Chapter Twenty-Three

HOURS LATER, IT was arranged that Georgia would meet Jo, and Belle would meet Nikki at the movies. “We could have some fun with this,” Belle had said. “Making out like it was just a catch up for two.”

Georgia caught on quickly. “Maybe we could pretend we ran into one another.”

“And then just start kissing,” Belle said.

“Maybe that’s too cruel to our best friends,” Georgia suggested with a twinkle in her eye, but they decided to do it anyway.

Belle met Nikki at a coffee shop around the corner of the cinema, while Georgia and Jo arranged to meet at the cinema. They were already standing in line to buy tickets when Belle and Nikki walked into the cinema.

“Oh my gosh, there’s Georgia and Jo,” Nikki whispered to Belle. “Are you okay?”

Belle glanced in their direction and then responded to Nikki, “Wow, her stomach is getting big.”

“That’s what happens. Will you be okay? We can leave. What if they’re seeing what we’re—?”

At that point, Jo called out, “Belle, hi. Nikki, hi. You aren’t seeing the Renee Zellweger movie, are you? We are.”

Nikki cringed and squeezed Belle’s hand in support. Belle almost cracked up laughing. “We are,” Belle responded.

“Oh, we hadn’t really decided, had we? We were going to look to see what’s out,” Nikki said casually. She was clearly trying to offer support to Belle in case being in the vicinity of Georgia was too much.

“Yes, I’m dying to see it,” Belle protested. She then grinned at Georgia. “How are you?”

“Good. Very good.”

“Not too tired?”

“No.” She smiled.

“It’s just, you’re pretty pregnant now. That’s tiring. Plus, I kept you up pretty late last night…” Belle’s comment was loaded, and Nikki and Jo shot confused looks between themselves, and then toward Belle and Georgia.

“Huh?” Jo finally blurted out, and Georgia cracked up laughing.

“Belle and I are here together.” Her eyes were twinkling in delight as she spoke.

“As in together, together?” Nikki frowned in confusion. “But you’re not…?”

Georgia shrugged and waved her hand as if to dismiss the matter. “I can work that out later. Maybe I’m gay, maybe I’m bi, maybe I’m just a Bellosexual.” She laughed.

“That’s so corny.” Jo shook her head. “Please don’t let it be that one, and please don’t ever say that again. Ever. Again.” She pretended to puke, and everyone laughed.

“To be honest, I’ve never felt this way. So, whatever it is, it’s making me really happy and that’s worth it.”

Ever the sage older cousin, Jo raised her eyebrows towards Belle. “I’ve already welcomed you to the family, but I have one important question.” Everyone gave Jo their attention. “You said you kept her up all night, but doctor’s orders were very clear—”

Belle blushed. “We stayed up all night talking and cuddling. That’s it.”

“God, you’re losing your touch,” Nikki quipped.

Belle shrugged. “For so many reasons, I cannot wait until this baby is born.”

*

AFTER THE MOVIE, the four women had lunch together, which was just as effortless as it had previously been, but they had more to laugh about. “Are you moving back in?” Nikki asked. “Or…?” She trailed off, leaving the option open.

Georgia looked at Belle and then back to Nikki and Jo. “To be honest, we haven’t properly discussed it. I just want to be with her.” Georgia had said to Belle the night before that she didn’t want to intrude on Belle’s life—she seemed to have a good routine between time with the girls and her alone time. If Georgia moved in, her week alone would be no longer, and soon enough there would be another child.

“We don’t want to U-Haul,” Belle said. “But she was living with me until she disappeared.”

“Disappeared?” Jo said, looking confused. “I thought you went home to think.”

“I didn’t tell you everything,” Georgia said, blushing. “The morning I left Belle’s house wasn’t as well planned as I might have made out. I ran away.”

Jo looked even more confused, and Belle spoke up. “I think I scared her off.” She laughed a little nervously. “I kissed her. And it wasn’t a peck.”

Jo’s eyebrows raised. “Oh.” She directed her conversation to her cousin. “So that’s how you knew Belle was interested?” She then turned to Belle and Nikki to explain. “She told me she had feelings for you, and was working through them, but I kept saying, ‘Just because she’s gay doesn’t mean she’ll want you. You don’t even know how Belle feels about you.’ Clearly she did.” Jo smiled. “Oh my gosh, have you told your mum?”

Georgia shook her head. “I suppose I should.”

“Absolutely you should,” Jo said.

“Don’t tell your mum first,” Georgia warned her cousin.

“As if I would. You need your mum to know first.”

“What do you think she’ll think?” Belle asked. “I think she likes me.”

“She does like you. A lot.” Georgia nodded. “She told me that after she met you. Whether she likes you as her daughter’s partner remains to be seen,” she grinned, “but we’ll soon find out.”

Belle couldn’t believe how self-assured Georgia was in her ‘coming out.’ Belle had cried the entire time in the lead-up to her coming out, but of course she was just a teenager. Still, it was a big deal for people, regardless of how old they were. Georgia’s comfort about it relaxed Belle. Maybe Georgia had really reflected on it all before coming back to Belle and was ready to come out and live her life in a partnership of two women.

As they left the lunch, Georgia said, “Want to pop into Mum’s together? Jo’s right; we really should tell her.”

Belle grimaced. “You don’t think you should do that one alone?”

Georgia thought it over. “Good point. It’ll be a bit of a surprise for Mum.”

They agreed that Georgia would drop into her mum’s and Belle would visit her parents. Belle’s mother was already suspecting something was going on, so she wouldn’t be surprised.

Belle rang the doorbell and thought she probably should have told her parents she was coming and check they were home. Just as she was wondering if they were even home, her dad came to the door. “Belle, everything okay?” Belle wasn’t well-known for impromptu pop-ins.

She nodded. “Just thought I’d come and say g’day. Where’s Mum?”

“She’s in the backyard; we’re getting the pool ready for summer.”

Belle and her father walked through the house, to the backyard. Her mother was sweeping the bottom of the pool. “Oh, hi, love,” Julie said. “I didn’t know you were dropping over.”

Belle shrugged. “I just thought I’d pop in.”

“You okay?” Her mother looked worried. Belle offered a hand with the pool. Her father handed her a net to get any loose leaves, while he tidied up around the pool area. Belle was secretly relieved they all had something to keep them occupied while they talked.

“I just wanted to let you know that Georgia and I are together now.”

“Together? As in dating?” Clive asked.

“Actually, we’ve not done any dating. We just talked last night.” She blushed thinking that they hadn’t actually talked much, but she wasn’t going to say that to her parents. “I probably should take her on a date.”

Julie nodded. “You should. You’re her first girlfriend, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” Belle sighed. She was thrilled to be with Georgia but really hoped that Georgia was certain about all of this.

“It’ll be okay,” her mother said, reading her mind. “She seems really happy around you. And, oh, wow, she’s having a baby soon.” Her mum puffed out her cheeks in exasperation. “Talk about starting slow.” She laughed.

“Yes, a new baby soon—you better get those dates in soon,” Clive said.

“Maybe we should go away for a weekend. Some time away from it all before we have the baby. That might be nice.”

Her mother agreed. “Yes, you don’t have long. Dad and I’ll be happy to babysit any time, of course, but I’m sure you and Georgia won’t want that for a while. Oh, Clive, a new baby in the family. I’m so excited to have a new grandchild.”

Clive smiled. “Of course, she’s been calling it her grandchild ever since she heard it was on the way, even before you and Georgia were together.” Clive and Belle shared an amused look with one another, their eyes twinkling, and Julie gently wacked Clive.

“You can laugh,” she said, “but I must have had a sixth sense about this.” Her mother put the broom down and turned to Clive. “Two daughters announcing relationships on the one day. I did not expect that this morning.”

Belle’s brow creased. “What? Alex?”

“Yes, love, unless I have another daughter I don’t know about.”

“Alex is in a relationship?”

“Yes, love. She said she’d call in on you on the way home, but maybe she missed you. Now I’ve gone and told you.”

“Not Anton?”

Her mother grinned. “They got together in New Zealand. They seem really happy too.”

“Oh wow. That’s…surprising after all this time.”

“Surprising but lovely. I’m so happy for them,” Julie said, and Clive and Belle agreed.

*

TURNED OUT MARY was thrilled for Georgia too. She told Belle all about it when she got home. Apparently, Mary had said, “Oh, I do like that girl.” Georgia said she had clarified they were a couple, and not just friends. Her mother had apparently said, “Oh, Georgia, I wasn’t born yesterday. You said you had gotten together with Belle. I know what that means. And I like that girl. I’m happy if you’re happy.”

“It was the easiest coming out in the history of the world,” Georgia said. “She likes you, and she wants us to come over for a meal sometime soon.”

“That sounds lovely,” Belle said.