Epilogue

Gabe

One Year Later…

“What about this? Do you want it?” Eloise asks, holding up a tray covered with old papers. Her hair is loose, and hangs around her shoulders.

“Dump,” I say.

“Gone,” she says, and drops it in the cardboard box marked trash.

I’m on my hands and knees in the spare bedroom at the lake house, pulling out boxes from underneath the bed.

“This would have been easier on my knees if we’d gotten rid of the bed first.”

“I’m just glad your sister visited, and took everything she wants so I don’t have to feel bad about throwing stuff away,” she says.

“It’s hard throwing away everything.”

“You should let me do it all, I’m not emotionally attached to any of it.”

“Not even this?” I ask, holding up a drawing of a bunny rabbit I did in grade school.

Eloise smiles, and snatches the drawing from my hand. “We’re keeping this, it’s adorable and perfect to hang on the wall in the nursery. I’m going to get it framed.”

I laugh, and go back to hauling out shit from under the bed. I ignored clearing out this room as long as I could. Everything in it is a time capsule of my life from before my mother died.

I couldn’t face thinking about how wonderful my life was back then when my present life was anything but. But now with Eloise, I can let go and move on. Except I’ve been too busy enjoying Eloise for the past year that I haven’t bothered to clear out the room. We never needed it before now.

We’ve decided that we want to live here full time and commute to Rochester so we can raise our child in our little slice of paradise. Now we have to get the room ready for the baby.

The baby was planned, but we only just found out Eloise is pregnant last week, on her parents’ anniversary.

They say not to tell anyone until three months but we were both so excited that we announced it at her parents’ anniversary dinner.

“I swear this is the hottest Memorial Day weekend ever,” Eloise says, wiping her sweaty forehead with the back of her hand.

“Let’s take a break,” I say, standing.

I walk into the kitchen and grab us two cold beers from the fridge. I pause, put them back and instead take out two bottles of lemonade.

Eloise’s parents were ecstatic when they found out they were going to be grandparents.

They’ve been nothing but understanding and welcoming to me, and I can’t imagine better grandparents for my child to have. It took several months for me to accept the past but we took things slowly, and now I’m honored to be a part of their family.

Miranda seems to have healed as well. It’s like we helped each other accept a tragic situation without blame.

The doorbell rings, and Eloise says, “I’ll get it.”

Carrying the drinks, I walk into the living room. A FedEx man is at the door, and one of the drinks nearly slips out of my hand. There’s only one thing I’m expecting to be sent to this address, or at least hoping will be sent.

“I’ll take it,” I say, pulling the small package from Eloise’s hand.

“Is it the new handle sample for the kitchen cupboards?” she asks, staring at the package, waiting for me to open it.

“It’s nothing,” I say, trying to make her lose interest. “Here’s your drink, let’s go outside and chill out.”

I’m desperate to open the package but I set it on the couch, and herd Eloise outside, into the sunshine.

“Man, it’s hot out here.” She pulls her tank top off, revealing her flimsy bikini top. It looks even more flimsy since her boobs are already bigger from the pregnancy.

Purple lilacs cover her rib cage beside her right breast. As soon as I knew she wanted to be inked, I started designing tattoos for her. I want to drape flowers all down the right side of her body. The flowers and leaves look real, and she’s like a forest princess. It’s my best work.

I can’t resist touching her, and brush my fingers over the lilacs. Eloise tilts her head and smiles coyly.

“I’m going to sit by the lake. Coming?” she asks, swaying her hips as she walks across the lawn.

“In a minute,” I say, thinking of the FedEx package.

I pass her my drink to carry down to the lounge chairs, and turn back to the house. My heart hammers against my chest as I enter the house.

My father is the only person who would ever mail something to this address. Everything normally goes to my tattoo parlor.

I sent him an email a month ago, telling him how I’d moved on with my life and that he should too. He didn’t send an email back. Nothing. Silence, just like he’s been every day since my mother died.

My hands shake as I rip open the package. Inside is a handwritten note, the writing shaky:

Son,

I’m glad to hear things are going well for you. You’re right, you deserve this more than I do. You deserved more than I was ever able to give you. At least I can give you this. I hope it brings you as much happiness as it brought me.

That’s it, there’s no signature, there’s no return address. I still have no idea where he’s living.

A scrunched-up piece of paper is taped to the bottom of the page. I peel it off and unfolded it, knowing what’s inside it.

Dozens of possibilities rush through my mind. In the end I decide I can’t wait any longer.

I rush out of the house and down to the lake. Eloise is stretched out on the lounge chair, the endless lake in front of her.

Without stopping to find the right words, I perch myself on the side of her lounge chair.

“What’s up? Is everything okay? You look weird,” she says.

I try to relax my jaw, and clear my throat.

“Everything is more than okay. Everything is perfect, because you’re in my life.” I slide off the chair, and kneel on the grass beside her. Her hands fly to her mouth. “Eloise Hutchinson, will you marry me?”

I open my hand, and reveal the ring sitting on my palm. My mother’s ring. I didn’t look at it closely in the house, I was too surprised that my father actually sent it to think about anything else. It’s as amazing as I remember it, one big round diamond solitaire on a white gold band.

“Yes,” Eloise cries, flying out of her chair and throwing her arms around me.

I take her hand and slide the ring on her finger. It fits perfectly.

She holds her hand out, admiring the ring.

“That’s what came in the package,” I say.

“Where from?” she asks and gasps, “Oh, is this your mother’s?”

“Yeah,” I say, nodding.

Eloise nestles her head against mine. “It’s beautiful. I feel so honored.”

“I’m the one who’s honored. You came back into my life and made everything good again.”

Holding her chin, I crush my lips against hers. She whimpers, and I lay her down on the grass, and move over her. I trail kisses down her neck and swollen breasts, making my way down her body to give her another mind-blowing orgasm or two. Orgasms that are even stronger with her piercing.

***

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