Three months later
Cat', how are you feeling?
Fine, great, Marc, I'm okay, I'm managing.
I feel you completely exhausted, baby. You fall asleep at the beginning of the movie, you've lost weight, I'm worried about you.
Come on, no reason to worry, it's a bit complicated right now, I admit it, but it'll be fine.
A bit complicated? I'd rather say it's a disaster, wouldn't you?
Why are you saying that? No, not at all.
Stop. You left your apartment and moved back in with your parents. For a month, you dealt with hours of commuting. Then you crashed at Lisa's place, you spent a week with me, now you're at Melanie's. I don't even know where to find you anymore. I don't even know if you yourself remember where you are each morning.
Yes, okay, it's been a bit chaotic, I admit it, but as long as I didn't have my permanent contract, I couldn't look for an apartment, that's all. It'll get better now.
Oh yeah? How exactly is it getting better? You're on a permanent contract and I don't see anything changing.
Marc, stop with the reproaches right now please or I'm leaving.
And where would you go?
…
Sorry, I'm sorry, don't cry, come here, I didn't mean to be that harsh.
Okay, it's not great right now, but I don't need you to push me down even more. Yes, I'm tired, yes, I'm fed up too with not knowing where I'm going, but I don't have a choice.
Do you want me to help you look for an apartment if you don't have time?
No, that's not it.
Then what is it?
I don't earn enough, that's all. I've visited apartments, that's not the problem, but my application gets rejected every time. I can't take it anymore, I'm so tired.
Calm down, I'm here, you can stay at my place as long as you want, you don't have to go anywhere else. Stay and give yourself some time to breathe, please.
No, I might have a solution.
Oh good, what is it?
Leave.
Leave? What do you mean?
Leave the city to find cheaper housing.
Yes, but if it's just to spend your whole budget on transportation or a car, the problem stays the same.
No, I'd leave completely, change jobs and move somewhere else entirely. They're looking for nurses everywhere so I wouldn't have trouble finding work.
Okay, and where do I fit into your plan?
Well, we'd see each other less often, but I'd probably be more available, you see?
Yeah, I see you thought of everything, that's great.
Marc, please don't take it like that, I need your support.
How do you expect me to support you when you're telling me you seriously considered leaving without talking to me about it, and that the idea of us seeing each other less doesn't seem to bother you that much? Explain!
Baby, please, don't be mad at me. I really don't want to leave, I'm starting to settle into my job, even if it's extremely demanding, I have everyone here, but if I can't afford an apartment, I have to find a solution.
But that solution, you still don't seem to consider finding it with me?
What do you mean?
I mean we're a couple. Okay, we're young, but it's not a summer fling, I think. Our relationship is solid, I don't want to see you less often, I can't stand the thought of that. You snapped at me last year when I suggested we live together, but now that we're living adult lives, that we're both working, maybe you could reconsider my proposal more seriously, couldn't you?
You mean living together?
Yes, of course.
But we're doing that already, aren't we?
But only from time to time, that doesn't count.
But your apartment isn't big enough for us to live there all the time, it's not possible, we wouldn't last six months, I don't want to risk that.
But with our two permanent contracts and me in the army, our application would be solid. We could consider a one-bedroom apartment to start with. What do you think?
Yes, that's true.
Cathy, do you think this time you'd be ready for that?
… I don't know. It scares me.
What scares you?
What if it ruined our relationship?
Why would it ruin it?
I don't know, the routine, being together 24/7, household chores… Right now, we only see each other for the best moments.
I understand, but you already told me that before we got together. We took the risk and it worked. Let's give ourselves a chance.
***********
So, it's true—you're going to live together?
Yes, Lisa, you heard right. I'm freeing up your couch!
Wow, that's amazing, I'm so happy for you, I can't wait.
Can't wait for what?
To live with my boyfriend, finally! Cathy, you want this too, right?
… pffff… it's complicated…
No, Cathy! You're not doing this out of obligation, are you? Just because you can't find an apartment?
No, I'm not allowed to say that either, but it's not how I imagined it. I would have liked to have my own place, enjoy it, and then move in with Marc afterward.
But when?
I don't know. A year maybe, or more.
Does he know?
No, obviously. Don't tell him anything, especially not—it would hurt him too much.
Yeah, but it's still not great to start a life as a couple on that basis, I think. It's not very healthy.
I know, but that's how it is, and maybe I won't regret it. It's just hard to take the step.
Let's hope so.