I couldn't sleep last night, not after what we had. Rory loves me and I'm head over heel in love with him. When the clock hit six a.m., I jumped out of bed and take a bath and brush my teeth, I have to look presentable today, for Rory. My clothes which were dirty the day I came here have been washed and dried and so I wear them. I pace around the room impatiently waiting to hear a knock, but not hearing one. I become worried and a little part of me tells me that things are no longer the same and I shouldn't expect things to just happen, but I ignored that voice.
The knock I'd anticipated for the last one hour finally comes on my door and with my mind racing, I run to the door and open it wide only to see Francis with his usual casual look.
He looks at me from head to toe and smiles. "Doing good I see."
I'm glad to see him, but I want to see Rory and not him. "Where's Rory?" I ask a little too mean to him.
His eyes do not change with my silly tone instead he smiles. "Rory left this morning."
Rory left? Without telling me. Why? Didn't what happened between us mean anything to him?
"He said to take you back home and make sure you're safe."
"I don't need some guard just keep me outside and I'd find my way home." I snap angrily at Francis then I realize all this isn't his fault. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm picking on the wrong person." I apologize immediately.
He smiles instead, making wrinkles form around his eyes. "It's okay, Taylor you two have something and I'd be dumb not to notice."
My eyes suspiciously raise at him. "Notice what?"
"The way you looked and acted with him the day he was shot and the way he gets all soft when he's talking about you. Only the blind won't notice that."
My mouth forms an 'o' but I shrug on recovery. "Well he is gone and whatever we have along with him."
I walk back inside searching for my things around the room even when I know there isn't one, but that doesn't stop me from looking though.
"Even you don't believe that." Is what Francis says.
No, I don't, but what is the use of fighting a battle you've already lost?
When I see nothing around I turn to him. "Let's get going, shall we? This place brings back sad memories."
Francis gives me a pity look, but I dare him to speak with my eyes and it's a good thing he doesn't.
I see a jaw-dropping, black Lamborghini park as we both come outside the house.
Is this what is going to take me home? Haha, bring it on.
Stop that this is just a bribe to make you forget that nothing happened here. Something did happen between us, but like most men do he's going to act like nothing happened and expect me to play along.
"I'm not getting in that." I blurt out, folding my arms over my chest.
"Rory says you will say that too," Francis says before walking up to the car. "Rory asked me to get you in this car and give you something else you'll need to have." He says opening the car and bringing out something from somewhere inside. He walks back to me and he hands me a black box that he's holding.
"What is this?" I ask, trying not to sound aggressive.
"A replacement for your phone which you lost while trying to get Rory to safety." He hands it to me. "He wants you to have it." and says.
I do not take the phone. "If he really wanted to give me something, he would have given it to me himself." I snort.
Francis doesn't seem to be bothered with my attitude, I guess he gets the same attitude with Rory. "Things will never happen the way we all want them to, but we are still suppose to appreciate the way they turn out and be grateful for what we have."
He gives the box and this time I collect it from his hand. There is an apple logo in the front of it and the iPhone 6 tag a little above the head. I open the box and there lies a black new iPhone 6 and beside it is a note. I take the note out and read.
I'm glad Francis was able to convince you into accepting it. I had it designed specifically for you and I. Hope you'll consider it my way of apologizing for my sudden departure.
Love, Rory.
My mouth widens when I see a T&R at the bottom part of the back, it is beautiful and perfectly designed and I would have considered it a normal logo if he didn't say "you and I" in the note. My vision blurs up, but that doesn't stop me from smiling. I wipe the tears off with the handkerchief Francis offers me and I offer him a small smile.
"It's just so lovely." I whimper softly to him. "Not the pho--ne." I hiccup, "well partly, but it's lovely." I show him, tracing my hand on the T&R that it's written on it.
"Hope those tears are for the car as well." He teases.
I clear my throat quickly. "I don't care the note or tag in that car, I'm not accepting it." I point out flatly.
Francis doesn't look happy but neither does he look ready to argue with me on this. I walk to the car which Francis is already holding the door open for me. I enter and he slowly closes the door.
It is seven-thirty a.m. when we return to my house and home, I get down. "Thanks for bringing me home, Francis, I do hope we get to meet sometimes."
With a sincere smile. "Me too." He replies before driving off.
I look at home in longing, two days away felt like two years and I am standing here and ready to see Jack, Jake and Josh my little naughty triplets. I grin I can't wait to embrace the real world, my family, and meet mom and Mycole my best friend.
When I walk to the door, I knock lightly on it and the door comes flying open and out comes Jack with a huge smile. "It's Taylor!!" He squeals and I roll my eyes on the childishness he still possesses, a childishness which I have missed.
In the next second, the door is filled up and I see the three Js pushing against themselves because they want to see me. "Well hello to you guys too." I sarcastically reply with an amused eye.
"Hey, Taylor," comes Josh weak voice from the much struggle.
"There's no need to struggle you know." I fold my arms and my gaze narrow at them disapprovingly. When they don't stop, I raise my voice. "YOU CAN LET ME COME IN THAT WAY YOU WON'T HAVE TO STRUGGLE JUST TO SEE ME." I breathe down heavily having shouted on an empty stomach.
Straight away they stop struggling and give way and I enter. I see there are a lot of questions on their curious faces, but more than anything, I see the relief on their faces which makes me glad.
Home is always home no matter how small.
"Let me be the first to say, I missed you guys."
"We missed you too, Taylor," Jake says happily and before I knew it they all run to me, hugging me like I am such a strong girl, of course, I'm not, so I fall, laughing out tears.
"If you guys keep this up, I'll faint, I'm hungry."
"We've got some breakfast left," Josh says, getting up from on top of me and running away.
"What the hel-l-ll are the two of you waiting for?" I asked, trying to sound angry, but who am I kidding?
"Get up from her, you two maggots, you're gonna kill her."
"We are?" Jack lets go and runs up with wide and panicked eyes.
"No, we are not." Jake hiss, still strangling my neck with his big hands.
Josh drops the bowl in his hand on the table and comes over to where we are. "I said get up." He snaps and with that, he pulls Jake up by his hair.
"Ouch, ouch." Jake yelp out as his hair is pulled at by Josh.
Jack gives me his hand and when I take it, he pulls me up to my feet. I come to the dining and take a seat and peep inside the bowl and it's empty. I look up at Josh who is now sheepishly grinning at me.
"It isn't April first is it?"
"No." He shakes his head.
"Is it December twenty fifth?"
Again he shakes his head.
"Then what is it!" I yell in frustration.
"Mycole told us that he saw you with Rory and that that was where you were." He teases me with his eyes. "was he correct?"