OMFG guys! I can't believe this is it! THIS IS THE END OF DEAR NATE! It has been a long year writing this book and i want to thank each and every one of you for reading this. This is one story I actually feel confident about and will be publishing sometime in the future!
REMINDER: SUPPORT FOR THE WATTYS! LETS GET THIS INTO THE FINALISTS PLEASE!!!
ALSO: Cassidy is the character I will be focusing on in the spin off "Dear Cassidy"I will not start this novel until sometime in January. This week and the next is hectic and I wont to focus a little on my other stories before posting Cassidy's story. BUT, Nate and Alison will be in it, as you will see in this chapter.
Thank you, once again, for being with me through this journey and hope you will join me again on Dar Cassidy or another novel of mine. Love you guys!
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-DANA
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NOT EDITED
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“Stop making out for one second!” Alison’s roommate, Cassidy, says when she enters the room after her one o’clock class. It’s a Friday and I’m taking Alison home with me for the weekend. Mom is due any day now and I hope my little sister comes when I’m home.
We were lying in Alison’s bed talking until I started kissing her. We were kissing for a few minutes before Cassidy walked in.
Alison chuckles, sitting up. “How was your day?”
Cassidy huffs, plopping down on her bed. Her holds out an envelope. “I got another one today.”
“I think it’s cute you have a secret admirer,” Alison says, taking the envelope from Cassidy and reading the letter. “He wants to meet you?”
She nods. “I-I don’t know if I want to meet him—or her. I just, I think I’m starting to fall for him and I don’t want to ruin what will happen if I do go see my secret admirer.”
“WIll you regret not meeting whoever is your secret admirer?” I ask, knowing how hard we have tried to find out who is sending her the letters.
“I think I’m going to ask him if it’s okay first. If he’s not okay with it, then I’ll put off meeting my secret admirer.”
Alison stands and hands Cassidy the letter back. “As long as you don’t regret your decision. Let me know what you decide, okay?”
Cassidy nods, standing up and giving Alison a hug. “I will. Have fun this weekend. See you Sunday night.”
I say goodbye to Cassidy before carrying Alison’s bag to my car. I place her bag next to mine, shutting the trunk. Before Alison can walk to the passenger side, my hand shoots out and grabs her. She turns, her brown hair getting in her face. I smile as I bring her into my body, wrapping my arms around her. “I love you,” I say, kissing the tip of her nose.
Alison chuckles, placing her hands against my sides. “I love you too.”
I kiss her gently before allowing us both to get in the car. Once on the road I ask Alison, “Do you think she’s actually going to meet the guy?”
Alison shrugs. “I don’t know. I feel bad we didn’t tell her who it is. She has a right to know Nate.” She’s playing with her fingers, which usually means she’s nervous about it.
I move one of my hands from the steering wheel and lace her fingers with my own. “Cassidy needs to find out on her own.”
“I’m just nervous for her. I know how much stress she’s probably going through.”
“I know,” I say, rubbing my thumb across her hand. “But as of right now how about we forget about it until we come back.”
Alison nods. “Yes. I can’t believe your sister might be born this weekend!”
Alison has been great throughout my mom’s pregnancy, knowing how worried I am for her. Sometimes I would catch Alison on the phone with my mom, catching up and informing her how I am. It’s heartwarming knowing how close my girlfriend and my mom are.
Alison ends up falling asleep an hour into the drive home. I turn the radio off so it doesn’t wake her up. Our freshman year is almost coming to an end. Only two months left and I’m happy to say our relationship has made it this far. I made sure to make time for Alison once my baseball practices started and with my games. Alison went to every home game, along with Cassidy of course. When I played Mitch, Pat and Scott made sure to come out to see the game. This year has turned out better then what I expected it to.
Pulling up in my driveway, I nudge Alison’s arm. “Alison, time to wake up.”
She groans softly before stretching out her legs and arms. “I fell asleep for that long? I’m sorry.”
I shake my head, smiling at her guilty expression. “No, it’s okay. You needed the rest.”
We get out of the car, grab our bags, and walk up to the front door. As I’m digging out my house keys, the door swings open and Mom is standing there with her pregnant stomach protruding from her black shirt.
“Nate!” she exclaims, opening the screen door before taking me into a hug. “I’m so glad you’re here honey. I missed you so much.”
“I missed you too,” I say, rubbing her back.
Once she lets me go she hugs Alison and commends Dad to take our bags up in my room. We all agreed Alison still stay the night tonight and go see her family tomorrow.
“How’s college?” Dad asks as Mom and Alison are in the baby’s room. Mom insisted on showing Alison.
“It’s going well. Baseball is fun. So you think Mom’s going to go into labor this weekend?”
He nods, drinking his can of soda. “I know it. It’ll either be sometime tonight or tomorrow.”
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Alison and I get into bed around midnight. We’re both exhausted from Mom going through all the baby details and the birthing option she’s going with. Alison cuddles into my chest and I wrap my arms around her. “Thank you for coming with me this weekend.”
“Of course. I already love this baby.”
I rub her back gently, one of my hands tilting her chin up so I can kiss her. “I love you.”
She pecks me on the lips before resting her head on my chest. “Love you too.”
It’s four in the morning when Dad comes rushing in saying how Mom’s water broke. Alison and I get out of bed, change, and meet my parents by the door.
“There’s no need to rush,” Mom says to Dad as he tries pulling her to the car.
Dad opens the car door and helps Mom inside before running to the driver’s side. Alison is carrying the hospital bag and we pile into the backseat. I can’t believe this is happening. Dad must have a sixth sense or something.
At the hospital it’s a tad overwhelming. Mom is put into a room where Dad goes in with her. Mom advices me to sit in the waiting room because she doesn’t want me to be scarred—that got a kick out of Alison—so here we are, waiting for my sister to be born. Alison is holding my hand as we stare at the hospital door, willing for it to open any minute now.
Just then, the door opens and a nurse says we can go inside. I squeeze Alison’s hand—maybe a little too hard—but she looks at me like I’m about to faint. “It’ll be okay,” she whispers to me. “Come on.”
We walk inside the room, still holding hands. Nurses are still cleaning up a bit. Dad is at Mom’s side, gently touching the new member of our family. My sister is cradled to my mom’s chest. Dad and Mom are crying, which gets me to tear up.
“Look at that,” Mom whispers to Mia, my new baby sister. “That’s your brother Nate. He’s the one who will protect you and make sure you’re always safe.” The look Mom gives me makes the lump in my throat worse. Seeing the pure love in her eyes for Mia and having her wish of another baby come true—I’m just happy for her—and for us as a whole.
“Do you want to hold her?” Dad asks.
I nod, not trusting myself to speak. Dad gets up so I can take the chair he was sitting in. Dad and Alison stand to the side, watching as Mom hands Mia over to me. My heart’s hammering in my chest as her delicate body slides in my arms. I must have looked awkward because Mom, Dad, and Alison all chuckle. Mom readjusts my hands and tells me she’ll be okay. I move her carefully back into my chest. A small amount of dark hair already is grown in and her cute face immediately makes me smitten. I know she’s going to make me a pushover.
I take one of her delicate, small hands against two of my fingertips. Her fingers curl around my thumb as I softly play with her fingers. Leaning forward, I kiss her forehead. “I love you Mia.”
Soon, we’re relocated into another room. Alison gets a chance to hold Mia and my dad gets one more chance until Mom falls asleep. Dad tells us to come back later in the day when Mom is more up to visitors. I kiss Mia goodbye before leaving. Dad allows me to take the car since he’s staying at the hospital until Mom is released.
“She is so adorable,” Alison gushes on the way home.
“She already has me in the palm of her hand.”
Alison takes my hand in hers. “You’re going to be an awesome brother.”
I lean over and kiss her before focusing back on the road.
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Once school ends for the semester we all go home. The guys—Scott, Mitch, and Pat—all come over to see Mia. She is little Miss. Popular. Everyone is taken by her when they first meet her.
Mom and Dad are still their crazy selves. I’m more than happy to have Dad home permanently now. Knowing he isn’t going to go back is comforting. Our family is just like it was before he left all those years ago.
Alison and I are still together. I wouldn’t change a thing with what happened last summer. Well, maybe her getting into an accident, but would we have been where we are at now if she wasn’t in that car accident? The universe works in messed up ways sometimes. Alison has made it a tradition to write me a letter starting with Dear Nate every time she writes a journal entry. She gives me the letters after the end of every month, allowing me to read the right journal—she’ll never let me live down reading her private journal.
As for Cassidy, well, she finally figured out who was sending her secret admirer letters.