Lucky Number Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen.

60 YEARS LATER...

It had been years since Colby had gone into a haunted building. That didn't mean he didn't think about ghost hunting every single day. He missed his youth, the days where him and Sam would run recklessly through abandoned buildings and try to contact spirits. Wether or not his fans truly believed that the ghosts exited, it was a dangerous profession. Colby and Sam stayed close over the years, Colby was even the godfather of his kids. They were best friends to this day, and they always would be. 

Colby ended up settling down eventually. He had a hard time leaving apartment seventeen that night, but she had forced him out of her room. He would be lying if he said he didn't think about her every single day of his life. But he had to learn to move on. After telling Sam about her he hid out in his room for a full month, refusing to leave his bedroom. He barely slept or ate any food, all he could think about was her. Sam eventually forced Colby to start going out again. 

"She would want you to live your best life, Colby. She wants you to go out and have fun." Sam said, Colby realizing that he was right. Colby partied hard and met different girls. It took a year until he could think about another woman, let alone kiss her. It was hard for him, but he had as much fun as possible in his twenties. 

Then he settled down in his thirties. Then he had kids and then he watched them grow up in his forties and fifties. His kids were more than grown now, beginning their journeys into life and the world of love. They even started to have a couple grandkids for Colby. Colby was more than happy that he got to experience life, he was truly grateful for the life he was given, there was no doubt. 

But there was also a part of Colby that was always empty, a hole in his heart that could never be filled by anyone but her. That's why he found himself standing in front of the very familiar apartment complex decades later, telephone in hand as he nervously picked at the lock. The door clicked open loudly as Colby slid into the freezing cold lobby, his shoes echoing on the marble. The lobby looked exactly the same, perfectly preserved in time. Colby walked over to the photos hanging on the wall, locating her face as he dragged his hand across the glass, a smile forming on his face as he glanced towards the stairs, anxiously approaching them. 

Colby had a hard time getting up the stairs, his legs had grown old along with the rest of his body. He recently found out he was sick, very sick. Colby had no more than a month left to live and he was going to spend his final moments exactly where he should be. 

He finally reached the top of the stairs, using his cane to push him up the last step as he coughed loudly, the noise echoing down the hall. He reached the apartment, knocking politely as the door flung open. She knew he was home, and even if he couldn't see her he could feel her energy in the apartment. 

"I'm here." Colby called out, a smile brought to his face. This feeling of warmth was unfamiliar, a feeling Colby had been lacking since he was in this apartment all those years ago. He reached for his phone in his pocket, dialing Sam's number as he patiently waited for him to pick up. "Hello?" Colby spoke into the phone. 

"Colby? Do you know what time it is?" Sam's voice was hoarse as he spoke into the phone in a panic. "What is so urgent that you need to call me at this time?" Sam knew exactly where Colby was before he said anything, Sam could hear it in his voice. "Colby, what are you doing?" Sam was almost screaming now. 

"Don't try to talk me out of it, it's not going to work. Tell my wife I love her. Tell my kids that I'm sorry, and I wish I had more time with them." Colby thought he would be crying by now, but he felt happier than ever. 

"I love you Colbs, you know I do, right?" Police sirens could be heard outside the window of the apartment building as Sam's voice quivered. 

"I love you too." Colby placed the pocket in his phone, beginning to feel extremely drowsy as he climbed into the white sheets in the bed, rolling onto his side as his eyes began to grow heavy and close. 

"Colby." he felt warm arms wrap around him as he sat up, squeezing her tightly as he inhaled her scent. She still smelled like strawberries and cotton. 

"Cora." He pulled away, cupping her cheek as tears began to well in her eyes, dripping down her face. Colby took his hand, wiping away the tears with his thumb. "You look beautiful," he sighed, feeling her hair with his hands, the curls soft and bouncy. 

"So do you." Cora's breath quivered. Colby glanced over at the reflection of himself in the mirror as he smiled. Colby looked exactly like he did in his youth, his body finally getting the energy back that he had in his twenties. Colby sprung out of bed, picking up Cora as he spun her in a circle, lowering her down slowly. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for you?" she whispered, her breath on Colby's face. 

"Do you know how long I've waited?" He asked as she giggled, small hiccups escaping her lips as he smiled. "I love you." He whispered, placing his lips onto hers passionately as the two of them spent the rest of eternity together. 

A/N: Thank you for reading my book! This is the end of it. This is the first time I've written anything and published it, so please let me know any feedback you have. If you have any requests or ideas for new stories please let me know. Thank you so much!