Overdose (BXB) Completed/Editing

Chapter 50 - Forever

Overdose - Chapter 50

-Nico-

"Oh, wow thank you! Taylor, you didn't have to get me anything," I smile and pull her into a hug. Today is my birthday and I still can't wrap my head around how different things were last year. I spent my birthday thinking about how my decision to sleep with Daniel caused me to lose Alex. Now, all that feels so distant.

"You're my Best Friend! Not giving you a birthday gift would make me a terrible person," She smiles as she walks over to her kitchen counter.

I place the gift on the counter before taking a seat. "So, what do you have planned for tonight?" She asks, grabbing a cake cutter from one of the drawers. "Alex is taking me to dinner and then I suppose he has some other thing planned."

He texted me happy birthday this morning, which was fine, but I wanted to wake up next to him. Lately, it's felt like we haven't spent much time together because he's doing some stuff for school and going to therapy and I'm always working. The few times we've seen each other haven't felt like enough.

"Oh fun, where is he taking you?"

I shrug, "He said he'd meet me in the lobby at my apartment." Taylor nods and begins to cut a slice out of the cake she got me. Every year on my birthday, Taylor buys me a cake and we share a slice. It has become a tradition and I'm grateful for it.

"Are you happy? You know with life currently..." She asks, placing the slice on a dark green plate. I bite my lip and contemplate her question.

"This is the happiest I've been in a long time. Sometimes when I think about my mom and Tyler, I feel sad but then I realize that they would want me to be happy. They'd want me to enjoy these days because things have a habit of changing fast. I'm happy to have people in my life who care for me, and I care for them."

Happiness wasn't easy to attain. Getting sober felt like this impossible thing that I was so afraid I'd fail at. Then I did fail and realized that I could just start over because failing was not the problem, it was moving on from it that seemed the hardest. I fell in love with a hobby that is now my job, and I published a book that I thought would never make it out of a USB drive.

I fell in love again. I fell in love with this amazing human being who taught me patience and how to love slowly. He is not perfect but to me, he fits into my life like the last piece of a complicated puzzle. Getting where we are now was not easy and if I had to do it all again, I'd sign up without hesitation.

"I'm really glad you're happy, Nicky. I think we're growing up, it's scary but I think as long as we remember the people we're doing it for, then we should be just fine." She hands me a fork and I smile.

We ate a slice of cake while talking about our plans for the future. She says she and Tate want to settle down and start a family. I suppose that is what's next for them. They've lived together for years and they're both established so marriage and a baby aren't too far off.

She told me that Daniel and Laurence have settled quite nicely into suburban married life. Laurence retired Daniel from working so they've spent their time making their new house a home. She said once they're done getting the house all set up, they plan on traveling the world together. I'm proud of Daniel, though he didn't completely give up drugs and alcohol, he seems to have cut back. Good for him.

I said goodbye to Taylor around 5:00 pm. Alex told me to meet him in the lobby at 6:30 pm. I figured by the time I get back; I'll have time to freshen up. Honestly, I'm more excited to see him than I am to go wherever he's taking me.

As I drove home, I thought a lot about him and me. He doesn't seem to be in a rush to figure everything out and I couldn't be more thankful. I'm happy that he's taking his time to figure himself out and what he wants to do. He's doing great and every day I can't help but tell him how proud I am.