A Beautiful Struggle (10 page)
Patrick moved around in my arm
s so he was facing me. His face was red from crying. His eyes were puffy. His nose was dripping. His hair was pushed up in all directions. His lip quivered. “I know, Derrick.” He attempted to give me a small smile. “Thank you.”
“You have nothing to thank me for
, Patrick,” I said as I shook my head. I looked into his eyes. “That’s what love is. You’re there for the person through the good and the bad.” I cupped his face. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Whispering
, Patrick said, “I’m not going anywhere, either,” and gave a reassuring smile. Leaning into me, he lightly kissed my lips. As he pulled back, he gave me another small smile and started to turn back around in my arms so he was facing away from me.
Laying
there, I couldn’t believe the struggles the two of us had faced. I knew that I would rather go through a life of struggles with Patrick than any other life. I loved him. That would never change. What made us different from other couples was that we had faced struggles only few have gone through and we came out of them together. That’s what made us beautiful.
Patrick
– 1 month later
It’s been one month since my grandma passed away. It’s been pretty difficult on me and Gramps, but with Derrick’s help and the help of his parents, we’re slowly getting back to normal. Words couldn’t describe how elated I felt when his dad came around. I knew it would kill Derrick if he and his dad never had a relationship again.
I was surprised just how fast his dad came around to liking me.
While his dad explained the rules of football, lacrosse, soccer and baseball to me, I helped him with his wardrobe, picking the right colors that worked best with his complexion, how to shape his eyebrows, and choosing the best fitting jeans for his body type.
I was so happy that we were now a family.
I just wished that my grandma could have been here for it, too.
I trail
ed my feet against the grass as I walked over to her. This is the first time I’ve been here since the day of her funeral. I needed time to heal before I came here. Holding a bouquet of her favorite flowers, daisies, in my hand, I walked over to her grave. Stopping in front of it, I read the plaque.
Evelyn Christiansen – an angel from
God
A beloved mother, grandmother, sister, friend.
Tears start to fill my eyes. I just miss her so much and I wish she were here. But I know I have another angel looking down at me from heaven. I know that she’s with my mom and dad. They may not be here physically, but they are mentally, without a doubt.
Every time I pour milk into my coffee
, I hear my grandma in my mind asking, “Really? That’s just not right.” She thought putting anything into black coffee was a sin. Well, I committed that sin quite a bit.
Getting down on my knees
, I place the daisies next to her grave. Sitting down onto the grass, I start to twine the blades between my fingers. I look down at them and feel the softness. I can feel tears lightly falling but I don’t wipe them away. I’m thinking of what to say to her.
“I miss you
, Gram. So much.”
I start to tell her about Derrick’s parents.
“You would have loved the Gram. I have a feeling you would have gotten along really well with his mom, especially.”
I hear someone walking towards me and I already know who it is.
I’m still looking down at the grass when out of the corner of my eye I see his tennis shoes. I hear his knees crack as he sits down next to me. “Hey, Evelyn. We miss you so much.” Taking a hold of my hand, he says, “I will love your grandson for the rest of my life.” Turning to me he says, “I will, Patrick.”
Taking in a shaky breath
, I let it out and say, “I know you will, Derrick. I will, too.”
After we say our goodbyes
, we walk back over to the car. I keep a fir
m
grip on Derrick’s hand and I think how it was all worth it. The struggles we faced were, in a sense… beautiful.
The End
Acknowledgement
s
While I may write the words on these pages there are so many great people who make this a reality. To view the cover, hold it in paperback and spread the word, takes time, patience, a few glasses of wine but most importantly some very wonderfully talented people.
Jennifer O' Neill and Jessica
Gunhammer of Limitless Publishing for taking a huge chance on me and for being a huge part in making my dreams come true.
Robin Harper of Wicked by Design, Toni
Rakestraw for editing, Dixie Matthews for formatting and Olivia Osland for marketing for making this story become a reality!
Thank you so much to all of the bloggers for spreading the word on my books! You all kick major ass!
Erica you are the best when it comes to reading my books!
Alessandra for being there for your guidance through this process.
Josh, my amazing boyfriend, you are so amazing and I'm so grateful for you to be in my life. I love you so much!
My
family for your support and kind words the two of you have given me in pursuing my dreams.
And last, but certainly not least, to all of the readers! All of you are totally amazing and I have made so many friends through this wild and crazy experience. You all are so awesome!
XoXo
, Emily!
About the Author
For the past 21 years, I have been a planner and an organizer.
I always needed things a specific way and then everything changed for me. I've always had a vivid imagination and thoughts racing through my mind. I realized that life is way too short to let things pass me by, because in the blink of an eye everything could change. So I decided to just live in the moment, taking every chance and opportunity led my way. No second thoughts and just going with the flow.
I decided to put the fictional characters and the conversations going on in my head to paper.
I know it makes me sound crazy, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I've embraced crazy and hectic and last minute because it's led me to making my dreams a reality.
When I'm not writing Happily Ever
After's I'm reading about them and living one. I think this world is filled with too much sadness already we don't need to read about it as well. I write because I love it and I've allowed my imagination to run wild and be crazy and free. Just like me.
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