CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: THE FIRST STEPS TO BEING OKAY AGAIN
July 27th, 2020
The first thing Gemma did upon arriving at the airport was block a few different phone numbers. It was not like Avery was going to try and reach out to Gemma, after the argument they had on Rowan's doorstep. There was no hesitation, or regret, when blocking Avery's number. The two were not friends -- they never were. Even in Gemma's agreeance to become a bridesmaid, she never once considered her friendship with Avery to be rekindled. It just made sense for her to block her number, because once Gemma was back in New York, she never intended on speaking to Avery ever again.
Though when it came time to blocking Rowan's phone number, Gemma's fingers shook and she almost dropped her phone multiple times before finally pressing the block button. It broke her heart to block his number, though after the conversation they had, Gemma knew it was the right thing to do. She knew in the back of her mind that they could never be together, even if he did call off the wedding. Gemma suddenly realized this on the drive to the airport. Even if they confessed their love for one another and Rowan did break things off with Avery, Gemma's life was in New York. And Rowan was in Michigan. It simply would just never work. It broke Gemma to block his number, because she did love him, and that likely would never change, unless she met someone better. Though as she watched his now blocked number erase from her contacts, Gemma did not believe there was anyone better than Rowan.
The third contact she blocked was Wesley's, and although this also broke her heart, Gemma felt as if she had to do it. Wes was connected to Rowan, and although Gemma valued the friendship she shared with Wes, she knew it could no longer go on without Rowan in her life. It would just be too awkward, considering the reason Gemma was even friends with Wes in the first place was because of Rowan. Regret radiated throughout Gemma as she watched Wesley's number erase from her phone screen.
Once all three numbers were gone, erasing them all from Gemma's life for good, she put her phone in her small bag that carried the rest of her belongings. She stared into the distance of the airport, waiting for her flight to be called. Somehow, Marcie was able to book them a last minute flight back to New York due to a cancellation. So here Gemma sat, with her dad, Liv, and Marcie -- because she was too angry with her mother and Jax. Gayle insisted she should drop the girls off at the airport, to which Gemma refused. Her dad, who was actually home at 5pm, insisted he would drop the girls off. He never once questioned Gemma about why she was so mad at Gayle, which led Gemma to believe that her mother had already told him about everything that had happened only hours before.
On her way out of the house, Gemma did not hug Gayle goodbye. She did not say a word to Jax, either.
"How are you feeling?" Liv asked Gemma, who had zoned out after ridding her phone from her hands.
"Anxious to get home," Gemma attempted to smile, though fell short as her lips refused to curve upward. It had been months since her New York apartment had seen any light. She was longing to lay in her queen sized bed, which was much more comfortable than her twin sized bed here in Michigan. Laying in her bed and watching American Horror Story sounded like a dream.
"I understand," Olivia sighed. She placed her head on Gemma's shoulder, wishing she would have spent more time with her sister this summer. Liv was the one who begged Gemma to stay, though as Gems' shifts at Target were piling up and wedding planning was taking place, Olivia did not see her sister as much as she wished to. "I'm gonna miss you."
"You can always visit me," Gemma hugged her sister tightly, feeling her eyes water once again.
"Like mom would let me travel alone," Liv rolled her eyes. She'd always begged to go and visit Gemma before, though Gayle was extremely against letting her daughter travel by herself.
"True." Gemma ended the conversation there. She was too exhausted from crying all day to continue the discussion any longer.
Gemma closed her eyes, letting her head hit the wall she was laying against. She was fully intending on sleeping on the plane, due to the exhaustion she was feeling. Though just as she closed her eyes, ready for a small nap, her flight number was called over the intercom.
"You ready, sweetheart?" her dad asked her with a sad smile on his face. Gemma just nodded in response, and in turn, her dad hugged her tightly. She hugged back, giving all the energy she had left. She noticed Olivia crying, so Gemma gave every bit of energy left in her and hugged her sister as tightly as she could.
"We'll FaceTime soon," Gemma promised.
"You better." Liv sniffled while crying on Gemma's shoulder.
She hugged her family one more time before walking towards airport security. She did not look back once she stepped in line to have her bags checked, simply because seeing Olivia cry hurt too much.
"You okay?" Marcie asked once the two were fully situated on the plane.
"I will be," Gemma answered, honestly. She could not even begin to describe the hurt she was feeling, given everything was so fresh. But Gemma knew deep down, that she was going to be okay. It was just going to take time.
The first step to being okay again, aside from blocking a few phone numbers, was being back in New York â her real home. Gemma sighed of relief, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders once the plane took off. She was ready to be home and forget that this summer ever even happened.
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July 30th, 2020
Rowan had been trying to reach Gemma for days -- since the last time they spoke was when she unexpectantly showed up on his doorstep. He'd been trying to call her, though every time he tried, it went straight to voicemail. He even tried texting her, though his message would just appear green, instead of the typical blue of iPhone messaging. He was confused, and the only explanation he could come up with was that she changed her number. This was bothering him, because he was dying to talk to her.
He needed to tell her that he was wrong, and that he regretted everything he said that day when she was crying on his doorstep. He needed to tell her that he loved her, and only her.
He needed to tell her that he called off the wedding.
The same day Gemma ran to him unexpectantly, was the same day Rowan decided to fully call off the wedding. He was confused about the things Gemma was accusing Avery of -- the blackmail, manipulation, and dragging the Perry family into a web of lies. So after Gemma left, Rowan bombarded his fiancée with questions, because he wanted answers. Gemma was not one to lie. Rowan figured for Gemma to accuse Avery of such an act, there had to be some truth behind it.
Avery was usually good at putting up a front, though when Rowan asked her question, after question, she finally broke. Avery told him everything, starting from the night she drunkenly hooked up with Jax.
As Avery confessed to everything -- blackmailing Jax, and Gayle's involvement, to Avery's changing of the terms to force Gemma to be involved in the wedding, Rowan felt as if he was looking at a complete stranger. Avery had done all these terrible things while they were together, while she put up a front to Rowan the entire time. He wondered how he did not see the signs but then figured, how could he? Through her explanation, Avery proved herself to be quite the manipulator, and Rowan was upset that he could not see it before.
"You cheating on me, was bad enough," Rowan looked at Avery in disgust. "But this? This is too far."
"Rowan, I did it for you!" Avery cried, doing everything in her power to prevent Rowan from leaving her. But she was too late, because he was already gone. Rowan did not even want to look at Avery, now knowing everything she orchestrated in the span of only a few months. "I love you!" Avery cried.
Rowan did not feel any pity for her as she cried, begging for his forgiveness. "I thought I loved you but I - I don't even know who you are anymore, Avery."
"Row - "
"You need to leave,"
"Rowan," Avery's voice broke.
"Now," Rowan demanded, and without anymore fight, Avery complied. She walked out of the Taylor household without looking back, knowing that this would likely be the last time she would ever see Rowan.
So now here Rowan was, three days later, trying desperately to get ahold of Gemma. When she did not answer after the fifth time he called, Rowan decided to act on impulse. He grabbed his car keys without telling Charlotte or Wes where he was going. It did not take him long to find the Perry household, given he had the drive completely memorized.
His heart was beating fast as he knocked loudly on the door. Rowan could hear noise from inside the house, confirming that somebody was home. There were not any cars in the driveway, though he hoped that he was not just hearing things and that someone was actually home. To his relief, Olivia answered the door after he knocked once more. She eyed him up and down, with confusion and annoyance covering her features.
"What are you doing here?" Olivia asked, slightly surprised to see Rowan.
"Is Gemma here?" Rowan skipped straight to the point -- his reason for coming here in the first place.
Liv sighed. She wanted to close the door in Rowan's face, knowing that he hurt Gemma, though she could not bring herself to do so. She just shook her head.
"You're three days late, Rowan. She left. She's back in New York."
Rowan felt his face pale as Olivia sighed, eyeing him sympathetically. He just slowly nodded, mumbling okay before turning around and heading back towards his car. He watched as Olivia shut the front door and walked back into the house, before driving home with an unrealistic idea in mind.
Avery did not keep all the wedding planning stuff at her apartment, given she just did not have the space. Rowan kept a few boxes shoved in the back of his closet, with no intentions to ever look through them, until now. He ignored his mother and Wes who were calling his name as he bolted through the front door, and up to his bedroom.
Rowan emptied out one of the boxes, making a mess on his floor that he would have to clean up later. The mess did not bother him, though, as he searched for the address book that Avery had put together when they were mailing out invitations. He quickly found Gemma's name, and to his relief, the address to her New York apartment was printed clearly next to her name.
Rowan immediately began looking into flights. He knew what he had to do.
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a/n: EEEEEK
this story is nearing the end. I'm so sad because I've loved writing this :( <3