Epilogue-1

The atmosphere was thick and palpable with the discontent stemming from Kieran's body, but I tried my hardest to focus on the new hospital guest who'd shown up so callously and unexpectedly. "Kieran, Caroline, Mr. and Mrs. Rogers. I just heard about everything on the news but no one was releasing who the victim was, only Nathan's name because he's the criminal and my mom told me who it was finally because Kieran's been up here all this time. I'm really sorry about everything..." he trailed off and I wondered if that lackluster apology was only delivered to help him sleep better at night. "I forgive you Jake. I don't know if we'll ever be able to be friends again, but I forgive you because its unwise to hold onto hate in your heart." My parents looked confused between all of us and Kieran was still sitting in the background looking murderous, as if he could have taken Jake down with a single, scalding look in that very second. "What are you talking about honey, forgive him for what?" I had forgotten that my parents were still clueless about why we had broken up in the first place. "Oh, nothing, it was just a bad breakup is all..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say or how to respond to their questioning. "Yeah, try the fact that he's a manipulative liar and thinks it's okay to cheat on anyone he wants, whenever he wants and never face the consequences for his dumbass actions." Kieran's words were tangible in the air and I could physically feel the atmosphere shifting. "I can't take responsibility for my actions? What about you? You're the one who has been trying to break up my mom and your dad this entire time! Just because your mom died doesn't mean your dad doesn't ever get to be happy again!" Kieran was the first one to throw a punch and before I knew it, there was blood in Jake's sandy blonde hair, then the scarlet liquid started running down Kieran's tanned face dripping into his green eyes, and then the security guards were in the room having to pull the two 'brother's' off of each other. "Jesus, I have way too much drama in my life, can you two please for the love of GOD grow up?! Kieran, I know I've never said this to you before-but your dad does deserve to be happy. The memory of your mother will always be alive inside of your memories and also in the way you treat others as a reflection of how good a job she did at raising you, and I bet in this very moment she wouldn't be very proud of you!" "Thank you!" Jake exclaimed, but I wasn't done. "And you need to realize that Kieran is going through a very difficult and traumatic time in his life and he doesn't need someone there to constantly provoke him. You still have both of your parents, he only has one. Take his feelings into account-he feels like his dad is trading him in for another family, another son. That is obviously not the case because Kieran is clearly a better man than you ever will be, but you never know the struggles a person has going on inside their lives from the outside looking in. You two need to make up or stay the hell away from each other and be civil-for your family's sake." When the two men finally settled down, they looked each other dead in the eyes. "I'm sorry man." Kieran looked at Jake's stretched out hand with disgust until I coughed a bit in the background as a little urge for him to shake it and he finally did, making the security guards breathe a sigh of relief. "Now would you brutes please leave the room and let our daughter get some rest? I would assume she's been through enough without having to be your personal therapists added to the list," my father gritted out, steam rolling out of his ears at the exchange he'd just witnessed. That might've set my father and Kieran's relationship back a step or two, but it didn't matter. All was well in my world in that very moment. Kieran came closer to me and leaned in, brushing a peck against my bruised forehead while my mom and dad watched on with small glares as I reached up to wipe some of the blood off of his eyebrow where he'd been hit by a punch from Jake earlier. "Try not to get into any more fist fights while I'm asleep, would you?" The smile that radiated off his face despite the yelling I'd thrown his way earlier was enough to warm my insides and relax me to the point of sleepiness, and I was glad to know I hadn't over stepped my boundaries by telling him the what for. I watched as he slowly made his way out of my hospital room door and disappeared down the corridor as my lids grew heavy and I fell into a nice, comfortable sleep. *** Three Weeks Later: "Oh my god, you're right he is seriously so hot!"