Bitter Sweet Melodies (girlxgirl)

Epilogue

Chapter 16

“It's over,” I told my friends.

Kayla was in Rick's arms and Tracy and Jenny, who were still awkwardly trying to get used to dating, were seated next to each other. It was obvious that they liked each other, but openly expressing it was hard, especially for Tracy after the way she’d initially treated Jenny. Nonetheless, they were happy in their own way and I was glad.

“Are you sure?” Kayla asked.

She was happy. I could see it in her eyes. Rick treated her like a princess.

“Yes, I'm going home for a while. I think I need some time to process everything that has happened.”

It was a decision I had come to on my way home after work. I did not want to revert to my old habits after the first break up and I hoped that being around my family would somehow help keep me sane.

My mom would probably bake me a banana pie and hold me until the world turned in my favor and my dad would take me out in the back and try to explain how car engines worked as he fixed his truck and even though I wouldn't understand, I would smile and nod along, all the while knowing that those were the two people in the world who would never hurt me.

“I could come with you,” Tracy offered.

She would drive me insane and I’d probably end up killing her and burying her body in the woods. “I appreciate that but I need to be alone.”

I wasn't worried about the loft, I knew Kayla would take care of it. As for work, Gloria had seemed relieved to give me the time off and after the Langford project had turned out to be such a success, she would have given me anything I wanted had I asked.

“Jordan, aren't you being a little bit rush? Going away is not going to fix anything,” Jenny said.

“Neither is staying here where I’ll be reminded of everything every single day. I am leaving because I need a break. I’m not foolish to think I’ll go home and somehow have a miraculous recovery.”

“Maybe if you could talk to Taylor again, maybe she hasn't left yet,” Rick said in an effort to comfort me.

It pleased me that all my friends were worried about me, but I wanted them to understand my need to want to be away. “I said all there was to be said. There is nothing else I can do now,” I said, and went to my room.

After a quick shower, I dressed and started putting some clothes in a suitcase. I was almost done when someone knocked on the door. I was tempted to ignore it, but I knew however it was, they wouldn’t go away.

“Kayla, I really don’t feel like being around anyone right now,” I said.

The second knock was a little more aggressive.

“Come on, give me a freaking break,” I yelled.

The third knock plainly pissed me off. I swung the door open and was about to give them a piece of my mind when my gaze fell on Taylor, who was standing right behind Tracy. Tracy impertinently stared at me, making it obvious she was responsible for the rude knocking.

What was Taylor doing there? Had she come to say goodbye? Did she have to make it more painful than it already was? Hadn’t our last exchange been enough?

“You guys going to get in there and talk? Personally, I would really enjoy a show,” Tracy said.

I wanted to knock her out.

“Please come in,” I said when I found everyone else in the room staring.

Taylor walked in and before I closed the door, I saw a begrudged look on Tracy’s face. “You want to come in too?” I asked her.

I was shocked to see that she was actually tempted to, but I closed the door before she could answer. When I turned to Taylor, she took me off guard when she jumped into my arms and kissed me, making every strand of hair in my body rise awake in startling realization.

“I don't think I'll ever get used to that,” she whispered against my lips.

“Wait, what does this mean?” I asked in confusion, trying not to let the kisses and the effect they had on me steal the moment before I got an explanation.

“I love you and I'm done hurting you,” Taylor said.

“Wait, what?” I asked, unable to process the moment any faster.

“I told my lawyer to draw up divorce papers and hand them over to Henry's lawyer. It took me a second after you left to realize that I didn't want to lose you again, but I had to turn in my resignation and make sure I was leaving the right person in charge. That was why it took me this long to come after you.”

I was too surprised to speak.

“I don't want to live another day without you and both Angie and I agree that we need you in our lives,” Taylor said.

“I can't believe it, I need someone to pinch me awake because I think I’m dreaming,” I said. It was too good to be true. One moment I had been numbed by pain and now I was in Taylor’s arms, overwhelmed by joy.

“It’s not a dream,” Taylor said, leaning her forehead against mine.

“You're mine?” I asked.

“This time for good,” Taylor said.

“Wait, you resigned? You didn't have to do that.”

“I needed to be myself again to be with you. I needed to be Taylor Walker with no attachments to Langford.”

Pleased by the way things had taken a phenomenal turn, I wrapped my arms around Taylor and closed my eyes in order to grasp what this meant.

“What happens to you and Henry? The penthouse? Everything you own?” I asked, wanting to make sure that there was nothing that would take Taylor away from me.

“Angie is his soul beneficiary to everything he owns and the penthouse is mine, though I think I'll sell it and stay here with you.”

“Are you sure you made the right decision?” I asked.

“Yes, it’s the best decision I have made in a long time,” Taylor said.

“We could find a bigger apartment.”

“Jordan, this place is perfect.”

I relaxed. “Good. Kayla is planning on moving in with Rick and I think with a little work, Angie would love that bedroom.”

“And where would I sleep?” Taylor asked playfully.

“In my bed, with me, where you should have been all along,” I told her.

She kissed me breathless and for a second, I felt like I had grown a pair of wings and I was flying.

“Is the door locked?” she asked.

When I nodded, she kissed me again and all those years we had been apart fell away. It was hard to believe all that suffering had been supposed to lead to that moment. We had been supposed to end up together after all.

Oh, how fate had dealt us a painful blow. But none of that mattered now, we had been supposed to grow up and our break up had forced that within us. After years of separation, something had drawn us back together and this time, with Angie in the picture. We were finally the family I had hoped we would one day become.

End