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After Everything 25
He leans in running his thumb along my cheek with a gentle stroke, the wave of butterflies are filling my entire body in anticipation. His touch finally jolts me, as he leans in and smashes his lips against mine. My mind finally aligns with my body as I move my arms and wrap them around his shoulders as his grabs my face between his hands to deepen the kiss. I feel this everywhere. Like everywhere. He is everywhere. In me. Around me. Consuming me. The kiss is everything. It is fucking amazing. We kiss and kiss and kiss. It feels like days and hours have passed but in reality it’s a matter of minutes and seconds. His scent. His warmth. His presence. It’s all filling me. It reaches into every crevice of my body and ignites it. I never want to stop kissing him, like ever. But reality draws in and we slowly detach our mouths from each other. As I move my arms to around his waist and he pulls me closer to his body, there isn’t an inch of space separating us. We stay here
After Everything 26
We are together. Kingston and I we have been dating for a week now and to be honest we fell into it very easily. Nothing much changed from before, except for a lot more touching whenever we’re together and an increasing amount of intimacy when making out. We haven’t taken that next step. We will soon, but for our now we are riding the wave of our new found bliss. Today’s his first home game in a while, so I ditched Cole’s jumper for a new jumper with a ‘27’ and ‘James’ scrawled across the back. And well since Austen and Josie are now out in the open loved-up she is wearing his ‘13’ and ‘Cooper’ written in bold text across her back. We snapped a photo before the game with our guys before they hit the change-rooms. Addy and Sutton just have plain jerseys on now with no numbers of the back, I said they could wear Coles still but they opted out. I’m slowly starting to enjoy the sport more, it was dad’s thing and being surrounded by it is turning into a positive thing it’s like he’l
After Everything 27
We enter the lecture hall after picking up coffee this morning from Glazes, our new morning ritual we do together. Kingston practically lives at mine he doesn’t need much and I’m closer to campus. And well Cole is at his and as much as I love my brother doing stuff with your boyfriend whilst your brother is walls away he is not the most comfortable. We tried one time to stay at his but Cole practically burst into the room the minute he heard something, so we never tried that again. It’s a state of bliss, calm, comfort and perfection. He learnt I am not a morning person without my coffee. I learnt no kisses with morning breath. I’ve discovered he loves little kisses just along his jaw in the morning. I also learnt he does not sleep in, ever. He tries not to wake me but well he is as loud as a baby elephant and the instant feeling of warmth leaving me hits. So we get coffee every morning from Glazes sometimes I look like a zombie with my hair everywhere, bags under my eye
After Everything 28
She gets this little grin that tugs on her lips when something is making her all giddy. She hasn’t stopped giving me that look for the past 30 minutes. As I much as I love planning dates and making her feel special because that’s everything she deserves. The look on her face right now shows me that maybe I should let her plan some more. She does love her routines and planning. I have seen her google calendar, it’s all colour coded and perfect. The way she meticulously follows every step of her routine in the morning or before bed its freaking adorable. She has small little quirks she does like dancing to no music when she’s brushing her teeth or how she recites grey’s anatomy whilst doing her makeup. Or how she always stands like ‘a superhero’ in front of the mirror and repeats the line of Amelia Shepherd ‘only freaking superheroes’ Which she totally is. She is so strong and brave I admire her courage and strength. She has her days from time to time. This morning I coul
After Everything 29
The unfamiliar coldness of the other side of the bed hits me in an instant. That’s when I remember Kingston is away on a team building camp in the middle of the season with the byes and whatever. It’s been 4 days since he left. I miss him. It puts a time difference between us. Not the best thing to have in a relationship. But this could become reality… In 9 months or so. Not that I’ve been the best girlfriend during the past 6 days either. I could lie and say I don’t want Kingston to follow me wherever I end up but Damien raised me better and I don’t lie. This short week stint of long distance well it’s hard. Dependency has always been an issue of mine, I’m either super attached or so far away from a person, it’s like I’m in a different country to them even though they’re right next to me. Over the years I’ve fallen into dependency on a few people. Trust comes hard for me it takes me awhile to open up and fully trust someone completely. But that’s the thing about dependency
After Everything 30
He hangs up and I know what I need to do. I walk down the hotel corridor towards Coach’s room. I know he’s in here because I can hear the NHL replays on the TV in the background. I knock. “Hey Coach. I need to leave now.” “It’s her isn’t it?” “Yeah she is not doing okay at all everyone is trying to help her but she asked for me.” “You are going. My daughter loves that girl like her own sister. Hell, she is like my own daughter. So you go take all the time you need and don’t come back until she is okay. You hear me son. Emerson Tate Fitzgerald is a special kind of gem. Her heart holds the most love but it also means she feels the most pain and she is in an immense amount of pain right now. You go and save her. Save yourself because by the looks of your face I can see it’s breaking you too.” “Thank you.” Is all I can mutter in response as I hear his words and digest them. I walk back into my room to see Miles is packing my bag. “Thanks man.” “You are shakin
After Everything 31
I’m packing up the place I called home for the past two weeks. Two weeks ago. I hit rock bottom. I fell straight into depression. But everyone and I mean everyone never gave up on me. And him. He came when I said I needed him the most. He was there. Every step of the way. I honestly knew what I was asking for when I said I needed him. It was the biggest cry for help. I didn’t want to come back here for the reasons I told them that night but I knew I had to. I accepted it and believed these two weeks would help. And they did tremendously. I’m feeling a lot better now. I feel like the weight of the past five years is finally off my shoulders. I spent the past 10 days in a mental health facility for teenage girls. Lily owns and runs the place. She does an amazing job. Group therapy is good. But my thoughts and lightbulb moments usually happen on the pink plush couch of Lily’s office. She has many seating options but the pink couch has and always will be my favouri
After Everything 32
She’s back. I have spent the past two weeks on edge. I knew it was what she needed to recover, move on to finally allow herself to be happy for real. I missed her so much. Her smile. Her little routines. I missed it all. It was hard without her but we did it. And seeing her flash that smile at me from across the street made it all worth it. The time apart so she can heal and grow. I picked her up from the facility and she looked lighter and happier than I’d ever seen her. We spent the car ride talking and catching up. The ease she spoke with and strength to go through what she did. We went and got ice-cream continuing the tradition. We went home so she could see her brothers after we had spent the last couple hours together. The girls have a night planned for her tonight and Josie is going to spend the night with her. Per Em’s request. But Josie already made a group chat with me, Cole and Damien to send updates to because she knows she would want that. She is the lig
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After Everything Epilogue
REHEARSAL DINNER | the night before the wedding MATURE CONTENT | 18+ “We are getting married tomorrow. Like tomorrow.” Em says from her spot resting on my chest. “Yeah we are, surreal huh?” I respond. “Um yes, but I’m excited.” “Me too, no nerves?” “None not with you ever.” That makes my heart swell. “So you aren’t going to pull a Burke and leave me at the alter?” I ask referring to one of the many weddings on Greys. “Not at all, I want this so fucking much.” “Me too Em.” “I love you.” She whispers. “I love you more.” “How are your vows going?” She asks. Ugh those things, the declaration of love. Matrimony. They are coming along nicely but I just know Em’s are going to be like 1000 times better than mine. “Good. Yours?” I ask and she smirks. “I’m happy, Josie loves them so I hope you do too. Because there’s still time for Jos and I to run of into the sunset.” That’s not the first time either of them have mentioned their happily ever afte
After Everything 68
Time flies when you are busy, overworked and exhausted. I feel like I blinked and now it’s a week out from my own wedding. I’m getting married to the love of my life in a week. I couldn’t be happier or more excited. But first, the bachelorette night courtesy of Josie my maid of honour. I knock on her apartment door, box in hand and question ready on my lips. “Oh Em you look nice, did you want Josie?” Austen asks opening the door to greet me. “Thank you and yes I would like my best friend.” “Did Kingston ask you yet?” “Yeah last night although I’m kind of sad I didn’t get a box too.” “Oh well, guess you don’t have the better best-friend.” That’s something we all fight over who has the better best-friendship, which duo is better. The sisters by love or brothers by choice. We don’t know. There will never to be a correct answer. Because really we are just a lucky bunch of people to be surrounded by amazing company that we get to share, live and love with.
After Everything 67
“That’s not fair!” I shout as Em hits me again with the water gun. She continues until I surrender and throw her over my shoulder as she laughs at me. “Kingston put me down.” “What, baby?” She starts pinching my behind and I can’t reach her hand to slap it away. “Stop that.” “Well put me down now.” I throw her in the water. She breaks the surface and her stern gazes meets mine. “Not like that.” “You asked for it.” “I said put me down not toss me in the lake.” We are up at Miles’ vacation home in Cape Cod we have come the past two years as one big massive family. It has enough beds for everyone. We play games, cook together, laugh, have fun, it’s a tradition I don’t see us breaking anytime soon. This is sort of our last hoorah. All together. After this we all go our separate ways. Yeah we’ll stay in touch but it won’t be the same. Unless we all live near each other again. When we leave here tomorrow we will be making the journey to New York. Sin
After Everything 66
There are future spoilers for other couples (who will eventually have their own stories). It’s hard writing this time for K&E and not talking about where their friends lives are at. They are all so close like a massive family. So read at your own discretion. Pause reading here, if you want to read Josie and Austen’s story from the beginning and not where they end up, I try keep it to a minimum, but again kind of hard since it effects King and Em directly. It’s up to you where you go from here! These chapters and this time was my favourite to write and are probably some of my best “Come on Em we are going to miss our flight if you don’t hurry up?” Kingston shouts from the bathroom. “Josie you too. Hurry up.” Austen adds. “Em what is taking so long?” “Just need to finish, last chapter…” “You have time for that on the plane, now get your butt in gear. Are you packed, do you have everything?” He says snatching my iPad from me. He pulls me into his chest. “Yes
After Everything 65
6 MONTHS LATER… Graduation, baby. We finally did it. Boston U’s Class of 22! It’s been an amazing, adventurous, sweet, crazy journey. But we did. Us four girls stand hand in hand in their apartment before we finally head out to walk across the stage. After four years. All the ups and downs. Every party. Failed grade. Library study session. Coffee from Glazes. Hockey game. Sorority event. We made it through. Stronger and better than ever. We all have incredible futures ahead of us. Me as at nursing school. Josie at an internship for Vogue. Addison as a teacher at a prestigious school. Sutton at an insane PR and Marketing firm for Sports Professionals. I can’t believe we did it. I love these girls more than life itself. Without them this would have been a boring journey. We are sisters. Wherever we end up we will always have each other. “You girls ready to go?” Cole asks from his spot next to the door. He’s accompanied by Kingston, Austen and
After Everything 64
We’ve enjoyed a perfect state of bliss bridging the gap between Christmas and New Years. We spent the time with Em’s family. It’s important for her mental health to spend time with them and during the semester it doesn’t happen that often. So we soaked up all the time we could with them. Along with bouncing back and forth to my parents as well. Over the past year our relationship has grown to new heights. All because of the girl next to me. She was the catalyst. The fighting force. My parents thank her every time. She just smiles and says sweet words in response. But she truly has no idea how strong they feel over this. Knowing I could have ended up like him scares them the most. But more importantly it scares me. We also took time and brought Cora and Tate with us. Since the two of them are two peas in a pod. It’s adorable honestly. Seeing them get along so well is amazing. We are home now. And tonight is party night. We are getting all dressed up and heading t
After Everything 63
Christmas is in full swing at the Hale-Cooper and Fitzgerald-James apartment. Like it looks like Santa and his 12 reindeer threw up in our apartment. There are decorations everywhere. Not that I expected anything less from Josie. I mean she makes ‘Winter Wonderland’ her bitch. The tree is real for god sake. Real. Like pine and woody smelling. It fills the apartment day in and out. Oh and if that isn’t enough there is about 16 Christmas soy scented candles in our apartment. There’s bound to be 2 burning at all times in every room. The carols and music fill our speaker system in our apartment every morning 9am sharp. Then throughout the day its the alternating routine between music and movies. There are snacks always out. Candy canes. Hershey’s kisses with festive flavours. There is always a round of Pillsbury Christmas cookies in the cupboard and one in the oven. Oh and fresh ready to bake packet in the fridge. Just for safe keeping. In case we eat them all. We’ve b
After Everything 62
It’s been a month since Em’s incident. It scared and terrified me. Receiving that phone call from Callum. I knew I shouldn’t have left her… I’m cooking dinner for us at home, the vegetables are prepped and chicken is cooking now. Josie is studying at the breakfast bar. Austen’s not home and Em isn’t home from the library either. “Not studying with Em today?” I ask Josie. “Nah cramps got really bad today, so I just decided to stay home. That smells good.” “Thanks.” “Ugh Kingston your phone is ringing.” “Does it say who it is?” “Callum. I think.” Miles’ boyfriend why would he be ringing me. “Pass it here.” “Alright.” She leans over and grabs it. “Hi Callum.” “Umm hi I’m with Emerson now, something’s happened. She needs you. We are on our way to the hospital now.” With that all the colour drains from me. Emerson, hospital, what the fuck. “Kingston what is it?” Josie asks worried. “Emerson something happened.” “What? Where.” “I don’t know we need to
After Everything 61
“Damien, I can’t….. that……. I hate….. It hurts Damien, I can’t breathe…” “Emmy you’re ok, slowly in and out, there you go, you are safe now. You have a concussion, you are going to need stitches for the cut and will need some wrapping on your wrist.” “WHERE IS SHE?” I hear the familiar voice I love come down the hall. “Do you want to see him? He’ll understand if you don’t.” I just nod and squeeze his arm. “I love you Emmy, you’ll get through this. We’ll see Lily together alright. I’m not leaving you alone.” He enters to hallway leaving me with the nurse in the room. It’s protocol, I know that. Kingston enters the room and I can see his tear stricken eyes. “I’m so fucking sorry. Emerson. I should have been there. I should have. I’m so sorry.” “It’s not your fault.” “I know but I should have been there, I shouldn’t have left you there by yourself.” “How were you meant to know. I’ve done that many times. Just tonight something happened.” “It’s not your
