Epilogue
One Year Later
It was snowing again. Laney watched the flakes fall, wondering about their patterns. They’d all be different, she surmised. Crystalline and sparkling, they looked gorgeous as they piled onto the plowed driveway.
Michigan was cold this time of year, and the snow fell in abundance as she watched it. She had a glass of red wine perched on the porch beside her, a scarf wrapped around her neck and a hat bundled on top of her head. Her long hair worked to keep her warm too, as she enjoyed the sparkling stars overhead. Moving to the North a year ago had been the best decision she could have ever made- for the time being, anyways- she’d only signed a yearlong lease. Her house was quaint, more of a cottage really, but it wasn’t home. It didn’t feel like home.
Nothing felt like home after she’d left Axel.
See, it hadn’t taken Laney long to realize that all the stuff James did to her had caused an emotional blockage of sorts. It’d only been a week into living in her new house that she finally broke down. Rayna and Esme did they best they could, Emily too, from across the country to help her. Facetime calls and long chats had been about all the therapy she could handle for nearly five months.
During that time Ashley had called a few times, but every time they spoke, Ashley would bring up Axel.
“It’s almost time, girl. You’ll see what I mean soon enough.”
To this day, Laney had no idea what that meant exactly, and she’d never had the guts to ask. Not after she ran out on him like the coward she was back then. Axel was a good man with a patient heart, and she’d pushed him away during her bout of selfish-healing.
Now, here she was a year later, on Christmas eve no less, completely alone. It served her right, she supposed, for when she laid her head down at night she was only certain of two things.
One: It had taken her almost a year of therapy, crying, at least twelve different and confusing stages of grief, and a lot of wine to heal from what her ex-husband did to her.
Two: She loved Axel, truly loved him, and missed him every day she was apart from him.
Just because she loved him, however, didn’t mean she could fuck up his life. She obviously wasn’t strong enough for him, and just maybe he’d come to realize it too, because she hadn’t heard from him since she left Bryson City. She hadn’t really expected him to, not after the long talk they’d had. He’d asked her not to leave, but he told her to go. Told her that he knew that what she needed was time to figure out who she really was, without the club drama (or tragedy), without her divorce hanging overhead.
He’d also told her that when the time was right, they’d be together again.
Laney woke up every day with his promise in the back of her mind, and every day she became more and more comfortable being on her own. Being alone was the hard part after going through what she’d gone through. Her divorce, the loss of the baby, the loss of her brother, and then killing Pierce-those weren’t normal things people should ever have to deal with.
But, they’d happened, and she couldn’t change them.
It hadn’t taken her long for her to realize that Axel was giving her a gift when he told her to go. He was sacrificing his own heart, his own feelings for her, so that she could find happiness on her own. He knew that until she could be content with who she was and what had happened, that she could never be content with him. She could never truly open herself up to him without that time to herself.
Once Laney came to that conclusion on her own (with the help of her girlfriends back in Bryson City) she only grew to love Axel more.
For being so kind, so selfless, even when in her own grief she’d been selfish with him. It spoke volumes of his character, of his kindness, and of his love for her.
She had no doubt that Axel loved her too, he would have never let her go if he didn’t…
Then, where is he?
The longer he waited to contact her, the more worried she became. She’d spoken to Ashley about calling him, writing a letter, even, but every time she turned her down.
“Focus on you, Laney. You need this time.”
So, that’s what she’d done.
The road she lived off of was deserted, covered in snow, so when she saw headlights pulling into her driveway, Laney covered her forehead with her hand and tried to focus on the driver. She had no idea who would be visiting her at ten o’clock at night, but the gun tucked under her chair made her feel safe regardless of the hour.
“Who could that be?,” She whispered to herself.
She slowly stood from her chair as someone stepped out of the car, leaving the lights on. She couldn’t make out much, but she could tell it was a man.
“Hello?”
She called it a couple more times as they neared her front porch, their large form finally blocking out the lights behind him.
“You look as pretty as this snowfall, baby. How about a kiss to take the edge off from my long ass drive?”
Laney’s mouth fell open as Axel stepped onto the porch, his wide shoulders blocking out the light entirely as he neared her.
A sound that sounded like a whine and a squeal fell from her lips as she launched herself into his arms. He caught her fast, held her so tight she imagined her spine would crack.
“Damn, I missed you. You smell so good,” He murmured into her ear. Her hat fell from her head as she looked up into his eyes and cupped his cheeks with her hands, her eyes filling with tears all over again.
“How did you know where to find me?”
“Who do you think I am? I’ve known you were here the whole time, baby. You needed time. I respected that. But, I think it’s time for you to come home,” He said softly.
Axel brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her mouth tenderly, his lips opening slightly, his tongue seeking hers.
She melted into him; no guard up, no reservations, no hesitations.
That’s how she knew, that he was right.
“I think you’re right,” She agreed.
Axel lifted her into his arms bridal style and opened her front door, his eyes saying all the words his mouth hadn’t spoken yet.
“Did you drive all night?”
He nodded, his lips caressing hers, his hands roving over every inch of her body.
“Sure did.”
“It’s late, why don’t you sit down and rest a minute?”
Axel smiled, glanced at the clock on the wall above the kitchen sink, and leaned in to kiss her again.
“You’re comin’ home with me, and once you do, you’re never leavin’ me again. You understand?”
It felt like they hadn’t been separated at all, like no time had passed between them, and yet, everything felt better at the same time.
“Promise.”
He held out a pinky and Laney smiled, tears streaming down her cheeks as she hooked their hands together.
“Merry Christmas, baby. I hope you know that you’re the best gift I could ever ask for.”
Laney glanced up at the clock, surprised to see he was right.
It was officially Christmas.
With the biggest smile on her face and the most happiness she’d felt all year in her heart, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in to press her mouth against his.
“Merry Christmas, Axel…”
The End