After the Sky Fell Down Read online

  After the Sky Fell Down

  By Megan Nugen Isbell

  Copyright 2012 by Megan Nugen Isbell

  All Rights Reserved

  Cover art by Keary Taylor

  For Renée

  Part I

  Chapter 1

  “Where is my wallet? He is going to kill me. Why do I lose everything?” Kathryn’s thoughts ran through her mind as she searched frantically through her apartment, lifting up magazines and digging through the couch cushions. The wallet couldn’t have just disappeared. She’d had it just a few hours ago, but now it was gone. This was her life though and always had been. Her mom had often said she’d forget her head if it wasn’t attached to her body. No matter how she tried to be organized, it just wasn’t going to happen, not in this lifetime anyway.

  “Lacey, have you seen my wallet?” Kathryn called to her roommate who was heating up macaroni and cheese.

  “Nope, but tell me if you come across mine,” Lacey said nonchalantly in the typical Lacey fashion. She was a great roommate and friend, but even more absentminded than Kathryn.

  Frustrated, she sighed and continued her search in the bedroom. As she looked, the doorbell rang and her head jerked up from the precarious position she was now in. Her body lay flat against the beige carpet where she had been searching for the wallet under her bed. She hadn’t found anything, unless dust bunnies counted. She jumped up and dusted the carpet remnants from the black dress she was wearing.

  “Kathryn! Ben’s here!” Lacey shouted.

  She straightened her dress, smoothed her hair and walked into the living room where Ben was waiting.

  “Hey,” she said, reaching up and kissing him on the cheek.

  “You look nice,” he said as his eyes spanned the length of her body.

  “So do you,” Kathryn said, returning the compliment. She took a second and admired her boyfriend, who she had to admit was handsome. He always kept his dark blonde hair short and neat and he always dressed to the tee. Tonight he was wearing a pair of pressed khakis and a maroon polo shirt. She thought briefly of how much he had changed from when they first started dating three years ago, when they were both sixteen. At nineteen, Ben had grown taller and filled out. Unfortunately, she had not followed suit and he now towered over her by nearly a foot. She was barely five foot three inches tall, and that was with heels. One thing that had not changed though was his eyes. His hazel eyes had remained the same and as she stood in front of him, they seemed to smile at her.

  “Ready to go?” he asked.

  “Not exactly.”

  “She lost her wallet again,” Lacey called from the kitchen.

  Kathryn noticed Ben roll his eyes. He should be used to this by now, she thought.

  “You lost it again?”

  “No, I didn’t lose it. I just can’t find it. I had it a few hours ago, but it seems to have vanished. I’ve looked everywhere.”

  “You’ve looked everywhere?” he asked doubtfully. She nodded and then he bent down. “Obviously not very hard and apparently not behind the couch,” he said standing upright again, the small pink wallet in his hand.

  “I could do without your commentary,” she snickered, reaching for the wallet.

  “What would you do without me?” he asked once she was holding it.

  “I think I’d manage.”

  “Oh, I don’t think so.”

  “You’re awfully full of yourself.”

  “No, I’m not. I just always seem to rescue you.”

  “I would hardly call finding my wallet rescuing me. I think you’re just hiding all this stuff from me so you can swoop in and save the day.”

  “I guess you figured out my master plan,” he snickered and then asked, “Are you ready to go now? The movie’s gonna start soon.”

  “Yes, I’m ready. God forbid we miss the previews,” she said rolling her eyes while reaching over and grabbing her sweater, which lay over the arm of the couch.

  “It’s not about the previews Kathryn, it’s about being on time, which is something I think you’re completely incapable of,” he said as he grinned at her.

  “You have no idea what I’m capable of,” she smirked back and then looked toward the couch. “Bye Lacey. Don’t wait up.”

  “Wasn’t planning on it,” she said through a mouthful of macaroni.

  “I love you too,” Kathryn said sarcastically and followed Ben out the door.

  They walked into the cool night air and over to Ben’s blue Chevy truck. He opened the door and then helped her climb inside.

  “Are you ever gonna get rid of this thing?” she complained to him as she placed her foot on the running board. “You know it’s impossible for me to get in and out of it.”

  “Are you ever gonna to grow?” he asked sarcastically.

  “Ha ha, you’re so funny,” Kathryn smirked.

  “No, I’m never going to get rid of it, but if I ever did, I’d only trade it in for something even bigger. Perhaps I’ll just get rid of you instead.”

  She playfully stuck her tongue out at him and before she could close the door, he reached up and pulled her to him. She pretended to fight him off, but he didn’t relent, and when his lips met hers, she didn’t resist anymore, she’d never been able to resist him.

  “I love you,” he said pulling back with a confident smile.

  Kathryn just grinned back at him and closed the door.

  ****

  “Okay, I definitely get to pick the movie next time,” Kathryn laughed as they drove away from the theater.

  “C’mon, it wasn’t that bad.”

  “Um, yeah, Ben, it was that bad. I knew a movie with Seth Rogan was bound to be awful, but that was actually terrible.”

  “You’re just being dramatic,” he laughed as he reached over and grabbed her hand.

  “I am not. I think I’d rather drive a nail through my head than watch that again.”

  “That’s a bit much, don’t you think?” he laughed.

  “Not really. That movie was horrible,” she countered.

  “Well, don’t go making any drastic decisions about anything to do with nails and your head because you won’t have to watch it again,” he said lifting her hand to his lips and kissing the top of it. “And you can pick the movie next time.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I hope you don’t mind that we’re swinging by my grandparents’ house.”

  “No, not at all,” she said. “I think it’s cute she still makes you your favorite cookies.”

  “Well, when she called and said she’d made a batch, I couldn’t wait for her to bring them to dinner tomorrow. They’re never as good the second day,” he said and when she looked over at him, he had a childish grin spread across his face.

  “Whatever we need to do to keep you happy.”

  “My grandma’s cookies definitely keep me happy.”

  She just laughed and reached over and turned up the volume on the stereo. She wasn’t surprised to hear a U2 mix in the CD player and they listened to the music until they pulled up to his grandparents’ small ranch-style house.

  When they got to the front door, Ben knocked, but didn’t wait for an answer.

  “Grandma? Grandpa?” he called as they walked inside.

  “In here Ben,” the slight voice of Grandma Val called.

  Kathryn followed him into the living room, where his grandparents were watching TV. Grandma Val set her knitting down beside her when they walked in and Grandpa Dom muted the volume.

  “Hey you two,” Grandpa Dom said looking over at them with a smile.

  “It’s so good to see you both,” Val said easing herself up from the couch and walking over to them. She leaned over to hug Ben and then Kat
hryn.

  “It’s good to see you too,” she said as the old woman held her.

  Val let go and then gently grabbed Kathryn’s left hand and looked down at her ring finger and began shaking her head.

  “Still no ring, I see.” Kathryn was used to this. Grandma Val had been intent on seeing she and Ben get married as soon as they walked across the stage at high school graduation.

  “C’mon Grandma, we’re only nineteen,” Ben laughed.

  “You’ll be twenty in February.”

  “You’ve got to stop pressuring me Grandma. When I finally do ask her, she won’t know if it’s because I want to or you want me to,” Ben said and then winked at Kathryn.

  “You’re right, Benny,” Grandma Val said with a smile and reached up and patted him on

  the cheek.

  “I hear you have some cookies for me,” Ben said eagerly.

  “You heard correctly,” Val said and they followed her into the kitchen.

  She walked over to the counter and picked up a Tupperware container and handed it to him. He immediately opened it and dramatically breathed in the aroma of the chocolate chip cookies and then took one out and put the whole thing in his mouth.

  “Mmm Grandma, these are amazing!” he mumbled with a full mouth. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, honey,” she said patting his back.

  He finished chewing and then closed the container.

  “Sorry we can’t stay longer, but we’ll see you at dinner tomorrow,” he said leaning in and dwarfing his grandmother in a hug. “Thanks again for the cookies.”

  “Don’t forget to share some of those with Kathryn,” she warned.

  “I’ll think about it,” he said glancing over to her and smiling mischievously. “But, we’re gonna get going. See you tomorrow, okay?”

  “Okay honey,” she said once more patting his back.

  “See you tomorrow,” Kathryn said as they walked towards the front door.

  Ben poked his head into the living room to say goodbye to his grandfather and then they walked back to the blue beast. He helped her climb inside.

  He placed the cookies on her lap once he was beside her in the driver’s seat.

  “Oh my goodness, Benjamin Bradley! Are you actually sharing your precious cookies with me?” she asked with mock enthusiasm.

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Wow…you must really love me,” she said opening the container and taking a bite.

  “You have no idea,” he grinned and then drove back to her apartment.

  ****

  “Those cookies were amazing. I can’t believe I ate four of them,” Kathryn said as she and Ben walked up the stairs to her apartment. “I feel like a stuffed pig.”

  “Well, you don’t look like one.”

  “Aren’t you sweet?” she said sarcastically. “But, I will definitely be going for a run tomorrow. You wanna join me?” she asked although she knew what he would say.

  “Um…let’s see…I don’t think so,” he laughed.

  “C’mon. It’ll be fun. You and me, jogging down the road together, me leaving you in my dust,” she sang.

  “You know I love you, but I will never understand how you can run for fun.”

  “You’ve never even given it a chance, so how can you be so quick to judge?”

  “You’re wrong. I have given it a chance and it sucks.”

  “I don’t know why I even bother with you.”

  “Because you couldn’t live without me,” he said with a cocky smile and when she turned to look at him, she knew he was probably right.

  “Don’t flatter yourself,” she smirked as she put the key into the door and unlocked it. The living room was dark, except for the fluorescent glow of the television.

  “Hey Lacey,” Kathryn said as they walked in and weren’t surprised to see she was lying on the couch, a bag of popcorn on her chest. Whenever Lacey had free time she was eating, but never seemed to gain any weight and Kathryn and Ben often referred to her as the bottomless pit.

  “Do you ever stop eating?” Ben asked.

  “Do you ever stop asking stupid questions?” Lacey fired back, throwing a handful of popcorn at him. Ben bent down and picked some up and threw it back at her.

  “Hey! I’m not picking up after you two. C’mon Ben,” Kathryn said as she took Ben’s hand and led him down the hallway towards her room.

  “Always a pleasure Ben,” Lacey called out as she brushed her brown hair out of her face and smiled briefly before turning her attention back to the TV.

  “Likewise!” Ben shouted back as they walked into Kathryn’s room.

  She shut the door and flipped on the light, throwing her sweater and wallet onto the desk. She felt Ben slip his arms around her waist and begin kissing her neck. She carefully slid around until she was facing him. He moved his kisses from her neck to her lips. She rocked forward onto her toes to reach him. They moved to the bed and slowly lay down next to each other. Kathryn kicked off her shoes, which landed with a thud next to the bed.

  “Please put those back on,” Ben joked, holding his nose.

  “Very funny,” she said reaching over and slapping him playfully on the shoulder. “Can you ever be serious?”

  “Of course I can be serious. I’m serious that I love you,” he said kissing her softly.

  Kathryn snuggled closer into his chest as he stroked her hair.

  “So, do you think my grandma will ever let up until I’ve slipped a ring on your finger?”

  “Probably not. She’s too cute though.”

  “It doesn’t bother you then?”

  “No. I know she means well.”

  “Sometimes I think she’s onto something though.”

  “What do you mean?” Kathryn said, turning her head so their eyes met.

  “I mean, I wish we could get married.”

  Kathryn took his hand and squeezed it gently. While her brain knew the smart thing to do was wait, her heart wanted nothing more than to begin her life with Ben.

  “What’s the purpose of waiting?” he continued.

  “School, jobs, careers…” Kathryn began. “Need me to list anything else?”

  “So? What does all that stuff mean? We’re going to end up together in the long run, so why prolong the inevitable?”

  “Are you serious?” she asked with a laugh, staring him in the eyes.

  “Of course I’m serious.”

  “We can’t get married…not yet anyway. Like you said to your grandma, we’re only nineteen.”

  “Age is just a number,” he laughed.

  “Yes, age is just a number, but that still doesn’t explain how we’d support ourselves.”

  “We’d manage. Why do you always have to over think everything?”

  “I’m not over thinking. I’m simply thinking.”

  “So you don’t want to marry me?” Ben joked, but as Kathryn looked into his eyes, she knew he was serious.

  “Ben, I want to marry you. I want to be your wife more than anything in the world, you know that.”

  He was quiet for a while, his eyes staring at the ceiling. Then a smile spread across his face. He eagerly moved in and began kissing her. She wrapped her arms around him and relished in his embrace. She knew someday they would lie together like this as husband and wife, but for now, just being together would have to do. They had the rest of their lives together; there was no need to rush anything.

  Chapter 2

  Crap! He’s early. Kathryn thought as the doorbell rang at ten to six. She was still searching around the room as she heard the door open and then the muffled voices of Lacey and Ben going through their usual banter. She continued to search the room, but a second later, she could sense Ben standing in the doorway. She turned around and smiled at him. He was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed and his mouth turned up in a crooked smile.

  “Hey!” she said as if nothing was wrong.

  “So, what have you lost now?” he asked raising an eyebr
ow.

  “Nothing,” she said but she knew he could tell she was lying.

  “Is it your wallet?”

  “No. I have my wallet.”

  “Your cell phone?” he continued guessing.

  “No. I have my phone,” she said reaching into her purse and holding it up as proof.

  “Then what is it?”

  “Fine,” she finally relented. “It’s my keys. I had them earlier when I ran to Target, but they’ve vanished.”

  “It’s funny how everything of yours just vanishes. They just sprout legs and walk away,” he laughed as he stepped into the room and began in the search.

  “You know, you are ten minutes early. Had you come when you were supposed to, I might’ve found my keys and we could’ve avoided this whole conversation.”

  “You just don’t want me coming in and saving you once again.”

  “You are not going to come in and save me,” she said rifling through the papers on her desk for the millionth time.

  “Oh, I’m not?”

  “No, you’re not,” she said looking behind the desk.

  “Well, that’s where you’re wrong.”

  She stood up and turned around. He was standing by her bed, holding up the key ring.

  “Where’d you find those?” she asked reaching over and grabbing them from him.

  “Between your mattress and the headboard.”

  “I looked there!”

  “Just like you looked behind the couch last night,” he smirked.

  “Whatever,” she groaned. “You planted them there.”

  “I guess I can’t fool you.”

  His cocky smile was just irritating and she reached over and slugged him on the arm.

  “So now you’re resorting to physical violence?”

  “Maybe I am,” she said slugging him again.

  “I wouldn’t do that again if I were you,” he warned with a grin.

  “Oh yeah? What’cha gonna do if I do?” she said punching him once more.

  “This is what I’m gonna do!”

  He reached over and grabbed her into a bear hug and playfully threw her down on the bed and began tickling her mercilessly.