She nods and once again writes something down.
“What do you think of the relationship between Matt and Eric, does it bother you that they are gay? Have they been inappropriate around you in any way?” She fires off her next questions.
“I think they have a relationship that most people only dream of. They are truly in love.” I answer her first question before continuing on. “They have never once acted inappropriately around me. The most I have seen them do is kiss and hold hands.”
She nods and then moves to write something more.
“What are you writing down?” I question abruptly, my curiosity getting the better of me.
“I’m just writing down your answers. We will go over these with Matt and Eric later on before the judge makes the final decision.” She answers me.
I nod and then sigh softly. “I’m sorry for being so nosey.”
She grins and shakes her head. “It’s perfectly alright.”
“Moving on, where do you see yourself in five years?” She then asks.
I shrug. “Honestly I haven’t allowed myself to think of where I’ll be in five years let alone a day from now. Ever since I lost my boyfriend, Cole, I have looked at life differently. I live in the moment, the here and now. He taught me that you never know the day when tomorrow won’t come.”
“That’s an interesting way to put that, but you must have at least thought about college, a family, something along those lines.” She pushes.
“I see myself with a family.” I reply. “I see myself being a part of a family with Eric and Matt. I see myself going to college but I’m not sure which and I see myself falling in love with someone equally as amazing as Eric and Matt combined. I see a lot of things for myself but I still only want to take it day by day.”
She nods again, accepting my answer.
“Okay, if given a choice would you want to remain with Eric and Matt or would you like to return to the Moores family?” She then asks, completely shocking me.
“I wouldn’t hesitate to pick Eric and Matt. The Moores gave up on me when I needed them the most. I know they thought that they were doing what was best for me but it wasn’t.” I answer truthfully.
“Good, now one more question and we can head down to the main conference room with the others.” She states after a moment of writing on her paper.
I nod and she sighs. “What do you think would happen if we sent you out on your own?”
“I would fall apart. I need help. I’m nowhere ready to live on my own, Ma’am.” I answer simply.
I wasn’t afraid to tell her that I would be helpless. There was no way I would be able to survive on my own without some sort of support.
She nods and writes on her paper before closing the folder and then standing up to her feet.
Standing up with her she heads towards the door before waving me to follow her down the long hallways.
We come to a stop at a dark wooden door.
She knocks on it first before opening it up.
Inside were rows of seats filled with a few of the foster families I had been with, and Cole’s family, along with Jayce, Ben and their parents.
My nerves once again get the best of me and I freeze in place at the door.
“Ms. Evette Smith, will you please come forward with Ms. Lawrence?” A man at the front behind a desk pushes.
I nod my head and force one foot in front of the other.
Somehow I manage to make it to the front of the room where I sit down next to Ms. Lawrence.
We were across from Matt and Eric.
“Ms. Lawrence, the papers?” The man grunts out.
She quickly stands and hands him the folder that she had used with me.
The man flips though it and then pulls out the page that she had written on.
He reads through it slowly.
It was honestly too slow for my taste. I was ready for this to all be over so I could go back home with Matt and Eric.
After a few minutes he nods his head and then motions to Matt and Eric before motioning towards me.
“Will the three of you please stand?” He requests.
I stand quickly as my heart picks up more speed and my breathing becomes heavy.
“After hearing all of your thoughts on this matter…” The man up front begins.
His voice becomes faint as I sway slightly on my feet.
“Eve?” Eric questions as he notices my state of distress.
Without caring he rushes over to my side and pushes me gently to sit down. “Breathe, Princess, you need to breathe.”
I nod even though I continue to nearly pant for my next breath.
“Is she going to be alright?” The man front the front questions as he stands up and watches us.
“She’ll be fine. She just has panic attacks when she gets scared.” Eric answers him without taking his eyes off of me.
When my breathing doesn’t slow Eric becomes worried. “You need to breathe, Eve. You’re going to hurt yourself if you don’t.”
Eric sighs roughly and begins to stand but I stop him by nearly jumping into his arms.
“Please don’t let me go, please don’t let me go.” I plead over and over again as I hold onto him tightly.
“I’m not going to let you go, Princess.” Eric reassures.
Holding me in his arms like a child Eric turns us around so that he could look at the man up front. “Can you continue what you were saying so that I can take my daughter home?”
He must answer Eric silently because his next sentence sends my heart soaring.
“After hearing everyone’s opinions and reading what Ms. Lawrence has gathered from Evette, without further deliberation I am here by awarding full custody of Ms. Evette Smith to that of Matthew Gallagher and Eric Gallagher.” He states.
Eric holds me tighter as Matt grabs us both into a hug.
“May you find happiness with your new family, Evette, you deserve it.” The man adds as we embrace.
I couldn’t believe this moment had finally come true.
I had a family now.
I was part of a real family.
Chapter 12
Dear Diary,
I finally belong somewhere. I have a family now, but why do I still feel this darkness deep inside of me… I wish you could come back…
After a week the excitement still hadn’t worn off from the words that had changed my entire life.
I was now Evette Lynn Gallagher.
Ah, and I loved it.
Who would have ever thought that something so simple would bring me so much joy?
No longer did I have to fear being tossed into yet another home, and no longer would I have to learn to live a whole new life.
I was finally right where I belonged.
I had two of the best fathers anyone could ever ask for.
“Are you ready to go, Eve?” Jayce calls out from the bottom of the stairs.
We were heading to the school’s football homecoming dance together.
Smoothing my hands over my deep blue dress with black flower stitching, I smile brightly. I was really doing this, I was moving on and I was surprisingly happy.
I hadn’t been this happy since I had first started dating Cole.
The only thing different about this was that me and Jayce were still just friends and that was completely okay with me.
I still had nights where I would dream of Cole, and nights where I thought of Liam.
Since I had been adopted Liam had been completely absent in my life. I rarely even saw him in my classes at school.
“Evette Gallagher, get your cute butt down here.” Eric calls out this time.
Laughing I shake my head.
He said my full name every chance that he could and to be honest I absolutely loved hearing him say it.
I couldn’t get enough.
Glancing at my reflection again I sigh softly and then close my eyes. “I wish you were still here with me, Cole.”
Allowing my
mind to wonder for a moment I think back to the first dance that we had gone to together as a couple.
It had been a magical night.
He had danced with me that entire night and when he had brought me home we had laid out on his roof as the stars danced over us.
We hadn’t had to say a word to each other, the touch of our hands had been enough.
Opening my eyes I frown. “Where did it all go wrong?” I whisper softly.
Right now I couldn’t remember the moment when Cole had changed. I did remember me changing though.
Shaking my head I breathe in deeply before moving away from my mirror, leaving my past behind with it.
Moving slowly I come to stand at the top of the stairs.
Down below Matt and Eric stood with proud smiles on their faces while Jayce had a look of complete awe on his.
He was stunning in his black tux and navy blue tie to match my dress.
I couldn’t help but stare as I begin to make my way down the stairs towards him.
Halfway down the stairs I come to a screeching halt as his face morphs into Cole’s.
I didn’t know what to do.
My breath gets caught in my throat as the scene before me suddenly changes. I was suddenly being pulled into the past against my will.
“…his eyes were staring into the distance…”
“…and his legs were swinging back and forth in the air slightly ,as if there was a slight breeze pushing him, the moment step into the room…”
A sudden scream falls from my lips until the scene fades and my reality takes its place once more.
I don’t get the chance to stop myself from leaning forward on the stairs, in a split second I begin to fall.
Before I hit the steps strong arms surround me.
I look up into Jayce’s concerned eyes as he continues to hold onto me.
“What just happened to make you scream like that, Eve?” Eric asks quickly as he leans in to search my face.
I shake my head as Jayce stands me back up on my feet at the bottom of the staircase. “I don’t know, one second I was seeing you guys and the next…” I trail off as I close my eyes.
“The next, you saw what?” Eric pushes for me to say more.
Glancing towards Jayce I shake my head. I didn’t want to ruin this moment anymore than I already had.
I just wanted to go to the dance and enjoy myself.
“You know you can tell us, Eve.” Matt chimes in.
“I just want to have a good night, okay. We can discuss this later.” I reply gently, hoping that they would both drop it for now.
Eric opens his mouth to argue but Matt beats him. “Alright, but don’t forget.”
I nod and then reach out for Jayce’s hand. “Are you ready to go?”
He nods and then smiles as he places his hand into mine. “I’m ready to go.”
Glancing back to Eric and Matt he continues. “I’ll keep my eyes on her all night long.”
“Ha, you better, but keep your hands above the waist.” Eric warns with a laugh.
Jayce smirks as I blush behind him. “You can trust me, Sir.”
“I better be able to. I expect you to have her back by midnight, okay?” Eric replies.
Jayce nods. “I’ll have her home before then.”
With that promise Jayce turns to lead me out of the house and then down the sidewalk where a sleek black car was waiting for us.
“Whose car is this?” I ask curiously.
Moving us around to the passenger’s side he opens the door for me. “It’s my car. I drive it when I don’t use my bike.”
Pausing at the door I look at him with a raised brow. “You mean that I could have avoided days of helmet hair and you didn’t tell me?”
He grins mischievously and then nods. “I like riding on the bike better, especially with you riding behind me.”
Smiling I shake my head with amusement as I slip into my seat before Jayce shuts the door and then rushes around the car to the driver’s side.
Once he’s in his seat he turns his key and the engine roars to life.
“Are you ready to dance?” He asks with a playful smirk.
“I’m more than ready.” I reply with a smirk of my own.
Within seconds he places the car into drive before swiftly taking off down the road towards the school where the dance was being held.
Walking into the school we meet Ben and his date Maggie at the doors leading into the gym.
Music echoes around us in the hall as we give quick greetings before moving on into the gym together.
Inside there are white and red balloons, the schools colors, scattered across the floor. They were in constant motion due to the people already dancing around them.
Red and white streamers covered the ceiling in a canopy and red and white glittering signs covered the walls.
It was amazing what the cheerleaders had accomplished for such a small dance.
“Do you want to dance?” Jayce asks as he playfully twirls me around.
I giggle as he stops me in his arms. “Yes, I want to dance.”
Without a word he takes me out onto the dance floor just as a slow song begins to play.
Placing his hands on my hips Jayce grins down on me while I wrap my arms around his neck.
After just a few moments I move in closer and place my head against his chest as I close my eyes listening to the steady thump of his heart.
“What happened to you earlier?” Jayce asks softly.
Sighing I open my eyes and look up at him. “I was sucked into the past. I thought I was over it all finally but it seems that I’m far from it. I still see him.”
My answer was slightly confusing, at least to anyone who could overhear us, but Jayce knew exactly what I was saying.
He had been through something similar.
He had lost someone close too.
Nodding his head he wraps his arms around my back holding me tightly to him. “It will fade with time. You won’t see him as much but no matter what he will always show his face when you need to see it.”
“I just want to move on. I mean, I miss him and I always will but he took everything away from me. I should hate him for that.” I reply.
“I get it.” Jayce replies gently.
Our conversation ends quickly as a faster song begins and we find ourselves caught in the middle of a group of jumping dancers.
Jayce laughs out as we join them.
Before I realize it, I lose Jayce in the crowd.
I try to find him but end up coming face to face with the one person I hadn’t wanted to run into today.
Liam.
He leans in close as he places his hands firmly on my hips. “Where’s your date?”
I don’t know why I don’t push him away. Instead I answer his question. “I lost him somewhere in the crowd.”
“Do you want me to help you find him?” He then questions.
For some unknown reason I nod my head. I must have been out of my mind to just forget everything that he had said and done to me.
Taking my hand in his he leads me through the still dancing crowd and then through the mass of balloons around them until we find ourselves just outside the gym in the hallway.
With a quick move Liam spins me around until my back gently hits the wall before he moves in close, the tips of his shoes nearly touching mine.
His warm minty breath fans over my face as I look deep into his eyes.
For a moment I get lost.
“I want us to be together, Eve.” Liam whispers. “I know you felt something that night we were together.”
“Liam, we can’t…” I trail off.
There were so many reasons why we couldn’t be together but for some strange reason not a single one of them would form on my tongue.
“Yes, we can, Eve. My brother isn’t here. He can’t stop us from being together. Hell, he won’t care now.” Liam tries to argue.
I shake my head. “I don’t want to
be with you, Liam. It hurts too much.”
His jaw clenches at my answer. “You know what hurts, Eve, it’s knowing that Cole killed himself because of what we did.”
My jaw drops in shock. “What do you mean? How did he know?”
“He saw us. Cole saw us together. He wrote me a note before he hung himself. Everything was inside.” Liam confesses.
My heart nearly drops into my stomach.
It couldn’t be.
Cole wouldn’t have killed himself over that.
“Is that why I was the one who found him, did he want me to find him first?” I ask in a barely there whisper.
I didn’t know if I really wanted the answer to that question.
Liam nods. “He wanted you to suffer the same heartbreak that he had.”
With that confession I choke on a sob while pushing Liam away from me. I had to get away from him.
I don’t get very far before I run straight into Jayce’s strong arms.
He leans me away to search my eyes before looking past me towards Liam.
Growling he lets me go before he begins marching towards Liam with his hands balled into fists at his sides.
“What the hell did you do to her?” Jayce growls as he steps in front of Liam.
“I only told her the truth.” Liam replies.
Without warning Jayce’s fist comes up quickly before slamming into Liam’s jaw with a solid crack.
I gasp in horror as I watch them both exchange hard blows.
Thankfully Ben rushes out with a small group of other guys.
They rush past me to stop the fight as Maggie stops next to me before wrapping her arm around my shoulder.
“Shhhh, Eve, everything will be fine. We just need to get out of here.” She states calmly as she begins pulling me down the hallway, towards the main doors.
Outside she lets me slide down the rough brick wall of the school before I bury my face into my hands and cry.
It hurt me more than I had ever thought to know that I had actually caused Cole to kill himself.
It had been my fault all along.
I had been selfish just that once and it had cost me everything.
God, I was a terrible person.
And honestly I did deserve all the pain and heartache that I had been feeling for the past four months.
When Tomorrow Never Comes Page 8
