“I have, but it’s still early days. In a sense, it feels wrong to even have the audacity to think that far ahead.”

“Knowing you, that wouldn’t stop you. Plus, it’s only logical. Human nature. Thoughts you simply can’t stop.”

“Camille isn’t going to move her family to Australia, is she?” I say matter-of-factly.

Rebecca quirks up her eyebrows. “Wow,” is all she says.

I sink my teeth into my bottom lip—something I do when I’m feeling particularly uncertain. In the end, it’s the insecurity that kills me most of all. And being robbed of the opportunity to just—very simply—fall in love and get to know another woman without having to resort to the Internet and keeping time zones in mind. It’s the hours that Camille is sleeping and I’m awake that are the hardest. The feeling of not being able to reach her.

“We’ll see.” What else can I possibly say?

“To be continued,” Rebecca says and fixes her gaze on a picture on the wall to our right. “I was afraid to ask you before, but I’ve always liked that one.” She points at it. “Any chance your state of being newly in love has left you in a sharing mood?”

“You can take anything you want.” If she takes that one off my hands, I can replace it with a picture of Camille.

“How’s the house sale coming along?” There’s a sudden edge to her voice.

“I haven’t really found an agent I’m comfortable with.”

Rebecca cocks her head. “You’re dragging your feet. Have you changed your mind about selling?”

I shrug. “Things are a bit up in the air right now.” She’s right. I have been dragging my feet.

“No rush,” she says. Rebecca has always been the least materialistic person I know. When we bought the rental flat, it wasn’t for the possible income it could generate, but for the joy of having a new place to fuss over and decorate. “You’ll sell it some time before you move to Paris.” She has a crooked grin on her face and I can’t help but wonder if her words are prophetic. As ridiculous as they sound in my head, in my heart, something about them rings true.

Chapter Sixteen

Often, when it’s night time in Paris and I can’t sleep, I watch the videos Camille and I made. I know the interview part by heart, know every expression her face will fold into before she replies to a question. The other video has been harder to watch. The only time I managed to get through it fully was when we were simultaneously talking on Skype and we could giggle at it together—and a giggle fest it was.