A Million Hiding Places {Completed}

Epilogue: Sixteen years later

Harley

"Amelia, hurry up. Jake'll be home soon and we need to get some food to give him. He is a man, he will be hungry."

Amelia laughs, dragging herself away from the window. She had been admiring a dress for her  University Formal. She had been obsessing for weeks. Maybe even months.

"But I have to have the perfect dress." She whined, pouting.

I laughed at her, messing up her mass of blonde curls. "Stop it, idiot. We have work to do."

She laughed, snatching my coffee out of my hand and taking a long drink of it. I pull it out of her hand in mock anger, laughing as the steaming liquid dribbled down her chin.

"If only Drake sould see you now." I laughed, refering to her fiance.

She frowned, wiping the liquid from her chin. "Hey..." She said softly, slightly offended. I hugged her side on. She smiled at me. "I'm going to the bathroom. See you later." and she ran off.

I laughed at her as she ran away and turned a corner. Suddenly I ran into someone so hard it literally knocked me off my feet.

I slammed into the ground, yelping as pain shot up my back. I rubbed my tail bone as the person helped my too my feet.

"Miss, I'm so sorry, i didn't see where I was.... holy shit."

They trailed off and I opened my eyes. What kind of an apology was that?!

"Well, next time, look where your going, okay Mister?!" I rubbed my back again, wincing.

"But, you don't- you don't recognise me?"

I gazed up at him, taking in his hair and his eyes, his face, his stance, his clothes... "Should I?"

"Harley... It's me. It's Robbie."

My mouth formed an 'O' and I swear my jawe hit the ground.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, this was awkward. We sat across from eachother in The Coffee Club, sipping at coffee's saying nothing. I think we were both shocked. I mean sixteen years has passed. Sixteen! I never though I'd see him again.

"So, how are things, with you?" Robbie mumbled, gazing intently at his coffee.

"Uh..." I tralied off. "Well, do you remeber Amelia and Jake?"

Robbie looked up, his eyes shining. "The twins?"

I nodded. "Yeah, well, Amelia, she's getting married in a months time. To her high-school sweet heart, Drake. And uh, Jake's flying into Sydney tonight. He, uh, is in the Army, and uh, has been overseas for a while."

I looked into my cup, unsure of how to continue.

Robbie nodded, smiling weakly. "Well, I'm married now."

I smiled. "really?"

"Yeah. To Jessica. And, uh, we have four kids. Hamish, whose just started year ten. Christain, whose just started year six and the twins Anna and Peyton, who are in Kindy."

I nodded. I dunno why, but I never expected him too have moved on? Is that sad? Selfish?

We lapsed into slience again for another five minutes, until both of us had finished our Coffee's and were just fiddling with the empty cups.

"I guess, I really wanted to ask about- about...uh..." Robbie said out of the blue.

I felt tears well in my eyes. Of course, how could he not come up in this conversation. Chris.

Robbie, noticing the tears, gripped my free hand that was resting on the table with his. "Hey," he cooed softly. "You don't have too tell me..."

I shook my head, this drawing my hand. It was a little too familiar for me. "No, it's okay. you deserve to know."

I cleared my throat. "He died." Robbie nodded. Obiviously that was the outcome. He wouldn't have survived this long, would he? "Last, last month... he died in his sleep."

My mind is flooded with images of my frail, sickly little brother, who I loved more than the world as he lived his life for the last sixteen years to the full.

I smile. I would have never believed he would have made it too twenty-nine. If someone had told me sixteen years ago, I would have smiled and said 'I wish.'

I remember him waking me up wanting to go sky diving; parachuting; bungy jumping; rock-climbing; to India; to America; to France; to his school Formal; to Uni....

Robbie nodded, sighing.

"Robbie? What are you doing sweetie, the kids are waiting in the car!" A woman said, coming to stand by our table. Robbie got up, kissing her delicatly on the face.

"Sorry honey. I got caught up with an old friend. Jess, this is Harley..."

Jessica raised her lucked eyebrows at me, wary. "So this is the infamous Harley..." She leaned down, giving me a small hug. "I've heard a lot about you."

Suddenly, she was smiling warmly, like we were old friends. "I'll be over there, Robs." She mumbled, walking away.

Robbie smiled lovingly after her. He turned to me. "It was good seeing you, Harley."

I nodded, numb, still sitting in the same spot. "yeah.."

He leant down. "I never stopped loving you." He whispered and was gone.