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F I F T Y - T H R E E
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2024-10-29 19:42:56It took a few days before Paloma and Heath were released from the hospital. Heath had suffered a concussion, a broken leg and a few broken ribs, but he was healing well. Paloma had been mainly unharmed, although she was knocked unconscious during the collision. Doctors had done a multitude of scans to make sure she wasn’t bleeding internally or suffering any underlying issues and had found that she was doing okay.
They couldn’t remember much of the accident, only that the car had redlined as if it had been stationary before their arrival at the intersection. There had been a small crowd of witnesses at the scene but all had been unable to provide a definitive description of the perpetrator, only causing Kate’s stomach to churn in unease.
Guilt had consumed her at the officer’s words. She had offered for Paloma and Heath to stay with her, but they had declined. All Paloma wanted was to spend time with Florence. The brief hospital visits hadn’t been enough. She had gratefu
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Rude Awakenings F I F T Y - F O U R
Exhaustion pushed Kate into bed, her eyes flickering to her phone and noting it was only 10 pm. She had tried to stay awake for the second American Pie movie, but her body was tired and she had admitted defeat a quarter of the way through. Heath had been sleeping for the majority of the day, being lovingly spoon fed soup and pasta by Paloma as he rested, so of course, he was so wide awake that he could marathon all four movies. As Kate had made her escape, she saw Paloma curled contently in his lap, her eyes drifting closed as she watched the movie.Colton’s voice trailed down the hallway, saying goodnight before he slunk into the bedroom. Pyjama pants hung low on his hips and as he tugged off his white shirt, the delectable v of his lower abdomen was exposed, pointing straight down towards his impressive member hidden beneath the gray fabric.A pillow flew in her direction, whacking the side of her head softly as Colton laughed, “Fucking perv.”Giggles erupted fro
Rude Awakenings F I F T Y - F I V E
“I’m sorry. What did you say?” Kate squeaked, caramel eyes bulging as her mouth hung open in shock.“I said… marry me.” His voice was a whisper, husky and raw, as he ran his thumb down her cheek, “I can’t live without you. I barely got through one night without you. You make me feel things I haven’t felt before. You make me want to be a better person. You make me want to be a husband and a father, someone responsible and not living off my fuckwit father’s money.” He took a deep breath, his voice wavering as he continued, “I knew from the minute I saw you in that damn hallway, with your sweet smile and your thousands of boxes full of crap, that you were the person I was going to spend forever with, and it scared the fuck out of me. So I made sure I kept my distance, but I could never get you out of my head. Never. You had a permanent residency and it was annoying as fuck, and I tried hard to fight it, but once you let me in, I knew for sure, you are the love of my fucking life.
Rude Awakenings F I F T Y -S I X
Music blasted from Kate’s phone, her body swaying to the rapid tempo as she brushed her teeth. An amused snort echoed behind her, earning Colton a playful glare from over her shoulder. His hands quickly found her hips, kissing the side of her head lovingly as she continued to dance.“You’re in a good mood,” he murmured, the faint scent of coffee lingering on his breath.Bending forward to rinse her mouth, Kate smirked as her rear pressed into Colton’s lap. She maintained the swing of her hips to the music, giggling at the soft hiss that slipped his lips. Rising, Kate spun around, resting her palms on the slippery porcelain sink as her eyes flamed. Colton’s hands framed hers, caging her in.“What are you playing at?” he asked in curious amusement.“It’s been four weeks.”Low eyebrows creased, “Okay?”Wiggling her brows suggestively, grinning at the hard laugh that rumbled in Colton’s throat, Kate bit her lip, “The doctor gave me the all-clear to… y
Rude Awakenings F I F T Y - S E V E N
Wrapped up together between the sheets of the bed, Colton clutching Kate to his chest, her eyes lingered emotionally at the pretty ring that glimmered on her finger. She didn’t know how long they’d been lying there, but she was in no rush to move.An abrupt knock on the door interrupted that idea though. Kate frowned, checking the time on her phone, “Who would be coming over at quarter to ten in the morning?”A month ago, a random knock would’ve made her curious but not startled. The car accident however, had her constantly on edge. Every bump in the night, every phone call from an unknown number, every shuffle of footsteps outside the apartment made her nervous. She felt bad for searing permanent moon-shaped gauges in Colton’s muscular biceps.“It’s probably Paloma, or maybe Heath,” he murmured comfortingly, sweeping her hair from her face as he rose. “Don’t stress.”Slipping from the bed, Kate wrapped a robe around her pyjama-clad body, hesitating in the do
Rude Awakenings F I F T Y - E I G H T
Friday afternoon had fast approached. Kate was grateful to see the end of the week. Work had been incredibly busy and she ended up coming home late most nights. Colton had been as amazing as usual, cooking dinner without complaint and offering her foot massages as they curled up together on the sofa. She was looking forward to spending a weekend of doing nothing, entwined with Colton for the majority of her waking hours.Dropping her bags at the front door, Kate let out an exhausted sigh, hastily kicking off the new flats she had stupidly decided to wear on her busiest day. Blisters littered her heels, legs sore from the copious amount of walking she had done as she flittered between meetings.“Hey, babe,” Colton smiled, his bare back greeting her from the stove. Glancing over his shoulder, he frowned, “Bad day?”“Just busy,” Kate suspired, undoing the buttons of her light pink blouse as she wandered into the kitchen. She kissed his bare shoulder, then his cheek as
Rude Awakenings F I F T Y - N I N E
The pub was bustling, crowded with young club-goers looking to start their club crawls with a few cheap drinks beneath their belt, as well as the wearily-employed hoping to enjoy the start of their weekend with a buzz. Sinking into the plastic-covering of the barstool, Colton downed the frothy amber liquid before pushing the empty glass back at the bartender. Glancing toward the door, his foot tapped impatiently against the steel base of the stool as he awaited Heath's arrival. He’d already been here for over thirty minutes and there was no sign of his friend. Colton rolled his eyes at the thought of Paloma suckering him into staying home.A fresh pint of beer slung towards him, the attractive bartender winking seductively, flicking her platinum blonde hair over her bronzed shoulder.“I didn’t order this,” Colton snapped, averting his gaze as she leaned in closer.Resting her forearms against the polished counter, the woman squeezed her arms against her chest, her
Rude Awakenings S I X T Y
Swinging open the freezer door, Kate chewed her lower lip, staring longingly at the coffee toffee ice-cream and debating whether she should bother with a bowl. She decided against it, grabbing a spoon and retreating to the sofa. Condensation dripped down the blue sides of the tub as she flicked through the channels absentmindedly. Settling on a rerun of some true-crime show, she rested the tub between her crossed legs and began distractedly shoveling ice-cream into her mouth.The baffling cold case that played wasn’t enough to stop her thinking of Colton, wondering what he was doing and when he planned on coming home. Picking up her phone, she dialed his number, holding her breath as she awaited the hoarse growl of his voice. The call went straight to voicemail and Kate let out an aggravated groan. He was so fucking stubborn. Tapping out a message, she hit send and prayed he would turn on his phone soon;I’m sorry for being a bitch. Please come home. I miss you xA
Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - O N E
Stumbling up the staircase, Colton groaned. He had sobered up somewhat, his drinking buddy having left the bar long before Colton was kicked out by the prick bouncer. Rhys had wanted to install an elevator but Colton had vetoed it. Well, he was fucking regretting it now.Sitting down on the steps of the second floor, he fished his phone from his jeans pocket. Over twenty missed calls from Kate in the four-hour span since he had spoken to her last, plus a bounty of text messages telling him to get the fuck home, followed by a final one that told him she was going to sleep and locking the door although she would leave the chain undone.With a fresh wave of energy, Colton rose, hurrying up the stairwell to the fourth floor. He was still angry. The photo of Kate kissing that random piece of shit seared in his mind, burning with a vengeance, but he knew that for tonight, at least, he just wanted to be tangled in her long limbs. He couldn’t explain his own logic, but sleeping
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Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & T W E N T Y
The hot water beat down on Kate’s tired body, doing little to ease the aches and pains of her exhausted muscles and absolutely nothing to diffuse the mental depletion she felt. Perpetually fatigued was now her permanent state of being, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. She hurried to work the shampoo through her now shoulder-length brown hair, keeping one eye on the baby monitor that flashed on the vanity. She closed her eyes momentarily, silently praying that everyone stayed asleep for just five more minutes. Bubbles tingled across her pink chipped toenails - a reminder from her and Paloma’s last day out alone, sans kids. She stifled a giggle, remembering how Colton had phoned her, asking her a million questions while squeals echoed in the background. Upon her return, he had met her at the door, black tee covered in spit-up and mashed banana while exhausted eyes stared at her gratefully. The click of the bathroom door dragged her from her thoughts, squinting eye
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & N I N E T E E N
Colton’s wide eyes stared back at Kate, as she panted through yet another excruciating contraction; her entire pelvis spreading apart to allow their baby to enter the world. The floral tones of Bernadette’s perfume wafted through the room as she returned, snapping on a pair of blue latex gloves, a stack of blue sheets tucked under her arm. Another woman trudged behind, not clearly as enthused as Bernadette, sanitizing her hands before sliding on her own pair of gloves. Snapping her gum, she made her way over to the machine beside Kate’s bed, mature hazel eyes peering over square glasses to scan the paper slowly rolling from the machine.“Okay, Kate,” Bernadette chirped from the end of the bed, her short hair curled eloquently atop her head. Kate took in the swirls of brown, ebbing and flowing across her crown as she pushed through another surge of pain. “Kate,” Bernadette smiled, patting Kate’s bare leg to garner her atten
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & E I G H T E E N
Shivering as she swept the blankets off her bloated body, Kate groaned, awkwardly clambering from the bed, one hand attempting to massage her lower back as she waddled to the bathroom. The sun had begun to rise, its rays just starting to seep through the small crack of their curtain. It bounced off Colton’s watch face, illuminating a soft glowy spot on the roof. She cast a glance over her shoulder, unable to help the smile that grew across her face at Colton’s muffled snores, his bare torso exposed with one inked hand resting atop it. His wedding ring glistened ever so slightly in the dewy dawn light. She’d always assumed married life would feel no different and for the first few weeks, aside from the bubbling excitement that they’d actually gone through with it, it hadn’t, but as the weeks turned to months, Kate grew to understand exactly why people did it. Knowing that Colton had wholeheartedly committed himself to her for the rest of his life was an
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & S E V E N T E E N
The car jounced down the dirt road, wheels spinning stray flecks of gravel through the air. The sky was almost pitch black now, a thick blanket filled with tiny stars that glinted brightly against the navy backdrop. The woods, still filled with the unsettling presence of flashlights, seemed eerier in the rearview, the few police cars that remained at the cottage shining from the glow of the kitchen light emanating from the window. Kate tugged at the threads of Colton’s sweatshirt, pulling the fabric over her mouth as she buried herself into the passenger seat. The radio announcer's voice drifted through the otherwise silent interior, talking about a new song being released by a popular female artist. Kate tried to focus on what he was saying, to push away the intrusive thoughts that were swirling through her mind, but his words turned into a mish-mash of nonsense, garbled sounds that made no sense to her. From her peripheral, she caught Colton m’s hand resting gently aga
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & S I X T E E N
“Colton!”Her own voice rang in her ears, the sharp whistle of a gunshot pulsing deep in the chambers of her mind as all other noises diffused, dulling down to an almost non-existent whine. Colton’s body crumpled to the floor, the rifle discharging as it hit the scuffed floorboards; another loud pop burrowing into her eardrums. Attempting to stand, she clutched her stomach, huffing as she brought herself to her feet, watching in horror as a small team of officers, dressed in dark S.W.A.T vests, approached, their movements slow and controlled, methodically assessing the scene before them.“Kate!”Sandy’s voice cut through the mind-numbing noise, the warmth of her hand resting on Kate’s shoulder, preventing her from moving forward. Tearing away from her grasp, Kate stumbled forward, tripping over Preston’s extended leg and careening to the floor. She stuck out her hands, her wrists taking the brunt of the impact as s
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & F I F T E E N
Tucking her knees into her chest - as far as her pregnant stomach would allow - Kate covered her ears, consciously inhaling and exhaling through pursed lips in an attempt to steady her erratic heart. Somewhere in the lounge room, she heard Colton shuffling about, the harsh rake of the curtain rings sliding along the thick wooden rods, shading them from the view of the outside. He continued grumbling over the phone, the string of expletives showing no signs of easing as his heavy footsteps clunked past her, growing muffled in the weathered carpet as he retreated into the bedroom. Cabinet doors banged open, the clang and clatter of objects dispersing as he rifled through them before forcefully slamming them shut with an irritated grunt. The anxiety coursing through her triggered the baby, its tiny limbs poking and prodding her stomach as she strove to calm herself down.“You better have someone here soon, Sandy,” Colton spat in the background, the sound of ano
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & F O U R T E E N
Stepping out onto the expansive back deck, Kate huddled into one of the wicker chairs, stretching out her legs to allow the tiny glimmer of sunlight to spatter across her sweats. Keeping the knitted blanket wrapped loosely around her shoulders, she clasped the hot cup between her palms, inhaling the sweet nuttiness of her almond cappuccino, lovingly brought back by Colton from his morning stroll into town. The fresh air, thick with the scent of pine needles and earthy rain, consumed her, allowing her to breathe deeply for the first time in weeks, if not months. Casting a gaze out at the dense woodlands before her, she smiled. Even though she’d denied him multiple times, Colton’s insistence on bringing her out to Rhys’ reclusive cabin had been the best idea he’d had in a long time. They’d been there only two days and already she was feeling like a whole new person. Her gaze flittered to the back door as it swung open, Colton’s broad shoulders unclothed, his shirt being used t
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & T H I R T E E N
Three months laterPuffing out the influx of air she’d sucked in, Kate smoothed her white blouse over her stomach nervously, the silky material oddly comforting beneath her palm. The musky scent of the courthouse irritated her nostrils, old wood and leather mingled with thick clouds of cologne, emanating from the men dressed in stiff suits as they walked past her, their shoes click-clacking against the linoleum floor. Leaning back, she rested her back against the pastel yellow concrete wall, a chill radiating through her spine, as she tugged her phone from her purse. She smiled at the presence of Colton’s name on the screen and the black love heart nestled beside it.Good luck, baby. I’ll be there as soon as I can. This fucking dick is taking his sweet ass time.The memory of his crestfallen face flashed through her mind, the way his fingers had curled around the neck of his beer bottle as he jotted down the time and date for
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & T W E L V E
“How the hell do you have boxes – plural – of stuff? Paloma left with two trash bags,” Colton huffed, sliding the final box from their car across the bedroom floor, watching with a wince as it skidded into Kate’s leg. “Sorry.”“Ow.” She dropped the shirt she was folding, rubbing her leg before frowning up at him. “She forgot a lot of things, and it was easier to pre-fold my clothes and put them into boxes, rather than chuck them into trash bags again.”Knowing it was best not to argue while her sweet features housed a scowl, Colton sunk onto the bed. “D’ya want help?”After spending the first twenty minutes tidying the chaos that was Colton’s clothes, his shirts and shorts scrunched and stuffed into the spaces her absence had left, the remainder of her task was relatively simple. “I’ve just got the rest of this box and the one you just brought in left,&
