i linger on, dear.

HELEN DIAMANDIS ; forty-five years old. born & raised in the nation's capital. greek-american. anchor for cnn. you probably know me as the journalist who consistently heckles the president. — how could you leave me when i needed to possess you?

[helendiamandis]

𝐖𝐇𝐎: 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤. / @manhattan-starters​.

“I don’t like this.” Helen sighed, leaning against the front counter, her fingers beginning to play with the hem of her blazer — a nervous habit she’d acquired as a child. “I know this sounds incredibly dramatic, but isn’t this how some horror movies start? A power outage and before we know it, the doors are locked and we find out it was all a ruse just so a murder can trap as many potential victims in one place as they can?” As soon as those words left her lips, she let out a laugh, provoking an eye roll. “I can’t believe I just said that. Sorry. I was watching Halloween last night.”

[helendiamandis]

𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐃𝐔 𝐏𝐎𝐍𝐓.

Elizabeth couldn’t believe that of all places, she was stuck in a bank. She’d had to deposit something in one of her security boxes, and unfortunately that was a process that required her to be there in person. Usually she’d have sent her assistant to do it for her. 

But just as they were about to depart the power went out and Elizabeth frowned. She’d made a fuss but even for someone of her stature, she hadn’t been able to leave. With a huff, she sat herself down in one of the comfortable desk chairs, legs crossed as she ordered her assistant away from her. It was her fault she was stuck here anyway. 

Looking around she was surprised to find that there were several familiar faces stuck in the bank with her. She grinned. 

“Well, this is certainly not how I was planning to spend my evening. I had a dinner I was supposed to be at but I doubt I’ll make that,” Elizabeth said to the person closest to her, giving them an amused smirk and a dry little chuckle. 

( @manhattanstarters· )

The day had been a grueling one, and in that moment, all Helen wanted was to be at home, curled up in bed, attempting to forget about everything going on... even just for a few blissful hours as she tried to get a decent night’s sleep. Although, before she could even think about doing that, she had to run some errands, and the absolute last place she wanted to be at peak hour was the bank. Still, it had to be done... she’d decided to treat it like a band-aid... make it fast, quick and painless. 

Having hardly been in the building for ten minutes, the redhead was startled the moment the lights flickered and the power went down, immediately causing a stir for the people surrounding her... evoking whispers and grunts of disbelief. Clearly everyone else had the same destination in mind: home.

It was clear she was in her own little world until the sound of someone nearby caught her attention instantly. A familiar voice... one she could still hear in her sleep. “Elizabeth.” She smiled, her focus landing on the blonde, amused that she’d clearly already made herself comfortable. “Is there ever a night you don’t have an important dinner to go to? You seem to always be on the go. I still don’t know how you do it.” Moving closer then, she sat herself down at the chair next to her ex wife’s. “Well, at least you’ve got me to keep you company.”

[sylvielauffeydottir]

Hey 2020, We should break up or whatever….🍾🥂

Jessica Chastain on Instagram

[helendiamandis]

𝐖𝐇𝐎: @drgiannapiazza​ 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: 𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞. 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒: 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝.

Not once in Helen’s wildest dreams did she picture herself having an affair with her psychiatrist. Actually, was it really an affair? They were both no longer with their spouses, but still, it felt dirty, mostly because it broke professional guidelines on Gianna’s part, and the journalist was very aware that she knew better than to entangle herself in such a mess, especially as a public figure, but the temptation was strong... and frankly, she’d taken a liking in Dr. Piazza from the beginning. She could never picture herself involved romantically with the other woman, but the sexual chemistry that radiated off both of them when they were together was irresistible. It was simply a little fun, something that she needed in her life.

Arriving at her doctor’s home, the redhead walked up the steps to the front door, the sound of her stilettos clicking against the pavement. Still dressed in the clothes she’d worn on air that day, she looked nothing short of perfection. Her mind was buzzing with thoughts... a majority of them trying to shake some sense into her before she continued on with this fling. Once again, she ignored the logical side of her brain to satisfy her cravings.

It took a few moments for her to fix her hair before knocking sharply twice on the door, hoping it wasn’t too late to call in, even though she’d sent Gianna a text when she was on her way. “It’s just me, Dr. Piazza... Helen.”

[helendiamandis]

𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐃𝐔 𝐏𝐎𝐍𝐓.

“Oh, I didn’t mean amused in a good way darling,” Elizabeth explained to her easily, a warm smile on her lips as she spoke. She never could understand why Helen refused to call her by the nickname she’d acquired in her girlhood. “Yes, well, a lot of things could sound good coming from your lips. Though you never did give it much of a try,” Elizabeth mused, lips quirking up in a smirk at Helen’s wink. Clearly they viewed this same thing very differently and Elizabeth decided that there was no point in making a fuss over the use of a nickname; not now that they were no longer together at least. 

A perfectly manicured eyebrow shot up in surprise at Helen’s statement. She followed the redhead’s gesture as she pointed towards a younger woman a little ways away from them. “It’s lovely that you’re finally getting back out there Helen,” Elizabeth complimented sweetly. Her glanced back to the young woman that had accompanied Helen. “Although, isn’t she a little young for you Helen? I didn’t realise you’d fallen for the doe-eyed look,” Elizabeth continued, smiling turning a little sharper as she spoke. 

She was surprised however when Helen brought up Harrison. She’d had the distinct impression during their last meeting that Helen hadn’t been fond of the man, though they’d never actually met. Her own eyes glanced back briefly to her current beau, smiling at his warm enthusiasm. “He is. He’s very personable, he even managed to find an old friend here tonight,” Elizabeth explained, turning back towards her ex-wife. “And I am. Thank you for asking, darling. It’s not often I get to enjoy myself like this. You know, of course,” Elizabeth smiled then. “And how about you? Are you enjoying yourself tonight?”

“Oh, well. What can I say? I follow the beat of my own drum.” Helen shrugged ever so slightly, trying to brush off the topic with ease, something that was beginning to prove difficult, even when they were still married. She couldn’t exactly explain why she didn’t want to call her ex by that name. Of course, she appreciated tradition... she treasured tradition (at times), but it felt odd. There were other terms of endearment she used on Elizabeth, why did it have to be a pet name that was used by her children? Did she really want to call her wife that while they made love? No! It freaked Helen out. 

As she spoke about her new ‘flame’, the redhead smirked. Honestly, they were simply fucking. That was it. There was no romantic entanglement... but Liz didn’t need to know that. For all she knew, they could be madly in love. Helen didn’t want her former lover to see her as a lonely divorcee who had no time for love. For god’s sake, the blonde was running a company and still had time for a man. She didn’t want to be the odd one out. “I wasn’t out of the game... I just haven’t had time for a relationship until recently. But thank you.” Her brow quirked up at her next statement, earning a scoff to elicit her lips at the mention of her date’s age. “She’s 30. It’s not like she’s in college, Elizabeth. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and has a remarkable career in fashion. I didn’t think you’d be the type to judge the people I date. Considering we’re divorced.”

The energy was beginning to turn rather awkward... almost uncomfortable, in a way. Helen wasn’t particularly impressed by the other woman’s comment. Smiling nonetheless, the journalist listened as Liz spoke, nodding her head along with each word. It was obvious Elizabeth was happy, and deep down, Helen wanted to be happy to... but even after all the time they’d been apart, she was still teeming with desire for her. “That’s excellent. It’s always nice to catch up with an old friend... I’m glad you’re both enjoying yourselves. You deserve it, Liz.” The latter part of the sentence was genuine. Even though she felt annoyed in that moment, she still believed the CEO deserved the world. “Oh, it’s been a quite nice evening, I am having a good time. It’s been rather insane at work... especially with everything going on, and the inauguration happening in a few weeks. We’re all on high alert. I take it everything in your world is going brilliantly, hm?”

[helendiamandis]

𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐃𝐔 𝐏𝐎𝐍𝐓.

Elizabeth wasn’t at all surprised to find that she and Helen would be attending the same dinner party. They’d made many mutual friends during their years together and a rather amicable divorce wasn’t enough to fracture their connections completely. Besides, she rather enjoyed seeing Helen - the woman had been a big part of her life for close to a decade. 

She smiled, glad Harrison was distracted with a cigar and an old friend. He was the kind of man, she’d learnt, that made friends wherever he went and knew people all over the world. It was such a different experience to her own life and she was rather fascinated by it. Her eyes caught Helen’s across the room then and before she knew it, she was making her way towards her, practically gliding through the room. 

“Helen, darling,” Elizabeth greeted with ease, she’d had a few glasses of wine by now, leaning in to peck her lips against Helen’s cheek. “Your aversion to calling me Bebe really is amusing,” she told her as she pulled back. “It’s lovely to see you here. No date again tonight?” she asked lightly, smiling as she let her eyes travel over the blonde surreptitiously. 

Helen had been hesitant to approach Elizabeth at first, mostly due to the fact that she didn’t want to seem overeager. Yes, the pair had quite a nice interaction at the charity event a week earlier, but there was still the idea in the redhead’s mind that her former lover had only spent time with her out of goodwill... she was far too modest to actually believe any time with her was well-spent.

The smile already present on her fact spread as the slightly shorter woman approached her, immediately leaning in for a kiss on the cheek, as if it were completely natural. She’d learnt over the years to comply to the obligatory cheek kiss, it was something she wasn’t entirely used to upon moving to New York and mingling with high society, back in D.C, it was warm hugs or handshakes... the social etiquette was quite different from the circles she was used to.

A soft laugh left her crimson painted lips at Liz’s comment. There was complete truth in her statement... Helen had no desire to call the woman by the nickname that had seem to stick with her family and friends over the years. “It is? Well, I’m glad you’re amused by it. It just... doesn’t sound good coming from my lips. You’ll always be Liz to me.” She smirked, giving her a quick wink - something that happened before she could stop herself. “Ah, actually I do have a date. Victoria. She’s quite lovely.” The journalist replied rather matter-of-factly, pointing over to an attractive, leggy brunette clad in a slinky silk dress. A bit younger than Helen, but incredibly enchanting nonetheless. “Harrison looks like he’s having fun. Are you having a good night?”

[helendiamandis]

𝐖𝐇𝐎: @divineheroines​ 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐡𝐨. 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒: 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝.

The holidays breezed by with little notice, leaving Helen in a complete spin. She spent a mere few days in D.C. with her family, indulging in elaborate Greek Christmas traditions before jetsetting back to New York to get straight back to work. There was very little down time as a journalist, but the redhead didn’t quite mind... her body had gotten into a pattern: wake up, caffeine hit, gym, work, eat and sleep. Maybe it wasn’t a particularly healthy way to live... to have such little break of normality, but when it did happen, she always seemed to enjoy herself.

Her pleasant run-in with Elizabeth Cargill Du Pont just a week shy of Christmas was actually quite nice... she enjoyed every moment of it, and found herself wanting to transport herself in that moment again... to when things were civil. No complications or fights. They were friends. Even if there was a part of Helen that still longed for them to be something more.

Helen thanked her lucky stars that she emotionally got through another encounter with her ex, which made the news that they’d both be attending the same dinner party to be a little less daunting. The only bittersweet factor was that she knew Harrison (the new, oh-so-perfect man in Liz’s life) would be there. It was a little humiliating to admit that she attended the party the other night on her own, and that made her certain that she’d bring a date to the dinner. Of course, it wasn’t too hard to find someone to go with her... the woman had plenty of suitors clamoring for a chance with the bodacious journalist.

Arriving at the swanky Manhattan penthouse, a bottle of the finest Shiraz in hand and a tall, young model on her arm, Helen entered the familiar home with an ease, greeting her friends with pleasant chit-chat. She spent a little while getting reacquainted with everyone until her sights set on a familiar blonde looking as ravishing as ever... even if Helen knew she shouldn’t be thinking like that. “Liz!” She beamed, making sure her date was fine before moving towards her ex in a welcoming manner.

[janblue]

Jessica Chastain for Harper’s Bazaar España | January 2021  Photography by David Roemer 

[helendiamandis]

𝐒𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐁𝐉𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐌𝐀𝐍.

Sven was good at his job, he made sure that those that needed help received it, and those that wanted to be left alone got the ignorance that they requested; “I wouldn’t say you didn’t know what you were doing but-… it’s not bad to accept a little help right?” he was raised to believe that women were just as capable as men and his mother drilled that into him hard and it was something that stuck with him even in his adult hood; “I find that as of lately a lot of people have said that to me-… I wonder if it’s the season” looking down chuckling lightly; “What’s your issue maybe I can help?”

A soft, appreciative smile took over Helen’s features then. She was just glad that she wasn’t treated like a complete idiot, which had become a habit with some of the people she came across these days. “Hey, I like the way you think.” She fiddled with a lock installation kit. Most definitely out of her league. “Ah... yes! I’m glad I’m not alone on that one.” She glanced up at him them, taking a good look at him as she wondered if they’d ever crossed paths before. Possibly. It was New York City, after all. “I’m... trying to install a lock. Is that too big of a job for the average person? I don’t know. I wanted to try and do it myself... but it’s starting to lock complicated.”

[helendiamandis]

𝐆𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐀 𝐏𝐈𝐀𝐙𝐙𝐀.

gianna wiped at her eyes with a sniffle, always hating when her clients saw her like this - which lately was more often than not. taking a shaky breath she nodded, motioning to the armchairs on the other side of the room, instructing helen to take a seat as she made her way over to her desk to gather some things. “no, no, everything’s - everything’s fine.” gianna nodded hastily, rifling through her drawers and looking for her notepad. once she found it she tried to put on an aura of grace, joining helen by the chairs and taking a seat in one. “i um-…it’s just been a day.” she was still crying, but gianna was more determined to do her job - she didn’t need to get sued again for patient negligence. “what about you, honey, are you okay?” she asked, letting the tears continue to run down her face; they would stop eventually.

Watching her therapist like a hawk, Helen took her cue to take a seat in the arm chair. As she did so, she smoothed her skirt down — a habit when things were out of her hands and she was unsure of how to resolve a situation. “Oh, love... of course. I know technically you’re the therapist, but if you ever need to talk...” With compassion bubbling at the brim of her being, the redhead offered her a kind smile. She’d always liked Gianna... they seemed to get along quite well, even despite the slight differences they had. She’d always found that she got along more with people with people who were different to her. Less clashing. “I’m fine. Nothing too out of the blue going on... except for the fact, I ran into my ex wife the other night. That was a little surprisingly, and threw me in a loop briefly, but other than that, I’ve been feeling better than I did last session.” Her words were laced with hope and a side of heartache at the mention of Elizabeth. 

As she watched the tears trickle down Gianna’s skin, she reached into her purse to pull out a small package of tissues and quickly moved into the seat next to the psychiatrist’s, holding out the tissues for her and her free hand to be held. “Anything you say to me will be completely confidential. I’m sure it probably breach standards, but you listen to my shit, I’m definitely not above hearing about yours.”

[helendiamandis]

𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐃𝐔 𝐏𝐎𝐍𝐓.

Elizabeth couldn’t help but smile at Helen’s words, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. Though it wouldn’t seem like it, she rather enjoyed giving out compliments, especially to the people she loved. And despite everything and the years, she still counted Helen as someone she loved. They may not be together any more but that didn’t mean the redhead wasn’t in her heart anymore.

Her smirk widened then at the words. “I’ve found I’ve never been too lonely,” Elizabeth told her lightly, letting her gaze drift back towards Harrison for a moment. She really did like the man. “Though, I’m sure for some it can be. What is it they say? Some people find it hard to have a work/life balance?” Elizabeth teased out, her gaze focusing back on Helen as she spoke. Their problems had been mutual; they both worked too much. But Elizabeth’s ideas of fun and relaxation were vastly different to Helen’s. 

The kiss had been a playful tease but as Elizabeth stood up, she saw the look on Helen’s face. Instead of addressing it or even thinking further on it, she chose to ignore. There was no point bringing it up now, in a ballroom full of their peers. Her eyes strayed to the diamond necklace Helen was fidgeting with, deciding to go easy on her former lover for the rest of the evening; clearly the woman was uncomfortable.

“Tastes haven’t changed that much, Helen. Don’t worry,” Elizabeth chuckled as they made their way towards the bar. As they walked she gave a few waves and courteous hellos - after all, the event was filled with people she knew. Some from years passed and some that were new. 

“What about you?” Elizabeth asked as they stopped at the bar, a hand smoothing over the delicate gold bangle that adorned her wrist. “You still drink, a…” and for once, she was a little embarrassed to realise she couldn’t quite remember Helen’s preferred drink. “Well, you know,” she quickly covered, her words coming out playfully as she stepped closer and settled a hand on Helen’s back. The bar was full after all. 

Helen couldn’t help the quiet laugh that escaped her lips, rolling her eyes at herself at the mention of a work and life balance. That certainly wasn’t something the redhead was awfully in tune with, as her ex wife was probably rather aware of. “Ah... well, you’ve got that right. It’s the emotional kind of loneliness I’m experiencing.” The physical aspect certainly wasn’t. Her bed had someone else in it more often than not, but they were almost always one night stands... people she couldn’t connect with on a psychological level. Of course, they were perfect for an encounter on a whim... physical affection when she craved it. Other than that, her nights alone were often spent wondering if Elizabeth was laying awake too, or if she was in the company of another. Now she think she knew the answer. “Sorry, I don’t know why I said that... you don’t need to know about my personal life.” She laughed rather awkwardly then as a free hand reached up to took a loose red curl out of her face.

The moment she realised the blonde probably took not of the expression on her face as she kissed Harrison, deep down she felt a little guilty. There was no logical reason for her to be feeling that way... she knew the CEO wouldn’t have handled it more on the inside, right?

It was obvious the pair were in their element when they were both greeting fellow guests at the event. When they were together, she were known to host lavish affairs regularly, Helen left a lot of the planning to her wife, aware of the fact she’d probably done it before. “Oh, that’s good. I’m pleased about that, actually.” Pleased there was still a part of her she still knew.

“A Manhattan? I do, though, lately I’ve been teetering between that and a martini. I suppose it depends on my mood.” She reminded the other woman whilst her lips curved into a grin. Honestly, she hadn’t expected her to remember her drink order after all those years, and quite frankly, she hadn’t expected her to take a shine to their reunion. Not because Elizabeth wasn’t a welcoming, open person by any means, but due to the fact that break ups were rough, and divorces often kept their sting after many years.

There it was. Elizabeth’s touch... again. This time it was on the small of her back, unabashedly so, it was comforting. In a way that made Helen want to shake herself by the straps of her dress and tell her to get it together. Moments passed in silence between the pair, her blue eyes surveyed Elizabeth some more, purely in an act of admiration. Lord, the woman was sublime. “It’s nice to have your company again... even just for now. You were always a good friend to me.”

[helendiamandis]

𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐃𝐔 𝐏𝐎𝐍𝐓.

Elizabeth smiled, watching as the compliment landed with Helen. She knew the other woman could be pessimistic, it was something she’d tried to combat the entire time they were together. “But I want to because it’s the truth, Helen,” Elizabeth insisted, eyebrows lifting as she spoke to her ex-wife. “You are stunning.”

Usually, Elizabeth wasn’t the type to be modest or bashful but as she heard Helen’s words about Harrison, she sighed a little. She could tell just by the words - divine - and the tone that Helen was far from delighted to be hearing about Harrison. But they had been divorced two years, she didn’t think it was that unexpected for her to be dating again. 

She was surprised however to hear that Helen had been seeing someone at some point. A model no less. She was surprised she hadn’t heard anything about it and as the redhead continued, she was satisfied to hear that it likely hadn’t been serious. Oh, she knew she shouldn’t think like that; after all, they were divorced and had been for several years. But she couldn’t help thinking of Helen as hers. “That’s unfortunate. But…at least you’re getting out there, yes?” she told her lightly. 

“That I am,” Elizabeth agrees with a nod, reaching out to finish the wine she’d been drinking. “Just a moment,” she said to Helen. She turned then, placing the glass back down and bending towards Harrison. She told him politely she was going to get another drink and pressed a not so chaste kiss to his lips before standing straight up again. 

As she turned back towards Helen, she smirked. “Lead the way, darling,” she instructed, gesturing forwards towards the bar.

Helen felt a twinge in her heart at the blonde’s sincerity. While she knew she had a cold demeanor, there was a soft side to Elizabeth that she experienced firsthand. In a way, she felt honored. There was truly no one like the woman... at this point in her life, the journalist had come to terms with the fact she probably wouldn’t experience a love like Liz’s again. Within her, she held hope that one day they’d come to their senses and give things a go again. Although, with the revelation of Harrison Cole, doubts arose. Was it bad that deep down she was hoping for the relationship to fail? It was horrible, greedy and went against everything she stood for. Elizabeth had every right to find love again. “Thank you. That means a lot.” She reached out for the other’s hand then, her skin feeling baby soft against her fingertips. 

Unlike earlier in their encounter, there was a slight awkwardness that now lingered in the air. “Yes, exactly. As you probably know, life in this industry can become awfully lonely... it’s nice to have someone to come home to.” She swallowed her words then. It was all hitting too close to home. In that moment, she simply wished the ground would envelop her wholly.

Pleased that her former lover was as open to a catch up as she was, she allowed a smile to bloom on her face, only for it to last a few brief moments until she witnessed the woman she loved with her lips on someone else. She’d be lying if she said it didn’t hurt. In a way, it was beginning to feel like a spectacle, but she tried to stop herself from thinking like that.

It took her a few seconds to gain composure, her free hand playing with the diamond necklace that adorned her neck. “Of course.” Another fake smile, she began to head in the direction of the bar, occasionally turning her head to make sure Elizabeth was still on her trail. “You still drink whisky on the rocks, right? Or have your tastes changed?”

[mikaeled]

Jessica Chastain promoting the new It experience in Waterloo Vaults

[helendiamandis]

𝐆𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐀 𝐏𝐈𝐀𝐙𝐙𝐀.

“i think i’m going crazy. like really.” gianna cried, shaking her head as she shut her eyes tight, trying to reign in her emotions as she leaned against the book case in her office, mostly talking to herself before she even realized that somebody was waiting at the door of her office. “oh my god,” she breathed, working herself up again, “see i am crazy - i did-didn’t even see you.” she blubbered, holding her breath for a moment. take a deep breath. it’s just a panic attack. it’ll pass. 

sniffle.

“…can i hep you?” @manhattan-starters·

One thing that was a constant in Helen’s life was therapy. While her work schedule was erratic, and there were times where she’d flit off to different destinations at a moment’s notice for professional reasons, she always made sure to keep up with her appointments. Ever since her divorce and the increasing demands of her job, Dr. Gianna Piazza had made a difference on her life.

It was a mere few minutes before her session was supposed to commence, the redhead could hear a distressed tirade coming from the psychiatrist’s office. Concerned, she subtly moved towards the room while the receptionist was otherwise occupied. Seeing the other woman clearly in a state of distress caused Helen’s heart to tear lightly, feeling incredibly sorry for her. It must have been hard being expected to solve everyone else’s problems while simultaneously drowning in one’s own. “Are you okay?” The question sounded ridiculous the moment it left her lips. “Actually, no, I know the answer to that. I overheard you while I was in the waiting room and I wanted to make sure that you’re okay.”

[helendiamandis]

𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐃𝐔 𝐏𝐎𝐍𝐓.

Elizabeth focused on her ex-wife, blue eyes taking in every inch of her that she could. She was genuinely interested in how the other woman was. They hadn’t divorced because they no longer loved or cared about each other. Elizabeth was sure she’d always have a special place in her heart for Helen - she was, after all, the only woman she’d ever loved. 

An eyebrow rose at Helen’s familiar use of her nickname; a name she rarely let anyone use. But, she always did like the way it sounded from Helen’s lips. She chuckled lightly then, grinning. “I know,” she replied, her confidence in her own beauty paramount. “But you,” Elizabeth started, letting her eyes trail slowly up and down Helen’s body, “you are the most stunning woman here tonight,” Elizabeth breathed, trailing a few fingers lightly over her exes wrist. A move she’d used for years. She didn’t particularly care that Harrison was right there. 

She chuckled drily at Helen’s next words though. “Yes, I know you are,” Elizabeth replied, tone deadpan. If there was one thing she knew about Helen, it was that she lived for her work. Not that Elizabeth herself didn’t; but she knew how to find pleasure in other things too. 

Elizabeth grinned then, a little surprised by the turn in conversation. “I’m very well. You know I don’t stay down long,” Elizabeth told her, hands gesticulating a little as she spoke. An eyebrow rose though at hearing the words; I’m happy for you. Well, she hadn’t been expecting that, not from Helen. Then again, her redhead wasn’t a petty woman, not in the least. 

“Thank you,” Elizabeth replied lightly. “Harrison Cole. He’s…in the oil business,” Elizabeth explained, hiding a grimace. She was sure her ex-wife wouldn’t be pleased with that little revelation. “We met a few years ago and ran into each other again about six months ago. A real Southern gentleman, you see,” she murmured lightly. “How about you? Are you seeing anyone, darling?”

And well, Elizabeth wasn’t sure if she wanted to know that or not. 

You are the most stunning woman here tonight. It was a simple compliment that had Helen’s heart on the verge of leaping out of its cavity. God, she was charming, which was probably one of the main reasons she’d charmed the redhead out of her dress upon their initial meeting. With anyone else, she wouldn’t quite buy the debonair act... she’d consider it overdone and fake, but with Elizabeth? It just worked. As if she’d invented the act in the first place. “Oh, you’re lovely. Thank you. You don’t have to say that, though. We’re not... it’s not like you have to.” The last few words slipped out, provoked by her natural pessimism. She was so different to the other woman in every way. While the blonde was delightful and was well-aware of her good looks, Helen only saw herself as mildly attractive. Looks weren’t something she’d ever relied on, and that wasn’t to say Elizabeth did, they just came from different worlds. Yet somehow they made it work. She still couldn’t believe such a fearless, confident beauty queen would even glance in her direction. 

As she listened to Elizabeth speak about Harrison, she began to regret mentioning him in the first place. She wanted nothing more than her ex to be happy, but for some selfish reason, the fact it wasn’t her she was happy with stung like a swarm of bees to her heart. “Ah, he sounds simply divine.” Divine? Why the fuck did she just say that? It wasn’t exactly a word that was in her regular vocabulary.

When questioned about her own love life, Helen had a few options. She could lie and invent a lavish story about a new lover... make it seem like she wasn’t utterly alone when she wasn’t at work, but lying wasn’t something she was particularly skilled at. They could see right through each other, there was no doubt her ex would sense an untruth. “Ah, no. Not at this stage. I was seeing a woman a few months ago... she was lovely... a model, but it didn’t work out. Our needs were much different.” That wasn’t a lie. A brief entanglement with a much younger runway model had crept its way into her life until the journalist came to the realisation how ridiculous it was for her to be dating someone seventeen years her junior. It felt bizarre. She wasn’t a cougar by any means.

“Fancy another drink? I can see you’re running low."

[helendiamandis]

𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐃𝐔 𝐏𝐎𝐍𝐓.

Charity events had been a part of Elizabeth’s life for as long as she could remember. Her family threw them and attended them with regularity. She’d been to so many she barely remembered what they were all for, such was the case for her right now. She’d barely paid any attention as her assistant had arranged everything and she had just showed up in the dress provided; her assistant was a godsend. 

Her date for the evening was one Harrison Cole, a businessman she’d been seeing for several months now. This was to be their first society event together and Elizabeth couldn’t help but be pleased with him on her arm. They’d met a few years ago but six months ago had fallen in to bed together - a surprise to both of them. Elizabeth led the way to their table, enjoying the way his hand settled on the small of her back. As they sat down though, a familiar flash of red caught her attention. 

There in a sea of people was Helen. It had been over a year since they’d been in a room together. 

Elizabeth couldn’t help but watch her former wife. She was still as beautiful and elegant as ever. She couldn’t help but wonder if the woman was there alone, or if it’d be the polite thing to do to talk to her. Despite knowing their divorce was a good thing, Elizabeth did miss the other woman; more then she’d thought she would in fact. 

A question directed at her caught her attention and she turned back towards the table with an easy smile. The conversation took over then. She was surprised once again when she heard her name in a familiar voice and looked up with a smile at Helen, standing by her side. She hadn’t expected Helen to be the one to approach first. 

“Helen, darling,” Elizabeth drawled easily, standing from her seat. She took a step closer, her blue eyes fixed solely on her ex-wife. “It has been a while. But it’s wonderful to see you again,” Elizabeth told her, lifting a hand up to smooth over a stray strand of Helen’s silky red hair. 

“How are you darling?” She asked, stepping a fraction of an inch closer. Her hand smoothed down Helen’s arm as she spoke, she’d always been a tactile person at heart. And frankly, she’d missed touching the redhead. 

The feeling lingering in the air was odd. Not in a bad way, per se, but being away from someone for so long without interruption only to bump into them again on a whim was rather daunting. At least to Helen. The confidence her ex wife possessed was foreign in her own life. Sure, she faked it until she made it, rather convincingly so, but Elizabeth was one of the only people Helen allowed to see her vulnerable side and to have that rapport taken away and become strangers, it somehow felt disheartening. It wasn’t their fault, though. That was life. Most relationships didn’t survive forever. That was the ugly truth.

As if time hadn’t passed, Helen watched in awe as the blonde treated her as if they were still married... the touches, the pet name... it instantly took her back to the days where they were each other’s wife. Their time apart made her forget if Elizabeth was like this with all the other women, or if she was special in some strange way.

“You too, Liz. I can’t say you’ve changed... you look beautiful, not that it’s much of a surprise.” A genuine smiled graced her features then, she couldn’t help it. Her ex had a way about her that was so utterly hypnotic, the ginger couldn’t keep away for the life of her. “I’m well, thank you. Working non-stop, but I prefer that. I’m always happier when I’m kept busy.” That was the truth, more than anything. She didn’t like to have time to wallow in her sorrows or the demise of the one relationship Helen was actually passionate about. “Now, how are you? I see you’ve snagged yourself a handsome date. I’m happy for you.”

[helendiamandis]

𝐖𝐇𝐎: @divineheroines​ 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐥. 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒: 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝.

Charity events had become an integral part of Helen’s routine. Being one of America’s most renowned journalists, invites were thrown her way left and right, and with a heart as big as the redhead’s, she couldn’t possibly turn down an appearance if there was a chance she could raise awareness for a particular issue. Helping others was second nature to her, there was no doubt about it. Self-absorption was not on her radar by any chance, which was why some of the people she surrounded herself around were so very contrasting to her.

Tonight was no different. The biggest names in New York were in attendance, showing off their wealth and flaunting it in ways that provoked an eye roll from Helen. People of that calibre made her skin crawl... she didn’t understand people with egos as big as several states combined into one. One of those people were Elizabeth Cargill Dupont. The only difference in this situation was that she married her. There was something about the small blonde that evoked a rapid heart rate within her... even if that was something she detested... that a woman who was the polar opposite of her could hold her heart in her hand.

Speak of the devil. It was as if God knew her mind was on her ex and threw her into her reach... this time in the company of an attractive gentleman who was no doubt her date. Of course Elizabeth could move on, but Helen? No, no. It was mediocre one night stands more than anything, always leaving a hole in her heart when they’d roll out of her bed, get dressed and disappear.

“Another martini, please. Make it dirty... and a double.” She spoke to the bartender as she leaned against the counter, trying her very hardest to get her mind off the woman she’d once fancied as the love of her life. It wasn’t working, because she began to conjure up ideas on how to approach her... how to capture her attention, even just for a moment. At this point, Elizabeth Cargill Dupont was still a divinity, and Helen was still willing to worship her.

Once her refreshed drink was pushed towards her, she took hold of it and turned towards the direction the other woman was in. Her walk became a strut, oozing the feigned confidence she could only dream of having. Taking a deep breath, she plastered a smile across her face, hoping that the people surrounding her couldn’t smell the fear that was boiling within.

“Elizabeth?” A surprised greeting. You know, keeping it cool. Something Helen wasn’t entirely good at.

“It’s certainly been a while, but it’s nothing less of a pleasure.”