Chapter 27: Chapter 27

I couldn't remember how I ended up waking up naked in a bed with my head pounding waking up to my phone ringing.

"Oh god," I groaned, turning over in the bed only to have my hand touch someone, I gasped sitting up quickly only to regret it as I was butt struck naked.

"Morning," Cole greeted me with a sly smile looking calm as ever with his devilishly messy bed hair.

"What the hell happened?" I asked pulling up the covers to cover my chest

"It was one hell of a night," he wiggled his eyebrows at me like somehow I would just remember what happened. I tried to recollect my thoughts but just drew a blank. I was just so shocked to find myself in this situation. What the hell happened last night.

"You don't remember, come on, use that big brain of yours," he urged, squashing my cheeks like that would help me somehow.

"Cut it out," I said irritated pushing his hand away

"Alright maybe this might help you remember," he said getting out of bed

"What are you doing?" I asked in fear watching the bed covers reveal his v-line before he stood before me in all his glory, I gasped covering my mouth as I couldn't stop looking at his dick. It had to be about seven inches or so and stood up proudly most probably because of the chilly air coming through the window. And just like it was a magic wand memories of last night flashed before me one by one till I nearly barfed my guts out, I couldn't believe the things I did last night I was truly disgusted by myself but I couldn't deny how tremendous it felt no thanks to the naked god standing in front of me. I've had sex plenty and I mean plenty of it, to be honest, but last night was something different there were no words to describe how I felt except perhaps absolute ecstasy maybe it might have something to do with the pill I took or the man I was with but never the less it was something I could never forget no matter how hard I tried because neither my body would ever forget it.

"Put some clothes on," I cried covering my eyes in embarrassment

"Oh don't be shy now you sure as hell weren't last night," he teased walking to my side of the bed confidently, I scooted away making sure to hold the bed cover tightly

"Stay right there," I warned him grabbing the remote and pointing at him like it were a sword

"Or what?" He asked crawling on the bed towards me slowly. I couldn't believe this was happening just when I was trying to forget all about him. He goes ahead and does all this just to test my resistance and I failed miserably but the worst part was that I didn't mind that I failed.

"Cole don't," I warned seriously thinking of all the consequences that were to follow

"Don't blame me you started it," he huskily said his face a few inches away from mine, his hazel eyes captivated me nearly taking my breath away. I wasn't quite sure what came over me as my body lit up in flames by the mere touch of his nose skimming against my collar bone.

"I'm not the only one craving your attention apparently," he whispered his icy breath creating a shiver down my spine, I didn't even hear my phone ringing through my haze.

"Hello," I answered once I grabbed my phone from the bedside table

"What the hell Hay Hay you were supposed to be here an hour ago," my sisters' angry voice answered

"First of all don't call me that and second of all be where?" I asked, trying to remember what day it was since I was a little distracted by Cole lightly tracing his hand along my neck to my chest leaving behind an electric buzz of pleasure.

"The funeral planning you imbecile," Haley yelled into the phone making me cringe

"Ok sorry, are you still there?" I asked

"Yes, get your ass here this instant," she said angrily. I was about to reply when I gasped jerking up a little reacting to Cole's hand that went a little too down south.

"What's wrong with you?" Haley asked

"Nothing," I quickly answered shakily

"Whatever hurry up then," she grumbled and hand up,

"Cole!" I nearly yelled grabbing his hand

"Yes dear," he hummed

"Not now or ever again," I said quickly moving away and rushed to put my clothes on

"Oh come on Hay Hay you and I both enjoyed last night what's the harm in doing it again," he pouted

"Nope never again," I said getting into my jeans

"Fine your loss then," he said gloriously showing his all-glorious manhood

"Don't be so cocky you weren't that great anyway," I said even though we both knew that was a complete and utter lie.

"If you say so later then," he waved as I rushed out the door

The cool breeze woke me up a little bit as I ordered a cab not believing it was already one in the afternoon. I should stop taking things I know are bad for me starting with Cole. By the time I arrived Haley was already outside with her arms crossed over her chest which meant she was truly pissed off.

"Hey," I awkwardly smiled

"Hey? hey is all you got to say for your tardiness?" She angrily shouted, drawing some attention from passing strangers.

"Take it down a notch and I'm sorry ok I got a bit occupied," I awkwardly cleared my throat

"By what?" She asked

"Some things," I vaguely said, remembering every detail of last night and regretting ever going to the party in the first place.

"Where the hell were you?" She asked

"Somewhere," I answered, looking her dead in the eyes, displaying I didn't want to further this conversation anymore.

"Fine, whatever, let's go," she huffed, heading into the building. I followed behind her quietly.

"Glad you made it," Erin said to me once we got into her office

"Sorry about being late," I apologised sitting in one of the chairs opposite her

"No worries at all we're not that busy today anyway," she brushed off my lateness with a wave of her hand.

"Let's just get this over with," Haley said

***

"We are gathered here.." Why did they always start with that this wasn't a wedding it was a funeral for goodness sake.

We sat in a large cathedral at our mothers funeral, there weren't that many people considering our mom didn't have that many friends or any friends for that matter except Paul who was balling his eyes out before the funeral even began. What shook me to the core was meeting my dad for the first time in decades, he was a pretty strict looking man with a gut belly and salt and pepper hair and beard. He stood merely five foot eight with short hair and eyes that looked black from afar but were merely just dark brown, he was pretty awkward towards us considering he abandoned us before we could even crawl and Haley gave him no mercy she let hell loose on him.

I wasn't quite sure what to feel so I just kept my distance and sat with Haley. Thanks to Erin everything was perfect down to the napkins on the snack table in the reception she outdid herself especially with one difficult client aka Haley who argued about every idea we pitched and wanted everything her way, she took the whole I'm pregnant excuse to a whole new level one we could not fight because she was as she put it creating a living breathing thing in her stomach so she should be appreciated more and a bunch of swearing-in there somewhere she sure was creative with curse words I must say.

It was quite unnerving to have to say goodbye to two family members in two weeks. It was no surprise I was a little out of it. I tried to get over it but that's not how grief worked so I had to endure it and pretend everything was fine because that's what we Glenn women do, tough as nails on the outside but delicate as glass on the inside. I tried to contact Randall to just have someone I know will make all these feelings go away but he hadn't returned one single phone call or message, I appreciated him giving me the space I needed but right now I needed him more than ever but he just didn't reach out to me in any way it got to the point where I thought something might've happened to him but then again that was just my paranoia speaking.

Cole on the other hand I tried to ignore like the plague ever since that night but he just wouldn't leave me alone. Constantly calling, texting and randomly showing up to my place just to tease the living hell out of me for his amusement, the guy was being a complete and utter jerk, a hot jerk but a jerk nevertheless. I knew this was his way of trying to cheer me up about my ma, it was working for sure but annoyingly so.

"Alice Glenn was a caring woman who loved everyone," I heard the pastor say once I droned back, he was just reading what he was given he didn't know the woman nor the fact that he was reading utter lies we wrote to make Alice Glenn sound like the perfect mother.

"No other people did she love more than her children," lies absolute lies, "Who will miss her dearly, and so will every single person who knew her. She was a remarkable woman who will be missed dearly but her soul is in a better place now may she rest in peace," Pastor Mason concluded in his long speech that I missed the beginning and most of the middle as well.

Most of the people here who knew my mother had shed a few tears except the golden trio Haley, Cole and I. Even poor little Kyle was bawling his eyes out at the fact he'll never see his grandma again. As Paul went up on the podium to say a few things I wondered how long he and my mother knew each other because he seemed the most heartbroken about this, maybe they were old lovers or something.

"Alice and I used to be high school lovers as she put it but our love never died no matter how old or how many partners we each had in the past. Come rain or shine no distance could keep us apart and it was the sole reason I moved here, I used to call us soulmates once upon a time but she used to reject the term every time saying soulmates didn't exist but the term didn't necessarily mean only romantic soulmates it could mean your best friend could be your soulmate platonically," I looked at Cole with a cheeky grin that he returned, "Or your sibling," Paul said, I didn't look at Haley just to annoy her.

"Bitch," she cursed under her breath elbowing me in the ribs

"Language we are in the house of the lord," Cole tried to be serious, holding his hands in a prayer motion. Haley and I looked at him as if he had a screw loose.

"I loved Alice, no I love Alice my love for her will forever live on even the day my heart stops beating. There are no words to describe how much I love her more than I have loved anyone in my entire life, but if I only had the chance to tell her that," he sniffed looking at the open casket where my mother lay dead still all dolled up, then why didn't you marry her doofus I mean man that was a dumb move even for him," She was taken from us before her rightful time but I know now she's in a better place. You will forever be missed Alice Glenn, may your soul rest in peace," he concluded with tears streaming down his wrinkled cheeks, poor guy he truly loved my mom but if he only had the balls to try and make her his.

One by one people who were close to my mother stood up to say a few things about her just to say goodbye one last time until it was Haley's turn, who didn't particularly want to speak but had to be forced by me if I had to speak so did she. It was a fair bargain.

"My mother was a handful, to say the least," she began getting nods of agreement around the room," but she always took care of us no matter what even though our rebellious stage. She always made sure we had food on the table and clothes on our backs even if we were undeserving of it as she put it, my mother and I never really saw eye to eye we were always butting heads on the smallest things from what I wore to the name of my child but in the end, family was family and that would never change no matter what and I was glad she was my family even if it didn't always seem like it. I'm deeply wounded that we never got past our differences to actually have a relationship or to even apologise for each other's bitterness but I know she's in a better place now where she can rest and finally crack a goddamn smile," she laughed along with everyone in the room since our mother was very well known for always having a scowl on her face wherever she went.

"You can finally rest easily now ma," she finished with a tear rolling down her cheek staring at our mother, silence covered the church as Haley came to sit down and it was my turn to speak. My heart was going through the roof as I stood up on that platform seeing everyone staring at me waiting for me to speak or break down. I may have grown out of my childish personality but the one thing I couldn't outgrow was my stage fright, the fear never left me no matter what I tried it just stuck like glue. I awkwardly cleared my throat and looked down at my notes that turned to complete gibberish due to my nervousness and not to mention my hands were shaking like crazy, I tried to focus on one spot in the church but I couldn't my eyes darted to everyone around the room staring at their judgemental eyes.

I could hear my heart speeding up, was it supposed to go that fast and why was the room spinning and most importantly why did my head feel like I just got hit by a baseball bat. I couldn't remember what happened next but I woke up laying on one of the church benches with my head resting on Haley's lap, she was gently patting my head lovingly that's when I knew I fucked up.

"Welcome to the living," Haley said when I opened my eyes

"Don't remind me," I groaned sitting up

"Sorry," she laughed

"What happened?" I asked

"You fainted and we carried on without you," she nonchalantly said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Ug," I groaned covering my face with my hands in shame

"Cut yourself some slack we already said our goodbyes this was just mainly for show anyway so it's fine," Haley reassured rubbing my back soothingly

"Thanks," I sighed, staring at the makeshift Jesus Christ on the cross on the wall across from us.

"Anytime but you missed the good part though," she smirked

"What?" I asked

"You should've seen how Cole rushed to your side like you were having a heart attack," she said with a fond look remembering what happened.

"Figures he couldn't live without me," I snickered getting a warm feeling in my stomach

"Neither you without him," Haley said wiggling her eyebrows at me

"Unfortunately true," I said with a sigh lazily sitting back

"Oh don't be like that, you can love two people nothing wrong with that," she said

"If they were twins sure but no plus he made it pretty clear we couldn't be so I'm moving on to a better guy who loves me and such a gentleman giving me space to solve my feelings," I swooned over Randall just wishing to be in his arms right that very second.

"He probs with another girl by now you know that right?" She said with a raised eyebrow

"No he isn't," I slowly said trying to convince her but mostly myself

"Suit yourself, just don't come crying to me when you find out," she shrugged her shoulders, getting up and stretching her arms, my insecurities and doubts kicked in but I tried to shove them down only to fail miserably and quickly pull out my phone dialling Randall. No surprise he didn't pick it up, just cut it off and didn't even ring.

"What I tell you," Haley smugly said noticing my scowl

"Oh shut up," I irritatedly said, really worried something might've happened to him or he was just taking this whole giving me space too seriously.

"Calm down let me try him, he isn't giving me space," she said getting her phone out of her purse and dialled him but the same thing happened," Maybe he's busy," she suggested

"Then the phone should've gone to voicemail," I argued standing up frantically

"Oh relax sis I'm sure he's fine," she said, " Come on I wanna go home this place is depressing," she said with a shiver walking down the aisle, I sighed staring at the cross on the wall one last time praying that Randall was fine before I followed my impatient sister out the depressing church.