Speak To a Girl

Chapter 27 {The Final Chapter}

Faith POV: 

Ten Years Later...

Tim laughs loudly with the girls downstairs, before turning toward the stairs and widening his eyes. "Damn babe..." He lets out, watching me walk down the stairs. I smile, before wrapping my arms around him. He kisses me, before I straighten his skinny tie and brush off his shoulders. 

"You look very sharp." I compliment, making him smile. My white gown shimmers in a way that attracts the girls like moths to a flame. 

"You look pretty, Mom." Maggie, our second oldest lets out. 

"Thank you, baby." I reply, leaning down and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Babe, did you grab our bags from the hall?" I question, putting on my bracelet as my makeup team rushes around to tidy up. 

"Yes, Ma'm." Tim replies, before grabbing my wrist and putting my bracelet on for me. He then pulls me in toward him, giving me a kiss. I roll my eyes and wipe his lips, which are now the same tint as my blood red lips. He smiles, not seeming to give a damn. 

"Sitter is here!" My hair stylist announces, walking in with our sitter, Emily. She drops off her bag, before the girls crowd her with excitement. I grab my purse and shove everything necessary inside, ready to run out the door since we are already critically late. I turn around to see Tim's no longer behind me, but instead sitting with the girls. 

"Tim," I announce, causing him to turn his head back to me. "we gotta go, babe." I add, watching him wrap his arms around all three of them, giving them each a kiss, before standing up and reluctantly leaving them. He takes my hand and squeezes it tightly, leading me to our car. "You okay?" I ask him, noticing his desire to stay with the girls. 

"Yeah." He replies, sitting down in the limo. I sit beside him as he wraps his arm around me. "I just hate leaving the girls, that's all." He adds, smiling at me before kissing my forehead. I smile back, leaning my head against his chest. He squeezes me, seeming to have a lot on his mind. I could pry and get him to tell me, but half of the time it's fruitless. I'll let him be. 

We pull up to the dinner, loads of people and celebrities crowding about. Tim gets out of the limo,  opening the door for me before the limo driver can. He takes my hand, and chivalrously leads me down the carpet, not bothering to take his eyes off of me as I talk to reporters. 

We make our way inside, finding our seat first, before wandering around the room, chatting with some executives and other celebrities. He glances over at me, before as we are pulled into separate conversations. 

"So do you have an projects in the pipeline?" An executive from a booking agency asks. I try to remain focused and poised, but every time I look in Tim's direction, I see him looking back, not paying attention to a damn word the man speaking to him is saying. 

"I have an album slated to come out by the end of the year. We are still working on studio times and all of that mess, but we are actually ahead of schedule." I answer, as I feel something slip in my hand. I look down to see Tim handing me a glass of red wine, before he lightly wraps his arm around my waist. 'Thank You'  I mouth to Tim, before continuing to listen to the executive.

"I look forward to hearing it. If you're ever looking for another booking agent, here's our number. We would be honored to work with you." He says, as the lights begin to dim, signaling us to take our seats. Tim leads me to our seats, stopping for a moment as people cross in front of us. 

"Dial it down." I whisper to him, making him laugh. He turns around, giving me a little pouty face, before I give him a quick kiss. "Later..." I whisper in his ear, feeling him smile. He pulls out my chair for me, before sitting down beside me. I slip my hand in his, onto his knee, as the host for the night comes onstage, which happens to be Mario Lopez. I try to listen before I feel Tim's hand run down the inside of my thigh. I take a deep breath, looking over at him for a moment, before looking back at Mario. I grab my napkin off the table, squeezing it a bit to keep from either laughing or moaning... either would be insanely inappropriate in the venue. I bite my lips together tightly, before placing my hand over his. Feeling his skin sets something off in me. 

"And tonight's performer is U2! Give them a big hand!" Mario announces, as everyone claps loudly for Bono. I look over at Tim, motioning toward the hall, before standing up and walking that way. I walk backstage and find and empty corridor, leaning against a wall and trying to cool down. I place my hand on my chest, shutting my eyes, before I hear his footsteps echo. I glance in the direction of the footsteps, our eyes locking. I rush toward him, meeting him in the middle of the hall, kissing him. 

We walk back into the crowded room, both trying to catch our breaths. A smile is embedded on Tim, as he leans back in his chair, now deciding he can focus on what's going on onstage. I reach for my glass of water, taking a sip before noticing my hands are shaking. A woman on the far side of the table notices, causing me to quickly put my glass down. Tim sees it out of the corner of his eyes, propping his elbow up on the table and covering his mouth as he fights laughter. I wrap my arm around his waist, pressing my lips beside his ear. 

"Let's get out of here." I whisper, watching him nod eagerly. 

I wake up slowly, my cheek against his bare chest, feeling him breathe under me. My arm is stretched across his stomach, the cold sheets making goosebumps pop up on my skin, his warm skin the only refuge. I curl closer to him, before looking up to see he's wide awake. 

"Mornin'" He says, running his fingers through my hair. I smile, propping myself up as he places his hand on the small of my back, his fingers gliding back and forth across my skin. He pinches my chin for a moment, before there's a knock at the door. 

"Mr and Mrs McGraw?" My intern calls out from the other side of the door. 

"Yeah?" I shout, watching Tim simply smile at me, seeming to be lost in his own mind for a while. 

"Your car will be here in about ten minutes to take you for rehearsals." She releases, making me feel a little rushed. 

"Thank you!" I reply, looking at the clock as Tim starts to kiss my neck. I laugh, before he pulls me on top of him. I give him a kiss, before slipping out of bed. I throw my things in my suitcase, before slipping on his LSU sweatshirt and a pair of jeans, applying some tinted lip balm to substitute for my lack of makeup. I button my jeans, turning around to see him watching me with a smile. "Come on." I order playfully, grabbing his arm and tugging him out of bed. He grabs a button up shirt, with a pair of blue jeans, and slips them on slowly, making me feel more panicked about time. I walk over and finish buttoning up his shirt, giving him a kiss. I grab his hand and our shared suitcase, and begin dragging it behind me and toward the door. 

We walk out to the elevator, his hand wrapped around my waist securely. The elevator doors open, allowing us onto the empty elevator. The second the door closes, he turns toward me and begins to kiss me. He presses me against the wall of the elevator, his use of tongue make me laugh. The elevator chimes, causing him to back off. We walk out into the lobby, laughing a little as he wipes off the pink chapstick that's now on his lips. 

We get in the car, the driver putting our suitcase in the back. I hold his hand tightly, his eyes showing his deep in thought. 

"Hey babe?" I let out, running my thumb along his knuckles. 

"Yeah?" He replies. 

"I love you." I inform him, watching him smile. 

"I love you too." He responds, before I turn toward the window. I watch the buildings pass, my mind only thinking about him for a moment, and how goddamn lucky we are. I turn back toward him, seeing his smile grow as I catch him watching me. 

The driver stops the car behind the stadium, rushing out to open the doors before Tim can do it for him. Tim waits in the car for a moment, taking a deep breath, before looking over at me and sparing me a smile. The girls rush toward us, all smiles after spending the night at Tim's mom's. I pick up our youngest, Audrey, in my arms, listening to her talk on and on about some movie they saw, while Gracie, our oldest, grips onto my hand, talking over her sister. Tim takes the hand of Maggie, smiling down at her for a moment before swallowing hard. 

Tim looks up at me, his smile growing in size and warmth, making me feel like I'm home. He takes another deep breath, before mouthing I love you. 

Before I can reply, a sound resembling someone dropping a metal trashcan off the top of a skyscraper rings out, making me jump. I feel my stomach drop, as I see something hit Tim, taking him to the ground... 

He's been shot...