In light of hitting 70K reads and because it is the holiday season and today happens to be Christmas, I thought I'd give you all a little bonus chapter to say thank you.
I hope you are able to spend today surrounded by the most important people in your lives. Cherish the holiday season because it really is the most wonderful time of the year.
Thank you for everything and Merry Christmas and have a happy new year!
Love,
Madi xoxo
5 years later
"ELLIE! THE CHICKEN IS ON FIRE!"
There are only a few moments in my life where I've regretted making a decision. Hosting Christmas lunch is one of them.
"Ellie!"
I scramble out from the bathroom, making sure I don't trip over Hunter's clothes which have been thrown across the floor in his rush to find the shirt I bought him for his last birthday.
My feet slip twice against the hardwood floor, both times I go to brace myself but breath a sigh of relief that I don't actually have to pick myself up from the ground. The smell of smoke is wafting from the kitchen in our home, clouding my vision. The fire alarm begins to sound and I cringe, covering my ears.
I rush into the kitchen, watching as Hunter stands over the oven, leaning in as he pulls out a black, crisp chicken. He coughs violently, rubbing his watery eyes.
"I leave you alone for twenty minutes," I mutter under my breath, shaking my head.
But despite the disastrous day that hasn't even truly begun yet, I can't help but smile at my boyfriend as he attempts to carve the burnt chicken. He's trying his best.
"Shit, I'm so sorry, El. I know how important today is for you and—"
"Hey," I say, closing the oven door and picking up a tea towel to wave against the alarm. "Don't worry about it. We still have pork. It'll be enough."
"I didn't—"
I reach up on my toes, planting a kiss on his lips. He smiles down at me when I pull away. I brush a loose strand of blonde hair from his eyes, watching as his eyes follow my every move.
"Please don't worry about it. It doesn't matter. What matters is that we just have a great day with our families."
"God, I love you."
"And I love you."
I turn back to the chicken as Hunter continues to carve at it. "Maybe some of this is actually salvageable. Just not the skin."
Hunter grins at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You always have seen the good in bad situations."
A knock at the door brings me out of my trance and I stride over to answer it.
"The person you have all been waiting for has arrived!" Ridge grins, once I open the door. He throws his arms around me, planting a kiss on my forehead.
"Merry Christmas, Ridgy."
"Merry Christmas, El."
"How was your flight?" I question, grabbing his suitcase and wheeling it into our spare bedroom.
Ridge had graduated with a degree in biomedicine two years ago. After completing his community corrections order, he really began to turn his life around. He had moved interstate last Summer for work.
"Long, boring. The usual. How's it all going here anyway?" Ridge queers, raising his eyebrow at Hunter as he carves more of the chicken once we've walked into the kitchen.
"It's been...interesting, to say the least."
Ridge cracks a grin, laughing quietly to himself. He brushes his hair from his eyes, shaking his head. "He burnt the chicken, didn't he?"
Hunter turns to Ridge with a scowl. "You try cooking for once, you —"
"Ridge! Help me set the table?" I smile, watching as Hunter continues to frown at Ridge.
Ridge nods at me, patting Hunter on the back as he walks past. "You're doing great, bro."
Hunter mumbles under his breath, before turning back the chicken. I bring out the placemats, handing them over to Ridge, just as the doorbell rings again.
"Oh, it must be —"
"Ellie! Could you help me?" Noah shouts as he walks through the front door.
I walk over to the door, laughing at Noah as my two-year-old niece, Libby, grasps tightly to his leg, giggling to herself. He's struggling to hold all the presents in his hands as he drags the leg Libby's holding behind him like dead weight.
"Merry Christmas!" I smile, pulling Noah into a hug.
I pick up Libby as she wraps her arms around my neck. She nuzzles her head into my shoulder and I take her into the dining room. "Where's Nina?" I ask.
Noah had met Nina, his wife, soon after he had moved into his own apartment. She was his neighbour and now they've been married for the past two and a half years.
Meeting Nina has definitely been the best thing to ever happen to my brother. Without her, I know he would have been dragged in deeper to the life of motorbikes and gang wars, which wasn't the life I wanted for him. Since marrying Ni, he's still an active member for the Skulls but now that he has his own family to take care of, he hasn't been as involved. Despite everything, I know dad is proud of him.
"I'm here!" Nina hollers, her voice travelling throughout the house. She had the sweetest voice, which matches her beautiful personality.
"Hello, Ellie," she swoons, wrapping me in a warm hug.
She grabs Libby from my arms, kissing her daughter's face. Noah greets her with a bright, infectious smile and I watch them interact. He pulls out a chair for his pregnant wife before Libby clambers over to sit down on Noah's lap.
I leave everyone in the dining room, Ridge walking over to play peek-a-boo with Libby. I wrap my arms around Hunter once I'm back in the kitchen, leaning my head against his back.
"Are you sure you don't want any help?" I ask.
"Yes. You've been stressed out too much lately, and I just want you to relax today."
Hunter and I had moved in with each other last year. Previously, I'd been living with Stacey and Carmen. Both my best friends now had their own partners, with Stacey getting married early next year. They were spending their holidays with their families, but we always saw each other for New Year's Eve. It's our tradition.
The doorbell rings for the third time and I pull away from Hunter. "That must be mum," I breath, straightening my dress.
Hunter watches me carefully. "You okay?"
I nod, waving my hands in the air. "Yes, of course. I just..."
"You just find it hard sometimes?"
"Yeah," I whisper. "Sometimes I still find it hard to look right at her and not see that she left me."
"It's okay to feel like this, and your mum knows how you feel. But all that really matters is that you have come so far."
I smile at Hunter, nodding. "I better go answer the door before she thinks that I'm purposely leaving her outside."
We still had our issues, but they were minuscule compared to what they had been when she returned all those years ago. I reach for the door handle and smile as my mother waits patiently on the front steps.
"Merry Christmas, mum."
"Merry Christmas, El," she smiles, pulling me into a tentative hug.
"Come on through. Everyone is already here."
She walks into the dining room and everyone welcomes her. She takes a seat next to Libby, brushing her granddaughters hair from her eyes.
Hunter's hand lands on the small of my back as we watch our families laughing and enjoying each other's company. "I'm glad I did this."
"Me too," he whispers. "I like seeing everyone together."
"It makes me realise how lucky we are to be here with everyone. Even if my father— even with everything that has happened, I'm just glad that I'm here with everyone I love."
Hunter kisses my neck reassuringly. He knows who I'm thinking about.
Andy is often on my mind. I wonder what life will be like when he gets out of prison in fifteen years, if he would try to contact any of us. Right now though, I don't want to think about the future. I want to focus on the present, surrounding myself with everyone who is important in my life right now.
Hunter turns me around so that I'm facing him and I suddenly notice that he's fidgeting nervously, something he does when he's nervous.
"I was going to wait until everyone had left tonight, but I don't think I can."
I frown. "What is it?"
He takes me by the hand, pulling me towards the backdoor which led to our garden.
When we had moved in, my mum and I had fixed up the garden, planting seeds and new flowers. It looks beautiful now, like something you'd see on Pinterest. It's my favourite part of our home.
Hunter leads me down the steps and toward the rustic pergola that we had fixed up when we first moved on. Beautiful vines we growing through it now, a few red roses spread throughout the greenery. "What are we doing? I need to serve the food in a few minutes."
"I know, I know. I'm impatient though, you know that. I couldn't wait any longer. I've been waiting too long to do this."
"Hunter, what do you mean?"
He breathes out slowly, closing his eyes. I'm so close that I can count every individual eyelash that he has.
I bring my hand up to cup his cheek, rubbing his jaw gently. He involuntarily leans into me, opening his eyes slowly.
"I know that we didn't meet in the best of circumstances," he whispers.
"You could say that again," I laugh, lightly.
"But despite all that, you are still the person who brightened my life. You completely changed me in the best way possible. I had thought that my life was mapped out for me since the day I was born and I was prepared to stick by that. But then you came along and showed me that I could be anything I wanted to be. You showed me what life was really like once you opened your eyes and actually lived."
My eyes are welling up, my hands are beginning to shake. I knew where this was going and I couldn't quite believe it.
"You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, Ellie Cartwright. You single handily made me a better person. And what I love about you most is that no matter what you're going through yourself, you always put other people's needs before your own."
"Ellie, without you, I could imagine what my life would be like. I don't even want to remember what life was like before you. You're the strongest, bravest and kindest person I have ever met, and because of all that and more, I do not want to live a single day without you."
"Hunter—"
He silences me with a kiss, before proceeding to bend down on one knee. He brings his shaky hands into the pocket of his pants, pulling out a ring.
"It was my mother's," he whispers, meeting my tears gaze. "She'd be happy to know that I found you."
I'm crying, and at this point, I don't even care that I've ruined my Christmas Day makeup.
"I know that I should have probably waited for another day, but seeing you in that kitchen just made me realise how lucky I am to have you and I could wait any longer."
"Ellie Cartwright, will you do the honour of marrying me and making me the happiest man in the world?"
I'm nodding my head before I can even think. But really, what is there to think about? I loved Hunter with everything I had and I always would.
"Yes!" I laugh, pulling him to his feet. He picks me up wrapping me into a hug and spinning me around.
I look over at the kitchen window, nothing that my entire family were cheering on from inside. Even Libby is clapping along. I begin to laugh again, grateful for all the people in my life.
Once Hunter puts me back down, I grab his hand and rush toward the door.
"Come on, with have lunch to serve and a wedding to plan."
"And a life together to create," he grins, wrapping his arm around mine and leading me back into the home that we would share together forever.