The Sound

Epilogue - 3 - Valentine's Day

"Do you guys have plans?" Robin asked me, taking a puff from the joint Eddie had rolled earlier. She offered it to me, but I shook my head, declining it. She handed it back to Steve who was already high as a kite and turned back to me. I shrugged.

"I don't really know how to ask about that – Eddie's normally pretty great, but I've never really had a reason to celebrate that day, and it's not very on brand for him," I answered, scratching my arm. Robin nodded her head and leaned back.

"Can't you just tell him how much you love it?" she pushed. I scoffed.

"No, that would be so lame!" I retorted, mortified at the suggestion. She furrowed her brows and rolled her eyes.

"Jules – if you love Valentine's Day, Eddie should know that. It's like the easiest day for him to do something," she replied, acting like it was obvious. I watched her, gnawing on my thumbnail, anxiety eating at my stomach. Maybe Robin was right.

Because I loved Valentine's Day.

I had never really celebrated it with a boyfriend, but my dad gave me daises every year, and I usually handed out Valentines to all of my friends and brought extras to give out to customers every year at The Sound. It was a holiday that made me feel full of love for everyone around me, and I was beyond excited to celebrate it with Eddie.

Eddie tromped back into the Harrington living room, snorting at a very stoned Steve. His eyes lit up when he saw me watching him and he flopped down on the couch next to me. He wrapped one of his arms around me, pulling me onto his lap and draping my legs over his thighs. He got close to my face and smiled my smile.

"Hey, pretty girl – I missed you," he said quietly before kissing my jaw. I giggled and threw my arms around his neck.

"You were gone for, like, five minutes," I teased. He grinned wider and winked, his eyes red from the weed our friends were partaking in.

"Any time away from you is too much," he insisted. I felt my chest burned and smiled before pressing my lips to his. I could tell him my love of Cupid's holiday. He would get it.

"You guys are disgustingly adorable," Robin joked. We looked at her and I grinned, shrugging.

"Can't help it!" I quipped. Eddie pulled me further into his chest, kissing my jaw and neck over and over again as he traced my thigh with designs.

"So, Munson," Robin started, winking at me. Eddie didn't stop kissing me but grunted in acknowledgement. "Any big Valentine's plans with Jules?"

My stomach dropped, but I felt a wave of relief that she asked on my behalf. That relief was dashed when Eddie scoffed into my neck.

"Absolutely jack shit – I hate Valentine's Day," he snapped. Robin's eyes widened and I felt my heart sink. He leaned back and pulled me with him, kissing my cheek. "Stupidest fucking holiday in the world."

"Oh, come on, Eddie," Robin replied, annoyed with him.

"It's just a bullshit day that corporations use to trick you into overspending on chocolate and pink and red trash," he interrupted, going on one of his usual tirades. I felt my heart sink lower and lower into my body as I realized that I would not be celebrating my favorite holiday with the man I loved.

"It's a sweet thing to celebrate the person you love," Robin tried to reason, trying to get Eddie to realize what he was saying in front of me.

"I love Jules every day of the year – I don't need one day to celebrate her," he insisted. I felt my heart officially drop out of me, disappointed when I realized that I was not going to have any Valentine's plans. He squeezed my thigh. "Right, Jules?"