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Chapter Twenty-One
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Austin parked in the first open spot he found. He raced around to help Emery and gave her a long kiss before letting her touch the ground. “Ready?” He waited for her to nod her head, then gripped her hand and led her to the place that seemed to be the happening place right now. He had to wave to everyone who called his name and once again congratulated him on the win. He saw some of the other guys were there, but most were probably still stuck in traffic as they’d been for a while. “Where do you want to sit?” There weren’t too many open private spaces left and the team had the other section all taken up with yellow taped ribbon so that not just anyone could sit with them.
“Some of your team is over there.” Emery pointed to the ones who had their practice jerseys on like Austin did.
“You sure?” He really didn’t wait for an answer as he led her to the place he knew was going to get wild. After the
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Austin put his arms around Emery's waist and began to sway to the song.Emery had danced to slow songs before with other guys, well, ones that were just friends. But this time, it seemed so different with Austin. Emery placed her hands on the sides of his neck and laid her head down on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat and loved how it was the most soothing sound.It was too bad that the song couldn’t be one of the long ten-minute types. The intoxicating experience was over way too quick for Emery’s liking. The guy at the booth put on some type of hip-hop rap song that Emery had no idea what it was.“I guess you don’t dance to this type of stuff?” Austin questioned her about the song that had started playing. “You know, maybe a little twerking.” He turned around and shook his butt at her.Emery giggled at his attempt to try and do one of those butt-shaking movements. “I would probably look worse than y
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“How was your night?” Mrs. Warden greeted Emery as she stumbled her way through the door of the kitchen. It was almost nine o’clock in the morning and she knew Emery would be leaving soon for her time at the hospital.“It was good. Austin won the game and we went over to the ice cream shop to celebrate with some of his friends.” Emery grabbed her bowl of Cheerio cereal, a banana, and a large glass of orange juice.“You two are becoming quite close.” Emery’s mom sat down when she did. They hadn’t had much time to talk in the past couple of days since school, volunteer time, and Austin seemed to have consumed most of Emery’s time.Emery shrugged. “We like each other, but I’m not sure if it’s love on his part.” Austin had never exactly told her how he felt about her. Emery didn’t know how she felt about him either. She liked him, like really, really liked him. But she’d
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“You look nice.” Austin ran his hand down Emery’s bare arm and down to her hip, which was barely covered with her short black skirt.Emery chuckled at his comment but loved the fact that he had noticed. “My mom asked if I was resorting back to wearing my middle school clothes since these ones don’t seem to fit so well.” She had on a tight, dark, navy blue, frilly laced, thin-strapped shirt with a short, tight, black skirt. Her black ankle boots made the outfit complete. She had noticed that Austin’s hair had grown since summertime. Instead of the short crew cut that kept him cool, his hair was now almost to his collar. He had the top slicked back and with the new shorts and white T-shirt that he seemed to have gotten, he looked quite appetizing.“I think it looks hot.” Austin placed his hand on her bare knee but didn’t progress it any further up her leg. They still had dinner to get through and he wouldn&rsquo
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Emery was waiting with Austin outside of the school as the buses that were going to take them to the game pulled up. They were supposed to be celebrating his eighteenth birthday tonight, but instead, he was leaving to play football.“So, happy birthday once again and we have a lot to make up for tomorrow night.” She leaned her head on his chest and felt comfort as he wrapped his arms around her.Austin chuckled at her suggestion. He kissed the top of her head. “Is that a promise or you teasing?” He felt Emery’s forehead. “Are you feeling all right? You seem a little warm like you have a fever.”“Hmm.” Emery grabbed his backside. “I guess you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out.” She kissed him one last time then stepped away from his arms. “Yes, I’m fine and it looks like they’re ready.” The other guys were getting onto the bus and some were calling Austin that
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Austin finally made it home from the game after two on Saturday afternoon. He threw his old clothes and uniform into his room, said hello to his parents, then walked back outside to have a quiet moment to call Emery. Her cell phone rang three or four times, which was odd since she usually answered on first ring when he called. Finally, he heard someone answer. “Hey, baby, I’m home. You ready for tonight?” He didn’t wait for her to say hello before he spoke.“Austin, this is Emery’s mom.” Emery’s cell phone had been left behind when she was taken to the hospital. Mrs. Warden decided to answer so that she could tell Austin where Emery was.He felt heat rush to his face and was thankful he hadn’t said anything perverted for her mom to hear. “Um, hello, Mrs. Warden. Is Emery available?”Why would she be answering her daughter’s phone?Emery usually had it under lock and key by her side.
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Mrs. Warden knew something was wrong as soon as she walked into her daughter’s room. Emery had the TV turned off and was staring up at the ceiling. She noticed that her eyes were reddened as if she’d been crying. “Honey, what happened?” Mrs. Warden took hold of Emery’s hand and sat down on a chair. She braced herself for bad news but hoped that Emery’s doctor hadn’t been in to give her grim news.Emery didn’t want to talk about what had happened with Austin. She knew if she did she risked crying again which was something she said she’d never do over a guy. She croaked out a ‘nothing’ to her mom and hoped that maybe it sounded truthful.“Alexia Emery Warden. I know you aren’t telling me the truth.” Mrs. Warden heard the sadness in Emery’s tone and saw it in her eyes. There was something that her daughter wasn’t telling her and she was going to get to the bottom of it.
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It was almost eight o’clock when Austin rolled out of bed after his nap. The party should be happening right now and he intended to go and forget all about Emery. He grabbed a T-shirt and jeans out of his closet, then hit the shower for a quick clean.Twenty minutes later, he was in his truck and rolling down the road. Lucky for him, his mom still wasn’t home to question him any more about Emery. He didn’t need her involved with his love life.Austin smacked himself on the forehead with his hand. You dumb shit. You told Emery that you fell in love with her at the hospital. He needed to get to this party quick for a fast forget everything shot of whisky.The sound of the music blaring from inside of the house greeted him as he pulled along the curbside of Dylan’s house. It seemed his parents had taken a mini-vacation to some hotel and left their responsible eighteen-year-old son in charge for the weekend. So, Dylan did what most h
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Austin opened his eyes and then quickly shut them. The light and blaring sounds made his head pound even harder. He tried to lift his head up off whatever pillow he was laying on, but it felt like it weighed a ton. Austin blinked open his eyes again, then again, and finally kept them open to take in his surroundings.“It seems sleeping beauty has finally awoken.” Laney had seen Austin struggling around trying to focus on where he was at and keep his head balanced at the same time.“Am I still at the party?” Austin remembered coming to where the party was located, he could even remember what had happened with Emery earlier, but after that, it all seemed like such a blur.“Yep.” Laney nodded her head as she answered Austin’s question. “You’ve been out for about an hour. Got a headache?” She knew from experience that his head was probably pounding right about now.Austin ran his hands over his face
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It’s been almost one year since Emery found out cancer returned and claimed her life. We had to move back closer to home to where her doctors practice so that she could complete her chemo and radiation treatments again. It was so hard to watch her go through that, knowing how much pain she was in and how much I wish I could’ve taken it all away, but I couldn’t. There was nothing I could’ve done to help her except hold and love her as much as I could. She kept fighting and trying to stay strong, but it seemed the disease took her from me no matter how hard we both fought it. We did get to see another snowfall together. As she watched from our bedroom window, I made a snowman for us like the ones we used to make together. I had a feeling that would be the last time we would both be present for the yearly tradition of building the snowman. Too many memories would tear me apart with that scenario to continue
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“Austin,” Emery yelled once more at her boyfriend, who was always taking forever to get ready. “I have a long drive and you, dear, have to be at work in thirty minutes.” After graduation from nursing, they both passed the mandated state board exam to get their nursing license and landed jobs at a children’s hospital near Lake Erie.“I’m coming.” Austin bounded down the steps of their townhouse and kissed Emery when he reached the bottom. He grew to love her more and more with each passing day and couldn’t wait until the next year when she said they could finally become legally wed. “So,” he wrapped her in a tight hug, “you’ll be careful driving to your doctor’s appointment and promise to tell me everything as soon as you get back, right?”Emery kissed him once more before stepping out of his embrace. “I will, sir.” She saluted him.“I just want to know eve
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Emery didn’t know what to say. They’d talked about this a few times before, but as of lately it hadn’t been mentioned at all. She’d told him last year that she would never get married to leave her husband all alone if cancer ever came back and overtook her. But now that she felt better than ever, she was having a change of mind. “I don’t know what to say.” After a minute delay of him asking and still being on one knee, Emery finally gave him an answer.“I’d like for you to say yes, but that decision isn’t up to me.” Austin stood upright and kept the ring in his hand.“I thought we had talked about this before. You know my reason why. It’s not that I don’t love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you, but I can’t promise you forever.” Emery knew she was only supposed to cry at a time like this out of happiness, and she was happy, but also so confused and upset.
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Emery heard the lock on the door being undone. She quickly covered her and Austin up even more with the additional blanket at the bottom of the bed. A girl stumbled in and relocked the door. She looked as though she’d had a few too many of whatever alcoholic drinks she’d been drinking. With her blonde curls bouncing along, she tried to quietly stumble to her bed. She glanced over at Emery’s side of the room and her eyes went wide when she saw eyes looking back at her.“Hey, sorry if I woke you. I’m Kristy” Emery’s roommate turned on her own lamp. She pointed and squealed when she noticed Austin beside Emery. “You already brought one back. I’m glad to see we’re alike in that way. I was so afraid that I was going to get stuck with some roommate who didn’t like to party and all they ever did was study and be like the biggest nerd on campus.” Kristy’s mouth kept running more than Emery wanted to hear at
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“Do you have everything?” Emery’s mom was helping her carry down some of the stuff that she needed to take to the dormitory. The past three weeks since graduation had passed in a blur. Mrs. Warden was trying hard to control her emotions, but this was the first time her daughter would be away from home for a prolonged time.Emery looked around her room and the suitcases she’d packed. “Yep, I think so.” The main things she would need in her dorm room were already there. The bed, dresser, and desk had all been provided. She just had to bring her own things to put on or in them. Emery noted that her mom had tears in her eyes and was trying hard not to cry. “I’ll miss you too.” She pulled her mom into a hug as they both wept about her leaving.“I guess we better get going.” Mrs. Warden finally let go of Emery after they had their big cry fest. Both their eyes, nose, and cheeks were now red. She grabbed a tiss
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Two days later Austin found out he’d passed his history course with almost a B. He contributed that success to all of Emery’s help with studying. He took her out to dinner for a celebration and also learned that she’d gotten her letter of acceptance into Case Western. Their plans were moving right along and each was excited to get started on the next part of their life and relationship.“Guess this is it.” Austin stood with Emery in their caps and gowns in the designated part of the stadium. It was graduation night and it was going to be a long process with over nine hundred kids in their class. His last name was in the middle and hers was at the end of the alphabet so they had a good while to wait. “Are you happy that you decided to wait this all out?”Emery nodded yes. She was going to just get her diploma in December, but once she and Austin got serious she went ahead with the normal graduation. “Just ner
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“I can’t believe we graduate next week.” Emery tossed her backpack on the floor and sat down in the chair next to Austin.The library was buzzing with seniors as they all tried to get in some last-minute studying before the last exams the next day. Prom had been the week before and the excitement from that had finally dwindled down. Austin had been nominated Prom King and Apryl had been elected as his Queen. Of course, they had to do their couple’s dance together, but Austin made it comical as he held her at a twelve-inch distance away from him at all times. When the song had finally ended he dropped her like a hot potato and went back to Emery’s side.The couple along with Laney and Brandon went to an after-prom party together, but neither couple stayed out until the wee hours. They’d broken the news to their two friends about leaving in June. They seemed genuinely upset, but then announced they were also going to coll
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“Do we really have to go back?” Emery knew she sounded whiny, but they were almost back home and she really didn’t want to go back to their normal life and routine.Austin laughed and pulled her closer to his side. “We have to now, but just think we can leave all of this in another two and half months.” He had to start football camp at Case Western at the end of June. Although it was a long shot, he hoped Emery would be accepted and be ready to go by then.“That’s if I get into school and if my parents don’t throw too much of a fit knowing I’ll be that far away.” She laid her head on Austin’s shoulder and continued to watch the towns fly by.“School isn’t going to be the issue, telling our parents what we’ve decided to do is the problem.” He knew both his mom and dad would probably be disappointed in what he’d chosen, but it was time for Austin to ta
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The bed squeaked as they both collapsed onto it. Austin regained his breath, then rolled off of Emery’s back. She was flattened out, with her arms spread wide and her face buried into the mattress. “Are you okay?” He hoped he hadn’t hurt her. How would he explain that to her parents?Emery gathered enough strength to roll herself over. Austin was laying there in all his naked wonderment, looking at her as if he was sorry for what had happened. “That was awesome.” She slowly crawled up and lay down beside him. Austin pulled the blanket that had fallen to the floor over the both of them. He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her as close as he could.“I love you.” Austin kissed the girl who had stolen his heart on the cheek. She made him feel things that no one else had ever done before. Emery had become his life and he couldn’t imagine a day going by that she wasn’t part of it.Instead of repeating the s
