Rediscovering You

forty-seven

29th December 2023 - one year and forty-eight weeks old.

The sound of her fingers furiously tapping against the phone screen is the only sound that fills the room as she lies in bed on her back, the phone light dimly lighting up her face and allowing her to see the blonde who is fast asleep beside her with one arm lazily thrown over her stomach. The feeling of the blonde's fingers softly brushing against the skin of her hip as she sleeps are the one thing keeping her grounded as she continues typing in her note app. She'd gone online and read through some of the articles which have been written; the horrific abuse that both her and Mia suffered (although it doesn't mention her older sister) has been minimised and referred to as incidents by a source, with Logan being made out to be some kind of a misunderstood person while she is portrayed as someone with a vendetta who longed to be an only-child and it makes her feel physically sick.

'It's hard to put into words all of the thoughts and feelings I have in regards to the personal information which has been leaked to the press over the past few days. This situation is one that I have over the years consciously chosen to keep private, to keep out of the limelight and away from my career because it is one that, anyone who has been through similar will know is a hard and traumatic subject to speak about. Unfortunately this is now something that has been taken from me and is no longer a private matter but instead one that has been made very public with no regard over how this affects me.

The incidents which are referred to in these articles which let's call them what they were, horrific acts of both physical and sexual abuse, started when I was just four years old and continued for many years. Football became my way of escaping what was happening at home, escaping the abuse I was enduring more frequently as I got older however what I went through in those years will live with me forever. Even now, they have an impact on my everyday life and relationships, it something I need to constantly work on in order to function like a normal human being. I am not going into detail about what I had to endure during those years because despite being in a public facing role, I am entitled to have my privacy surrounding things like this but the lasting trauma it has left me with is severe, last year I was diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder and that is something I continue to deal with on a day to day basis. This should never have been made public and the fact that it has been so widely publicised without anyone even contacting me makes me feel physically sick.

For those who have reached out with words of support, thank you. You will never understand how much those mean to me at this time. For the people who have surrounded me continuously with love over the past few days, I couldn't have got through this without you. For now, I ask for some time and privacy. Time to process everything that has happened and privacy to do that without the world's eyes on me.

Thank you,
Imogen.'

Taking a deep breath, she screenshots the statement before posting it to her Instagram and immediately turning the comments off. She turns off her phone before sliding it onto the bedside table and sliding down further in bed.

'What do you need?' Leah mumbles sleepily.

'Just you.' Imogen says rolling onto her side as the blonde's arm tightens around her.

'I got ya. I've always got ya.' Leah replies.

****

'When did you write this, babes?' Leah asks, her eyes flickering up towards the brunette who is brushing her hair.

'Hmm? What? The statement I posted on Insta?' Imogen asks and Leah nods her head.

'Like four this morning... I just- I couldn't sleep and I thought I had to write something. I had to put my story out there.' Imogen says and Leah smiles slightly. Standing up, she makes her way over to wrap her arms around the brunette from behind.

'How you feeling?' Leah asks and Imogen shrugs her shoulders.

'I don't know... I just- The articles were such bullshit and were minimising what I went through so I just wanted to clear things up because it wasn't right.' Imogen replies and Leah nods her head.

'You've got to do what you need to do and what you think is best for you. Forget everyone else in this situation.' Leah says.

'Thank you for being here. You've been my absolute rock these past few days and I just- I don't think I'd have made it through if it wasn't for you.' Imogen replies softly.

'You would've. You're stronger than you think, Ims.' Leah says.

'Mm... I love you.' Imogen whispers, reaching down to rest her hands on top of the blonde's, which are settled against her stomach.

'I love you too...' Leah replies turning her head to press a kiss against the brunette's neck.

'Are you okay? You've been quiet this morning?' Imogen asks and Leah smiles.

'Mm-hmm... I'm okay.' Leah replies quietly.

'You sure?' Imogen asks and Leah nods her head.

'Promise.' Leah replies. Leaning back into the blonde's embrace, Imogen smiles as she feels Leah tighten her arms around her.

'Let's just enjoy our final few days in paradise, just the three of us.' Imogen says and Leah nods her head.

'Mm-hmm... Final few days of just us.' Leah replies softly.

****

'I think despite everything that is going on, today might have been my favourite one yet.' Imogen says softly as they lie curled up on the large sunlounger with Rory fast asleep in the middle of them.

'Mm... It's been good, hasn't it?' Leah replies kissing the top of the brunette's head as they watch the sunset across the water. A comfortable silence falls over them as they watch the water, the blonde's arms wrapped tightly around the brunette.

'I had so many plans for this holiday and they just don't feel right anymore.' Leah admits biting her bottom lip.

'What do you mean? What plans?' Imogen asks softly as she tilts her head to look at the blonde who sighs.

'I just- I've had this planned for ages and I just don't know. It doesn't feel right anymore.' Leah replies shaking her head.

'I want to marry you...' Leah almost whispers.

'I want to marry you to.' Imogen replies, a small smile on her face.

'No, I mean I really want to marry you. I designed a ring and everything.' Leah says quietly and immediately tears fill the brunette's eyes.

'W-What do you mean? You designed a ring for me?' Imogen asks and Leah nods her head.

'Stay here...' Leah replies softly. She kisses the top of the brunette's head and carefully removes herself from the sun lounger before making her way into the villa. She digs through her suitcase and pulls the ring box out before making her way back outside.

'I had so many plans in my head about how I was going to do this...' Leah says softly as Imogen pushes herself into a sitting position and the blonde carefully drops down onto one knee in front of the brunette.

'You're my world, Imogen. From the moment I met you, you just changed everything and I can't imagine my life without you in it... We've had our ups and downs but we've came through it so much stronger.' Leah begins as tears fill her eyes and she opens the ring box in her hand.

'Would you do me the honour of becoming my wife, Imogen?' Leah asks softly.

'Yes, one hundred times yes.' Imogen replies.