Signal of Distress

45 - Epilogue

Even without me, it'll still turn out well
-Elijah Chambers

6 Years Later

"BABE!"

"Yeah?!" I yell back.

"Where's Eli's green dragon?!"

"On the couch!" I answer. I look back down at the work on my desk. Blood Runs Deep book #8 is currently in the making. I've written the past few on my own and with inspiration or pages from Eli's journal.

And it's a best selling anthology book

I look back when I see the door open. "Found it. You ready to go?" Micheal asks as he adjusts Eli and the green stuffed dragon in his arms.

I nod closing my laptop and taking out the freshly printed papers from the printer I printed a few minutes ago. I skip over and lean down to Eli's level.

"Good evening handsome," I greet with a huge smile.

"Mommy." He holds his arms out to me. I take him and place him on my hip.

A year and a half after Eli's death, Micheal and I got together officially. I had already moved in with him into Eli's room and spent a lot of alone time with him. Things slowly started to pick up. I got pregnant two years ago. Micheal and I decided to keep our baby and decided on the perfect name.

Elijah.

"Got the lyrics?" Micheal asks. I hold up the papers and he snatches them.

I follow him out to the car. We eventually bought enough money for our own house. We need enough space for Eli as he grows up and another on the way.

"Can my fiancée hurry up sweetheart," Micheal says. I laugh catching up.

I'm also engaged to Micheal. I'm wearing the same ring Elijah Chambers bought me years ago right before his death. He gave it to Micheal in his suicide letter. I don't exactly know what he wrote to Micheal but I do know he wrote he has to take care of me.

And that's what Micheal has been doing the past few years. And I love him. I'm in love with him.

At first I didn't believe in love or soulmates and shit like that. But now I know I have two soulmates.

No one can make me feel the way Elijah Chambers did. No one. We have a different love. As stars as humans. A sacred, special love that I couldn't share with anyone else. No one will ever make me feel the way he did.

But Micheal and I have something close. I love him so much and he's always here for me. We connect, you know. He's not Eli, but Micheal is the next best thing.

We make it to the studio where Evan and Tristan are already there. We're currently working on our new album.

I managed to complete almost the rest of Eli's bucket list. I know he's watching and I know he's proud.

❤︎

"River, you ready babe?" Micheal asks.

I nod, getting out of the car. I follow him up the hill where roses grow near the side of the cliff. Micheal lays down a blanket and we both sit down.

My hand wraps around the locket on my neck. "Happy birthday Eli!" I shout. It's his birthday. If he were here he would've been 25. We come to this cliff a few times a year, especially on his birthday. I have to.

Eli was my first real love.

I wouldn't say I got my happy ending. But pretty damn close. I wish he would've stayed. We could've figured it out together. He could have still been here to this day. I hate that he saved me and I couldn't save him. But I know he's resting in peace right now.

Micheal wraps his arm around me and kisses my forehead. "The big 2-5," he whispers. I nod leaning into him. "Look." He points up to a shooting star.

It's Eli.

I look back down at the journal in front of me. The same one Eli bought me. I pick up my pen to begin writing.

His thoughts choked him like a noose

I pulled and pulled trying to break it off

I gave him the relief, the small breaths in between the gaps

But it wasn't enough

He pushed me back and let the thoughts choke him
He let his mind hurt him
He let his thoughts kill him

His mind was filled with awful thoughts more than his lungs were filled with air
His shield wrapped around him like skin preventing anyone from seeing his pain

He kissed me, he touched me, he loved me, physically, emotionally and mentally
I returned the same love but it wasn't enough

I wasn't enough

But it's not about me, it's about himself
He wasn't enough for himself