XI | Chanel Bag

The sunlight beamed through the windows, and onto Halle's face, making her eyelids flutter.

It was 10:32 AM, and she was alone in bed. The vent above chilled her pillow, creating a sharp contrast from her hot phone. Sometime in wee hours of the morning, one of them had hung up.

All Halle knew was that it was after her orgasm.

She groggily sat up, and stretched. The first thing to catch her eye was a designer box with a red bow around it sitting atop the dresser.

So Rowan had come home after all.

She slid off of bed to go use the toilet before running the shower. Halle was in no rush to open her boyfriend's apology gift, and it wasn't because she didn't enjoy nice things.

Of course, the nagging voice in her head couldn't help but to wonder if she even had the right to be angry.

Did I take things too far?

"It was just a phone call," she chanted, squeezing the suds out of her pink loofah. "It wasn't real sex."

Ironically, it was harder to hold onto the guilt too strongly like she did after the bar, because she physically felt better, less stressed, her muscles looser from the relief that Chiko had brought her. Even the sleep after was phenomenal.

With a matching lounge set on, and a pair of hydrating eye patches, she exited the foggy bathroom, her house shoes scraping against the hard floor.

Rowan perked up when she rounded the corner, hoping to see her holding her brand new bag. But the only thing in Halle's hand was a tumbler.

"Good morning, love." He blew into his black coffee, watching her fill her tumbler with filtered water from the dispenser.

"Where did you sleep last night?" She cut to the chase, drinking from her metal straw.

Judging from his wrinkled clothing and the bags underneath his eyes, he didn't get much rest. That fact pleased her.

"The couch." He set his mug on the counter. "Hal, listen, I know what you're going to say, so I'll beat you to it. I was wrong for not having your back, and I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," she flatly responded.

He was taken aback by both her tone and her words. "Are you sure? Because I can buy you more stuff, or I can—"

"I'm sure, Rowan." Halle walked to the pantry for a box of sugary cereal.

Rowan couldn't stand when she ate unhealthy foods for breakfast, but he withheld any commentary on the matter.

"So you forgive me just like that?"

"Yes. Any reason I shouldn't?" She poured Captain Crunch into a square bowl, spilling some of it on the floor when Rowan unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her.

"Of course not." He kissed her hair, and laid his cheek on the back of her head, stifling a yawn. "I guess I'll catch up on some sleep now. Guilt kept me up for hours."

Rowan navigated around the glass table, his shoulders slouched with relief, towards the master bedroom, and Halle slammed the jug of milk down.

"Wait! I need to change the sheets first."

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"Girl, I haven't seen you in forever!" Sage was all smiles when she ducked into the backseat of the Mercedes, and wrapped her arm around Halle's neck. "Hey, Vaughn."

"Hello, Sage." The driver tipped his hat, and shut the door after her.

"I know!" Halle grinned, ecstatic about hanging out her best-friend for the first time in weeks. "We have so much to catch up on."

"What'll it be, ladies?" Vaughn buckled himself in behind the wheel, and checked his side mirrors.

"Brunch and then shopping. I'm starving." Sage tucked her silky bundles behind her ears.

"Add in a trip to the boardwalk too." Halle pointed forward. "May as well take one last stroll on the beach before autumn snatches up the good weather."

"You got it." The vehicle lurched forward when he switched gears.

"That bag is nice as hell!" Sage picked up the Chanel purse next to Halle's thigh. It was a cloudy tie and die mixture of pink, purple, and baby blue. "This must be new."

"It is. Rowan gave it to me yesterday." Halle lackadaisically checked her pedicure.

Sage put the item down. She could tell from her tone that there was more to the story. "I'm listening."

Halle recounted the night of Nikita's celebration, sparing only the details of Chiko's involvement. It's not that she felt like she couldn't trust Sage with the information, but rather that she couldn't bring herself to verbally admit to what was slowly but surely transpiring between them.

There's nothing to come clean about!

The imaginary devil on her shoulder argued with the angel on the other side. Halle didn't know which one of them was winning.

The only thing she cared about was satisfying her growling stomach. It was as if talking about it had exhausted her more than anything. Vaughn dropped them off at an urban café, where the conversation had shifted to something much more exciting - the Cabin Festival.

It was an annual event that happened on the first weekend in fall to welcome the colder months. There will be skiing, ice skating, delicious baked pastries, and best of all, Rowan would not be attending. Halle was going to be able to exist outside of his shadow. There wasn't going to be any getting ignored, or being put last because she would simply not be worried about someone who wasn't there.

"I'm thinking we wear matching snow suits, take some mountain pics, and just vibe." Sage's fluffy pancakes had absorbed most of the syrup, so she drizzled a little more before stabbing a piece.

"Yes! I can't wait to taste that hot chocolate that everyone raved about last year. I think the website said it was imported from Germany."

"Oh yeah. Izzy said it was worth it."

"Who?"

Does she mean...

"Izzy Fontaine." Sage covered her full mouth. "He and his brother are coming for the snowmobile races I think."

When Halle didn't say anything, Sage furrowed her eyebrows. "You don't remember them?"

"I do! From the diner, yeah." She rubbed the soft curls above the nape of her neck. The voice in her head had found something else to worry about.

To avoid him or to not avoid him.

Out of respect for Rowan, and her choice to forgive him, a huge part of her wanted to steer clear of anything Chiko related. She'd even ignored his call this morning, fearing how the sound of his voice would make her feel again.

I need to reel it back before I go off the deep end.

A text message notification came to her phone at the perfect time, extinguishing the incessant chatter in her brain.

Brezdin

Almost ready

"Let's get to the pier." She threw her napkin over her plate, and paid her portion of the tab.

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"Whew! I ate too much." Sage trudged through the sand, squinting underneath the midday sun. "Are you sure we can't do this another day? I'm tired of toting these bags."

"Quit whining. You have two things in your hand." Halle chuckled, pulling her sandals off.

Days like these were when she was the most appreciative of living on the coast. The horizon was painted exquisitely regardless of what time it was, and the ocean waves always sang a beautiful melody. Even with the children running about, it was peaceful here.

They made it onto the boardwalk, where the sound of live singing made Sage clutch her pearls. Her eyes watered when she stared down the pier, recognizing the woman holding the microphone instantly.

"Oh my God." She broke out into a jog, and met Brezdin in the middle of the platform, where he walked her towards his family. In bold letters, his brother's held up a giant sign with a question that made Sage wail.

Will you marry me?

"Yes!" she screamed before her man even had a chance to take a knee.

Halle chuckled, choosing to hang back and let them have their moment. Brezdin's mother was no longer singing, but rather struggling to keep her own tears at bay. The joy of making Sage an official member of their family was palpable.

Something that Halle longed for.

Sage had love and respect from both her partner and her in-laws. She was accepted for who she was by everyone she called a friend. Her life meant more than a little to so many, and she didn't have to beg for it. It was all genuine.

All Halle had was a Chanel bag.

~

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