LIB

Epilogue

           Blake and I sat in a small room that was furnished with a plush couch and a large TV. Currently, the TV was showing talk show host Eve McGill as she interviewed one of the hottest new actors. Blake snorted as he listened to the actor talk about his newest movie. “He sounds like a jerk,” he muttered.

            I looked at him with mild amusement. “You just don’t like him because I said he was hot in his last movie.”

            He jerked his shoulders. “No, I don’t like him because he’s too cocky for his own good.”

            I raised an eyebrow, but decided against giving him a response. Instead, I returned my attention to the TV just as it went to commercial. With a sigh, I stretched my arms over my head. “I think that’s our cue.”

            Blake grunted in response before pushing himself to his feet. He came around behind my wheelchair and gripped the handles. “I still can’t believe we’re doing this.”

            I started wheeling out of the door just as someone came to get us. “Stop complaining, I know you’re excited about it.”

            “Maybe a little,” he admitted.

            I smiled at the woman who was waiting for us. “Is it our turn?” I asked her.

            She nodded. “Yeah, lets get you two to the edge of the set. She’ll announce you guys right after the commercial break.”

            We followed her out of the room and stopped just out of view of the audience and the cameras. Eve waited until she was counted back in and then smiled out at the audience. “And now we have a real treat for you guys. Our next two guests have caused a sensation over the Internet. Let’s take a quick look at their video.”

            The screen behind her came on and the video Sophie had taken of us almost two months earlier came on. They only played twenty of seconds of it and then it shut off again. “Please help me in welcoming Blake Adams and Hailey Baker.”

            The audience started applauding and Blake and I made our way into view. My stomach had about a thousand butterflies fluttering in it, but I managed to keep my nerves under control. When we got to the spot we had rehearsed, I stopped the wheelchair and set the brake. Blake came to the front of the chair and bent down to wrap an arm around my waist. He straightened up slowly and I cautiously got to my feet, my left arm hooked firmly around his neck. Together, we slowly walked the rest of the way to the couch that was waiting for us. Everyone in the audience cheered louder when we made it and sat down after greeting Eve. Blake kept his arm securely around my waist, but I removed my arm from around his neck so that I could sit more comfortably.

            Eve sat down in her chair and smiled warmly at us. “Welcome to the show guys. I’m very happy that you chose to come here. I know you must have had a lot of offers for different interviews.”

            “We did, but this is the only one either of us wanted to do. Blake and I watch your show all the time, although he likes to deny it,” I said with a small laugh.

            “So can you tell us a little bit about your respective accidents?” Eve asked.

            Blake and I took turns telling our stories. I left out the part about the driver of the other vehicle being Marcus; that wasn’t something everyone needed to know. Blake told her about his dirt biking accident and how he had damaged the optical nerves.

            “It’s amazing that the two of you are so strong after everything you’ve been through. But I think everyone really wants to know how you two met and became a couple. Did you connect instantly?”