Misfits (#2)

57.

His voice is a lot more tender than usual when he breaks the quiet, "I have a baby girl, Vy."

My heart stops a moment, and then it starts to soar. God. Charlotte's due date was in a couple weeks but I'm guessing the baby came early. She was five months along when Grayson had been told, and now, four months later, he has a kid.

"Gray." I try not to let my voice shake, "I'm so happy. For you, and her. You have a baby girl."

It still feels so surreal. A niece. Grayson's daughter, breathing and living somewhere far away from me.

"Is she healthy? And okay? Is Charlotte okay, and are you- sorry, I should've asked you first-"

His deep chuckle sounds out, "We're all okay."

My eyes have started to well up, thinking about how things can change. Who knew? That I'd be here, that at twenty, Gray would be a dad. I've not let myself cry in a long time. I forced every tear back and even now, it feels instinctive to shove it down.

"I miss you." He says, softly.

"I miss you too." I force the tears back. Down, down, down.

"A Bentley's picking you up from your dorm room tomorrow. And you'll be taken to Sage's jet," He says, "And then to Azaria."

"What?" I breathe, "I-"

"It's a short trip, only a few days." He says and I can practically hear his smile, "Anna's waiting for her Aunt Vy."

"Anna?" The tears are literally on the brim. I'd suggested Anna to him, a while ago. I miss him, all of them and now there's a baby in the family. The first baby from us siblings and I already feel my all consuming love. Oh, I'm gonna love her so much. Forever.

I feel like I've missed so much, skipped to a part of the story and I wasn't included in the previous parts. I didn't get to be there for her birth, for the time leading up to it. It was stripped away from me. But I focus on the fact that I get to leave.

"What about Dean?"

"He knows." I can hear his restrained anger, boiling beneath the two words, "Don't think about him. Not for now."

I nod, "Okay. I'll- I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow."

"Give Anna a kiss from me." I say, smiling at how perfect that sounds. She fits. She's meant to be in this family, even if she wasn't expected and I'm gonna love her to death. Excitement bubbles in my stomach for the first time in so long that the emotion almost feels weird. I've been used to letting the days drag along, a monotonous cycle of nothing. This makes me feel like I've jumpstarted back to life. Something, within months of misery.

Little Anna.

"Will do."

We say goodbye and hang up. I remain perched on the edge of the bed, letting the torrent of emotions run through.

I let my face fall into my hands, composing myself. I've had to endure so much of Dean's company as of late. Nothing too terrible. But I'm like his arm candy around campus, having to submit. His threats and blackmail only got worse the more I tried to fight back.

Threats against me, and everyone I love. From the past I try so hard to forget. Forgetting would make everything so easier.

Everest Jones. How hard he is to forget. I've made relentless attempts. But it's like I've always known - I could watch him fall in love again and be cities away. My very last thought would be ones of him. The only love I can't forget because of how deeply we embedded into each other's hearts.