KT Rush got the phone call first.
She was sitting at her secretary desk, waiting patiently for something to do, when the phone rang. However, it wasn't the work phone, as she had suspected. It was her phone. That was odd in itself, because when at work, it was very rare that she had to deal with personal calls. She didn't recognize the number, but thought nothing of it, answering the call and raising her phone to rest between her shoulder and her ear as she tapped away at her computer.
"Hello?" she asked, her voice cheerful and somewhat concentrated. "Sorry, if this isn't important, I may have to ask that you call me back later." She said, her voice still in professional mode. That happened when she was working – she always felt the need to talk like a posh person. But people often doubted her when they recognized her American accent, bleeding through and immediately making her different. The American girl at the big English company.
"Miss Rush?" a stern voice asked, and KT frowned slightly. Briefly, she wondered who'd spat in the man's cereal that morning, but nonetheless, she remained polite and composed.
"Yes, that's me. Who is this?" she asked.
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I have some very bad news." The man said. "I'm Officer Harvington. I'm afraid your partner – Mr Miller – is dead."
KT felt faint and her head began to spin. Her hand came up to hold the phone to her ear properly, letting her shoulder drop. "Wh-what?" she asked, praying that this was Eddie's sick idea of a joke. Or maybe one of his friends, or his brother, were pranking her. They weren't the nicest of people. She prayed that this wasn't real. She had to wake up any second...
But the pain rushing over her was real.
"I'm very sorry. You'll have to come to the police station for us to tell you further. We'll be here until 7PM." Office Harvington told her.
"R-right, I'll be there soon..." KT said faintly. She wasn't in a good enough state to ask questions. The man hung up and she put her phone down slowly, unable to believe what she'd just been told. She found herself thinking back to that morning, when she'd last seen Eddie.
"KT, there's something we should definitely talk about." Eddie said, as he watched his girlfriend rushing about the apartment, searching for her keys.
"What's up?" she asked, glancing towards him briefly before continuing her search for her car keys. "Dammit, where the hell are my keys?"
Eddie held them up, jangling them. She turned towards him, a smile playing on her lips as she sat on the chair opposite his, leaning forward to take her keys. "Okay, what did you want to talk about?" KT asked again, this time giving him her full attention.
He leaned across and took her hands in his, and KT's heart fluttered as though she were a schoolgirl again. "I think...I think I want to have a family."
Her eyes widened in surprise. They'd discussed this before, of course, but she hadn't thought Eddie would be ready for a long time. KT wanted kids – whether it was now or in the future – and she was willing to wait for Eddie if that was what he wanted. But this was definitely a surprise.
"Now?" she asked.
"Yeah." He replied, with a grin.
"Eddie, you don't have to...not on my account...I mean, if you want to wait, then you know that I'm okay with that." KT said sincerely, giving his hands a squeeze and smiling reassuringly.
"I know." Eddie replied softly. "But I don't want to wait any more. I love you, KT Rush. I want a family with you. And who knows, maybe one day, you'll be KT Miller."
KT considered, a grin gracing her features. "Kinda has a ring to it." She teased.
"It'll have two rings to it, actually." Eddie joked cheekily.
"You're the worst."
"You love it."
"Unfortunately, yes."
KT smiled and leaned across, kissing him softly. "I'm glad you changed your mind, then."
"So, y'know what this means?" Eddie smirked, as she got up and put on her coat.
"What?" KT asked, raising her eyebrows.
"More sex."
"You're literally unbelievable." KT rolled her eyes, but she laughed all the same, a sparkle in her eyes. Eddie's eyes suddenly softened, and he got up, his hands palming her waist as he kissed her softly.
"I love you." He said seriously, leaning his forehead against hers. "More than anything in the world. You know that, right?"
"So you love me more than food?" KT teased.
Eddie laughed. "I'm serious, Kara."
"Don't call me that!" KT exclaimed, groaning slightly and shaking her head. "I hate you."
"No you don't." Eddie smirked.
"You're right, I don't." She agreed, pinching his arm.
"Ow!" he said indignantly.
"That's what you get for being an ass." She laughed.
"KT."
"What?"
"I love you."
"That's the most 'I love you's I've ever heard you say in the space of five minutes. Did you break something?"
"Just say it back, dweeb."
"I love you too. You knew that, though."
Eddie smiled at her goofily and kissed her once more. "Now go. You'll be late for work. Your boss won't forgive you for that."
"You're right." KT laughed.
"She's a bitch."
"Don't I know it."
"I think you should quit."
"How can we pay the rent if I quit?"
"I'll still be working."
"Eddie, I'm not quitting my job. Not yet. I just...wanna figure out what I want to do first." KT said.
"I guess that's okay. Just don't let that woman walk all over you, okay? You don't owe her anything." He warned.
"I won't." She laughed. "I'll just remind myself that if I disobey you, you'll ignore me for two weeks."
"KT, that was one time."
"Yeah, and it was only because I said your soccer – sorry, football – team are terrible!"
"They're not terrible!" Eddie defended. "You're wasting time. Go."
"See you later. Are you gonna be home later tonight?" KT inquired, grabbing her bag and making sure her keys were safely in her hand.
"I don't think so." Eddie said, shaking his head. "I'll let you know if I am. What's for dinner?"
"Um, I was thinking pizza? We could just get a delivery and watch some movies or whatever." KT suggested.
"Sounds good. And then we can get babymaking."
KT laughed, rolling her eyes. "Sure. See you later, okay?"
"Have a good day, babe." Eddie smiled.
"You too, dork." She called back, as she left the house.
She was grinning like an idiot all the way to work.
Now, sitting at her desk, the news slowly began to sink in and KT felt horribly sick. She stood up, her stomach doing queasy flips.
"KT, what's wrong?" her co-worker (and close friend), Joy, asked her.
"Eddie..." she whispered, and that's all she could get out before she bolted into the bathroom and leaned over one of the toilets, throwing up. Her hair was being held back, and when she stopped throwing up, she noted that it was Joy.
She cleaned herself up and turned to face her friend, who was watching her expectantly, waiting for an explanation.
"It's Eddie...he's..." KT winced.
"What did he do this time?" Joy asked immediately.
"N-nothing...it's..."
She couldn't get the words out. Joy looked worried now, and KT knew she owed her an explanation for just bolting like that. She trusted Joy – they'd known each other for a long time.
"Eddie's dead."