuring out how the world worked, how I worked. So when all of this happened, it felt huge, strange, and a little unreal. Of course, Helena wasn't really my aunt. She was a neighbour from way back, someone who'd always felt like a steady presence. We weren't related, not by blood, not by anything really, but I still called her "aunt." It gave our relationship some kind of shape. Safe, familiar.

I cared about Helena. I loved her, even, just not like that. And Marion was a friend, a good one. Someone I trusted. But even with her, it was mostly physical. We laughed, had fun, and explored. But the sex never felt like something sacred. It just was.

I never really understood why people made such a big deal out of sex. Like it was this sacred thing, this huge milestone in a relationship. For me, sex was more like a transaction. Something I enjoyed a lot, something I really loved doing. It wasn't meaningless, not at all. Sex meant sharing something with someone. But it didn't carry that heavy emotional weight, not the kind of bond you only share with people you want to spend the rest of your life with.

That thought planted a little seed in my mind though. Am I normal?

With the phone in my hand, I settled comfortably on the couch and dialed Marley's number. My nerves were jangling, it had been over a year since we last spoke, ever since she dumped me for some person. No sooner had I pressed the last digit than someone picked up.

"De Vreede," came Marley's father's gruff voice.

"Hello, Mr. De Vreede, this is Anne," I stammered.

"Is Marley home?"

"It's good to hear your voice again. I'll call her for you." Marley's dad said, a bit softer this time and I heard the phone being set down somewhere. In my mind, I pictured Marley sprinting down the stairs to grab the phone like she always did. But it took longer than I expected.

"This is Marley," she finally said, sounding bright and cheerful. The warmth in her voice hit me like a wave.

"It's Anne," I replied.

There was a sigh on the other end, a relief I could almost feel. Without many words, I knew she was just as happy to hear my voice.

A silence fell between us for a moment before Marley broke it. "Anne, I miss you."

It was like a weight lifted from her shoulders when she said it. I wasn't sure what to say. I hadn't forgotten the misery, the long time it took to get over her. But at the same time, I was glad she missed me.

"Anne, are you still there?"

"Yes, I'm here. I just don't really know what to say."

Marley sighed deeply. I could hear her swallowing. "I was afraid of this, I get it," she said softly.

"Marley, you caught me off guard. I didn't know what to expect when I called, but missing me was the last thing on my mind." In my head, I saw her twisting her hair, that nervous habit of hers, and I couldn't help but smile. I wanted to see her again, to talk. But if she wanted that, she'd have to make an effort.

"If you want to see me, you'll have to come to The Hague."

A relieved sigh came through. "I would love that."

We sorted out the details and then I hung up. In just a month, I'd see her again.

For a while, I just sat there with the phone in my hand, trying to gather my thoughts.

My aunt, who had been listening from a distance, came to sit beside me and pulled me close. I settled against her, and as I shifted, her robe slipped open just a little. I rested my head against her bare chest, and despite the passion of the night before, this moment felt comforting and warm. We stayed like that for a while, just holding each other.

The date with Marley was getting closer, and I was really looking forward to it. Meanwhile, things were changing in my aunt's life too. Marion started coming over more often, not for me, but for her. Marion made my aunt feel beautiful and desirable again, and the spark that never really caught fire between Marion and me was blazing bright with my aunt. I had absolutely no problem with them having their thing together, but I also had no desire to be part of any of their bedroom sessions again.

There was always a relaxed vibe in the house, and they knew they didn't have to worry about me when they had their passionate moments. I had bought a strap-on as surprise for my aunt She loved it and put it on right away. She strutted around the house proudly wearing it for about an hour, doing all sorts of household chores

I had arranged to meet Marley on neutral ground, not to rush things right away. First I would pick her up from the station and then we would have a drink at Café De Vink. I chose that place because it was the only gay bar I knew in town and secretly it made me feel like I had a bit of an advantage over Marley.

I arrived way too early at the station so I slipped into the bookstore to browse for something new to read. Then the announcement came that the train from Groningen would arrive soon and I saw Marley coming down the stairs. She looked even more beautiful than I remembered. Before I knew it she wrapped her arms around me and pressed a fierce kiss to my lips. I just stood there, stunned, but burning inside.

She pulled back slightly, maybe to see my reaction, but I quickly pulled her close again. Our lips met once more and that kiss seemed to last forever. When I finally let go I took her hand. It felt familiar even though we had never kissed so openly before.

On the way to the bar she told me about her trip and her parents. We kept things light and saved the heavy topics for later. Inside the place was narrow and crowded, not really ideal for deep conversation but I was not about to show any nerves. I ordered drinks for us and we found a quiet corner. I knew this was going to be okay.

The café was getting busier, and after two drinks I suggested we head back to my place. Now Marley was here, I just wanted to talk, really talk. As much as I enjoyed seeing her again, there were still so many things weighing on my mind. My aunt was at work and would be staying with Marion afterward, so I knew we'd have some peace and quiet.

Marley followed me into the living room and we both sank down onto the couch. She already knew about my relationship with Marion, and she had told her about her latest flirt with a guy from her studies.

"Marley," I said, "why did you dump me?" My blunt question caught her off guard, but she quickly recovered. "Because I was stupid and thought you'd find someone else in Amsterdam," she admitted. I looked at her, surprised, but she kept going. "You always seemed so sure about everything. Sex was just sex for you, and you shared Jerrald with me like it was nothing. I was so uncertain about everything, about what I felt, about what we'd done together, with and without Jerrald."

She had told herself she enjoyed sex with a guy too, that she wasn't really a lesbian. When I said I had to move, she saw it as a chance to be 'normal.'

I wanted to scream at her how stupid she was, how hard it had been for me, how much pain and grief I'd carried that made me feel like there was no way out. But I knew yelling wouldn't change the past.

"Who was the person?" I didn't really want to know, but I had to ask. With a dry little laugh she said, "Jaco." I stared at her, stunned, and then we both burst out laughing. The tension that had filled the living room just moments before disappeared, and every time we looked at each other, the laughter came back.

"Okay, not what I expected, Ley. Why Jaco?" Marley scooted closer and started to tell me.

She'd run into him at a club, and he'd told her he understood why she hadn't wanted to do 'it' with him, because she was just a filthy dyke. Despite that, he kept trying to hit on her, and she gave in. In a corner of the club, they spent the rest of the night kissing, and he couldn't keep his hands off her. Whispering hotly in her ear, he said he wanted to fuck her. She was taken aback by his behavior, but didn't want to be seen as a frigid bitch or a dyke again. Still, she felt a thrill that Jaco was so turned on by her, and she found herself thinking back to our deflowering and everything that had followed. Jaco knew a spot where they could be alone, and she let him lead her outside. After a short walk, they reached an alley where he pushed her against the wall.

"A little alley," I said with a smirk, "how wonderfully romantic." Marley looked at me and rolled her eyes. "Are you going to let me talk or are you just going to be annoying the whole time?" I pretended to ponder deeply, then said, "Please, continue, Your Highness." Playfully, Marley gave me a poke but kept going with her story.

Jaco had kissed her fiercely, pressing her back against the wall. She was admittedly a bit turned on by his roughness, but everything was happening a little too fast for her. She pushed him away, but quickly he spun her around, facing the wall. With one hand, he pinned her firmly in place, while his other hand slipped inside her underwear.

Tired of resisting, she had let herself fall against him and now that he no longer had to use his one hand to pin her down, he could unbuckle his own pants. Quickly he had lowered the pants to his ankles and her panties also followed the same path. With his hand on her neck, he had brutally forced her forward so that she could just barely put her arms on a ledge. Without much ado, he had thrust his cock into her pussy. It hurt a lot because she hadn't really been very wet yet, but Jaco had just kept going. Slowly she did get a little wetter and at one point she had even started to like the pain and roughness. But even before her body could get really nicely aroused, Jaco had already cum inside her. While she was trying to wipe away his cum a little, he had pulled up his pants and gone.

I listened with my mouth slightly open, a flood of emotions washing over me. At first, I was angry, angry at Marley, angry at Jaco. But deep down, something else stirred. I felt a rush of excitement, a familiar, tingling wetness growing between my legs that confirmed it. Marley looked me straight in the eye and said, "I never saw Jaco again, but I've come back to that night more times than I can count."

One guy after another had come and gone. With some, she'd only kissed or fooled around, but with most, she'd gone all the way. Still, nothing gave her the satisfaction she'd been searching for. Out of all the guys she'd been with, Jerrald stood head and shoulders above the rest. It took her a while to realize that the best and most fulfilling sex she'd ever had was with me. "At some point, I just knew I had to call you. And when I finally got the courage, your mom told me you'd taken off."

I tried to get my thoughts in order, but the rush of heat flooding my body made it nearly impossible to think straight. I shifted a little and noticed my panties were soaked, my breathing growing uneven. "Marley," I said, "what exactly do you want from me now?" The look she gave me was raw desire mixed with uncertainty. She searched for the right words and said, "I don't know exactly, but I want to be with you and see what we can still have together."

There I was, 22 years old, sitting on the couch with my ex, and the only thing I truly wanted was sex, rough, hungry sex. I wanted to own her like Jaco had, but I wouldn't leave her without making sure she enjoyed it too.

The arousal overcame my mind and by her hair I pulled Marley toward me. Since she was already against me it was a bit of an awkward action and Marley half fell off the couch. Quickly I got up and knelt down behind her. I forced her to stay seated as she sat and with my body I pushed her forward on the couch. Unlike her fight with Jaco, she did not resist at all and allowed everything I did. I pulled her head aside by her hair and roughly pressed my lips to hers. Willingly she opened her mouth and we began a hot tongue kiss.

Marley's kissing had gotten even better, and with every second I felt myself getting hotter, more turned on. I wanted to keep control, but my desire made that nearly impossible. I wanted to taste everything, feel it all at once.

That gave Marley a little room to pull away, and she took full advantage, spinning around. I was caught off guard by her move and sank down onto the floor. Without missing a beat, Marley yanked my blouse open, sending buttons flying across the room. I scrambled to get back in control and pushed myself up from the ground.

Without looking back, I walked out of the room toward my bedroom. I wanted her to follow, and not long after, she found her way there. I stood beside my bed and said to Marley, "Take all your clothes off and lie on your back." My voice wavered a bit as I searched for the right words, but Marley clearly enjoyed it.

She started undressing slowly, teasingly, and I struggled to hold myself back from ripping the clothes off her. When she was down to just her panties and bra, I could see her breasts had filled out a bit, not huge, but more womanly than before. Her nipples stood hard and proud. With a subtle nod, I told her to take off those last pieces of clothing too.

She stood naked before me, proudly showing off her body. "Undress me, and quickly," I said, my face tight with barely contained excitement. I was struggling to keep my arousal in check, but I loved the power in giving her orders.

Soon my clothes were scattered on the floor, and Marley stood there, waiting for what would come next. I gently pushed her by the shoulders, and she understood I wanted her on her knees. With my legs spread, I stood in front of her and grabbed her hair, guiding her closer to my dripping pussy.

"Lick me." I ordered her. Marley pushed her tongue between my soaking wet lips and with long strokes she licked through my slit. She had placed her hands on my butt to get a grip and she pressed me harder and harder against her tongue. I released the firm grip on her hair and began stroking gently over her head.

Marley's tongue was driving me crazy. Forcefully she pushed my clit up and down. First hard and then softer again. Despite the horny and excited spasms shooting through my body, I still wanted some control. "finger yourself" I said to her. She spread her legs a little further apart and as she continued to lick me delightfully she began to fondle herself as well. She was so wet that I could hear her fingers sopping through her pussy.

Panting with pleasure, her tongue occasionally left my pussy forcing me to push her head back. We were both in the grip of our pleasure and the position we were in was far from comfortable, but I wanted to see where the limits of the moment were. "Finger me and keep licking." She continued taunting my clit with her tongue and she slid two fingers into my pussy at once.

She kept her balance by pressing her forehead firmly against my stomach. The room was filled only with our heavy breathing and the soft sounds of our touch. Everything was focused on reaching the climax, and it wasn't long before I came in shuddering waves. My body tensed in pure ecstasy, causing Marley to lose her balance. She had to steady herself for a moment, but lying on her side on the floor, she quickly and intensely continued. The wetness dripped between her legs, and from her moans and movements, I knew she was close too. When she reached her climax, she looked me straight in the eyes. Her gaze blurred, and exhausted, she went still.

I didn't give her much time to recover, slipping back into my dominant role quickly. I ordered her to lie face down on the bed. Still a bit dazed from the intense orgasm, she crawled up onto the bed.

From my drawer, I pulled out leather wrist cuffs I'd bought for play with Marion. "Arms up," I commanded. Marley looked at me, eager and aroused, and raised her arms without hesitation. I fastened the cuffs to the bedposts and whispered in her ear, "Everything okay?" She nodded, reassuring me she was fine with what I was doing, so I decided to continue.

"Ass up." Without hesitation, Marley lifted her wet, glistening ass into the air. The scent of her desire drove me wild, but I tried to keep my calm.

As I caressed and gently licked her delicious ass, I pushed a pillow under her belly. I stood up from the bed for a moment a grabbed the strap-on dildo from the drawer. Quickly I stepped into it and buckled it securely without Marley being able to see me. On my knees I sat down on the bed behind her and, as if by reflex, she moved her body directly toward me. I just barely managed to keep her from colliding with the dildo. "I decide what happens" I bit out viciously "understand?" Again I got a small nod from Marley and she stayed perfectly still. It did not leave her unmoved as I could see by the huge amounts of cream running out of her pussy. The pillow under her was already showing a huge wet spot as well. I patted her ass and said:" Move your ass higher" to which Marley immediately responded.

I had a nice view of her butthole and her dripping wet pussy. Without warning I pushed the dildo deep into her pussy. A small scream escaped Marley which immediately turned into a deep moan. Hard I fucked her from behind and whispered all kinds of horny things in her ear. "This is better than an alley huh, dirty slut. Is it nice that hard pounding in your horny cunt".

Marley moaned "yes, yes yes yes, fuck me hard, I want to feel your hard rod deep inside me". Her hands gripped the bars of my bed with all their might to give more power to the back. Like a fury she rode the dildo and when I pulled her head back by her hair she screamed with pleasure and came shockingly. I reduced the pace of my thrusts and continued to thrust for a while, causing Marley to cum again, albeit less violently.

I collapsed over Marley, utterly exhausted. Even though I hadn't come again, I felt completely satisfied. I stood up to undo her cuffs and after her arms were free again, Marley pulled me back onto the bed. She had given herself over to me entirely and this time I let her in. We were both drained, emotionally and physically, and I fell asleep in her arms.

A few hours later, I woke to the warmth of Marley's body pressed against mine. I gently stirred her awake. "Will you stay with me tonight, Ley?" I asked. Marley propped herself up on one elbow to glance at the clock. "Okay, but I have to call my parents first." It was well past dinner time so I asked if she wanted to grab something to eat with me.

After her shower, she looked uncertainly at her small pile of clothes. "Check my closet, see if you can find something," I said.

The evening went well. The feeling of being in love with Marley, the one I'd had before, came back a little. After a lovely dinner and a few glasses of wine, we returned to the livingroom. We couldn't keep our hands off each other but I wasn't really in the mood for sex anymore.

During dinner, we'd talked about what we wanted moving forward. We both agreed it felt good to keep going together, though how exactly we weren't sure yet. We'd figure it out.

Hand in hand, we walked to my bedroom. Naked, we climbed into bed. Marley's soft hands stroked my back and breasts and soon we were tangled in an intense kiss. The fire inside me sparked again but I also liked falling asleep with that burning desire. I turned off the light, pulled Marley close, and we drifted off together.

The next morning I woke up to an empty bed. For a moment, disappointment hit me square in the chest, a quiet little pang I didn't expect. But then I heard voices coming from the living room, one of them unmistakably my aunt's, the other Marley's. Still half-asleep, I threw on my robe and shuffled toward the sound.

"There she is, Sleeping Beauty," my aunt said with a grin. I grumbled something in response, kissed her on the cheek, and gave Marley a warm kiss on the lips.

The two of them were chatting away like old friends. The atmosphere was easy, light. Over coffee and toast, we talked about everything and nothing. At some point, my aunt gently steered the conversation toward Marley's plans for the future. Marley hesitated, unsure of what to say.

I already knew she hadn't started studying after finishing high school. She had jumped into work instead, mostly because she couldn't decide what she really wanted and because she didn't want to let her parents down. Her father ran a notary office back in Groningen, and they hoped she would go into law and eventually take over. But Marley had zero interest in studying law. It just didn't suit her. She wanted something livelier, something like hospitality or hotel management. We'd taken similar subjects in school: economics and languages, nothing too heavy.

My aunt nodded, as if she had heard this kind of uncertainty a thousand times before. "Sweetheart, it's your future. We're not living in the 1950s anymore. Your parents don't get to decide."

Marley gave a half-smile, not quite convinced. But my aunt wasn't done. "You know, one of the best hotel schools in Hospitality Management in the world is right here in The Hague. Just saying. And it would mean being closer to Anne."

That part made Marley's face light up. And yes, it would definitely solve the long-distance thing.

We didn't push it. We just let the idea sit there. But I could tell she was seriously considering it.

Time flew by, the way it always does when you don't want it to. Eventually we had to take Marley to the station. I walked her to the platform with my aunt, kissed her goodbye like we were the only two people in the world, and watched her disappear into the train.

I knew I'd be seeing her again. And soon.