A/N: This entry covers the last chapter of TMMM. It's not too-too detailed because hell, Brandon's already written us a pretty damn good fairy tale. A funny thing about that part. I had no idea what to write for the last chapter. But the idea of a fairy tale was stuck in my head. So I started it on a scrap of paper which I carried around with me, in my purse, in my lunch bag, to the dinner table, etc, writing it piece by piece. I had no idea it would come out like that but it's probably a piece I'm very proud of. I know you guys like it, too. *wink
I hope you had a good time reading through this journal. I'm glad you made this little extra stop after TMMM. It was fun to think about things from Brandon's perspective. Just makes me want to re-read TMMM for the nth time!
Enjoy!
***
In the next hundred years or so, I will be haunted by the sight of Charlotte crumpling to the ground, bright red blood darkening patterns on her glittering ball gown.
All the blood in my body had run cold and my heart had seized up in that moment.
All that bright, beautiful sunlight in her—snuffed out by a single shot.
I haven't slept a wink since that night because the moment I closed my eyes, all I could see was Charlotte's dirty, ashen face when I'd sunk to my knees and drawn her in my arms, aware of the warm, wet blood leeching out of her. My battered hands, nearly scraped clean at the knuckles after I'd beaten Don unconscious, had cradled her face and touched her cheek, trembling, as I urged her in wrangled mutterings to wake up, to look at me, to smile, to live.
The emergency crew had to wrestle me away from her when they loaded her into the ambulance. I'd mopped the hallway outside of ER clean with my dirty dress pants while I'd waited, hunched down on the floor, for them to take the bullet out of shoulder and patch her up. Family and friends have tried to get me to eat and rest as I waited by Charlotte's bedside for her to wake up. But I didn't go anywhere. I stayed to talk to her, to beg her to wake up, to threaten to sue her because she still owed me nine months in the contract at the very least. I moaned and groaned, I breathed her in, I held her hand until my own cramped. I didn't care.
I wanted to be the first person she sees when she opens her eyes. I didn't need rest. I didn't need food. I didn't need anyone to take care of me. I just wanted to be there for my wife.
And when those blue-green eyes finally opened, brightening slightly with a smile as I made a cake of myself recounting to her the terrible nightmare she'd put me through, it was worth it—every second I'd waited and prayed and willed her Charlotte to come back to me, and to stay, for the rest of our lives.
I wanted to kiss her, to throttle her for driving me crazy, to hold her and collapse in relief, to make her swear that she'd never do this to me again, to thank her for coming back until I was a blubbering mess.
She promised me that she won't try to save the world again. I'm glad to hear it because I lost about ten years of my life in the past few days but we'll see how long that promise lasts. As much as I worry about it, Charlotte's reckless, selfless tendencies are part and parcel of why I love her. She's one of those rare few who'll shine through the dirt and shadows as long as she can catch a little bit of light.
Some people would say that Charlotte found a fairy tale with me.
I say she's the fairy tale—too good to exist in reality but too beautiful and too wise to leave confined to the pages.
She calls me her prince, silly girl that she is.
And maybe I am.
I'm no prince because of my wealth or title.
I'm her prince because she deserves one just as much as deserves a happily-ever-after.
- B
***
So, what do you think?
I know a lot of people wanted more from this book but this isn't a real novel by any means. It's just a little bonus companion which I hope had been fun to read anyway.
Thank you again to everyone who read and loved The Mischievous Mrs. Maxfield. It's been ages since I've written it but I'm glad to know it stuck with a lot of you.
There'll be other projects in the future. Hope to see you then!
P.S. Jon McLaughlin is probably one of the most underrated artists out there. He's got great songs and that voice makes your heart develop wings and makes it flutter all around inside you. And he's pretty cute. I don't know if I've used this song somewhere in my other stories but it doesn't matter because I wanted it here.
Love you guys! Thanks so much for your continued support!
Till the next story!
♪♪♪ Chapter Soundtrack: I'll Follow You by Jon McLaughlin ♪♪♪
People tell me there will come a time
When your heart and mine will grow cold
No more staring at the evening sky
Low replaces high when you're old
As long as you're around I'll follow you
You won't ever be alone
As long as you're around I'll follow you
And I will be wherever you go
They say the future is our enemy
Time eventually will set the sun
But I believe in you and you believe in me
How can we ever go wrong?
As long as you're around I'll follow you
Heart is never gonna break
As long as you're around I'll follow you
And I will give whatever this love takes
So be patient baby
Hold me close
I hope you understand
You're a beautiful woman
And I'm just a man
So in the hours of the darkest kind
When it's hard to find who we are
One can stare into the other's eyes
Be each other's light in the dark
As long as you're around I'll follow you
You won't ever be alone
As long as you're around I'll follow you
I will be wherever you go
YOU ARE READING
Brandon's Notebook (A TMMM Bonus Material)
RomanceIf you've read The Mischievous Mrs. Maxfield, you know who Brandon Maxfield is. He's only my readers' favorite book-husband ever. *wink* If you've read his little journal note about the honeymoon and swooned, then you might like this. We've been in...
