Bride to Be

Epilogue: Gemma and Rowan

EPILOGUE: GEMMA AND ROWAN

August 15th, 2020

Gemma laid in her queen sized bed that Saturday morning, with her head pressed to Rowan's chest while he played with the loose hair fallen from her ponytail. Though it was nearing 11AM, and Rowan had to pack his things so he could leave for his flight back to Michigan on time, neither him nor Gemma wanted to get up from the comfortable embrace they woke up in.

Since the two had woken up, after a night full of drinking, sex, and making out — neither of them wanted to leave the bed because as soon as they did, Rowan would be leaving and on his way back to Michigan.

After his unexpected drop in to her New York, where he confessed his love for Gemma, Rowan decided to stay for the week since he still had some time before starting his career. Having Rowan in her life again, actually in her life again was surreal — and Gemma knew that nothing could ever tear her apart from Rowan ever again. Not even distance.

The first few days consisted of making up for the lost time they missed. For the first few days of Rowan's New York stay, Gemma would go to work but as soon as she got back, the two would go and explore the city. Once they arrived back to Gemma's apartment, the rest of the night consisted of lots of making out, lots of sex — which Gemma did not realize how much she missed, and American Horror Story binges that the two used to do when they were together all those years ago.

"I don't know how you still rewatch all these episodes," Rowan laughed one of the days when the two were cuddled up in Gemma's bed, watching an episode from Asylum.

"Because it's good,"

"Is it really that good?"

"Shhh," Gemma placed her hand over Rowan's mouth, which he licked in response. She was too invested in the scene playing on the laptop screen, to notice Rowan's tongue on the skin of her hand.

"I love you," he laughed, his voice muffled from Gemma's hand still being pressed to his mouth.

"I love you too," Gemma did not take her eyes from the screen. "Now shhh."

The next few days, leading to now, consisted of Gemma and Rowan laying in bed for hours on end catching up on all they missed in two years. They talked, and talked, and talked, for hours on end each night when Gemma got back to the apartment for work. Rowan told stories of the Taylor family, things that Gemma had missed in the time she was away from Michigan. He talked about how his mom tried to start dating again, but ultimately gave up for the time being because she just was not over her late husband. Rowan talked about how hard it was on the anniversary of his dad's death and during that time, and how he missed Gemma's comforting presence. She never met Rowan's father, though she was there while Rowan was still in mourning. Gemma apologized for not being there — she apologized for a lot, actually. She apologized for leaving Rowan and giving up on their relationship. She apologized for not turning around the day her plane left for New York. She apologized for never reaching out to him. The last few days, leading to the now, consisted of lots of apologetic tears shed and hope for the future, now that Gemma and Rowan were together again.

The clock now read 11:17 — Rowan had one hour before he needed to start packing up his things to return to Michigan. The two laid in bed, playing twenty-six questions. Though this time, Gemma was sober, and instead of wondering how the hell Rowan ended up with Avery, Rowan was with her. In Gemma's bed, with her tangled up in his arms.

"How much are apartments in New York?" Rowan asked when it was his turn. He knew the big city was a lot more expensive than the Midwest of Michigan, though he always wondered how Gemma pulled it off.

She laughed. "Stupidly expensive. If Marcie wasn't living with me, I couldn't pull it off."

"Interesting," Rowan noted, a grin forming on his face as he pressed his lips to the top of Gemma's head.

"My turn," Gemma shoved her face into the crook of Rowan's neck, wishing that he did not have to leave. "Is it really almost time for you to go?"

"Yes," Rowan sadly smiled. Before he could ask his next question, Gemma pulled away though kept her eyes locked on him.

"We're going to make the distance work this time. I promise."

Rowan pulled Gemma closer. He held her close against his body, pressing his lips to her forehead. "I know."

He smiled as he thought about how to ask this next question. "Just wondering, how crazy would it be if I moved to New York?"

Gemma eyed Rowan confusingly as he asked his hypothetical question. She pictured him being here, with her in New York, and the thought alone excited her. She knew it was not realistic, though, given his life was in Michigan. Rowan's family, and his career was in Michigan. The only thing Gemma had in her home state, was her family. Everything else that she loved was in the big city.

"Crazy," she responded, frowning because she knew it would never happen. Though as Rowan grinned at her, Gemma started to wonder if maybe his question was not a hypothetical one. "Why do you ask?"

The two had completely forgotten about their game of twenty-six questions by now, as Rowan was about to tell Gemma what he had now known for days.

"I started doing some research while you were at work over the last few days," Rowan started, ready to burst in excitement.

"Okay.." Gemma urged for him to continue. She had no idea what he was going to say, but she had a feeling that although he was going home today, Rowan was going to be back in New York before she knew it.

"And with my degree, I won't be making that much money starting out in Michigan. Just for the hell of it, I started looking into jobs in New York."

"You didn't," Gemma's mouth fell open. She felt her eyes watering, but for once, she was not crying out of sadness.

"I did," Rowan placed his forehead against Gemma's. "I applied the second day I was here and went in for an interview the next day. Conveniently, the place is within walking distance of this apartment. I'm glad I didn't have to figure out the transportation system all on my own, because that would've been - "

"Rowan!" Gemma screamed his name. She pulled away from him, though kept herself close as she placed her hands on his shoulders. "Did you get the job?"

"Oh," Rowan laughed. "They hired me on the spot - "

"Oh my god!" Gemma screamed once more. She could feel hot tears streaming down her cheeks. Rowan smiled and kissed her roughly. Gemma straddled his lap, keeping her face pressed against his. They sat there for a moment, excited and lost in each other, until Rowan pulled away. Pressing his forehead against Gemma's, who was still crying tears of joy, he grinned.

"I'm leaving today," he said in between kisses to Gemma's face, kissing away the tears falling from her eyes. "But I'm coming back. I start training next Thursday."

"Oh my god," Gemma was speechless. She couldn't stop crying. "I love you." She hugged Rowan tight, never wanting to let go.

"I love you, too." He held her just as tight.

Gemma and Rowan sat there for awhile longer in each other's embrace, until Rowan had to start getting ready for his afternoon flight. Gemma's head rested on Rowan's shoulder the entire Uber ride to the airport, and when it was time to say goodbye, she wasn't sad.

Because in less than a week, he was coming back.

Gemma would have never expected, over seven-hundred days ago, that she would once have a future with Rowan in New York. She had no idea what the future was going to hold.

But she was with him, again, after all these years of their love being lost. And that's all the mattered, now. Once again, they were Gemma and Rowan.

-

a/n: the end!!!!
thank you so much for reading :)