Escape Across the Pond

Epilogue

2 Months Later

I crack my eyes open to the dim-lit room. It must not be too late yet. I feel Alex's breath on the back of my neck while he has his arm and leg thrown over my body keeping me warm. He hasn't slept over at the "Lad Pad", as Kate calls it, in several days. We've talked about living together but I promised Kate that we would be flatmates and I could never back out of that. I've loved living with her here at the cottage but she wants something closer to the hospital since she'll be starting her new job after the new year much to Bash's dismay. I'm excited to start looking at apartments with her but I'm sad to leave the comfort of the cottage.

I feel Alex stir behind me and then wrap me up tighter in his embrace. "Good morning, love," he says, sounding raspy from sleep.

I roll in his arms to face him and reach up to kiss his chin. I feel the scruff from his beard on my lips and hum, "Good morning."

I'm starting to burrow back down into the blankets when I hear the front door to the cabin burst open. I sit up in the bed quickly holding the sheet up to my naked chest. Alex doesn't look startled at all. He just flops to his back, groans, and covers his eyes.

"Cora! Tell me you're not still cuddled up with my brother!" I hear Kate shout from down the stairs. "It's nearly afternoon for Christ's sake. I've done been to Ollie's and back. I knew my brother would be a bad influence on you." Kate continues.

I stumble out of bed still clutching the sheet to myself. "I'm up! I just haven't... gotten up." I start shouting back but then decide against it. I grab an oversized sweater and a pair of long warm socks to throw on while I hear Kate still talking.

"I mean my God, Cora. How much longer can you both go on like this? It's disgusting I tell you. My best friend and my brother shaggin 24/7. I shouldn't be subjected to this!" I hear her clambering about in the kitchen while I blow Alex a kiss and make my way down the stairs.

"Oh, Kate. Good morning. How are you today? You know that's usually how friends greet each other. Not..." I wave my hand in front of her as if to gesture at the whole of her, "like whatever this is."

Kate smacks my hand. "You still consider yourself a friend after that betrayal?" she scoffs.

"I still don't see why you consider it a betrayal that I invested in your brother's business." I groan.

"I've already explained it to you. It's not that you invested in Alexander you twat. It's that you invested in Alexander and Sebastian. Now he's around all the time and you've given him the excuse! It's going to be just as it was before. They're both going to be around just like when we were kids and they'll run off any available man within fifty kilometers and I'll never have any fun. You've doomed me to a life of spinsterhood!" she shouts.

I can hear Alex chuckle from upstairs and so can Kate. "Don't you dare laugh! Like you two make good choices. Need I remind you of that cunt Beatrice? I still haven't seen that slag anywhere and I would like a short word with her." she shouts.

"I imagine she's hiding from you," I mumble. "I'm sorry if Bash is being too overprotective of you, Kate. But I just think he does it because he cares. Honestly, I've never seen him take an interest in much besides cars. It's cute." I say shrugging my shoulders.

"Cute? You think it's cute?" she scoffs. "This is exactly what I mean by betrayal. It's not cute. He is the bane of my existence, put here to solely drive me absolutely mad."

"Well, I doubt that's his sole purpose." I hear Alex say when he walks into the kitchen. "But sure, sometimes I suspect he does it to watch you ruffle your feathers, hen." Alex laughs.