Final Footsteps (Running Series Finale)

Chapter 56: The Big Apple

Song for chapter is Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z, Alicia Keys 

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The days turned to months and months to a year.

To catch you up on the events of the past year.

First and foremost, our parents were now living together again. At one point, this looked an impossible feat. Yet they managed to get through it. They have been married 25 years, their love may have faded slightly, but now, it was stronger than ever.

Dad was renting out the apartment in Dubai, he said he didn't want to sell. As Harvey and Donna still wanted us to visit them and also Dad said we could go there on holiday, or even use it as a stopover for a few days if we were going back to the UK.

Tammara, once we told her the news of our engagement, booked a flight over and stayed with us for 2 weeks. Oh the adventures we had, it was so good for her to be back with us all. It was during the time

Noah and Arii were off on summer from College, so it was the old gang back together. With new additions of course.

Then you remember Marshall Green, who Tayte and I went to school with and were reunited when staying with Jen for the birth of Torah. He came over to see us and stay for a week he took off work and cried when we showed him the rings. He was such a sweet heart and told us knew from school we were going to be together. Noah and Marshall hit it off really well, they were so cute and crazy together.

I am also happy, proud and just so over the moon to share that Arlo hasn't had a lapse of reality or any nightmares for one whole year. And he now has no problem sleeping through the night. The growth I have seen in him this past year has been incredible. Angelo really worked wonders and as you know, those two are partners in crime. He had also met up with Mali's parents on countless occasions too and they really have welcomed him into the family. Just as much as we welcomed Mali.

We paid for Ricardo and Carlita to fly over and stay with us, they hadn't left Brazil in well over 20 years. So we wanted to do this for their 40th wedding anniversary. They cried, we cried and everyone had a wonderful time.

Harvey and Donna when we told them about the engagement, sent us a massive package full of love. It was such a beautiful surprise. They said they couldn't wait for the wedding.

Eliah was now living in London, after taking the two year transfer from New Zealand in January and Carlos went with her. Apparently Dentists are highly sought after in the UK and he managed to find a private dental practice, that were willing for him to come and work in their practice on like a work placement abroad and one of their employers went to New Zealand to work at his Dental practice. So it was a win, win.

Noah and Arii, had passed first year of college and were now well ensconced in their sophomore year. Noah had actually been staying in Harlun's fraternity house 3 days of the week. Lots of parties and escapades occurring. I was happy that he felt he was, that we all were, in a good enough place for him to be more independent.

Do you remember Blake, the waiter from Pizza Express who liked Noah? Who we then met again when we were in Cambodia. Well, he and Noah had been texting frequently ever since there second chance meeting. He finally managed to get time off work and he came over and stayed with us for 2 weeks. It began slightly awkward with Angelo and then of course Arlo, because those two were sometimes one person. Especially since it was still somewhat obvious that Blake had feelings for Noah. However, everyone loved him, eventually.

Tayte, Arlo and I went on a fun day out with Mali, Willow and Alfie. They were over the moon to see us again and told us we had to come for a sleepover. So we met Mali's sister Macey and ended up having dinner and a movie night. Macey said that Willow and Alfie have been talking about their Uncles Keane and Tayte nonstop and she was glad to finally meet us. She said the way I interacted with them and how much they loved me. Made her heart swell. She wasn't with the father and he wasn't really in their lives that much. I told her I would always be in their lives for whenever she needed them. She cried. I cried.