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S I X T Y - T H R E E
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2024-10-29 19:42:56“Stop. I’m still angry at you.”
Rubbing his tired eyes, Colton sat upright, his gaze swiveling around the room trying to figure out where the fuck he was and what the fuck Kate was talking about. He was alone, tangled in the stiff sheets of his own bed. Confused, he pressed his ear against the thin wall, hearing a suave voice finally respond to her. A male voice. His fists clenched involuntarily, his jaw stiffening in aggravation. The events of last night flashed through his mind as his stomach heaved. She was fucking cheating on him.
He rose from the bed, preparing to confront her, demand she explain herself now. But as he slid on his crumpled jeans, he heard the conversation turn, the mention of Seattle echoing through the thin plaster of the wall. His blood ran cold. Scrambling in his headachy fog, he shoved on his boots and skidded through the apartment. His fingers clenched around her doorknob, teeth gritting at the resistance. Fucking locked.
He hollered over
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Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - F O U R
As the last of the paramedics and police officers filtered from the apartment, Colton extended a weary thank you before closing the door. It had felt like hours that they’d be there, asking questions, developing a clearer picture of what happened. The blonde police officer, Sandy, had arrived half-hour after her co-workers. She was dressed haphazardly, hair loose on her shoulders, and Colton guessed she hadn’t actually been on duty. She had sunk on the bed beside Kate, apologizing emphatically for focusing on the wrong brother. Kate, as compassionate as ever, shook her head, wiping the tears from her already soaked cheeks and admitting she had been just as surprised as anyone. The police department in Seattle had been alerted about Preston’s revelation, and Sandy had assured Kate that they were reinvestigating the case against Harry Abbot.Colton’s head had hung low as he recalled the events of the night before, shame washing over him at the acknowledgment that he had made lif
Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - F I V E
Sweet snores slipped from Kate’s petite body, swathed in the sheets of the expansive queen-sized bed. She looked so damn peaceful; hair still damp from her shower, her mouth ajar against the starchy pillow. Colton reclined on the uncomfortable armchair, finishing the last of his beer and watching the football game. He had needed something to take the edge off, the panic that cascaded through him still fresh and raw. He wanted to be calm and assured for Kate’s sake. Glassy eyes were constantly staring up at him when she was awake, ensuring he was there, that it was really him. Her fear crushed him.Studying the gentle rise and fall of her chest, Colton rubbed his face, dumping the empty bottle on the nightstand. He needed a shower. He should’ve just had one with her, but he didn’t trust himself to give her the space she needed. Instead, he had sat on the toilet, talking nonsense to comfort her that he was there.His knees creaked as he rose, his body still stiff and sore
Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - S I X
Sitting at the small dining table, shoved tightly in the corner of the hotel room, Kate sighed. She flicked her finger across the screen, vetoing yet another apartment. Colton said goodbye to Heath, thanking him for the groceries he had brought them, before closing the door. He moved behind her, massaging her tense shoulders and kissing her cheek, “Can’t find anything?”“Nothing I really like.”Sinking into the chair opposite her, he scrolled through his phone, “What about one from Rhys’ building? The rent would be cheaper for us and it’s big enough for both of us and eventually, a baby.”As Colton pushed the phone in her direction, Kate scanned through the range of photos. The kitchen and bathroom were slightly dated but far more modern than her previous apartment, with a spacious wood-floored lounge and dining room, a bathroom that wasn’t attached to her bedroom, and two airy bedrooms, both with built-in wardrobes. Meeting his hopeful gaze, Kate murmured, “Rhys d
Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - S E V E N
Cardboard boxes littered the empty rooms of Colton and Kate’s new apartment. A sofa and low-line cabinet were the only pieces of furniture in the lounge room, everything else still unbuilt, packed in their boxes, scattered around their apartment. It had started as shopping for a new bed; Kate hadn’t felt comfortable sleeping in her old one after Preston and there was no chance she wanted Colton’s bachelor bed in their new apartment. But it had escalated and soon, they had bought a new dining table and chairs, nightstands, coffee table, and a desk. Kate had felt guilty as the cashier rung up the purchases, but she couldn’t deny the sense of renewal that the furniture brought her.The lift in the apartment complex had been a blessing for Colton and Heath, as they lugged box after box from the car to their third-floor apartment. Heath sauntered in, dropping a box of kitchen utensils by Paloma’s feet. She smiled at him, pecking him gently before beginning the process of cleaning a
Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - E I G H T
“Who knew you could be such a cutie?” Kate giggled at the dramatic eye-roll that Colton gave her, shoving a piece of pizza into her unsuspecting mouth. She gagged, giving him a teasing glare before snatching up a piece for herself.A floral quilt was sprawled beneath them on the bare living room floor, tea-lights flickering from the low-line. He’d surprised her with her favorite bottle of wine and pizza, a reward for being on her own for longer than ten minutes. Unenthusiastically, he agreed to watch the new episodes of The Umbrella Academy. She took a long sip of wine, dreamy-eyed as she watched Diego dart across the screen. A cushion surprised her, smacking her in the face and sending wine dribbling down her chin.“Stop it,” Colton growled as Kate gave him a faux-serious glare. Laughter broke through it quickly when he narrowed his eyes in warning.“But he’s just so attract-”The hurdling cushion hit her cheek once more. Kate snorted with laughter as Colton
Rude Awakenings S I X T Y - N I N E
“And what do you do when Kate is struggling mentally, Colton?” Charlie pondered, eyeing the stiff body opposite him over thick-rimmed glasses.Colton picked at the fraying of his black jeans, twirling the denim between his fingers as he kept his gaze firmly fixed on the floor. The couch squeaked beneath Kate as she shifted uncomfortably and Colton forced himself to shrug. He felt like a petulant child at the principal’s office, bracing himself for the lecture and trying desperately to think of something he could say that would stop the conversation dead in its tracks. Nothing came to mind. He sighed, “I don’t know.”“He takes a steamin-” Kate began before being halted by Charlie’s stubby hand.Narrowing his eyes on the therapist, Colton felt a wave of irritation boil over him at the gall of the guy. Charlie turned back to him, and smiled, “You said you felt guilt during these… episodes. How do you manage the guilt within yourself?”“Not well,” he admitted. Hi
Rude Awakenings S E V E N T Y
Florence perched on Colton’s knee, happily singing the theme song to Mickey Mouse’s Clubhouse in adorable baby babble. Chubby hands clapped together, big, twinkling eyes watching the characters dance across the screen. Every so often, she’d glance back to Colton, checking to see if he was amazed by the cartoon mouse as she was. Kate giggled as Colton raised his brows, nodding enthusiastically, much to Florence’s delight.Wiping down the kitchen counters, Kate poured herself a glass of wine, leaning on her forearms to take in the scene before her. When Paloma had begged Kate to mind Florence overnight, she originally said no. Taking care of a toddler for a few hours was hard enough in itself, let alone an entire night, but with Paloma vomiting and Dylan working the night shift, she couldn’t leave her friend without an option. As she watched the sight before her though, she scolded herself for being so nervous. Colton was a natural and although she knew it, it still took her by
Rude Awakenings S E V E N T Y - O N E
B O O K T W OThe bedroom door creaked open, Kate’s gaze lifting as she flicked over another page of the newspaper. Tendrils of steam escaped her mug, fogging up her reading glasses. Stubble brushed against her cheek, her head tilting toward Colton’s sleepy frame.“I thought you were going to yoga this morning?” His bare feet scuffed on the floorboards into the kitchen where he sluggishly poured a coffee, resting his bare back against the countertop as he took a deep gulp.Scooping up the last of cereal, Kate nodded. “I did. Paloma needed to leave early, so she dropped me home. That was…” she paused, swiping open her phone. “Over an hour ago. Not like you to sleep in.”Colton shrugged. “That fuckwit next door was boning the loudest fucking woman I’ve ever heard. Every time I thought I could drift off, she’d start up again.”&ldq
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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,&
