In This Life (Sequel to 'In Another Life')

25

Keeping one hand on my elbow, she guided me to the couch in the room across the hall. "Thanks," I said, as I sat down gingerly. The pain was always so much worse after therapy. When the doorbell rang, it surprised me. PostMates was usually not that quick. "I got it!" Colby yelled. I saw him jogging past the living room towards the door. Denise helped me get settled on the couch, moving my cane over to the side, putting my drink in front of me on the coffee table, along with the fucking ibuprofen that did absolutely nothing anymore, if it ever did. I still hated the fact that I was unable to just take a pain pill when I needed it. I was literally unable to just take one without it affecting me differently than someone who was an addict. "Um, guys..." Colby's voice brought me out of my moping and I turned to look at him standing in the doorway of the living room. Someone was behind him, but I couldn't quite see who. "You've got company." The person standing behind him, walked forwards, a smile on her face. "Hey T. Neece," the guest said, nodding at us both. "Amber??" I said, in total shock. "What the hell are you doing here? How did you even get here? How do you know where we live?" I didn't know how I felt seeing her here. The last time I had...well, been in a bad state of mind, Amber and I had actually become real friends. I hated that I had to stop all communication with her, but she had been still using and I couldn't be around that. She sort of giggled, and ran her hand through her hair, then held a brown bag out in front of her that I hadn't noticed before. "I'm actually your PostMates. I've been here in LA about a month now. I was hoping to run into you, and I've been keeping up with you on Instagram. I recognized Colby when he opened the door and asked if you guys were here." She shrugged like it was the most natural thing in the world for her to have come all the way from Georgia to be standing in my living room as my PostMates driver. The fuck was happening? I knew we were friends on Instagram but I had my settings to private so that only the people who follow me could see my stories. I was honestly scared of the Sam and Colby fandom. I had already dealt with that once before so I wasn't ready to deal with again just yet. "Can I sit down?" she asked nervously, her gaze shifting between me and Denise. Neece didn't know Amber as well, and only associated her with my dark period. The look on her face told me that she was less than excited to see her. "Oh my God, yes, I'm sorry. Come sit," I said, patting the seat next to me on the couch. She walked over, sat down, looked at the bag that she was still holding, then held it out to Colby. "Oh, sorry. Forgot to give this to you." He shook his head. "S'not for me. It's for T." Amber looked back at me and smiled. "Here ya go." I took the bag and opened it, ready for my damn blizzard that I had worked so hard for. Instead, what was in the bag brought tears to my eyes. Damn me and my soft ass heart. "Colby," I said, looking back up at him. He had the biggest grin on his face, like a child that was being praised by his parents for doing something amazing. I looked back down and pulled out what was in the bag, setting it on the table. "Thank you," I said, my voice thick with the force that I was using to hold back these damn tears. "I love you," he replied, shrugging. You didn't get to eat the last slice that I bought you, so I figured that I would replace it." I smiled at him, and motioned with my finger for him to come here. He did and leaned over me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and pressed my lips to his. "I love you so much," I said, my voice now a little watery. "I love you," he answered, still cheesing that damn grin. Ugh, my heart. Honestly, a slice of cheesecake shouldn't make me break down and cry, but the sentiment behind it, and Colby being such a romantic just had me choking up. I let him and he sat down on the arm of the couch, next to me. He took the little tray that the cheesecake was in, opened it for me, and handed it to me with the little plastic fork that came with it. I took it from him gratefully. I hadn't had cheesecake in so damn long and I now related it to our relationship. "Okaaay, I've never seen anyone react like that to a slice of cheesecake," Amber said, watching us with a look of confusion. I laughed, and took a bite. I moaned out loud with how delicious it was. "Oh I've missed this," I said. " Calm down T. You'll give Colby a complex. Keep sounding like that and he'll think that you like cheesecake more than sex with him," Neece said wryly, keeping her eyes trained on Amber. "That's nothing new," Colby replied, laughing. "I've been knowing that. If you mess with her cheesecake, she might stab you with a fork." I laughed at the memory of me threatening to stab him when he tried to get my cheesecake. "But if anyone messes with my man, I'll just stab them," I replied, looking at him, raising my eyebrows. He grinned but didn't reply. "So Amber, what did we do to have you grace us with your presence?" Neece said, sitting down in one of the kitchen chairs, backwards, propping her arms on the back of it. "I told you," Amber replied, glancing at Denise, but letting her eyes go back to me. "I recognized Colby, and obviously his name was on the order. So I just asked if you were here. I didn't know that you lived here. Just figured I would try my luck. I don't have many friends out here yet, so it's nice to see familiar faces."