#ONMYWAYTOYOU— TAILPIECE 1: THE LAST CONVOY

Moving day was a fest.

Emery had expected tears, but as it turned out, when you’d spent more than a month with your tight-brained circle of friends in a beach house in California, you simply couldn’t wait for the day you’d get to watch each of them load their stuff into the trunks of their cars and dip.

Of course, that's just what you’re supposed to say out loud.

Inside, Emery was fighting back tears.

“Did you all really have to go on the same day?” Olivia asked, teary-eyed as she watched her son and his boyfriend stack the last of their things into Marcus’ car.

It was going to be a convoy on the way to the airport, because for some reason, they had all managed to book their flights on the same day, courtesy of Blake’s inability to let go of his FOMO. 

Bryce and Ian’s flight to Los Angeles was the earliest, at four in the afternoon, so everyone had adjusted their schedules around them. Ironically, they were the last ones to finish packing, which meant everyone was sitting in their respective cars earlier, waiting for Ian to find his hair dryer.

“I know, Mom,” Ian said. “But Blake—”

“That’s all you need to say,” Olivia interrupted, sniffling.

Ian laughed, leaning down to kiss her on the temple as Bryce closed the trunk.

“We good?” Marcus yelled from the driver’s seat.

Emery was still adjusting to the sight of his shaven face. Without the beard, the resemblance to Bryce was uncanny.

Marcus had been taking a lot of vacations these days, and had even stayed in town for the last several weeks of the summer. When Emery asked Bryce about it, he said his guess was a girl, but Ian had suggested that maybe Marcus was simply having fun taking care of his little brother after everything that had happened. Emery liked to believe it was the latter. Partly because it was sweet, but mostly because he loved the idea of Bryce being wrong.

“Why?” Bryce yelled back. “You got someplace else to be?”

“And what if I say yes, asshole?”

“You’ve literally never left the house the whole summer. Look at you. You look like an uncle.”

“Olivia, did you hear that?” Marcus called as he pointed accusingly in Bryce's direction. “California has turned you into a bitch.”

“And how do you explain yours?”

Marcus lifted a middle finger toward his brother, who was more than happy to return the gesture.

Olivia sighed, shaking her head. Emery watched the scene unfold with a helpless grin, almost feeling bad for her. With three kids, a baby, and a hyperactive dog, she must be counting down the days 'til retirement.

Emery felt the car shift, followed by his boyfriend entering the driver’s seat and shutting the door behind him.

“Yeah, we’re all outside Ian’s house. That was Bryce and his brother; we’re fine.”

He turned around to see Cameron with his phone wedged between his ear and shoulder as he took off his sunglasses and placed them back in the center console.

“Yes, I’ll call when we get to the airport. I know. I won’t speed. No phones, got it. Bye. Yes, I’ll tell him. Love you, too, Mom.”

Cameron immediately turned to Emery as the call ended.

“My mom says hi.”

“Did she get the cookies I gave you?”

“No, sorry,” Cameron replied, rubbing a hand over Emery’s thigh in apology. “Cate and Dad got to the bottom of the jar the moment I stepped into the shower.”

They both broke into wide grins before turning toward the window, where Olivia stood with her arms wrapped around Bryce and Ian in a warm, lingering hug.

Seconds later, Evie appeared outside, toddling as fast as her little legs could carry her, both arms stretched toward Bryce. Right behind her came Polo, bounding along with his tail whipping back and forth, his paws tapping excitedly against the pavement as he raced to greet Ian.

“I’m gonna miss Mattie,” Emery said.

“Me, too.”

“He loves you more than me.”

“Highly doubt it,” Cameron said.

Cameron reached for Emery’s hand, turning it gently in his own before pressing a soft kiss to his knuckles.

After all this time, he still wasn’t used to these little gestures that made his chest ache in the best way, and it seemed unfair for the universe to give him so little time to savor them before pulling them apart again.

“Are you excited?” Cameron asked.

“Maybe,” Emery lied.

“Well, I am,” Cameron said. “I always can’t wait to see what the world has in store for you.”

Emery smiled, shaking his head. “Why do you always talk like a fortune cookie?”

“Do you hate it?”

“No.”

“Can I keep doing it?”

“Maybe.”

“Good. ‘Cause I won’t let you forget that you’re worth all the wonderful things waiting for you.”

Emery rolled his eyes, though the smile tugging at his mouth betrayed him. He leaned over and kissed Cameron on the cheek.

Before Cameron could say anything else, Emery’s phone rang. Blake’s face flashed across the screen, a selfie with his nose flattened against the camera.

“What?”

“Whatchu guys doing?”

“Waiting in the car. What else would we be doing?” Emery peeked outside the window and spotted the car in front of them, where Blake, Asher, and Allison were already waiting.

A groan came from the other end of the line. “What’s taking so loooong?”

Emery and Cameron looked at each other, shaking their heads at the exact same time.

“Look, you’re the one who wanted to convoy.”

“Ugh.” Blake sighed dramatically. “Fine. But we’re stopping for Raising Cane’s.”

“There’s none on the way, Blake.”

“I hate you.”

As the call ended, Emery heard Olivia’s voice. 

“You two take care of each other, okay?” she said through tears, her arms wrapped tightly around Bryce and her son.

“I love you, Mom,” Ian murmured.

“Love you more.” Olivia kissed them both on the temple. “Love you two.”

Reluctantly, Olivia finally let them go and stepped back toward the cars parked in front of her driveway. Her eyes found Emery first, and she smiled as she waved.

“Bye, Olivia!”

“Bye, Mama O!” Blake called after her.

Soon, everyone was calling their goodbyes, waving and shouting over one another. Olivia laughed through her tears, pressing a hand over her mouth as she tried, and failed, to keep herself from crying.

Bryce and Ian climbed into their car just as phones began ringing throughout the convoy. Cameron’s buzzed against his thigh. He pulled it out, answered, and set it into the phone holder mounted on the dashboard.

A chorus of voices immediately filled the car.

“Fucking finally,” Blake’s voice complained through the speaker.

“Ready when you guys are,” Asher said.

“Hey, guys!” Allison chimed in.

“Why are we doing this again?” Marcus asked.

“Because it’s fun, Grandpa,” Blake shot back.

“I think I’m starting to figure out why your asses got taken out by a corn truck.” 

“Hey!”

“Yo!”

“Boo! Too soon!”

One by one, the cars pulled away from the curb, Asher’s leading the convoy, followed by Marcus’s and finally Cam and Em’s.

Emery turned in his seat for one last look back. 

Olivia stood on the sidewalk with Evie perched happily in her arms, the little girl waving both hands while Olivia waved with one. She looked radiant, but even from far away, Emery could tell she was teary-eyed.

Then Emery noticed something moving behind them, and it took him a moment to realize what it was.

“Ian, look!"

Polo came bounding after the car, his four legs moving twice as fast as they needed to, ears bouncing with every step, and his tail wagging so hard his whole body seemed to wiggle with it. He kept pace with them for a few seconds, scampering along the sidewalk with his tongue hanging out.

“Guys, if he looks, we’re gonna have to turn back and cancel college," Bryce said from the other line.

“Shut up,” Ian grumbled.

“Are you crying?”

“Awwww, Ian!”

“Shut up. Fuck.”

Laughter erupted through the speaker.

Emery watched through the side mirror as Polo raced after them, his little legs carrying him farther down the road than Emery would have thought possible. Eventually, he slowed, then stopped altogether, standing in the middle of the street with his tail still wagging as he watched the cars disappear.

Polo remained there for as long as he could see him, a small, familiar figure growing smaller with every passing second, until he was little more than a dark speck against the pavement. Even then, his tail wagged.

“You wanna cry, too, don’t you?” Cameron asked.

“I don’t like seeing dogs sad,” Emery muttered. “I’m glad I said goodbye to Mattie at the house.”

Cameron smiled, reaching over to take his boyfriend's hand and give it a gentle squeeze just as Emery's phone began buzzing again. 

“Hey, Mom.”

“Hey, baby.” Gloria’s face appeared on the screen. “Are you boys at the airport yet?”

“We’re on our way. There’s not much traffic right now, so we’ll be there in no time.”

“Okay! Your father is very excited. His stairmaster is coming in later.”

“Leg day tomorrow!” Michael added from somewhere behind her.

Gloria turned the camera, revealing Emery’s father sitting beside her in a plain blue shirt and a white baseball cap that read BEST PAPA EVER. It was the Father’s Day project Emery had made in kindergarten.

Emery cringed. “What are you wearing?”

“What? It’s fashion, no?” his dad said, looking genuinely offended.

“Take it off, Dad. Ugh.”

Gloria turned the camera back to herself. “I think it’s cute!”

“It is very cute,” Michael said passionately from behind her.

Emery threw his head back with a groan.

“Okay, take care, you guys!” Gloria said. “Say hi to Cameron and the others for us!”

Cameron waved at the camera with a smile as the call ended.

He glanced at Emery. “Do you think they’re sad about you going?”

“Dad’s already planning to turn my room into a home gym.”

Cameron laughed, the sound filling the car that Emery had no choice but to feel better about his dad’s embarrassing hat.

. . . . .

As soon as they reached the airport, Bryce and Ian checked in and dropped off their luggage. The line was long, but thankfully, they’d arrived early enough that missing the flight wasn’t a concern. Unfortunately, they had barely any time left to spend with everyone before they had to say goodbye. 

Emery and the others waited near the boarding gate, his shirt damp with tears as he and Ian clung to each other in one final hug before the final call. 

“I should’ve just left that damn hair dryer in the house,” Ian grumbled.

“You’re only a five-hour drive away from me,” Emery said. “I better see you during breaks if you don't want me to forget your face.”

“You know I can’t drive,” Ian murmured.

“You have a driver.”

Bryce immediately cut in. “If you think I’m driving six hours just to see your face, you’re delusional.”

“Like you have a choice,” Ian and Emery said at the same time, immediately breaking into giggles.

“Love you,” Ian whispered.

Emery grinned, tightening his arms around his best friend. “Love you more.”

As the two pulled apart, Bryce and Blake stared at each other.

“If you think I’m hugging you first, you’re delu—”

Blake launched himself at him before he could finish, wrapping both arms around Bryce. Bryce stumbled back with a laugh, then shook his head and hugged him back. A few feet away, Asher quietly pulled out his phone and snapped a picture before either of them noticed.

Emery spotted him first. “Are you taking pictures?”

“Evidence,” Asher said, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

“How are you feeling?” Emery asked.

“My back is killing me,” Asher said. He shifted his shoulders before adding, “I don’t know if it’s a good sign that your roommate makes you carry his heaviest bags.”

“The lease is already signed, sucker,” Blake protested.

“You two look after each other, okay?” Emery said.

"Okay, Mom."

“'Each other' seems like a stretch,” Asher replied.

They laughed, then the airport speakers crackled overhead.

“This is the boarding call for Flight 229 to Los Angeles. Passengers in Group One and passengers requiring additional assistance may now proceed to Gate 14.” 

“Calling the passengers for Flight 614 bound for Seattle. This is not yet your boarding announcement. Please be advised that your departure gate has been changed from Gate 32 to Gate 30, and your flight has been rescheduled to depart at 5:30 p.m. Again, this is not yet your boarding announcement…”

Blake's head snapped toward the speakers.

Asher checked his smartwatch. “Blake, that’s our flight.”

“What?”

“We’ve been moved up an hour.”

“We have to go, too,” Ian said.

“Damn it.” Blake wiped at his eyes, reluctantly pulling away in the middle of his half-reciprocated hug with Cam. “I’m gonna sue this place.”

There was barely enough time for one last round of goodbyes.

Asher called his sister to let her know they were about to board which consisted mostly of Allison giving Blake a rapid-fire list of instructions for surviving life with Asher.

“She's exaggerating,” Asher said.

“I am not,” Allison replied through the phone.

Blake laughed. “I'll keep him alive.”

“Not exactly the point of the list, but you do what you have to do.”

They said their goodbyes one more time before Allison finally had to go. She was driving her brother’s car home, but not before making Blake and her brother promise to call her whenever he needed anything.

When the call ended, Blake stared at the screen for a moment before slipping his phone into his pocket.

“Okay.” Loudly and with a comical look of determination, Blake said, “I'm ready. Let’s do this.”

"Are you boarding a plane, or storming the beaches of Normandy?" Asher said.

“You know what? Just for that, I’m taking the bedroom with the city view,” Blake declared  before their boarding announcement came.

“Don’t forget to call, okay?” Cameron said.

“Okay, Dad,” Bryce said.

Cameron laughed it off while Emery and Ian exchanged condo addresses on their phone. They waited until Bryce and Ian’s last call before deciding to scramble to their boarding gates. After one final goodbye and a last group hug, Emery watched Bryce, Ian, Blake, and Asher make their way toward their respective boarding gates. He waited until they were far enough away before nudging Cameron’s arm to get his attention.

“You wanna bet?”

Cameron turned to him, a saltine cracker he’d stolen from Emery’s bag between his teeth, one arm draped around his boyfriend’s shoulders. “About what?”

“Those two.” Emery pointed his chin forward.

“Blake and Asher?” Cameron said between bites. “You mean who snaps first and murders the other?”

“No, I mean who kisses the other first.”

Cameron choked, cracker crumbs splattering all over the place as he coughed into his fist. “What?”

“Come on,” Emery said eagerly. “I got ten bucks on Asher.”

“Where the hell is this coming from? Why are you so sure they’re gonna kiss?”

“Just a feeling.”

“And if they don’t?”

Emery shrugged. “Then we pool the money and save for a house.”

Cameron stared at him for a moment, considering it. Then he laughed. “Fine. I bet a dollar they’re not gonna kiss.”

“Deal.” Emery held out his hand. Cameron took it. 

Emery grinned. “Sucker.”

“Calling passengers for Flight 267…”

“Oh.” Emery’s voice came out small. “That’s my flight.”

The atmosphere changed instantly. The airport suddenly felt bigger, and for one ridiculous second, Emery wished their plane had somehow vanished into thin air, and they’d tell them the flight had been moved to tomorrow.

“I guess I have to go now.”

He looked up at the boarding announcement, blinking rapidly as he fought to keep the tears from spilling over.

“Are you trying to vaporize the airport with all that blinking?” Cameron asked.

Emery smacked his boyfriend lightly on the arm. “I’m trying not to cry.”

Cameron’s teasing smile softened. He pulled Emery into his arms, tucking him against his chest and rubbing a hand slowly over his back.

“Hey,” he murmured. “You don't have to hold it in.”

“I don’t want to leave.” Emery’s voice cracked. “Damn it.”

Once the dam broke, there was no stopping them. Emery had thought he’d prepared himself for this during the first two times he cried back home, and the other five times Cameron had taken him out on five bon voyage dates, that was to make saying goodbye a little easier.

If anything, it only reminded Emery that he wouldn’t get to see his boyfriend in a black button-up shirt for a long while. He'd miss Cameron's all-black ensemble of leather shoes and pants that came with that shirt, and his frequently unkempt hair swept back, sitting across the table in the backdrop of a French candlelit dinner, looking like goddamn Zayn in the goddamn Night Changes music video.

Fuuuuuck.

“Hey, come on, don't cry,” Cameron murmured.

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

Cameron laughed softly, resting his chin on top of Emery’s head as he rocked him from side to side.

“I’m not ready to be away from you,” Emery admitted.

“Oh, baby.” Cameron squeezed him tighter. “It’s a good thing I’m coming with you, then.”

Emery immediately pulled back, wiping at his face as he stared at him.

“What?”

Cameron took out his phone to show his boyfriend his very real digital boarding pass.

“My classes don’t start until next week,” he said. “I’m gonna stay with you for a few days. And don't worry, I already checked in with your roommate, and he says he isn’t moving in until the weekend.”

“Are you serious?” Emery stared at him. “What about your stuff? You can’t pack for a four-year in Europe in just a few days.”

“I finished packing a week ago, babe. Trust me. I planned this.”

“You’re kidding me.” Emery shook his head in disbelief. “What about your car?”

“I’m paying the airport parking fee.”

“Isn’t that expensive?”

“Very.”

“You’re unbelievable! God, I hate you so much.” Emery threw his arms around Cameron before pulling away and hitting him lightly in the chest, bawling in joy. “I’m so fucking happy, and I hate you!”

Cameron laughed. “Come on. We’re gonna miss our flight.”

“I can’t believe you beat me to talking to my roommate first.”

“Well, I had to make sure he wasn’t hotter than me,” Cameron muttered under his breath.

“What?”

“I said, let’s get some cannolis. I think there’s an Italian deli here somewhere.”

“That’s not even close—”

“Baby, we’re gonna miss our flight.”

Cameron and Emery made their way toward the boarding gate, their hands interlinked as Cameron lugged all of Emery’s bags while Emery kept pestering him to repeat whatever he’d said earlier. For a few fleeting minutes, Emery liked to believe that they were heading off on nothing but another vacation together.

Cameron, on the other hand, found refuge in the knowledge that, for all intents and purposes, Emery’s college roommate was definitely and irrefutably straight.

And certainly not hotter than him, that's for sure.

↳ TAILPIECE 2