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Chapter Twenty-Six
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Austin 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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Two days later, Emery finally got to go home and got permission to go back to school. Not that she was looking forward to it, but it was better than being cooped up in the hospital or her house. She’d heard from Laney, as they texted regularly and she told her she’d see her tomorrow at school, but Emery hadn’t heard from Austin since Saturday. The way that Laney had talked seemed as though she knew something about Austin, but wouldn’t come right out and tell her what it was. If it was bad, Emery was certain she would find out what it was once she went into school in the morning.Austin thought about not going to school today. He hadn’t seen or talked to Emery since Saturday, but Laney told him she would be back in on Tuesday. If it wasn’t for a damn math test, he would just blow off and stay at home, saving him and Emery a lot of stress. He decided to leave a little earlier than normal, most people liked to show up at the last minute so he&
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Austin heard the rumors and saw bits of the video that was circulating around the school. He wanted to punch whoever had filmed that piece from Saturday night and did a viral email of it. He knew it had to have been one of Apryl’s bitches, but he couldn’t confront them just yet and make a scene. Laney had told him that Emery had seen it and she hadn’t seen her since she walked out of the bathroom. Austin knew she hadn’t left school as he made sure to walk past each of her classes and saw her always seated with her head down in some book.“Have you gotten to talk to her?” Laney scooted in beside Austin at the lunchroom table. The girl who had been seated beside him let out a large hiss of annoyance for being pushed away from the spot that she had probably worked hard to get to.“No.” Austin didn’t want to discuss any of this at lunch, especially with all eyes and ears focused on him right now.“You know,
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The following week of school went by without any issues or conflicts arising for either Emery or Austin. They saw each other in the halls, but neither made an attempt to talk to the other. There was a football game on Friday, one that Laney talked Emery into going to, just to support the dance team and nothing else. Emery decided to go because there was nothing else planned and she didn’t want to spend it sitting around watching old movies and eating popcorn with her parents. The following day was her eighteenth birthday, she and Austin did have plans, but now everything was up in the air of what she was actually going to do.***“Just make sure you sit on the opposite side of where Apryl and her whores will be.” Laney gave Emery instructions of where she needed to sit so that she would be near the dance team and not the cheerleaders.“I know.” Emery patted Laney’s shoulder. “I’ve been to almost every game
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“You need to get down there.” Laney grabbed Emery’s hand and began to pull her toward the stairs that led to the track and field. The people that were supposed to be keeping everyone off of the sidelines were so preoccupied with what was going on that they didn’t even attempt to stop Laney and Emery from gaining access to the field.“They’re not going to let me by him.” Emery pulled on Laney’s hand. She wasn’t family and as far as she knew none of the coaches knew she and Austin were or had been together.Laney knew the protocol when something like this happened and Emery was right about not getting close. But at least they got this far and were on the field. She pulled Emery close to the team so they wouldn’t stand out and get kicked off. “I don’t think his parents are here.” Laney looked around, but didn’t see Austin’s mom or dad anywhere.“I haven’t seen him
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Emery walked up the stairs toward the second floor of the hospital. She took deep breaths and tried to calm her nerves before she went in to see Austin. The door leading to the second floor creaked open as the light flooded the stairwell. There were several nurses in the hallway, but none of them paid her much mind as she walked past on her way to Austin’s room.The door was shut when Emery finally came to the room that Dr. Holt had told her Austin would be in. She knocked softly, but there was no answer. She slowly opened it up and peeked inside. Austin was laying on the bed with the covers pulled halfway up. There was an IV in his arm and the TV was turned on low. It seemed whoever had delivered him had already done their thing and left.Emery sat on the chair beside the bed. Her eyes carefully gazed over Austin’s body, looking for any signs of trauma, but he looked like he normally did, only now he was asleep. She took hold of his hand and lightly intert
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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
