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Chapter Text

Beatrice easily moves her stuff into the downstairs area of the apartment building that her father had called “the landlord suite” which just has an extra bedroom and a bit more square footage than the other apartment suites. Beatrice wipes the sweat off her forehead.

“Are you sure that you’ll settle in okay?” Lilith asks nicely, setting bottles on her wine rack as carefully as she could. Lilith had been overly cordial since Beatrice had told her the news. “You’re always welcome back at our place.”

Beatrice walked over so she was standing next to Lilith. She gave her oldest friend a small smile. “Thank you.” Beatrice reached to grab the bottle Lilith had just placed. “Why don’t we just have a nice night tonight? Think about the good things,” Beatrice bumped Lilith’s shoulder. “Like how you can finally ask Michaelangelo to move in with you.”

Lilith rolled her eyes. “Her name is Camila, and you know that.”

Beatrice pops the cork off the wine, and Lilith finds the box with the wine glasses in it. “Yet you call her your little Michaelangelo.”

Lilith sets two glasses down on the counter, and her face turns a little pink. “That is none of your business.”

“Now, do you want to watch Love Island or not?” Beatrice finishes pouring the glasses and swipes hers to walk to the haphazardly set up TV that’s really only plugged into the wall.

“You know I do.” Lilith grabs her wine and joins Beatrice.

Beatrice studies the names of each of the tenets. There are seven apartments, not including hers or the vacant one on the third floor.

Apartment 1: John Claude & Hans Dimitri

Apartment 2: Ava & Diego Silva

Apartment 3: Finn O’Donnell

Apartment 4: Vacant (fill asap)

Apartment 5: Mac & Alice & Harper Li

Apartment 6: Kit Williamson & Anna Ryan

Apartment 7 Jasper & Mae & Hanson & Issac Tyler

Beatrice does her best to memorize the names of each tenant. She has a few showings of apartment four in the coming week, and she hopes she can fill the space. Her father sent her off to this apartment building for three reasons.

1. Take on the responsibility to prove that Beatrice deserves a role in the company
2. The previous landlord spot couldn’t able to be filled in time
3. Beatrice is free labor

So, for a minimum of two years, Beatrice is the landlord of the Oak Cove Apartment Building. Luckily, Beatrice doesn’t mind this kind of work; she just hates the uncertainty of it. She has to be on-call at all times and possibly have to drop whatever she’s doing to help a tenant.

The apartments aren’t like the luxury ones that people who flew around similar circles would call a “starter apartment”; they’re mid-range apartments where there’s a decent school nearby and enough space to raise a family. Far enough away from the bustle of the city to where you can have a quiet night’s sleep, but not so far that you wouldn’t be able to commute.

Her father said this would be a good test for her, but Beatrice just thinks it’s a waste of her time. Her years at Harvard weren’t enough to prove that, her internships that she got without using her family name weren’t enough to prove that… but her father has always had a strange way of testing people.

Beatrice goes over the list in her head as she sets up her apartment and fixes all of her furniture the way she wants to. She moves the TV into its rightful place with all the cords tidied and hidden and she catalogs her bookshelf in an order so specific to her, she wouldn’t dare try to explain it. She even recites the list as she buys a new microwave to replace the crusty one the previous landlord left.

Eventually, she gets all of the names down, along with a majority of their phone numbers, which is all the information she really has on them until she gets around to meeting them.

Beatrice is awake before her alarm. That’s not a rare occurrence; her body wakes her up early sometimes to kick her into gear for going on a morning run. However, she’s not awake from her inner clock–she’s awake because of the harsh banging on her door.

Beatrice quickly puts on a bra and slides her shirt back on. “I’m coming!” She unlocks her deadbolt and looks at the tall man standing in her doorway.

“They told me there was a new landlord.” The guy shook his head. “My sons were messing with the garbage disposal yesterday, and I didn’t think anything of it until my wife woke me up and told me the sink was flooding over.”

Beatrice nods and grabs her toolkit from the bottom shelving near the door. “I’ll have to turn off the water. Which apartment?”

“Seven.” The man heads back up the stairs, and Beatrice heads to the basement, opening the lock with her keys. She turns off the water for apartments six and seven as they’re linked and hopes the tenant is asleep and not in need of the water.

Beatrice remembers the names from her list. Apartment seven is Jasper and Mae Tyler. They have two sons (Beatrice assumes twins) and are the longest tenants of Oak Cove. Beatrice comes up to a mess. “I did not go to Harvard for this.” Beatrice sighs and starts her work on the plumbing of the sink.

Beatrice knocks on apartment one. She can hear people inside, but they’re slow to open the door. “What can I help you with?” The guy is tall, he has a little mustache, and he talks with an accent.

“You’re a week late on rent.” Beatrice holds out the note. “After a month, I have to give you another note, then the second month is a third note, and the third month, you’ll lose facilities, and in the fourth month, I have grounds for eviction according to the local laws.”

The guy laughs. “Jerry never told us all that.”

Beatrice read the notes on this apartment. Usually two weeks late on rent every month, but they never fail to pay… more forget. “I am informing you of your rights.”

“JC just forgot to pay it. You can come in, I think we have the check written out already.” The boy looks around on top of their fridge and just grabs a clump of dust when he thinks it’s a check.

Beatrice mentally notes to get everyone in the building moved to electronic payments instead of cashier’s checks.

Beatrice fills the third apartment with an older woman and her granddaughter. “We would’ve preferred something on the first floor for grandma, but she just insisted that she needed to walk up some stairs every day or she’d lose her magic–whatever that means.”

The granddaughter, Lucia, is infatuated with her. Beatrice can tell, but she pretends to remain oblivious as she isn’t interested. “You should listen to your elders, they are wise.”

The girl deflates a bit. “Yeah.”

Beatrice checks the last box on her clipboard and passes Lucia a sheet of paper. “You can sign up for electronic payments, the system allows you to select automatic or manual payments. You can also opt-out of the system and formally mail a check to Apartment Zero, or the office address listed at the bottom of the page.”

“Thanks for all your help,” Lucia calls after her.

Beatrice can tell that Lucia is already losing interest. Good.

Finn O’Donnell is the sweetest guy that Beatrice has ever met. She fixed up some old tile on his shower wall that had been bugging him, and then he wrote Beatrice a thank-you note with a few home-baked cookies.

With that kind of description, you would think that Finn is older like Lucia’s grandmother, Linda, but he’s a year older than Beatrice. Finn even invited Beatrice out for some drinks at a local bar with some of his friends. Beatrice turned it down, but Finn left an open invite and gave Beatrice his personal number in case she changes her mind.

Now, Beatrice would also think this was flirting if he didn’t wear a cashmere sweater and get bothered by things like crooked tiles. He reminds Beatrice of some of her and Lilith’s friends from college or boarding school who were “fashion conscious” and “not labeled, but obviously bisexual,” which Beatrice always found contradictory.

Still, Beatrice is tempted to make some roots. She’s only been the landlord for three months, but she really hasn’t settled into the town. When she’s feeling lonely, she just goes to visit Lilith and Camila on the other side of town.

Perhaps she should spend some more time in the community.

Beatrice goes to the library to volunteer for an event and runs into one of the tenant families. “Mac, are you and Harper getting in some reading?”

Mac turns and smiles. “We’re going to bring home a nice book for Mommy.” Mac turns to Harper. “Harper is going to pick it out.”

“Alice will be very happy.” Alice is quite the nerd; she organizes the building’s book club, always making sure that Beatrice has blocked off the time in the common space for it. The common space in the building is just a small area for tenants to gather; it was converted from the old laundry room when they renovated to put washer/dryer units in the apartments.

Beatrice is pretty sure that Alice is the only person who books it when she wants to use the space. “It’s nice to see you out, Beatrice.” Mac nods before he shakes his head. “I just mean that it’s nice to see you when you’re not unplugging and replugging in my fridge because I broke it.” Mac bites his lip. “Alice always says I frame things in odd ways.”

Beatrice doesn’t know what it is about Mac, but she’s always felt comfortable around Mac. His nervous demeanor is somehow comfortable. She doesn’t know if it’s just because she spent so long at fancy school around fake people who are always pretending, whereas she always knows that Mac is being honest. It’s refreshing. “Tell Harper she should stay out of that section until she’s at least eighteen.”

“What?” Mac turns in a full circle, worriedly, before looking where Beatrice is looking while biting back her grin. Mac bends with a small laugh. “Well, it’s a good thing she can’t quite read yet.”

“I think Alice will like those ones.” Beatrice winks and stops holding back her laughter.

Mac parts to collect Harper from the adult romance section. “Let’s look at some different books for Mommy.” Mac guides Harper back to the children’s section, and Beatrice goes back to her volunteering.

Beatrice drunkenly ordered new flowers for the outside of the surrounding area of the apartment building. Last time she went out with Finn O’Donnell (false).

She struggles to rip out the roots of the wilted, old, sad flowers. At least the flowers did need sprucing up, and it wasn’t a complete waste.

“Oh dear, what are you doing?” The concerned woman comes closer to Beatrice.

“Hi, Mrs. Davis.” Beatrice smiles at the elderly woman. “I’m planting new flowers.”

“You’re doing it all wrong.” Linda tuts. “I’ll be right back. It’ll be best if you don’t do anything more until I get back.”

Beatrice smiles with relief; she has no idea what she’s doing on the gardening front. “Thank you, I need the help.”

Beatrice waits, basking a little in the sun. She drinks a little bit of her water. She shook off Lucia, and now she’ll occasionally run into Beatrice and make some small talk, always making sure to drop her new girlfriend into conversation casually–Beatrice is happy for her. Sometimes, she’ll get little treats from Linda and Lucia, but that’s more in the old lady way that is endearing than Finn’s way of being friendly and generous.

Linda comes back with two gardening knee pads. They talk about books–Linda is a member of Alice’s book club, always reading the books first. Beatrice will never say that the reason she’s read all of the books is because she made Alice give her the list for the year and subsequently finished all the books in a month just in case Mrs. Davis wanted to talk to someone about the books early or come over with a cup of tea to compare notes.

Beatrice always plays it off like she’s just previously read the book and just skimmed over it again, but she thinks that Linda has caught on by now. As an old woman, she has much more free time for reading, just like Beatrice does.

When they finish, Linda collects the knee pads. “I’ll be back outside tomorrow at six in the morning, and we can fix and finish planting the rest of these.”

Beatrice smiles. “Of course, Mrs. Davis.”

“Your window is broken?” Beatrice stares at John Claude, who goes by JC. “What?”

“It won’t open up all the way.” JC makes a motion like he’s trying to open a window, and it gets stuck.

“Okay, I’ll take a look.” Every once in a while, Beatrice gets a knock on her door from JC–usually when Hans is out of town and JC misses him–and she doesn’t have anything to fix, JC just wants to chat with her.

This time, his window is actually stuck. “What the- fuck, JC how did you manage this?” Hans is sitting in his chair and sipping coffee in a very I told you so way. She has to go back to her unit to grab her toolbox. It takes her a chunk of the afternoon and the muscle power of her and JC to set the window back on its rails.

JC treats her to a cold beer after, and he turns on the TV to play a soccer match. Hans gets far more into it than Beatrice expects, but she likes it. JC seems less interested in the game and more interested in Hans. Beatrice just shakes her head.

At the half, she finishes her beer and takes her leave. There’s someone at her door when she returns. “Hi, how can I help you?” In the six months she’s been the landlord, she’s only met two of the women living in the building. Ava Silva and Anna Ryan, it’s an old apartment building, and she’s surprised that apartment two hasn’t needed any repairs. She usually meets Kit for the repairs to apartment six.

“I’m Ava, I’m in apartment two.”

“Nice to finally meet you, Ava.” Beatrice holds out her hand to shake.

“My shower head fell off.”

“What?” Beatrice lets her hand hang in the air as she takes that sentence in.

“Oh,” Ava seems to notice the hand and shakes it, her face forming a smile. “Follow me, I can show you what I’m talking about.”

Beatrice nods and follows Ava to her apartment. Ava pushes the door open, and Beatrice takes in the familiar layout. It’s a complete copy of JC and Hans’ apartment, which makes sense as it sits right on top of theirs. There’s a boy doing some homework at the kitchen table (that must be Diego–Beatrice makes a mental note).

The place is decorated nicely, it’s warm and homey. There’s a small mess piled up on the rug in the living room that must be what Diego was doing before he started his homework. “Were you injured?” Beatrice notices the complete detachment of the shower head from the rust of the pipes.

“Missed me by a hair.” Ava gave Beatrice a thumbs-up. “I’m all good.”

Beatrice has only had to call in outside help for two jobs. One was putting in new flooring in apartment six after their bathroom flooded overnight, and the other was when the Tyler twins decided it would be fun to plug their toy into the wall, and they blew the fuse.

Beatrice is going to need that outside help again. “Did you notice any rusting previously?”

“I didn’t think anything of it; these apartments are old.” Ava waved her hands around.

Beatrice looked around. The stove was still on the last model, and her shower was never updated. “Um…” Beatrice almost bit her words back. “Do you ever put in your annual maintenance requests?”

“What?”

Beatrice nodded. “You get an allotment each year that you’ve paid rent to upgrade one thing–it’s included in your rent payments, and any difference is paid by you, but it would count toward things like a new oven, new light fixtures. Think of it like a deductible. Because of how old the building is, we legally have to offer it instead of moving all of you out for a period of time to update the whole building.”

“I’ve lived here for three years and I’ve never heard of that.” Ava sits on the closed toilet lid. “Will this shower be taken out of it?”

“No, I- I can find someone to fix this. This is beyond my skills.”

“They don’t teach you about falling shower heads in landlord school?” Ava jokes.

Beatrice shakes her head. “They don’t teach you about falling shower heads at Harvard.”

“Of course, someone who went to Harvard slips that into conversation.”

“That’s actually a required course how to slip that you went to Harvard casually into conversation 101 htstywthcic101 for short.” Beatrice laughs and uses her tools to at least clean the edge. “A few of the things around your apartment would be covered under your normal wear and tear that can just be replaced. Do you want me to come back once your shower is fixed and do an audit?”

Ava’s eyes light up. “Thank you so much.”

And Beatrice thinks that this landlord thing isn’t so bad when she gets rewarded with that face.

Finn drags Beatrice to the drag dive bar. “Come on, Beatrice, you need to let loose.”

Beatrice smiles, happy that Finn will actually drag her outside when she needs it, just like Lilith would. “You’re a good friend, Finn.”

“Did you pregame me dragging you out of your apartment?” Finn looks at Beatrice with concern.

“No, Finn, you’re just a good friend.” Beatrice pats his shoulder. “I’m excited, let’s go see some queens.”

Finn smiles broadly. “Let’s.”

Beatrice gets a call from her father, giving her some updates about the building and how he’s expecting her to be doing. Beatrice hums along for the majority of the call. “Your mom would love to see you home for the holidays.”

“The tenants need me,” Beatrice purses her lips. “I can’t leave for that long without a replacement.”

“That old building better get demolished one day. I don’t know how anyone can live there.”

“Dad-”

“Probably when you’re done with your test.”

“Why would-” Her phone beeps to signal the end of the call. “Ugh.” Beatrice gets another call, “Hello?”

“Hi, Beatrice? This is Ava… Ava from apartment two.”

“Oh, yes, your shower has been fixed. Are you ready for your audit?” Beatrice stands to grab her clipboard.

“Well, yes- that’s not why I- just come up to the apartment.”

Beatrice sighs and also grabs her toolbox on the way out. The door opens when she steps into the frame. “What’s going on, Ava?”

“So the guys came and fixed the shower, and it works great, but-”

“Holy shit.” Beatrice closes her eyes and rushes back down the steps to turn off the water for apartments two and three. She only relaxes when she stops hearing the rush of water up that tube. “Okay.” She takes the steps to Ava’s apartment and gets to work.

Ava comes back home, Diego in tow, and Beatrice is still working on her kitchen. After the minor flooding, a bunch of parts in the kitchen have to be replaced, and Beatrice has audited Ava’s apartment and hired some extra labor to help her complete the work and protect it from more damage.

The shower should’ve been the first sign that Ava’s pipes had never been updated in her apartment; weird hookups to the modern piping of the rest of the building were awkward and in need of meshing. Beatrice focuses on installing a new countertop and updating the sink setup.

“I got you a gift,” Ava announces, and Diego says hi to Beatrice before going to the couch. He gets home at four, and that’s when the extra labor leaves and Diego’s show is on.

“Is it beer?” Many of the tenants prefer to gift her alcohol, which she then drinks with Lilith or Finn.

“Nope.” Ava holds it behind her back with a smile. Then her face falls. “Would you have preferred beer?”

“What is it, Ava?” Beatrice smiles, sealing the last bit of the counter with caulk.

“I hope it’s not too much, but I got you a new drill.” Ava puts it on the counter and presents it to Beatrice. It’s one of the nice ones, sleek and red. “You were complaining and I thought it would be-”

“I wasn’t complaining.” Beatrice defends. “Merely upset with the quality.”

Ava laughs. “Diego thought of it. He was asking about you and if you didn’t like your drill, why wouldn’t you get a new one?” Ava shakes her head. “Spoiled kid.”

“Ava-”

“But if you don’t like it, I will trade it for beer.” Ava taps the drill box. “Oh.” Ava puts the drill receipt on top of the box; it’s a gift receipt, so Beatrice can’t directly see the price. “In case you just don’t want to tell me you don’t like it.”

“Ava, this is…” Beatrice sucks in a breath. “Very thoughtful. This means a lot to me.” Beatrice taps the countertop. “I should get going, the crew is done for the day.”

Ava walks Beatrice ou,t but they don’t exchange any more words, just soft smiles and glances as Beatrice holds out the drill box.

Apparently, Finn knows everyone in the building. He’s social like that; he told Beatrice to invite some friends, and that just meant that Beatrice should invite Lilith and Camila. It’s his birthday, and he, of course, books the drag dive bar. Beatrice makes sure to lock down her phone so she can’t order flowers for the apartment building or anything like that.

Even Mrs. Davis made her way out. Lucia and that girlfriend of hers–they look so happy, and Beatrice can’t help but finally relax that Lucia isn’t into her anymore. Lilith and Camila stick by Beatrice's side; the only people they know are JC and Mrs. Davis.

Linda had made the cake for the celebration, she insisted, as Finn’s party was strictly no-gifts, but Mrs. Davis couldn’t just show up empty-handed to a birthday party. Finn made his own cupcakes just to fill in any gaps, as he had made the cupcakes gluten-free, etc.

Everyone comes to say hi to Beatrice with a smile. “You must be the only well-liked landlord in the whole state, Bea.” Camila jokes.

“If my landlord showed up to my birthday party, I would punch him.” Lilith gave Beatrice a look. “You remember him.”

Beatrice shudders. “He was evil. I try my best to be the opposite of him.”

“You’re doing a good job,” Camila assures. “Honey, I need a drink.”

“Oh, right.” Lilith parts from Camila with a kiss planted on her cheek.

“So, which one of these is the hot one?”

“Shh.” Beatrice glares at Camila. “I only told you.”

“I moved Lilith’s wallet to the wrong pocket. She has ten pockets in that outfit; she’ll be gone for a while.”

“Michaelangelo, you’re such a pickpocket.” Beatrice teases her friend.

“I plead the fifth.” Camila raises her hands before returning to the hush-hush conversation. “Is it her?” Camila points at Alice

“No.” Beatrice shakes her head.

“Her, then?” Camila points right at Ava.

Beatrice feels her face heat up in betrayal. “Yeah.” She’s been over casually to Ava’s apartment more, now that the renovations are done. She once got Beatrice there under the guise of helping Diego with his homework, but she really just wanted to watch a nature documentary with her. “She’s so sweet.”

“Cute, too. Totally your type.” Camila patted her friend. “Go talk to her.”

Camila pushes her forward into the growing crowd, and her feet take her to Ava. “Hey, Bea.” Ava smiles. “I’m so glad that I was able to get a sitter for Diego.”

“Me too. I’m glad you’re here.” Beatrice stares into Ava’s eyes a moment too long, and then her eyes flick down to Ava’s lips, before she meets Ava’s eyes again. “Have you been here before?”

“Oh yeah, lots of bad decisions were made here. Especially in that corner.” Ava points to a little nook that’s walled off on the opposite side of the bathrooms that must’ve been some kind of large shelving before they renovated the space to be a bar.

Beatrice blushes, imagining her and Ava together in that corner. “Nice.”

“Do you want to wait in line with me for some drinks? I don’t want to wait alone.”

“Sure.” Beatrice agrees, getting pulled along behind Ava.

Beatrice feels the alcohol on her breath, can’t tame the heat on her cheeks, and she still pulls Ava into that little corner. The bar is much busier now, Camila and Lilith have left, and many of the other tenants have too. The people left are usual patrons of the bar who know Finn.

Ava’s breath feels so close to her. Ava stumbles them into the wall, her body pressing against Beatrice’s. Beatrice catches Ava and steadies her. “I gotcha.” Beatrice’s voice is a whisper, and Ava’s body doesn’t move.

Ava looks into her eyes, her chest moving up and down with her breaths, and Beatrice’s are caught in anticipation. “Yeah.” Ava’s body pushes up, her hand wrapping naturally around Beatrice’s neck, and Beatrice’s eyes slowly close.

Ava’s lips feather against hers, and Beatrice feels a tightening in her stomach and the race of her heart. Beatrice pulls Ava closer by the waist, the pads of her fingertips pressing into Ava’s skin as her brain lets her take in a sharp breath and adjust the kiss.

Ava makes the most wonderful sound as she opens her mouth, a nice mix between a whine and a moan. Beatrice lets their tongues touch and fight and pulls Ava impossibly closer.

Ava separates from her. “Sorry.” Ava pulls out her phone, and the sounds all come rushing back to Beatrice. Ava’s phone had been ringing. “It’s the sitter.”

“Mrs. Davis,” Beatrice smiles. “How are you today?”

Linda holds up a baking pan. “I brought a casserole.”

“Come on in,” Beatrice says, going to her kitchen to start up some tea for them. “Which book did you want to discuss?”

“The murder mystery one, have you finished it?” Linda asks, placing the casserole down on Beatrice’s counter.

“I have.” Beatrice nods. “What kind of tea do you want?”

“The usual.” Mrs. Davis smiles. “I’m going to miss you, dear.”

“Miss me? Why would you have to miss me?” Beatrice tilted her head.

“Oh, the email said that you were leaving soon.”

“What email?” Beatrice set the kettle on the stove.

“It said they’re looking for a new landlord and you’ll be leaving in a month.”

That is… way beyond schedule. “I’ve only been here for a little over a year.”

“Everyone has to move on at some point.” Linda smiles. “Even big Harvard grads.”

“I’ll fact-check that email for you and let you know. As far as I’m aware, I’m going to be around for a while.”

Mrs. Davis smiles. “That’s nice to hear, Beatrice.”

Beatrice opens the door at one in the morning. “My window is stuck.”

“Yes, JC, your window is stuck.” Beatrice grabs a case of beer and follows JC to his perfectly fine apartment.

She sees Issac and Hanson outside the apartment as she and Linda tend to the gardens. She does their secret handshake and “lets” them pass. The handshake seems to appease them as they tumble up the steps.

Mrs. Davis shakes her head. “Not enough focus on the garden, Beatrice. The flowers can feel it.”

“Right.” Beatrice smiles, settling back on the kneeling mat.

Beatrice’s phone rings. “Hello, Father.”

“You’ve done it, Beatrice!” Her father announces. “A position has opened up for you. Early retirement. It’s open for when you’re ready.”

“I’ll think about it.” Beatrice hangs up on her father.

She gets calls every other week from her father asking when she’s going to take the job. That's all she has to do is sign off on it, and she can start. She mostly ignores him.

Beatrice meets Ava for dinner. It’s an official date this time, so she dressed up in some of her fancier clothes. “Hi.” Beatrice meets Ava in the lobby of the restaurant.

“Hey.”

“You were able to get a sitter?” Beatrice tilts her head. “You told me that you might not be able to earlier.”

“I gave JC twenty bucks to not kill my little brother.”

“Ah, yes, the last resort.” Beatrice smiles, from her understanding that Ava lived in the building before her father passed, and then she just kept living there. She went to school, got a fancy lab tech job, and then just stayed in the apartment with her little brother Diego. She got JC and Hans the “in” for the apartment when the space opened up. “Hans is out of town, so he would’ve done it for ten.”

“I didn’t have the foresight to shortchange him when I was in a rush to see you.” Ava trails a hand down Beatrice’s arm, and Beatrice smiles at the touch.

“Do we have to do the dinner part, or can we just skip to the good part?” Beatrice asks as she leans in close to bush Ava’s lips.

Ava laughs against her lips and plays along. “Maybe.”

Beatrice hums and pulls back. “I like that we’re doing the official stuff. It’s nice.” Beatrice smiles. After Ava had pulled away after their kiss at Finn’s party, she thought she would never hear back from Ava in a romantic capacity, but Ava knocked on her door the next morning and said that her babysitter had gotten some food poisoning and had to go home early.

Beatrice heard their reservation get called, and they finally got led to their table. “I will say, this is comfier when we just watch a nature doc, cuddled on my couch, and I can wear sweatpants.” Ava jokes.

Beatrice shook her head, “It’s nice to dress up sometimes, too, especially when it gives Diego a break.”

Ava nods. “True. At least you can help him with his homework.”

Beatrice glares. “Oh, I know you are fully capable of helping him.”

“You are the one with a Harvard education.”

“And you are the one who is about to have a doctorate.”

“It’s just in biomedical engineering.”

“Darling, a doctorate is impressive no matter what it’s in.”

The compliment makes Ava preen, and Beatrice takes pride in getting that reaction from Ava.

Beatrice is relaxing in her chair, reading a book that Mrs. Davis recommended to her, when there’s a knock on her door. “Just a moment!” Beatrice bookmarks her page and heads to the door.

Ava’s standing there, a little disheveled, but Beatrice knows that look. Ava is horny. “Oh, wh-” Is all Beatrice can get out before Ava is kissing her, ravishing her mouth, grabbing at her sides. Beatrice pulls Ava in and kisses her back, matching the energy that Ava brought.

Ava licks into her mouth, mixes their tastes. Beatrice’s shirt is being untucked, and Ava’s hands find the warmth from under her shirt. Beatrice guides Ava toward her bedroom. Ava’s breath quickens, and Beatrice uses the opportunity to steal control of the kiss.

Ava unbuttons Beatrice’s shirt, her hands dancing around reaching out like she wants to feel Beatrice. Beatrice takes a step back, all the buttons removed from her polo shirt. She looks at Ava, wanting to see that hooded-eye look before she goes down on her girlfriend.

She sinks to her knees and shugs off her shirt, her face being cradled between Ava’s hands, but when she looks up, Ava’s eyes are littered with lust or holding back a fire of arousal. It almost looks like panic has settled in Ava’s body and made it home.

Ava’s chest rises and falls. “Ava, are you-”

“I can’t do this.” Ava races out of the apartment, and Beatrice doesn’t have the mind to chase. Ava looked almost scared of her, and her words only confirmed that she doesn’t want Beatrice to chase.

Beatrice’s first call is to Lilith. Her second call is to her father.

Chapter Text

Beatrice shaves her head and dons the monk's robes. She sinks into meditation easily, she finds that the gardening on the temple grounds remind her of days with Mrs. Davis, she likes that the cooking reminds her of the little late-night meals she would make with JC, and she likes the little troublemakers that come in reminding her of Diego, Harper, and the twins.

There are little pieces of all of them that she carries with her. She hopes she finds them in her reincarnated lives, too.

Beatrice loves the monks, she loves living with them, she loves the vows of silence, and the times of prayer and reflection. She loves the handmade necklace that was made by one of the older monks. She even loves fixing the old plumbing and other landlord-like tasks.

If only her posh Harvard friends could see her now. The ones that aren’t like Lilith and the few others who grew out of their misconceptions of the world and grew compassion despite their environments.

She leaves one monastery to go to the next, she visits holy sites–she lets her hair grow out. She meets hundreds of people, journeys more than some could even dream. Detachment is easy when all you’ve ever learned is to be attached. Some may say the opposite, but Beatrice feels it’s just another way to defy her father.

Beatrice has found a new place in the world.

Beatrice dials the familiar number on the payphone. The call goes through. “Hi Beatrice, it’s nice to hear from you. How are your travels?”

Beatrice smiles. “It’s going well, I’m in China looking at some holy sites, and I think I’ll come back in a few months. How’s my replacement doing?”

“Not as good as you, but JC is managing.”

“It’s only been a year, you have to give him time.” Beatrice laughs. She had called her father and told him that she recommended JC to fill her job.

“Everyone misses you.” Mrs. Davis sounds sad. The moment sits between them for a moment. “Have you read any more books recently? I got the last bunch that you sent me on Buddhism.”

“I have a few thrillers that I picked up in Thailand. I’ve been meaning to send it to you. You’ll like them.” Beatrice bites her lip. “Just tell JC to behave, and you bring Finn a casserole for me?”

“Of course, dear.”

Beatrice arrives at Mount Wutai in Shanxi and brings out her prayer mat. She has been wanting to see this specific site for a while, and a few of the younger monks were ready to take the journey, so she tagged along in her robes just for the occasion.

Beatrice is halfway through her prayers, kneeling to face the monument, and she hears a familiar voice. “It’s rude to point at the monks, Diego.”

Beatrice’s brows furrow, and she looks back in the direction and sees a wonderful sight. Ava is holding Diego’s wrist as Diego is pointing, staring at her, jaw dropped. “Bea.”

Ava looks at the sounds of Beatrice’s laugh. Ava stands in stunned silence, too. Here she is, kneeling before Ava. Just like how Ava had left her. She’s in a different place in her life, yet it’s all the same. She’s a one-to-one copy of who she was; she’s looking in a mirror where the reflection is still, but she’s been moving only to adhere and move back into the same form.

The puzzle has changed colors, shifted up, down, left, and then right. Shifted in so many directions that everything can be read the same, the picture is still a birdhouse with a red cardinal on the perch. Shifted, yet all the puzzle pieces are carved in the same way they were.

“I go all the way to China, and yet the universe still pushes you to me.” Beatrice smiles. “The universe works in silly ways.”

They meet up for coffee, and Ava is somehow able to find a trusted sitter in the middle of China (it’s all of the monks back at Beatrice’s monastery that she’s encrusted with Diego… and she means all of them). “I never got to explain myself that night.”

“Ava, I’m over it.” She’s not, that’s a lie. She thought she was, but her heart pounded the same outside of the adrenaline of the chaos the universe demanded. “It’s okay.” It’s not, Beatrice is kept awake at the thought that Ava was scared of her.

“I was going to ask you to be my girlfriend and then I got horny when I saw you, and then I chickened out, and-”

“What?” Beatrice shakes her head. “Ava, we were dating. You asked me three weeks before then.”

Now Ava’s confused. “What?”

“We were watching one of those nature documentaries, Diego had fallen asleep so I got up and I carried him to his room, and then you looked at me and held my hand and said ‘you’re my girlfriend now’ and I agreed and I brought you to your room and tucked you in.”

“Damn me and my sleep mumbling.” Ava curses. “I know I can’t explain myself for how we left things, but-”

“Ava, I never let you explain yourself. I can see it now, I just ran away and I joined a monastery, and I’m Buddhist now.”

“Cool.” Ava nods. “If you’re a Buddhist monk, can I still ask you out once you come back?”

“Worldly attachments aren’t great to have, it helps to open the mind and-” Beatrice’s smile gets wider as Ava looks sadder. “Ava, I’m just messing with you, I never actually became a monk, I just stayed with the monks and practiced with them. The robes are just very comfortable.” Beatrice probably qualifies as a monk and has referred to herself as such, but as far as official monkness goes, Beatrice is not one.

“So, I could maybe kiss you?”

“Yes, you can kiss me.” Beatrice has practiced aligning herself with life and peace with her meditation, but she’s never felt more at peace than when she’s with Ava.

Lilith holds the bridge of her nose. “You became a monk because a pretty girl left you?” Beatrice nods. “And you left because you were scared to ask a girl who was already your girlfriend to be your girlfriend?”

“Yes.” Ava nods.

“Jesus Christ.”

“It’s actually John Claude.” JC pipes in.

Beatrice smiles at the joke, but no one else does. “And you’re just going to keep being a landlord?”

“I don’t see why not?” Beatrice looks at JC. “I’ll probably get some help from JC every once in a while.”

“Sick, I always need the cash.” JC smiles.

Camila joins them again. “How were your travels? I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be a nun.”

“It was so beautiful, I have some pictures and paintings.”

Ava leans into Beatrice’s side as Beatrice shows off items and keepsakes from her journey.

Diego likes Beatrice’s apartment so much better. He and Ava will come over to watch some shows, and then Beatrice will set up her guest room to mimic Diego’s room for when Ava is out doing cool doctor stuff all around the world and Beatrice gets to take care of him for the week.

It only makes sense that Beatrice would copy her keys and give one to each of them. However, Ava’s holding onto some last thread.

“Move in with me, Ava.” Beatrice holds the two keys out to her. “I love you.”

“What happens once I move in?” Ava bites her lip.

“I put the apartment up for new leaders, and then you and Diego live with me and we’re all happy because we love each other.”

“That was my dad’s apartment. Bea, it’s a shitty apartment building and I’m a doctor. I don’t live there just for kicks.” Ava plays with her fingers.

“If you want it to be more equal, Lilith and I have been thinking of buying Oak Place, that apartment building next door that’s three times the space. Those apartments are much nicer, we could move into one of those.”

“No, I like your apartment.” Ava smiles. “I like Alice and her book club, and I like-”

“And you like me.” Beatrice finishes, planting a kiss on Ava’s lips.

Ava squeals and playfully moves away from the kiss. “Okay, okay, we’ll move in.”

“I love you.” Beatrice captures Ava’s lips slowly this time.

“I love you, too, Bea.” Ava rolls them over in the bed. “Let me show you just how much.”