Rose petals

Chapter 45

"Im supposed to like coffee now." I huffed, glaring at my full cup of coffee while Holly rolled her eyes and took my cup, taking a large sip. I've never been a coffee person, I always thought that maybe when I got older I'd like it more, but I still hate it just as much as the last time.

"That's exactly why I got two hot chocolates." She grinned, pushing her untouched cup towards me. My smile instantly grew as I took the cup from her. "I've missed our brunch dates." She sighed as I gently rocked a sleeping Carter in my arms. He's already three months old and I feel so flabbergasted knowing I'm the one that delivered him. Like I can see myself using that to one up him when he reaches his teenage years.

"Me too, I feel like I haven't seen you in forever and I'm having serious withdrawal." I dramatically sighed as she rolled her eyes in amusement.

Holly, Mia and I used to have weekly brunch dates every single Saturday. We'd come to the cute aesthetic coffee shop by our college and sit here for hours on end catching up on our weeks or revisiting any huge news from previous days. Our lives have become so drastically different from when I last remember, that is seems so foreign to rock my best friend's baby in my arms while we talk. She had told me how she and Mia hadn't put a stop to the compulsory brunches and that they would go to my headstone with cups of coffees and goodies and talk to me.

I get so emotional when I hear how their lives were without me, how they still kept me alive in memory and refused to forget me. For them, I was 'dead' for four and a half years yet they still more or less kept me alive. They continued my silly traditions I had made up, they kept all my things, my bedroom at home was the exact same, they'd talk about me in the present tense, and someone would always visit me every day of the week. I can't possibly imagine how that was for them because the mere thought of going through something like that would destroy me.

"The kids started preschool today and I'm not coping." I sighed, glancing at the clock hanging above the cafe door for the hundredth time. "Like I know it's good that they're going and meeting all these little kids their age and coming out of their shell a little, but I just want to stay with them 24/7 is that too much to ask for?" I rambled, sitting back in my seat looking down at Carter. "Don't get older dude, I don't know how I'll cope if another one of you suddenly sprouts." I whispered as Holly snorted and rolled her eyes at me.

"Babe you're exaggerating, you'll get to pick them up in an hour anyway. It's not like they're gone the entire day, they only be there for four hours." Holly said, sliding the plate of chocolate chip cookies towards me.

"Four hours too many. I'll be asking you the same question when it's your turn." I shrugged.

Knowing Holly she'd insist on sitting in the classroom just in case he cries. Truthfully speaking I was moments away from doing the same myself but Holly and Mason physically dragged me away while Kade, Noah and Max stood on the sidelines and laughed and Mia chased after Atlas who was convinced he had to go inside with his cousins.

"How's the whole memory thing been? I know you stopped therapy but was it a good idea? Has it been working?" She asked, the concern poorly concealed on her face but I don't blame her. The poor girl has been stressed to the core ever since I was found by Mason in London.

The way he randomly bumped into me in a random mall on a random Thursday afternoon was baffling. We really are soulmates with how he was lead back to me. Call me crazy for believing that, but I see it no other way.

"It was a good idea, I feel like the more I did the therapy the more intense it felt but now it feels natural. I don't get the horrible migraines as much or completely black out during the day, it's more of a dream or nightmare depending on the memory." I explained as she simply nodded her head processing everything.