Cook & Effy: Five Years Later

Funeral.

You've been dead for awhile now, huh Freddie? I've blamed myself for your disappearance for too long...

I gotta let it go.

We're all here, you know... I'm here. To say goodbye. Finally.

Freddie's funeral actually has already happened, but me and my mates dressed up to have our own little funeral.

"At least he was avenged, yeah?" panda had one hand in my mind and the other in Thomas's.

"Can't believe Cook got out so quick."

"Freddie's dad got him a really good lawyer. He's basically adopted him since he found out about Freddie."

"Do you think he'd fancy seeing me?"

"I'll take you, if you want." Cook appeared beside me, handing me a cigarette.

I looked at Panda and then down at her belly. "Thanks." I handed it back without smoking it.

After the "funeral", we all gathered at Panda and Thomas's. What was left of us anyways.

"I called his dad and sis, asked if they'd come over. They said yeah. Be here soon."

I nod.

Panda pulled me to a corner of her backyard away from everyone else. I started to light one, but I keep forgetting Panda's pregnant.

"I bloody missed you Eff. I'm glad you're finally out."

"I'm glad you're finally happy. You look really happy Panda. What's the sex?"

She giggled and leaned in, "Don't tell Thomas, he wanted to be surprised."

I nod.

"It's a boy."

"Oh, Thank God. What would you have done with a girl?"

"You have no idea how bloody happy I was. My first child another me? I'd cock that up horribly."

That made me smile.

"Thomas wanted a girl, but he'd be happy either way."

I started to pull out my cigarettes again.

I'm nervous and in need of a smoke.

"Do you think you and Cook will ever have kids?"

"What?! Have you gone mental?!?"

She shrugs, "Is it that unrealistic? You love each other, why not?"

"I'm not the kind Panda, neither is Cook."

"Really? Because he said he wanted to spend his life with you when you both got out."

I gawked at her. She's really lost her marbles this one.

"Eff?" Cook waved me over.

I rolled my eyes at Panda as she smiled all cheeky at me.

"We were surprised you wanted to speak to us."

"Why?"

"You're not that chatty." Freddie's sister, Karen, smirked.

"Cook told us  you felt a lot of the blame. You shouldn't. what happened to Freddie wasn't your fault. You shouldn't feel guilty because he loved you."

But I do. Because I've never loved anyone as much as they loved me...

"You're out of prison, Cook's out, and we brought Freddie home. He's at peace now. This is the time to live your life. The both of you." Freddie's dad look from me to Cook.

I finally lit that cigarette.

With my family gone, I go back to the motel I'm staying at with Cook.

"Thought about what you're going to do Eff?"

"Honestly? No. Have you?"

"A little."

"Yeah?"

"A job, and a place to live for starters. A place is already in works."

"Really?"

"Yeah the mates have been helping me look. Found an apartment yesterday. Just need a bit of furniture to move in."

"Good."

Move in with me Eff."

"What?"

"Move in, at least until you get on you feet. We can be roommates."

There's no way you and I can be just roommates.

"We've barely talked. You can't just ask me to move in."

"Since when do we talk?"

"Panda says you see  future with me. That true?"

"Panda said that?"

"Yeah."

"So, what if I do?"

I froze. I didn't expect him to admit it.

"You—you're right. We don't talk." I disappeared into the bathroom leaving him alone.