Epilogue:
My memory of those two weeks didn’t come back all at once. It was bits and pieces here and there, most in my dreams like the doctor had said. It was never pleasant having to relive what happened to me in my nightmares, but at least I was recovering the good memories along with the bad. Eventually though, as the swelling in my brain went down and my overall physical condition returned to normal I got back every memory I’d lost. I spent quite a bit of time in the hospital, but I never spent a day of it alone. Howie stayed by my side the entire time. And as it turns out, I had a lot more visitors than I’d ever expected.
Danny and John of course came every chance they could and Danny and I were able to patch things up. He is my fucking best friend after all, and once he saw how much Howie meant to me he got over himself. He and Howie actually became quite good friends and Howie helped him and John land one of those pimp-my-car shows on TV. Now we get drunk and watch that instead of millionaire. We place bets on how many times they have to bleep their language every episode.
Then there was my mom. Imagine my fucking surprise when she showed up in my hospital room acting like a decent human being. She really opened up to me about my father though and admitted that killing him sobered her up permanently. She checked herself into rehab and has been rebuilding her life ever since. Hal visited her every day and fucking proposed when she came home. They got married in the damn bar. It was the only time in my life I was ever a fucking bridesmaid and I had to serve the drinks at the fucking reception. It was worth it though to see my mom truly happy for once in her life, and Hal was now legitimately the father he’d always been to me.
As for me? I didn’t move to Florida with Howie like you might have expected. When it came down to it I just couldn’t leave my home and all the people I’ve ever loved. So instead Howie surprised me with keys to our new fucking house when I got out of the hospital. The place is a fucking palace and yes I said it’s OUR house. The fucking city boy moved to Hanley fucking Kentucky to be with me and practically forced me to move in with him. I felt bad for uprooting him like that but he’s rich enough that we can visit his family whenever we feel like it.
I asked him about it once though and he said it was fine because Brian and Leigh were here and it was probably best to keep at least five states between me and Nick Carter. True we get along better than we did before “midnight” as we’ve all come to call the incident with my father and the perverted tow truck driver, who after his conviction will be spending the rest of his life as some guy named Bubba’s bitch, but between you and me? That cocky ass baby of the Backstreet Boys will always bug the shit out of me. Besides, Howie says the less time we spend together, the less chance there is of a repeat double dog daring match.
It’s been exactly two years now since the day this crazy story began making today my 30th birthday. And as I stand here floating in the middle of the fucking lake wearing a wedding dress so gorgeous that it could only have been picked out by my best friend and matron of honor, I find myself lost in the enchanting eyes of my very own prince charming. It’s a fucking fairy tale wedding fit for the one and only true Cinderella. I’m even wearing the glass fucking slippers to prove it. They were a gift from Brian who still refers to himself as my fairy godmother and probably always will.
So as I listen to the preacher pronounce us man and wife and Howie throws his lips on mine I find myself asking the question do fairy tales really exist? You bet your fucking ass they do!
Author's Chapter Notes:
WooHoo!!! Another one bites the dust!!! Yay! Thank you to everyone who encouraged me along hte way! I got so many wonderful reviews and It really meant a lot! Helpped me finish too! Yay! again! Anyway, thanks again guys and enjoy the end!!!!!
