Sequel: Hesitating and Suffocating ›
Status: finished.
Together by This Christmas Tree
and she makes me feel.
cally mcgregor
The scene was all too familiar. Me in the window seat, John sitting beside me, and an empty aisle seat to occupy us with irony. Me looking like utter crap, in an oversized flannel of John’s and my hair up in a intensely high bun and not a single care in the world.
John had kept me up late, firstly with his movies, then with his deep talks. I was exhausted, and had sunglasses to keep my bloodshot eyes out of the public view. I wasn’t hungover, that’s for sure, but I was exhausted beyond belief and was completely asleep on my feet. John nudged me as the pilot began to speak, smiling brightly. He was, somehow, wide awake. “You ready, Cally?” He was excited.
Through closed eyes, I answered. “I think you’re more excited about my best friend’s wedding than I am, John Cornelius,” I murmured, leaning my head against his shoulder, just like that night in my apartment all those days ago.
Without thinking, I leaned my head against the window in response, which John promptly ignored. “Why aren’t you excited? Your best friend is going to be happy with someone for the rest of her life!” John was evidently happy, by the way his eyes twinkled and how his smile seemed to get brighter and brighter with every word he spoke, like he was honestly thrilled to get out of Arizona.
“I feel behind, I guess,” I murmured. “Everyone else from my childhood has found their match, the one they are going to spend the rest of their life with, and I’m just stuck in this rut, working at a pub and spending time with boys who are here one week and gone the next four.” I shot John a pointed look. He hadn’t left for tour yet, but I knew one was coming up soon. The fact that he didn’t tell me was insulting, but Garrett had, and he had explained John’s reasoning. I understood.
John nodded. “You aren’t behind. You’re just waiting longer than most. You’re what, twenty?” I nodded slowly. “You have all the time in the world to find someone to spend the rest of your life with, or decide that someone you already know is the right person for you.” His voice was soft, his eyes meeting mine and we fell into a silence, staring at each other as the plane began to ascend into the sky.
The scene was all too familiar. Me in the window seat, John sitting beside me, and an empty aisle seat to occupy us with irony. Me looking like utter crap, in an oversized flannel of John’s and my hair up in a intensely high bun and not a single care in the world.
John had kept me up late, firstly with his movies, then with his deep talks. I was exhausted, and had sunglasses to keep my bloodshot eyes out of the public view. I wasn’t hungover, that’s for sure, but I was exhausted beyond belief and was completely asleep on my feet. John nudged me as the pilot began to speak, smiling brightly. He was, somehow, wide awake. “You ready, Cally?” He was excited.
Through closed eyes, I answered. “I think you’re more excited about my best friend’s wedding than I am, John Cornelius,” I murmured, leaning my head against his shoulder, just like that night in my apartment all those days ago.
Without thinking, I leaned my head against the window in response, which John promptly ignored. “Why aren’t you excited? Your best friend is going to be happy with someone for the rest of her life!” John was evidently happy, by the way his eyes twinkled and how his smile seemed to get brighter and brighter with every word he spoke, like he was honestly thrilled to get out of Arizona.
“I feel behind, I guess,” I murmured. “Everyone else from my childhood has found their match, the one they are going to spend the rest of their life with, and I’m just stuck in this rut, working at a pub and spending time with boys who are here one week and gone the next four.” I shot John a pointed look. He hadn’t left for tour yet, but I knew one was coming up soon. The fact that he didn’t tell me was insulting, but Garrett had, and he had explained John’s reasoning. I understood.
John nodded. “You aren’t behind. You’re just waiting longer than most. You’re what, twenty?” I nodded slowly. “You have all the time in the world to find someone to spend the rest of your life with, or decide that someone you already know is the right person for you.” His voice was soft, his eyes meeting mine and we fell into a silence, staring at each other as the plane began to ascend into the sky.
- - - - -
“CALLY MCGREGOR!” Gemma screamed from the other end of the London airport, Henry on her other side as she ran towards me, enveloping me in a hug.
“GEMMA THOMAS!” I screamed, keeping a firm grip on John’s fingers as she ran towards us at full speed, which was pretty fucking fast for such a small girl. She looked almost the same, except her hair was a few shades lighter, her skin a few darker. She looked ready to get married to Henry, who was grabbing my suitcase and talking to John like they were old friends. “You look great, Gem,” I said, and she smiled, her teeth white as pearls.
“So do you, Cally,” She said sincerely, quietly. A little louder, she said, “Who’s this handsome fellow?” She said, her British accent thick. I chuckled.
“Gemma, Henry, this is John O’Callaghan, a friend of mine.” John nodded at them. “John, this is my best friend, Gemma Thomas, and her fiance, Henry Roberts,” I said, and they exchanged hellos, kindly. I noticed the look Gemma was shooting from John to me, and I smiled reassuringly, making it a point not to hold any part of John as we walked into the rainy London weather towards Henry’s Kia.
“So, Cally, what’s the deal with John?” Gemma murmured, handing me a thermos with tea in it, my favorite thing to drink when I came. John and Henry were loading our things into the trunk, giving us a spare minute. I shrugged.
“He’s a friend, really. He has a girlfriend, love,” I said, hearing the British accent I had tried so hard not to gain coming back, an issue with staying here for two months and then leaving for a few weeks. Gemma smiled, squeezing my hands, but definitely not letting it go as Henry slid into the driver’s seat and John into the passenger seat, in deep conversation about Henry’s car, which us girls immediately tuned out.
Gemma squeezed my hands harder. “I’m so glad you’re here, Cally. I don’t think I could have done this without you.” Gemma sounded sincere, and her perfectly made up eyes began to water. I smiled quietly, my voice low.
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”
We passed through the country landscape towards the mansion of Henry’s late parents, where the wedding would be held and where the couple was currently living. The grass was a lush green, with tons of farm animals. “Oh, Cally, did Gemma tell you? We bought a cow and a few sheep while you were back in the States-” Henry rolled his eyes as he said this, as if America was overrated. “And we figured you’d love to see her.” I smiled brighter somehow.
“I’d love to see her,” I said, as Henry pulled into the long and winding drive of the mansion, which was turreted and covered with ancient stone, a marvelous sight for anyone. I heard John’s breath intake, the same way mine had the first time I had been here. I smiled, and Gemma beamed, and her smile could have lit up an entire town if she let it.
I could tell how happy she and Henry were together, especially now with the wedding only a few days away. It was in the way he wrapped his arm around her waist as I began to dig our things out of the trunk, and it was the way they snuck each other looks in the rearview mirror when they thought I wasn’t looking. They were more in love than even Damien and Isabelle, something I never thought I’d see.
But I was so glad to see Gemma so happy, after all those years of hardship we had together.
“GEMMA THOMAS!” I screamed, keeping a firm grip on John’s fingers as she ran towards us at full speed, which was pretty fucking fast for such a small girl. She looked almost the same, except her hair was a few shades lighter, her skin a few darker. She looked ready to get married to Henry, who was grabbing my suitcase and talking to John like they were old friends. “You look great, Gem,” I said, and she smiled, her teeth white as pearls.
“So do you, Cally,” She said sincerely, quietly. A little louder, she said, “Who’s this handsome fellow?” She said, her British accent thick. I chuckled.
“Gemma, Henry, this is John O’Callaghan, a friend of mine.” John nodded at them. “John, this is my best friend, Gemma Thomas, and her fiance, Henry Roberts,” I said, and they exchanged hellos, kindly. I noticed the look Gemma was shooting from John to me, and I smiled reassuringly, making it a point not to hold any part of John as we walked into the rainy London weather towards Henry’s Kia.
“So, Cally, what’s the deal with John?” Gemma murmured, handing me a thermos with tea in it, my favorite thing to drink when I came. John and Henry were loading our things into the trunk, giving us a spare minute. I shrugged.
“He’s a friend, really. He has a girlfriend, love,” I said, hearing the British accent I had tried so hard not to gain coming back, an issue with staying here for two months and then leaving for a few weeks. Gemma smiled, squeezing my hands, but definitely not letting it go as Henry slid into the driver’s seat and John into the passenger seat, in deep conversation about Henry’s car, which us girls immediately tuned out.
Gemma squeezed my hands harder. “I’m so glad you’re here, Cally. I don’t think I could have done this without you.” Gemma sounded sincere, and her perfectly made up eyes began to water. I smiled quietly, my voice low.
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”
- - - - -
We passed through the country landscape towards the mansion of Henry’s late parents, where the wedding would be held and where the couple was currently living. The grass was a lush green, with tons of farm animals. “Oh, Cally, did Gemma tell you? We bought a cow and a few sheep while you were back in the States-” Henry rolled his eyes as he said this, as if America was overrated. “And we figured you’d love to see her.” I smiled brighter somehow.
“I’d love to see her,” I said, as Henry pulled into the long and winding drive of the mansion, which was turreted and covered with ancient stone, a marvelous sight for anyone. I heard John’s breath intake, the same way mine had the first time I had been here. I smiled, and Gemma beamed, and her smile could have lit up an entire town if she let it.
I could tell how happy she and Henry were together, especially now with the wedding only a few days away. It was in the way he wrapped his arm around her waist as I began to dig our things out of the trunk, and it was the way they snuck each other looks in the rearview mirror when they thought I wasn’t looking. They were more in love than even Damien and Isabelle, something I never thought I’d see.
But I was so glad to see Gemma so happy, after all those years of hardship we had together.
♠ ♠ ♠
so they are finally in England, where all distractions from all fronts are gone. what do you think will happen next? and what do you think of that night they apparently spent together? and finally, what do you think of Gemma? things are heating up!and please don't forget about both at hello and young and reckless.