{~~Avery Sterling~~} I stretched my bones, feeling the satisfying crackle of joints releasing tension. Ugh, what time is it? I'm tired. The hours had blurred together as I worked non-stop, barely taking a moment to breathe. My day was a relentless cycle of tasks, leaving my office only when absolutely necessary, constantly on the move. The thought of another long shift loomed over me as I packed up all my stuff from the office. I changed out of my scrubs, savoring the brief respite from their clinical sterility, and grabbed my bag, ready to finally head home. Just as I was about to leave, another nurse informed me that the medic alpha had left early. This was unusual, but I didn't let it stay in my mind for long. There was nothing I could do about it, and I was too exhausted to care. Maybe I'll ask him about it once I got home. But for now I couldn't be bothered. I was walking down the hall, mentally ticking off the final tasks of the day, when I spotted Shawn. He smiled at me, a
{~~Avery Sterling~~}“Logan, are you okay?”He chuckled, and I watched as he got up from the chair. And an almost empty bottle of whiskey between his fingers. The house was different. I couldn't find photos of my sister anywhere. Like one minute she had been all over the place and now she's not. Worry nibbled at my gut. I pressed my back against the door, closing it. “Where were you?”“I… um, I was invited to have dinner with Shawn.”His eyes were empty, but his face had a smile. “I see. So you and your sister share the same traits. You both like being in a relationship with me, but sleeping with someone else.”“Logan, that isn't fair. I didn't say that I was sleeping with him. We just shared a meal-” He chuckled once more, tipping the bottle to his lips and gulping down the last of the liquids. I placed my bag on the floor, and walked up to him. “You're wasted. I didn't sleep with Shawn. And-” I wanted to add that he said this wasn't a permanent relationship. But still, I wasn't
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I sat in the bathtub, thinking about my life and how I'd gotten to this point. Thinking about what Logan and I had just done, and the angry way it happened. The thoughts swirled around my mind like the water around me, uninvited and relentless. Perhaps there were things I could do differently to change it, but I forced those thoughts away. Tonight was not the time for regrets or self-recrimination. Tonight was for me, for finding a moment of peace amidst the chaos. I focused on the bath, letting the warmth and tranquility wash over me. It had started with the decision to treat myself, to carve out a slice of time just for me. After I cleaned up the living room, bare ass naked, I decided I needed to sleep. I got to the room, and just threw on a nightgown. I was standing there when I told myself I deserved some time of peace. A bath seemed like the way to achieve that. besides, sleeping without showering after sex would be madness.I had chosen my favorite nightgo
{~~Avery Sterling~~}This week blew by without anything else memorable happening. I was exhausted, but that didn't matter. It was a Saturday. No work, nothing. So I could come up with something else to keep me busy besides being a nurse, and dealing with crazy patients.I woke up with the kind of excitement that only comes with the promise of a free Saturday, completely shoving the events of last night away. Refusing to let my happy mood fade. The early morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow on the room. I stretched lazily in bed, savoring the feeling of not having to rush anywhere. Today was going to be a good day. I had been looking forward to spending time with Logan, maybe going for a walk in the park, grabbing some lunch, or just lazing around together. I want to try and work out a friendship. Because if he could at least smile at me, then last night won't make me feel like a whore.It had been a while since we had a day to ourselves without the pressure
{~~Avery Sterling~~}The bad thoughts were starting to get worse, and I let them run free. If I keep thinking of the barbeque as a bad thing then I won't end up feeling butt hurt when they toss me back aside. The barbeque wasn't bad, but I was glad to be away from my parents. Thank goodness. The smell of overcooked meat and the drone of endless small talk had been suffocating, yet a welcome escape from the constant scrutiny of home. My parents had a way of making even the most mundane gatherings feel like high-stakes social performances, and I'd played my part long enough for one day. Because for once, I was invited. While I drove back home, the fading sun casting long shadows across the road, those uneasy feelings I'd managed to forget all day began to resurface. It was as if the closer I got to home, the heavier my chest felt. The relief the pain, ugh I'm over the thought. I waited by the door, if I heard a sound then Logan was back. It was like I'd stepped off from pain and was
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I made it to my room just as Logan's silhouette appeared at the end of the hallway. I closed the door quietly, pressing my back against it as I tried to calm my racing heart. The letters were now safely documented on my phone, but the questions they raised were overwhelming. What did Logan know? And what would he do if he found out I'd been snooping? The unease that had crept back into my heart on the drive home now felt like a permanent fixture.I know the man that Ava was talking too. Do I even want to tell Logan? I ran that piece of shit out of town and he knows it was me who did. Do I even tell Logan? Do I explain why I did it? I helped, I thought she would get over him. She had bloody Logan Grey with her. I ought to strangle that bitch!Okay, play it cool. Play it cool.I went downstairs to say hello to Logan, trying to mask the guilt that gnawed at my insides. I’d just snooped through his room, invaded his privacy, and now I had to face him as if nothing ha
{~~Logan Grey~~}I woke up feeling gloomy, a heavy weight pressing down on my chest. The events of the previous night still clung to me, their echoes haunting my thoughts. I quickly shut down my emotions, pushing them to the back of my mind. I couldn't afford to dwell on them. Not now. Not ever really. I dragged myself out of bed and headed to the bathroom. The steam from the hot shower enveloped me, offering a brief respite from the turmoil inside. I stood under the water, letting it wash away the remnants of sleep and the sorrow that threatened to overwhelm me. I shaved the stubble that had begun to grow on my face, each stroke of the razor a small act of control in a life that felt increasingly out of my grasp.After drying off, I ran a towel through my hair, the repetitive motion soothing in its simplicity. My phone buzzed on the counter, a message from my mother lighting up the screen. With a sense of resignation, I picked it up and read the text.Mother: Come over for dinner to
{~~Logan Grey~~}Dinner two was bland and disappointing, much like most things in my life these days. My parents, in their never-ending quest to cheer me up, had invited some of my old friends from college- the worst thing they could ever do. They were in town for the weekend, and my parents thought a little reunion might lift my spirits. I doubted it, but I didn't have the energy to argue. After dinner, we all decided to sit outside for a beer while my family stayed inside to have dessert.Ryan was there too, of course. He was my best friend, practically family, and we had gone to college together. If anyone could drag me out of my funk, it was him, but even he seemed at a loss these days with his case. I cracked open my first beer of the night, hoping it would take the edge off the hollow feeling inside me.My friends started talking about their lives, and I could feel myself sinking deeper into my chair. Some were discussing how they were engaged, how love was the best thing to eve
{~~Avery Sterling~~}The waterfall is majestic and stunning. Logan suggested we go in naked since we’re the only ones here. I’ll admit, trusting a radically vegan hippie to plan my honeymoon was a bold and disturbing choice. Third year in college she lugged me off to the rain forest where we camped for six weeks so we could connect with the gods who brought us here.It was my worst summer vacation. Six long weeks. But I got so much work done that I felt like I came back even smarter. I love Agatha, but my goodness, her ideas of fun are always nature-like. The lack of wifi is going to kill me, but thank god I got another honeymoon present from Logan’s parents as an apology for the way they acted at the start of my marriage to their son.And that one is for two months on a cruise. We’ll be leaving for that after a week of getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.The water is cold, and the view is even better. I talk alot of crap about Agatha but the woman is far more connected to this world t
{~~Logan Grey~~}My honeymoon is not at all what I expected. It’s one of those situations where you step back and think, How did I not see this coming? But I guess that’s what happens when you go with the flow and don’t plan out every last detail, just trusting that things will fall into place. We decided not to bring Hope with us, even though part of me wanted her to be here. She’s spending the week with my parents—her grandparents—which feels like a huge milestone, not just for her, but for me too. Avery and I wanted this time to ourselves, to really celebrate our marriage without any distractions, to focus on us for a change.We’re an odd pair to most people, and I know some didn’t expect us to last, but we’ve made it work in ways that surprise even me sometimes. Over the last year, we’ve settled into this rhythm that’s become second nature. It’s a good rhythm, one that’s brought us closer, and made us stronger. It’s funny—when you think about it, but it feels like so much longer.
\One Year Later/{~~Avery Sterling~~}So, you know how little girls always dream about their wedding day? It’s supposed to be this big, magical event, where everything falls perfectly into place, and for some, it’s the pinnacle of their dreams, right? But not me. I never had those kinds of dreams. You know how my life was, how crappy my sister and parents treated me. There was never much room in my head for fantasies like that. Growing up, I couldn’t even imagine what marriage would feel like because I was too busy surviving and getting through the mess of my family. But, okay, maybe deep down, I had some dreams. Everyone does, right? I just never thought they’d come true.And marrying Logan Grey—that’s a whole different thing altogether. I mean, when we started planning the wedding, I was so overwhelmed. There were just so many details, and so many decisions, and with everything I’ve been through, I just didn’t have the energy to care about floral arrangements or seating charts. So, I
{~~Avery Sterling~~}The almost-car accident shakes me up more than I expected, but Logan is fine, and I’m fine. It all happened so fast, and yet I can still feel the pulse of my heartbeat in my throat when I think about it. That truck had come out of nowhere. The driver didn’t even slow down. Had I not tripped over that stone while I was looking for a signal on my phone and he’d come to check on me... logan would have died a painful death before my eyes.So of course I was a fucking mess. That driver is crazy. Did he not see the car? Why did the car even stop? What was wrong with the engine? I have like six million questions!He called Ryan to come get us. I was in his arms on the side of the road, watching as other cars drove around the wreckage. They don’t stop but look on surprised at the mess. Whoever that driver was I hope to god his truck breaks down and he’s fired. Because what the hell?He should have at least stopped. Panic fills me but so does anger. The panic wins though.
{~~Avery Sterling~~}Logan and I had left Hope in the hospital. The tiny bundle of life—so fragile, yet resilient—was resting safely in the nursery, surrounded by the quiet hum of machines and the gentle presence of nurses. We’d return tomorrow, once we were sure they’d had time to scan her brain and ensure she was truly safe for release. My heart ached to leave her, but it was necessary. Thank goodness she was a baby, still too young to understand fear in the way that we did. She wouldn’t know the anxiety, the sleepless nights, the never-ending worry. All she knew was warmth and the safety of sleep, cocooned in blankets too big for her tiny form.The snow had started falling again, soft and silent, covering the world in a layer of purity that felt both soothing and unsettling. Logan drove carefully through the winding streets, the heater on low, warming our chilled fingers. We didn’t speak much, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence that sat between two peo
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I’m back in this beautiful pack, surrounded by familiar faces, and yet it feels so foreign after everything we’ve been through. the rain stopped while I was away and now we have a new season. The landscape is stunning, especially now, with the first snowfall of the season transforming the dense forest and the lake into a quiet, white wonderland. The snow blankets the ground in thick, untouched layers, making the whole world seem calm and serene, but cold—bitingly cold. It's as if the snow carries the weight of my worries. The weather has shifted dramatically over the past few days, moving from endless, gloomy rain to this sudden onset of winter. So, congratulations on freezing my butt off, even with all the layers I'm bundled in.Logan and I had spent last night at the lake house, a place of solace for us, trying to reconnect after everything that’s been thrown at us. It was bittersweet, those quiet moments by the fire, the crackling logs filling the air with warm
{~~Logan Grey~~}Avery is coming home today. Avery is coming home today. I’ve been repeating that sentence in my head for the past 48 hours, counting down the seconds like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. The excitement, the anticipation—it’s all bubbling up inside me, and I can barely sit still. I glance at the clock on my phone for what feels like the hundredth time, knowing it hasn't moved much since the last time I looked but somehow hoping the hands of time have sped up. It's been far too long since I’ve seen her.The air in the terminal is thick with the usual airport chaos—people rushing by, announcements echoing through the speakers, kids whining in the background—but it all fades into the background noise. I’m laser-focused, my heart pounding in sync with the roaring engines of planes outside. She’s been gone for weeks, and though it wasn’t that long, it feels like an eternity. We’ve been working tirelessly on the cure—sleepless nights, constant research, trial and error.
{~~Avery Sterling~~}Agatha and I had been at it for hours, possibly days, though the passage of time had become something of a blur in the dim, candlelit room. The air was thick with the scent of dried herbs and burning incense, their heady aromas mixing in a way that both calmed and invigorated me. I had never spent so much time in the presence of a witch doctor before—not like this, not in such an intimate setting where every movement, every word, every breath was part of a delicate and complex dance of life and death.I’d seen witchcraft before. In university, we had a professor who dabbled in the ancient arts, using it to enhance her knowledge of medicinal plants and natural remedies. It’s why i wished I’d been chosen to be a doctor, it would be so nice to be able to do so much than what a nurse can. But even she had never worked with the sheer precision and raw power that Agatha wielded. It was... mesmerizing. I couldn’t help but be drawn in, watching her every move, the way her
{~~Logan Grey~~}Two days without Avery isn't an eternity, but it sure feels like a long time. I’m surviving, or at least I think I am. Tonight, I’m having dinner at my parents' place, and the whole family is here to celebrate the newborns. Felix’s child, Marley, and my daughter, Hope. It feels good to be around everyone, even if my mind keeps drifting to Avery. The house is buzzing with laughter and chatter. The babies are in their playpen, tapping at toys, oblivious to the joyful chaos around them. My parents are practically glowing as they fawn over their grandkids, doting on every little coo and babbling like they’re treasures.I sit back in a rocking chair, watching the scene play out before me. My brothers are in the kitchen, joking around while they cook, and their wives are on the couch, chatting and laughing. And Ronan’s children are lying on the floor coloring something. It’s one of those moments that feels picture-perfect, like a scene out of some old family movie. Even Rya