Chapter 62
62
My whole body was trembling as I sat down on one of the silver seats, waiting to hear any news. I had been crying ever since I was told that it was his jet that caught on fire while landing. I hated the helplessness I was in. All I could do was wait and it was pure torture. I trie I couldn't tell anybody anything, because part of me still believed that he would make it
despite all the odds. I was praying that Julian was okay. I couldn't imagine him getting hurt like that. He was a good person and didn't deserve in die like that. He was still young and had a long life ahead of him. That wasn't supposed to be his end.
"Ma'am, I know we shouldn't say anything unless we're sure, but words have been going around that the passenger is okay," one of the workers told
I looked up at her. "Really?" What if she was lying to get me to stop crying?
"Yes" She offered me a kind smile,
A thirty minute wait turned into an hour and a half. When Harper called to check why we were late, I had to lie and tell her that his flight was delayed. What was I supposed to tell her? Her brother might be dead? That she might not be able to see him ever again? dy to lose h My eyes traveled to the big window, and I looked up at the black sky, silently praying that Julian would be okay. I wasn't ready to lose him. Was I being punished for taking too
long to figure out how I truly feh? But if I was the one being punished, shouldn't I be the one on that flight, not him! It didn't make sense that he would get hurt on my behalf.
Was I the reason behind the sudden emergence of that trip! He only told me about it after I failed to answer his question. What if I had answered him that night! would he have stayed?
A door opened, catching my attention. I sucked in a breath upon seeing the one I wanted to see the most at that moment. Slowly, I stood up despite how wobbly my legs were. Tears filled my eyes when they fell on him, and my surroundings blurred in the background. I ign steadied myself. My body collided with his that he stumbled back for a second before steadying himself. I tightly wrapped my arms around his neck and closed my eyes, convincing myself that he was okay!
His hold immediately tightened on me, and I felt my legs leave the floor as he gently lifted me. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I breathed his scent. I was petrified of losing him. I felt him move to the side while still holding me to make way for other people to pass.
"Im alright, I promise, he whispered and kissed the side of my head, and 1 felt my body shake against his. "How did you even know? My driver was the one who was supposed to pick me up."
"I thought I lost you." I cried. "I never want to lose you.
"You won't I'm not going anywhere," he said, rubbing my arm. Was I still shaking?
"I wanted to surprise you, so Harper and I told your driver to let us know when you'd arrive, so I could pick you up." I sniffed as my eyes met his blue ones. His forehead was smeared with ash, and I wondered how big the fire was "Are you alright?" I whispered. "I swear, I'm okay," he assured me, caressing my hair. "Somebody is blonde again," he commented making me smile.
"I w-wanted to surprise you," I stuttered, wiping away my tears as 1 pulled away.
"I love it," be murmured, kissing my head as I rested it on his chest. As cliché as in sounded, I needed to listen to his heartbeats. I needed to assure myself that he was alive.
"I have the answer to the question you asked me before you left." I was nervous.
"Which question exactly?" he wondered, placing a strand of my hair behind my ear, God, I missed his touch
"You asked me if I could label us and. I can, but the label I have in mind demands mutual consent," I started talking and he placed his finger on my mouth, silencing me. My heartbeats raced, thinking that he didn't want to take the step I wanted us to take.
"I'm the one who's supposed to ask, not you. I'm an old school. Relief washed over me when he said that. "Does that mean I can finally get to call you mine again after losing you for six years?" The hope he had in his voice made my knees go weak. "Yes, I want to be called yours again." I nodded smiling at him.
"Hello, sunshine," he murmured, closing the space between us as he placed one hand on my cheek and kissed my lips.
Kissing him felt so right. Despite everything that happened between us, it wasn't easy for me to accept the touch of another man and when I did, it didn't feel right. But with Julian, I was comfortable. I felt like I could easily let go. He was my home, and I didn't want anybod "Can Luke you home?" he wondered as we pulled apart
"I need to take you somewhere before doing that, I told him, "But first, you really need to wash your face because you have ash on it." If Rose and
1,2
0
10:28 AM
Uncle Steven saw
w him like that, they were going to freak out.
"Okay" He pecked my lips before going to the bathroom.
I looked at my hand and realized that neither did 1 lave my bag nor my phone. I must have left them when I ran towards Julian. I looked at where I was sitting and found my bag
I went to grab it and thankfully, my phone was inside. I had no memory of where I last put it.
I found a couple of missed calls from Harper and six ones from Rose in addition to numerous messages from them. Did they find out?
Quickly I called Harper and she answered immediately. "Don't lie to me, Emily! Is my brother okay? I heard the news. Is that why you're not answering!"
"He's okay! I promise, he is. I saw him and spoke to him. He is fine. He is
just in the bathroom washing his face." I tried to calm her down. I looked up and saw Julian coming towards me. "Listen, he's in front of me now. Talk to him. I handed him the phone as I mouthed 'Harper' to him.
I realized that Julian had no luggage with him. He must have left everything behind when he evacuated the jet.
"Rosie doesn't know anything, right?" I looked at him when he said that. He was still talking to Harper on the phone. "Good. Don't tell her anything. Emily and I are going to pick her up from Mum's place now." I smiled a little when he called me Emily. I knew that he couldn't He handed me the phone and held my hand. "I can call you Emily, right?" I smiled a little at his question and nodded.
"Yes, you can
The two of us walked to my car and I got in the driver's seat, knowing that he wasn't in the best trapped in a fire less than an hour ago. I was going to lose him, but thankfully, fate decided to give us another chance.
state to drive. I still couldn't believe that he was
When we arrived at his parents' place, I parked the car and the two of us walked towards the front door.
"We're getting Rosie, then we're going to go straight home, okay?" he said, and I nodded. Technically, we were getting Rosie, then we were going to head home. We just had to spend like an hour or two here first since his family was inside, ready to celebrate his birthday, I rang the doorbell, and the maid opened the door for us.
"Daddy" Rosie squealed as she came running towards Julian who was quick to pick her up. "I missed you."
"I missed you too, cupcake," he said, kissing her cheek.
We walked to the living room where I knew everybody was waiting for us. The moment they spotted us they yelled 'surprise' and confetti bombs exploded.
"I forgot to tell you that we're not exactly here just to pick Rosie up." I smiled sheepishly at him. "Happy belated birthday, Julian."
And as I looked around me, I realized that I had everything I wanted in life and that time, I was going to fight with everything in me to always keep them in my life.