Epilogue

                                    

                                          
1 year later - 
                          
Brayden and I have been together for eleven months now and I've been living with him for nine of those months. I don't have many nightmares as I used too; sleeping with Brayden every night in his arms has helped; along with talking to a therapist and the medication I take every night before bed. 
                          
Courtney and Brycen are still together and happy; they announced last weekend that they're having a baby in six months. I'm over the moon for my best friend and sister but I'm a little jealous, too. I want a child to raise with Brayden. Carter and Wyatt had a rough patch for about a month, six months ago and all of us thought they would break up but they found their way through; and they are doing better than ever. Mum and dad are doing as great as ever and are over-joyed that they're going to be grandparents. 
                          
Tomorrow is my 19th birthday and I don't care about celebrating; as Brayden is away on a mission and has beeen gone for nine weeks and I hate it since I don't know when he'll be home. The first week went by quickly as I was busy with exams for college but now I'm still at college with no exams to keep my mind busy. 
                          
Wandering into my job, I hang my coat and backpack on a hook and tie my apron round my waist before heading out onto the floor; being told by my manager which tables are mine tonight. Slapping on my best fake smile, I exit the back toward my first table; "Hello, I'm Beau and I'll be your waiter tonight. May I start you off with drinks and starters?"
                          
The young couple smile back at me, with the man saying; "Hello, we'll have a bottle of your best red wine and the stuffed mushroom ravioli to start, please."
                          
"Of course, sir; I'll have the wine out in a moment and your starter when it is ready."
                          
Dropping their order off at the kitchen, I grab a cold bottle of red wine to drop it off at their table; popping the cork to fill their glasses and leaving it in the ice bucket before going to my next table. Six long hours later, my shift is finally over and I help clean before we all leave for the night. Heading home to an empty house since Brayden and I are the only two who live there. Maybe I should talk to Bray about getting a cat or dog; company for me when he is gone and to care for together when he is home. 
                          
Driving the ten minutes home, parking the car in my spot, I climb out after shutting the engine off; to unlock the front door and re-lock it along with arming the alarm before doing anything else; I'm paranoid that while in the house, I'll be taken by someone and sold into another sex trafficking ring or worse. Brayden had a security system installed for me before I moved in; wanting to make sure I felt safe when he wasn't home. 
                          
Turning my phone on before heading into the bathroom to shower and dress in my night clothes; I then lie on my bed staring at the ceiling; wanting to cry from the loss of Bray even though I know he'll be back soon. My phone dings;notifying me that I have a text. 
                          
Rolling over, grabbing my phone off the nightstand, finding four missed calls, two from Wyatt, one from Bryce and one from Courtney and nine text messages; four from Bryce, one from Wyatt, Courtney and Carter each and two from mum. Sighing, I read mum's first and all she's says is wondering how I'm doing and to call her. Carter's is yelling at me for not answering him, Courtney and Wyatt's want me to answer them.
                          
Brycen's first message is a pic of Brayden and me, which makes me smile; the pic was from the first snowfall and we're staring at each other with the snowflakes falling all around us with our arms wrapped around each other. The rest of his texts are about him going on about how all of us should get together at a resturant tomorrow night for by birthday dinner. 
                          
Hitting the reply button to his last text, typing; "Hey Bryce, thanks for the pic - love it! About dinner tomorrow night, thanks but no thanks; I'm just going to stay home, watch movies and order take-in. I love all of you but I'm not in the mood to celebrate my b-day."