Iris spent the next morning staring out at the water, thinking about what the Pogues were doing. She hated that her mind kept drifting off to them, but for six weeks, they were her best friends, so, how could she not?
"Whatcha thinking about?" Lily asked her daughter, wrapping an arm around her.
Iris sighed, wrapping her arm around her mom, resting her head on her shoulder, "Everything."
"Honey, do you need to talk to someone? Your dad can get-"
"No, mom, seriously, I'm okay." She gave her mom a reassuring smile, "I've just been overwhelmed the last few days, but I'm happy to be home, I am."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure. If anything changes, you and dad will be the first to know."
"Okay, are you hungry? We can make a big family breakfast."
Iris laughed, "Mom, when have we ever had a big family breakfast without the Cameron's?"
Lily gave her daughter a sad smile, "We haven't in years, but it felt empty for weeks and I'd like that tradition back with my girl. I just wish the rest of the Cameron's we're still next door so we could do it as we used to."
Iris reminisced on those days. For a good ten years, they had Sunday breakfast together, either at their house or the Camerons's. It was Iris' favourite day of the week. Same with Rafe's.
"I wish they were too, but can you settle for one Cameron joining us?"
Lily smiled, "I can. I assumed he'd be joining us when I saw that he was here this morning." She paused, looking at her daughter, "You know, he took it really hard when he thought you were gone. We all did."
"I know. I didn't even realize we would be declared dead while I was out there."
"All I'm saying, sweetie, is he, he called a lot, okay? He called a lot to talk about you, to check in on us, and really, I think he just needed someone to check in on him."
"Did you?" Iris whispered.
"We did." She paused, "But I know how strange this all feels right now to me, so I can't imagine how it feels to him. As much as he must love you being back, he is probably very confused, because we are also very confused."
"Why confused?"
"It's conflicting. It's conflicting because we were grieving you, mourning you, trying to do what we could to stay together even though inside we were broken into a million pieces." Lily sighed, "And now that you're back, I still have those millions of pieces inside me slowly putting themselves back together because you're here, you're not gone, you're here. And yes, that matters, but there's still that ache and pain from before and that had to heal too."
Iris nodded softly, "I never thought about it that way."
"Now that you've heard that, why don't you go upstairs and wake up that boy of yours." Lily paused briefly, "Because you never know when you'll see someone for the last time, so spend every second that you want with them."
"Okay." Iris whispered, blinking back tears as her mom waltzed into the kitchen and she climbed the staircase, shuffling back up to her room.
Rafe was still curled up, sleeping in her bed, she smiled slightly as she walked up to the bed, climbing back in and pulling him into her arms as he stirred slightly. She pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead, something he always did to her but that she never did for him. Rafe stirred once more before he finally opened his eyes, looking up at her slightly confused.
"Morning." She whispered, giving him a smile.
"I'm so confused right now." He rasped in his groggy morning voice.
"Why?"
"I don't think you've ever held me like this."
"Do you not like it?"
He smiled, "No, I do."
"Good." She muttered, "How are you doing?"
"I should be asking you that."
"Yeah, but, you thought I was dead, Rafe. We didn't really talk about how that impacted you."
"You're here now, ocean eyes, that's all I care about."
"Rafe, seriously-"
"Baby, I'm fine, alright?" He paused, "All I can say is that it was awful when I thought you were gone, okay? But, when I saw you that day at Singh's, honestly, it was the best day of my life. It was. I was so overjoyed that you were alive. And again, that's all that matters. You're here. You're with me. You're safe. That's all I want, okay?"
Iris nodded, tears in her eyes, "Okay."
"C'mere baby, I love you." He muttered as he sat up, pulling her into him this time, pressing his lips to hers.
"I love you."
"Does this mean you're mine again?" He asked against her skin as she chuckled softly.
"I'd say so."
"You'd say so?" He paused, "Is this dependent on the others?"
The Pogues flashed through her mind briefly and she pushed it away.
She was back as a Kook again.
It's not like any of them would forgive her now, right?
"No, it's not." She replied quickly.
"So, officially, you're mine again?" He asked once more.
"Yes, Rafe. I hope I'm never without you again." She admitted to him.
"You know, we could run away." He suggested, "After I sell my dads business', we can take the cash and go."
"Should we?"
"I'd go anywhere with you in an instant."
"Then maybe we should go."
"That would be something, wouldn't it?"
"It would." She smiled, thinking about it.
"Keep it in the back of your mind. We can always do it." Rafe pressed a kiss to her forehead once more.
The two laid there for awhile longer before Lily called them for breakfast, making Rafe confused again.
"Breakfast?"
"Yeah, like old times."
Rafe gave her a surprised look, "It's been awhile since we did a breakfast."
"That's what I said." Iris said, sitting up and getting out of bed, "You coming?"
Rafe nodded, following suit and throwing a shirt over his head as well as pants, "Right behind you."
Everything felt like normal. Like before she got involved with the Pogues before summer, like how life used to be before 1000 things happened. It was bittersweet.
And truthfully, she liked it this way.
She needed calmness. She needed to be with the people she loved the most.
Even if that meant excluding those that she loved that she spent those six weeks with. Sure, they were there for her through the food and the bad, but she needed her day ones.
And her day one was Rafe. He was the first person she met when she was brought into this world, aside from her parents. It was destiny that they were to be together. It just made sense.
One thing she needed was to go and see Sarah, but she didn't know if she was at John B's, Tannyhill, or anywhere else. And that made her hesitant on going to see her, because she didn't want to see anyone else. Specifically JJ, but also Kiara now, along with the others.
That afternoon, she sat on the dock with her toes dipped in the water as she felt footsteps approaching. Assuming it was Rafe, she didn't turn back, but the voice startled her slightly.
"Hey, Iris..."
Wait...
She turned her head only to see Tatum standing above her and she furrowed her brow.
"Uh, Tatum, uh, hi."
"Mind if I sit?"
"Sure." Iris muttered in response.
Tatum and Iris sat in silence for a few moments and just when Iris was about to break the silence, Tatum did.
"Look, I didn't know you were going to be here when I came home this weekend because, uh, well, we all thought you were dead, which I'm sure you know." She began, "But I've been talking with Rafe a lot, and, I saw him yesterday and he wanted me to come and talk to you. I never really got to apologize about my behaviour before I left for school. So, I'm sorry for the way I acted. I was upset that you were getting close with the Pogues and, uh, and it hurt me because you and I have always been close, well, for the last few years anyways." She paused, "But I'm glad you have other friends. And I'm really relieved to know that you're okay and that you're safe."
Iris glanced over at her and offered her a small smile, "I'm glad you came to see me. I'm also glad you and Rafe were able to have each other while I wasn't here."
"How have you been? Be honest, I'm sure being in an island wasn't ideal." Tatum said as Iris chuckled, making Tatum chuckle as well.
"It wasn't, it really wasn't, but we made it work." She sighed, "I'm okay now that I'm back. It's been a lot for me to take in the last few days since there was a lot going on, but I'm really, really happy to be home." She looked away, "I thought we were going to die on that island. I never saw a scenario in which we were going to make it out, especially all the way back to OBX."
"Well, I'm happy you didn't turn out to be dead."
"So am I." Iris laughed nervously, "Here's something you'll never expect from me-"
"Oh god, what?"
"I was kinda with JJ on the island." Iris muttered slowly.
Tatum raised her eyebrows, "He must have been over the moon. That boy has always had a crush on you. How did that make you feel? Especially with Rafe?"
Iris shrugged, "Honestly, I love JJ, I do, but it's always going to be Rafe."
"That's not shocking to hear. The entire time I've known you it's like you and Rafe are attached by invisible strings. Always tied at the hip."
"That's one way to put it." Iris glanced back at Tatum once more, "Can you be honest with me?"
"That's why I'm here."
"How was he during the last few weeks?"
"Heartbroken. There's no other word for it. Heartbroken, but on the mend." Tatum admitted.
Iris nodded, "And you?"
"Guilty. Guilty that I didn't get to apologize."
"You did now, and I wholeheartedly forgive you."
"It makes me really happy to hear you say that."
"I'm sorry for also abandoning our friendship. It was partially my fault." Iris said as Tatum smiled at her.
"I accept your apology."
"How's school?"
Tatum's eyes widened, "It's hectic, but honestly, I enjoy it. The business program is just as hard as I thought it would be."
"I have no doubt you're doing great."
"Thank you, really."
"How long are you home for?" Iris asked, curious to know.
"Just the weekend. I have to leave Sunday morning."
Iris' suddenly had an idea, a smile spreading across her face, "Do you have plans tonight?"
"By the look on your face, I'm assuming I do now."
"What do you think about a classic Kook party?"
Tatum raised her brows, "Hm...what do I think? I think that's an amazing idea. Can I bring my friend?"
"Of course." Iris paused, "I heard you tried setting her up with Rafe-"
"Oh god, I'm sorry, yeah, I just thought that maybe having a friend would help him. I feel bad now."
"It's okay, really." Iris laughed softly, "She's staying here in OBX?"
"Yeah, her name is Sofia."
"Maybe we can be friends."
"You two will definitely get along. I told her a lot about you."
"I can't wait to meet her." Iris admitted, "And as for the party, I'm sure I can convince Rafe to host."
"Convince me to host a party?" Rafe exclaimed as he stepped onto the dock, making the two girls glance up at him, "Hi again, Tatum."
"Hi, Rafe."
"You want me to have a party?"
"A classic Kook party." Iris corrected him.
"Ah, a classic Kook party." He nodded, "I'm sure I can make that work."
"I'll let you take care of that then." Iris smiled up at him as he smiled back.
Of course he was down to have a classic Kook party.
But that didn't mean that he wasn't going to invite the Pogues, because that was exactly what he was planning on doing.
He wanted them to see just how good Iris was doing without them and how she didn't need them in her life, especially if they didn't want her.
He wanted her.
He had her.
And again, he wanted everyone to be reminded of it.
Everyone.
~~~