Epilogue - Ten Years After LuckyBreak
Lucky
"Is Lucky yourrealname?"
Lucky's head popped up from her cell phone and she turned towards the familiar voice with a big smile. In one swift motion, she pushed her chair back from the table, stood, and wrapped her arms tightly around her bestfriend.
"I was just texting you," Lucky said. "I thought maybe you were stuck in traffic or hadn't even left thehouseyet…"
Jordan laughed. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you? I know how much you hate that I'm always late. I thought it was best to tell you that day that I was on my way. Even though Iwasn't."
The palm trees that lined the Los Angeles block swayed in the gentle breeze. It was a typical gloomy June morning, with the sun fighting to break through thecloudysky.
As they sat down, Lucky eyed the magazine cover Jordan placed on the table. It was a copy of her first album cover, only better. Much better. She loved the old version, but there was something about the new one that brought back all the memories even faster. Her eyes filled with happytears.
"Oh puhleeze," Jordan said. "Don't you dare start crying. I swear you're the biggest sap. I might have to buy stock inKleenex."
Lucky threw her hands up helplessly as she shook her head. "I can't help it." She quickly swiped at a tear as it touched her cheek. "It didn't help that you started with that real name crap. I can't believe yourememberthat."
"How could I forget?" Jordan said with alaugh.
Lucky moved the magazine closer to her to get a better look. Suddenly Jordan's hand landed on the cover. Lucky looked at her strangely, but Jordan forced a smile as she started sliding the magazine backtowardsher.
"What?" Lucky asked, yanking the magazine out from underJordan'shand.
Jordan sighed. "I'm not sure. I just noticed now as you were looking at it that it said something about Jude andSilverlight."
"And you assumed thatwasbad."
Jordan nodded with a sheepish grin. "I'm sorry, but you know the media has been relentless. They're trying to dig upanything."
"I know," Lucky said as she flipped through the pages before setting the magazine open. The article had a photo of Jude on stage and to the side a photo of her crying. "Geez, I really do cry a lot,don'tI?"
"You do," Jordan said laughing. "What are theysayingnow?"
Lucky shrugged. "Just the usual, he's cheatingonme."
"Once a bad boy, always a bad boy. Do you ever worryaboutit?"
"What? Him cheating?" Lucky smiled as she shook her head. "There aren't many things I'm sure about in this world, but one thing I definitely know is that he loves me. He'd never do anything to hurt me." Lucky closed the magazine and admired the image of the new albumcover.
"I can't believe it's been so long that they're re-releasing your firstalbum."
Lucky nodded. She couldn't believe how many years had gone by, but whenever she played any of those songs, she was immediately transported back to when she firstmetJude.
Her phone vibrated with a text message. She glanced over at the screen, and a warmth crept up into her cheeks as the ends of her mouth slowlycurvedup.
"It's Jude, isn't it?" Jordan asked. Lucky nodded as she slid her phone over to Jordan, who read the text out loud. "Good morning, sunshine." She rolled her eyes with playful disgust as she slid the phone back. "And he even used the sunshineemoji."
"He says his days are brighter since we've been together," Lucky said, grinning. "I bring sunshine tohisday."
"You're trying to make me puke,aren'tyou?"
"Oh come on, I'm sure Dylan has said plenty of great thingstoyou."
"Of course he has, but I think it all depends on what you consider great. I'm not the sugary sweet, sunshine type and he knows if he said something like that to me, I'd make fun of him. You though, you get all heart-eyed. I still can't believe Jude Morrison says that kindofcrap."
"You know what? Zoey and I were talking one day and she said he was never like that. I even asked him about it once and he said I just bring it out of him. He said he's never said the kinds of things he tells me to anyone else. It just feels right to say themtome."
