The Broken One ✔

Chapter 39

Hi all,

This chapter touches on details that were mentioned in the early chapters of this book, such as Ned's little black book. I suggest re-reading that chapter (I'm pretty sure it's chapter two) to refresh your memory :)

Thank you

Happy reading!

----------------------------------

It was a few weeks after Eva and Sam's dinner with Andi and me when I woke up in my girlfriend's bed, with my head resting on her silk pillow.

"What's the plan for the today?" Andi asked me, with her head resting on my bare chest.

"Well, I'm going to help Sam and Eva move into their house then I'm going to the airport for my court date tomorrow," I told her.

The next few days were probably the most significant in my whole life. Why do you ask? Well, they lead me to where I am now.

"Do you want me to go with you?" She offered.

"You have work" I reminded Andi as stroking her hair, "besides, I wouldn't want to expose you to my insane family yet"

She laughed "they can't be as bad as mine"

I doubted that her family were worse then mine but it turned out that theu were actually quite similar.

"You want a bet?" I cocked a brow as sitting up, "abusive dad that drinks too much, a fake as fuck step mum, a try hard brother in law and his pretentious kid aka my niece, and perfect older brother with his perfect family"

Andi followed my actions, as we now sat beside each other. "My mum's third divorce is being finalized, my alcoholic father calls once a year almost always asking for money, and my sister is about to pop out her fourth kid who's going to be named after some kind of rock, like the others"

I laughed. "Yeah I still win"

Andi shook her head. "Well, how about you meet mine, then we'll decide whose family is the most unbearable" she suggested.

I smiled "you just asked me to meet your parents"

She laughed, "hey, I guess I did" with that she kissed my lips.

Little did either of us know then, that that would become a tradition of ours, for years to come.

We would obnoxiously remind each other when our families were being completely wack and at the end of the year we would add up all the points and rub it into the other persons face.

A fun tradition if you ask me.

"I better get going" I sighed as slowly getting out of bed.

"I can get off work early tomorrow to pick you up from the airport" she smiled from her bed.

"That would be great" I leaned over the bed to kiss her lips, "see ya," I said from a few inches away from her lips.

"Good luck" Andi whispered with a nervous smile.

I was nervous too. One wrong move by me and assault with a deadly weapon misdemeanor stayed on my record for life.

***

Sam and I had dropped the sofa into the living room. It was now three pm, Sam, his brothers, and I had managed to move most of the furniture inside the new house.

"Can I help?" Eva begged from the sofa we had put down twenty minutes earlier.

"You're almost full term" I reminded her. "I doubt you wanna go into labour while holding up a sofa"

Eva rolled her eyes "fine"

I laughed as turning around. I spotted a woman standing in the kitchen that I recognized well. I hadn't seen her since Liesl's birthday months earlier.

I called her and left a voice message the night that Andi and I had become official, and she never called me back.

I approached her slowly. "Hi, Sarah" I greeted her.

Sarah shot her head and looked at me wide-eyed. "Hey Ned" she struggled to smile, as sliding her hands into the pockets of her jeans, "I uh got your message...sorry I was meaning to call you...Time just slipped away from me, you know?"

I patted my back pocket where I felt the small notebook that I left in there. Apart of me was praying to see Sarah due to leaving things unfinished the last we had spoken.

I nodded "I'm glad you're here, I've been meaning to give you this" I pulled out my little black book from my back pocket.

I pulled out my arm to hers where she took the book and examined it. "Oh my God, Ned" Sarah gasped.

Seven months prior I relied on my little black book to survive. I didn't anymore. I had met Andi, my best friend, my girlfriend, the woman that gave me loyalty and love - something none of the girls in that book were able to give me.

"I used to write down the names of all the girls that I had slept with in that stupid book" I admitted, "that way, whenever I was feeling lonely, I could look at all those names and feel loved...I don't need it anymore, I honestly don't"

"Because of the girl?" She assumed as pushing her brown hair behind her ears.

"Andi" I clarified as a small smile washed across my face, "...she loves me"

"I'm happy for you Ned, I really am" Sarah nodded, "it seems that you have everything you ever wanted...someone to love you for you"

I nodded "you'll find that too someday...what I've learnt is that the sooner you forgive your parents, the easier it'll be to trust people again"

Sarah nodded "that's good advice, thank you"

"Ned" Eva called from across the house, causing me to turn my head, "You're going to be late for the airport" she informed me from the door.

I reverted my gaze back to Sarah. "If you will excuse me, I have a plane to catch" I smiled before walking towards Eva.

I wrapped my arms around her "I'll see you soon sissy, Andi will keep you company if you need it"

I didn't want to leave Eva. After all, Sam was going back to New York that night to pick up the rest of their belongings. She could go into labour and no one would be there with her.

"Thanks, she's a good one," Eva told me. "Do everything you can to keep her around"

"Don't worry, I plan too" I assured her with a grin.

"Good luck over there, Ned," Eva said.

"Thanks, I'll need it" I admitted as walking towards the door, "see ya fellas" I waved at Sam and his brothers before walking out of the house.