Tomorrow's Blues

Epilogue

August 5th

1 year, 1 month and 3 days since the death of Lily's parents

I waited at the barriers with Alice and her parents, practically bouncing on my toes. I glanced up the arrivals board, where it said that Joseph's flight from Singapore had landed about 25 minutes ago. It had been almost six months since I'd seen him face to face. Six months since I'd touched him, kissed him... keeping my cool in front of Alice and her parents was proving a difficult feat.

We'd facetimed and called over the months, but not a lot. I hadn't wanted to make him miss out on things because he was talking to me. From the sounds of it, he'd been having a great time, and I was happy that he was enjoying himself.

"Okay, Ana, I know you're excited to see Joseph, but keep the PDA to a minimum," Alice said sternly to me. I glanced over at her, but she had a teasing smile on her face.

I smiled back. "Yeah, yeah." Just because Alice was fine with me and Joseph being together didn't mean I was going to make out with her brother in front of her. Maybe just a quick kiss. I wasn't really one for PDA, anyway.

People from the flight started filing through the barriers, meeting their families and hugging and laughing with them. I peered through the crowd, desperately looking for Joseph. There – he was walking towards us, laden with all his bags, his eyes searching the mass of people waiting. I couldn't stop the grin from spreading across my face and before I knew it, I was running towards him, leaving Alice and her parents behind. Joseph saw me and his face lit up, his blue eyes sparkling.

Right as I reached him he dropped his bags and I threw myself at him, his arms coming around me as my feet left the ground, Joseph lifting me against him. My promises to Alice were forgotten as I buried my face in his neck, Joseph laughing.

"I knew you were going to miss me," he murmured, kissing the side of my head. "I missed you, too." He finally set me on the ground and I pulled back to briefly press my lips against his, before I went back to hugging him.

"Lily, you gotta let go of me eventually," Joseph said, but he made no move to unwrap his arms from around me.

"Yeah, move over, Ana," came Alice's voice. "I want to hug my brother."

"Right," I said apologetically and let go, stepping back as Joseph engulfed Alice in a bear hug. For a moment I had really forgotten that Alice, Catherine and Mark were even there. All I cared about was that Joseph was back.

"Come here," Catherine said affectionately, Alice pulling away so Catherine could hug her son, Mark shortly following. It made me happy to no ends that Joseph had a good relationship with his parents again. The day after Joseph and I had got back together, him and his parents had had a long talk. Apparently there'd been some shouting, some crying, but it ended with everyone realising that no one was in the right. They'd all made mistakes, but they were all trying to learn from them.

Violetta had talked to Joseph's parents, too. They'd apologised to her, and she'd gone back to the US. That was where her new life was, and she loved it over there. Millie meanwhile had stayed put, choosing to keep living with her aunt. I'd stopped working at Melissa's a while ago because of schoolwork, but me and Millie would still hang out sometimes. She was honestly a good friend to have.

"Come on, let me take something," Mark said, lifting a bag off Joseph's shoulder to carry it for him. "There's quite the celebration planned for you."

Joseph raised an eyebrow. "There is?"

"You bet," I said with a grin as we all began to walk back to the car.

Joseph gave me a look as he linked our fingers together. "That worries me."