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O N E H U N D R E D & N I N E
The smell of bacon wafted in from the kitchen, the gentle hum of the radio mingling with the crackling of fat in the pan and Colton’s soft singing. Kate smiled, burying her face in the pillow to hide the schoolgirl glee dancing across her features. The air felt lighter, the weight bearing down on her shoulders for so long finally lessening, giving her the chance to breathe. Leisurely, she rolled from bed, stretching out her stiff muscles, relishing in the satisfying pop of her back as she pressed her hands into the base of her spine, her head falling back to release the tightness accumulating there. Tendrils of steam twirling caught her eye, and she bit her lower lip to suppress her grin. The mug was still hot, and she cupped it in both hands as she meandered into the kitchen, watching the winged woman dance across Colton’s broad shoulders as he jiggled the frying pan.
Instinctively, she rested her cup on the counter and slipped behind him, her hands crawling arou
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Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & T E N
The sofa molded around Colton’s body as he sprawled across it, sock-covered feet dangling over the arm; Kate curled in the small space between his torso and the back of the lounge, one leg hooked over his waist, her eyes – although she tried to keep them open – fluttered closed at the gentle massage of his fingers in her hair. On the rug in front of them, Florence lay on her own foldout sofa, adorned with the cheery face of Minnie Mouse – a gift from Aunt Kate and Uncle Colt for her recent birthday. Her little head turned frequently, ensuring black eyes were focused on the television, not missing any of the important parts of the movie. As much as he hated to admit it, Colton was entranced by the swirls of ice, far too invested in the story of two sisters, a dopey snowman, and a man who talked to his reindeer. Beside them, Heath rested in his armchair, the light of his phone screen emanating on his face as he checked emails. Paloma was resting in bed, her wea
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & E L E V E N
Three months later. A dark haze fell over the room; the gray clouds hiding away the small sliver of sunshine attempting to peek through. Kate shifted on the maroon, pleather sofa, her attention drifting between the outdated fashion magazine in her hands and the vibrant light of the television hooked into the corner of the room. She watched the petite, blonde presenter slip onto a bar stool, scoffing as she did so with far too much ease for the skin-tight dress and sky-high heels she wore. Kate was certain she’d fall straight on her damn face if she attempted anything of the sort, even without the inefficient clothing. The click of the mahogany door derailed her train of thought, Charlie’s wispy, white hair – parted precisely and combed to perfection – becoming visible as he stepped into the waiting room. “So, does the same time next week work for you?” he asked, fiddling with the button of his tweed jacket as he glanced over his shoulder. “Do you have a set
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & T W E L V E
“How the hell do you have boxes – plural – of stuff? Paloma left with two trash bags,” Colton huffed, sliding the final box from their car across the bedroom floor, watching with a wince as it skidded into Kate’s leg. “Sorry.”“Ow.” She dropped the shirt she was folding, rubbing her leg before frowning up at him. “She forgot a lot of things, and it was easier to pre-fold my clothes and put them into boxes, rather than chuck them into trash bags again.”Knowing it was best not to argue while her sweet features housed a scowl, Colton sunk onto the bed. “D’ya want help?”After spending the first twenty minutes tidying the chaos that was Colton’s clothes, his shirts and shorts scrunched and stuffed into the spaces her absence had left, the remainder of her task was relatively simple. “I’ve just got the rest of this box and the one you just brought in left,&
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & T H I R T E E N
Three months laterPuffing out the influx of air she’d sucked in, Kate smoothed her white blouse over her stomach nervously, the silky material oddly comforting beneath her palm. The musky scent of the courthouse irritated her nostrils, old wood and leather mingled with thick clouds of cologne, emanating from the men dressed in stiff suits as they walked past her, their shoes click-clacking against the linoleum floor. Leaning back, she rested her back against the pastel yellow concrete wall, a chill radiating through her spine, as she tugged her phone from her purse. She smiled at the presence of Colton’s name on the screen and the black love heart nestled beside it.Good luck, baby. I’ll be there as soon as I can. This fucking dick is taking his sweet ass time.The memory of his crestfallen face flashed through her mind, the way his fingers had curled around the neck of his beer bottle as he jotted down the time and date for
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & F O U R T E E N
Stepping out onto the expansive back deck, Kate huddled into one of the wicker chairs, stretching out her legs to allow the tiny glimmer of sunlight to spatter across her sweats. Keeping the knitted blanket wrapped loosely around her shoulders, she clasped the hot cup between her palms, inhaling the sweet nuttiness of her almond cappuccino, lovingly brought back by Colton from his morning stroll into town. The fresh air, thick with the scent of pine needles and earthy rain, consumed her, allowing her to breathe deeply for the first time in weeks, if not months. Casting a gaze out at the dense woodlands before her, she smiled. Even though she’d denied him multiple times, Colton’s insistence on bringing her out to Rhys’ reclusive cabin had been the best idea he’d had in a long time. They’d been there only two days and already she was feeling like a whole new person. Her gaze flittered to the back door as it swung open, Colton’s broad shoulders unclothed, his shirt being used t
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & F I F T E E N
Tucking her knees into her chest - as far as her pregnant stomach would allow - Kate covered her ears, consciously inhaling and exhaling through pursed lips in an attempt to steady her erratic heart. Somewhere in the lounge room, she heard Colton shuffling about, the harsh rake of the curtain rings sliding along the thick wooden rods, shading them from the view of the outside. He continued grumbling over the phone, the string of expletives showing no signs of easing as his heavy footsteps clunked past her, growing muffled in the weathered carpet as he retreated into the bedroom. Cabinet doors banged open, the clang and clatter of objects dispersing as he rifled through them before forcefully slamming them shut with an irritated grunt. The anxiety coursing through her triggered the baby, its tiny limbs poking and prodding her stomach as she strove to calm herself down.“You better have someone here soon, Sandy,” Colton spat in the background, the sound of ano
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & S I X T E E N
“Colton!”Her own voice rang in her ears, the sharp whistle of a gunshot pulsing deep in the chambers of her mind as all other noises diffused, dulling down to an almost non-existent whine. Colton’s body crumpled to the floor, the rifle discharging as it hit the scuffed floorboards; another loud pop burrowing into her eardrums. Attempting to stand, she clutched her stomach, huffing as she brought herself to her feet, watching in horror as a small team of officers, dressed in dark S.W.A.T vests, approached, their movements slow and controlled, methodically assessing the scene before them.“Kate!”Sandy’s voice cut through the mind-numbing noise, the warmth of her hand resting on Kate’s shoulder, preventing her from moving forward. Tearing away from her grasp, Kate stumbled forward, tripping over Preston’s extended leg and careening to the floor. She stuck out her hands, her wrists taking the brunt of the impact as s
Rude Awakenings O N E H U N D R E D & S E V E N T E E N
The car jounced down the dirt road, wheels spinning stray flecks of gravel through the air. The sky was almost pitch black now, a thick blanket filled with tiny stars that glinted brightly against the navy backdrop. The woods, still filled with the unsettling presence of flashlights, seemed eerier in the rearview, the few police cars that remained at the cottage shining from the glow of the kitchen light emanating from the window. Kate tugged at the threads of Colton’s sweatshirt, pulling the fabric over her mouth as she buried herself into the passenger seat. The radio announcer's voice drifted through the otherwise silent interior, talking about a new song being released by a popular female artist. Kate tried to focus on what he was saying, to push away the intrusive thoughts that were swirling through her mind, but his words turned into a mish-mash of nonsense, garbled sounds that made no sense to her. From her peripheral, she caught Colton m’s hand resting gently aga
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