Joel was still comforting Cameron and trying to explain to him that forcing someone to be with you wouldn't work out well. He seemed to understand but was still very emotional.
*Ring ring*
"Hello?"
He listened intently to a female nurse on the other line tell him how Rylie's mother had flatlined and passed away. They had tried calling her, but she wasn't picking up. He thanked them and hung up.
"Is everything okay?" Cameron asked with a raised eyebrow. It was the middle of the night, so it was odd for Joel to get a call this late. Especially one that made him look so anxious.
"Oh…yeah. My boss just called and said a report I was working on was pushed up, so they need it first thing in the morning now. But I'm only half done."
Cameron got up and pulled on his arm.
"Then what are you waiting for? Go! I'll be okay, I don't want to get you fired!"
"Thanks Cam, stay as long as you need," he smiled as he felt a sharp pain in his chest.
He jumped into his car and drove as quickly as he could through the streets. The hospital couldn't reach Rylie, but he didn't have to think to know where she was.
Not checking to see if he parked properly, he fished out his phone to dial her number and dashed towards her house.
"Rylie, are you here?! Rylie!"
He had his phone to his ear, but no one was picking up. He stopped for a moment and listened. He heard buzzing in the distance. He followed it to an open window on the side of the house. He peered in and saw Rylie crouched in the bathtub hugging her legs to her chest.
"Rylie! Are you okay? I need to tell you something important. Can you let me in?"
Silence.
"Please Rylie…"
"The back door is unlocked," she mumbled.
After he let himself in, he rushed to the bathroom and found she hadn't moved. He got into the bathtub with her and sat in the same position facing her.
"I was sitting by my phone when they called me. I didn't want to pick it up because I was scared of what they'd tell me…"
Without thinking, Joel reached out to grasp her hands.
"I know you are, but you can't keep running away."
"I know, I'm just…I don't want to do it alone…"
"Don't worry, I'm here."
She finally looked up and peered into Joel's eyes. She nodded and he helped her up. She washed her face and freshened up before she was driven back to the hospital.
They turned the corner of the hallway and Rylie stopped in her tracks. The door to her mother's room was within view and she was having trouble moving forward. Joel squeezed her shoulders lightly and guided her towards it.
When they reached the doorway, she could see nurses changing the bedsheets of an unoccupied bed. One of them noticed her and shook her head. She explained her mother's body was currently in the morgue awaiting instructions on where to transport the body. Rylie thanked her and waited for them to leave.
Her lips trembled at first but within a few seconds, tears started to roll down her face. She turned towards Joel subconsciously and leaned on his chest. He rested his hand on her head and let her cry.
After a few minutes, he placed his palm on her chin to cup her face.
"Look at me Rylie."
Still in his embrace, she looked up to meet his eyes.
"No matter what happens, now or in the future, I want you to know that I will always be here for you."
They were gazing into each others' eyes, and it seemed like time itself had slowed down. Without thinking, Joel leaned in and let their lips touch.
She widened her eyes in shocked response but didn't move away. She closed her eyes and kissed him back, moving her lips against his.
After some time had passed, the two of them left the room and sat in the hallway to discuss what to do with her mother's body.
Rylie had her head against his shoulder with their hands linked together.
"We never talked about it, but I think she should be cremated. She doesn't have any remaining family or friends she keeps in touch with."
"Whatever you think is best," Joel squeezed her hand and she smiled. Her phone vibrated and she saw a new text from Cameron.
'Sorry Rylie if I ever made you feel uncomfortable. I'm not expecting anything by apologizing but I hope you can forgive me. I'd like to still be friends if you'll have it, let's start over?'
She smiled faintly and showed it to Joel.
"Maybe telling Cameron won't be such a scary thing after all."
He nodded but was hit with another wave of guilt. It must've shown on his face because Rylie loosened her grip.
"Now I feel bad for being with you. After all, you're best friends. Maybe this isn't right…" She fully let go of his hand, but he grabbed it again with a firm grip.
"Everything will be okay, we'll be okay.
------------------------------------------------
James drove along a long stretch of road with Emilia beside him in the passenger seat. The day was coming to an end, and they had dropped by her home to grab some of her things.
She was rehashing everything that happened to him between her and Yuki and why things were tense between them now. He listened carefully, letting her speak without interrupting.
When she finished, she let out a deep sigh and leaned back. She glanced at his side profile as he held the steering wheel with one hand and had the other on the gear stick. She poked at his fingers that were wrapped over the gear shift and tried lifting his fingers one by one. He realized what she was doing and loosened his grip to see what she would do.
When she made enough space, she slid her hand under his so that they were clasping hands. He tried his best to hold back his smile, even biting his lip but he was so ecstatic, he couldn't.
"This makes me feel better, thank you," she smiled at him warmly.
"But I didn't do anything yet."
"Just you being here and listening is enough. And sorry."
"What do you have to be sorry about? It's not your fault all that happened."
"I know but it's just…. me and Yuki have always been close, but I didn't know he felt that way about me. I know we're not actually related but we're still family."
"Even if you aren't related by blood, it's not right. I'm sure when your parents took him in, they treated him like their son. The two of you grew up together and developed a brother-sister bond."
Emilia nodded, "I hope he's able to see it like that too."
"He will, just give him time," James squeezed her hand for reassurance.
They had just turned into an underground parking lot of a condominium, where James had a unit away from his parent's home. It was located in a quiet part of town, and he divided his time between the two. He mostly went home to spend time with his mother and to check up on her. His father probably wasn't even aware he wasn't there half the time.
He popped open the trunk and grabbed Emilia's luggage from her hands as she was pulling it out.
"Thanks again for letting me stay here for a few days. I just need to get out of the house for a few days. I told my dad I was at Rylie's so he should be okay," her face sunk while saying Rylie's name.
"I hope she's okay. She told me she'll reach out to me when she's ready. I didn't want her to be alone, but she said she wasn't and that someone was by her side. I guess this Joel is someone who she can finally be herself around."
"It sounds like she found a good partner."
"Yeah…I'll have to introduce you two one day! Maybe she'll bring along Joel!"
She smiled at James as they entered the elevator and took it to the 15th floor. When they were a few feet in front of the unit, they heard the pitter patter of feet and then barking. James unlocked the door and went in first to calm down Vick. Once Emilia shut the door behind her, he let go but didn't think Vick would jump on her so suddenly.
"Whoa!"
Emilia lost her balance and fell onto the bench by the door. She attempted to get up, but Vick wouldn't stop trying to lick her face. James pulled him off and told him to shoo.
"So that was Vick…I guess he likes you," he chuckled.
"You sure he just didn't want to eat me?" She smiled and took his outstretched hand.
"What do you feel like eating?" James asked.
"Hmm…let's order omelette rice!"
"Why order when I can make it?
Emilia widened her eyes in shock.
"You can cook?!"
"What? You think all artists can't cook?"
"Breaking news! James Kim is not a starving artist and can, indeed, cook!" She mimicked a news reporter and ran away as James took that as an invitation to give chase.
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!"
Emilia screamed and he stopped at first but decided to tickle her anyways. She exploded in laughter.
After they settled down, James headed to the kitchen to cook while Emilia assisted. The omelette rice turned out amazing, of course.
They got comfortable on the sofa after dinner and started their movie marathon. They watched film after film but eventually, Emilia dozed off and her head fell onto James' shoulder. He smiled to himself and turned off the TV using the remote.
He gently guided her head to lay on his lap and brushed her hair away from her face. Watching her peacefully sleep, he could no longer deny the fact that he was deeply in love with her.
As he was stroking her face, he accidently flicked her ear, causing her to stir. Emilia opened her eyes and took a second to realize where she was. She turned to face him and the two of them stared at each other in silence. All the lights were off but there was just enough moonlight shining through the window for them to make out each other's faces.
James cupped her face and the two of them started leaning into each other, but James suddenly stopped and straightened himself. Emilia propped herself up with her arms and a confused look on her face.
"What's wrong?"
He grabbed both her hands in his to reassure her.
"It's not that I don't want to, believe me, I do so bad you have no idea! But I want to do this right."
As first Emilia was still puzzled but after a moment, she understood what he meant and waited for him to speak.
"I imagined us having our first kiss together so many times, in so many ways. I didn't care how or where but I do know one thing, I wanted it to be after I told you how I felt."
He took a deep breath and continued.
"I think ever since I saw you on the beach that day, you've enamored me. From the moment we met, I felt something pull me towards you. You bring so much happiness and meaning to my life. I know that sounds odd when I say it like that, but I want to share things with you that I've never had the courage to tell anyone else. Your smile brightens my darkest days and being with you just feels right."
"Emilia, I like you, a lot. I'm even falling in love with you. But I don't want to scare you away before we even start."
She tried to keep a straight face but was brimming with so much happiness, that she hugged him in a tight squeeze so he couldn't see her face.
"Em? I-is everything okay?"
"Sorry, just give me a minute."
She released him slowly and pulled back just enough for him to see her face.
"I like you too, so you don't have to worry about scaring me off. You've been on my mind constantly since the day we met again at the club. I think I also felt the pull you were feeling. When you're close, my gaze naturally falls on you and I find my heart skipping a beat when you smile at me. I've dated others before, but none have come close to what I feel for you. When I look at you, sometimes I just get this uncontrollable urge to…to just…uggh! I can't say it!" She covered her face with both hands as she turned beet red. Luckily, the lights were still off so James couldn't tell.
She felt him grab both her wrists and pulled them away from her face. She opened her eyes and faintly made out his face smiling back at her.
"I know, I do too."
With a tender smile, he leaned in close, his lips meeting hers in a slow lingering kiss. She melted into his embrace as he cradled her face in his hands. She responded eagerly and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him towards her until she was lying on her back on the sofa, and him on top of her. Her fingers threaded through his hair as their kiss deepened.
They pulled apart for a second to catch their breath and James rested his forehead gently against hers. They shared a smile, and she stroked his hair suggestively.
"I hope you don't think that's enough," she smirked.
He responded by kissing her forehead, right eye, below her ear and neck.
"Of course not," and he hungrily claimed her lips again.