Will I ever see you again. The idea of never seeing George again was almost as unbearable as the idea of her mother dying. He may as well die. He, oh god.
Never? Never see *George*?
How could that happen. Four years, she would come back right? She would? She would. She could. Yes. In the summers. And George would be here like he was supposed to be. Unless he got married and moved away in a year. Oh god. George married. And her in New York. And not here.
She didn’t want George to get married. She didn’t want to leave now. If George went away. Or worse. What if he died and she didn’t find out till she got back. How old would they both be in four years? Twenty Two. What about….
“Gabrielle” he said, reaching up and touching her face to jerk her out of it.
“Huh?”
“Stop thinking about it, I didn’t mean that” he said softly
“Oh god George” she leaned down and hugged him again, wrapping her thin legs around his waist “George I can’t deal with that”
“What?”
“Never seeing you again. That wouldn’t work. I can’t go. Not if I won’t”
“You have to go!”
“why?”
“It’s New York!” he examined and shoved her backwards. All smiles now. “You’ll be back. How long?”
“Four years”
The sadness crept back into his eyes. “Four years?”
“Yes”
“I don’t want to not see you for four years”
“I’ll come back” she said encouragingly “In a bit. You know, summers and things”
George nodded against her hair, he hugged her closer if that’s possible and they tilted sideways so she wasn’t sitting on him anymore.
“This will be weird”
“Yeah”
“But you’ll come back”
“Yes”
“When are you leaving?”
“June”
He pulled away and sat up. Gabrielle watched him and sat up as well. “You’re lucky” he said “This is the best thing that could happen”
“Yeah”
“I’m happy for you”
“No you aren’t”
George shrugged “Only because I ‘m a selfish bastard”
“Yeah, you are” she nodded
They giggled a bit and Gabrielle stood up. “I’m sure you’ve got things to tell me now”
George shook his head. Was it over now? “Yeah” he mumbled
“Tell me later?” she held her hand out to him and help him stand
“OK”
“Want to go sleep?” she asked with a grin.
George hugged her from behind and nodded “Yeah” he sighed “I’ll race you”
He let go of her and rushed for the house.
Gabrielle laughed carelessly and tried to keep up with him