Epilogue
Three Months Later
Delilah
E ven though it’s October, warm sunrays gleam down on the backyard today.
They hit the picnic table Cedric built for me after I mentioned I wanted to get one; the light pink he painstakingly painted rendered nearly white. I sit at the matching, slightly uneven chairs (I didn’t have the heart to tell him after how hard he worked on them) at the head of the table and get to cutting a loaf of bread. I hum to myself a song dedicated to me not that long ago, shooting a glance at where Faye is sunbathing in her charcoal sleeveless dress, baby blue sky reflected in the lens of her cat-eye sunglasses.
Marcus couldn’t come today; I don’t know the details, but from what I’ve gathered, there’s been an issue with his blood supply delivery. Cedric will be going to his house later to check on him. Our issues are different, however supernatural, and I have been doing better at controlling my transformations. I can’t help but wish there was something we could do to make things easier for Marcus. Blaine sniffs at my feet, one of his paws scratching lightly at my bare calf.
“Just one,” I say as I pluck a small piece of crust, offering it to him. Needless to say, the bread is gone in an instant. “You pest,” I chuckle as I lean down to kiss the top of his head. The crackling of chestnuts coming from the kitchen stops abruptly, which means Cedric should bring them out in a second. He’s been missing his mom all the more now that he’s happy and can’t even tell her; he doesn't know how to reach her, and there’s no way for her to find out everything that’s happened. Their favorite snack is a small way to make him feel closer to her. Sure enough, Cedric steps into the backyard, hands clad in my pink mittens as he plops the bowl of chestnuts on the table.
“Hot, hot, hot,” he says quickly, which makes me giggle.
Don’t get me wrong; even after he managed to outsmart his father, I will still catch him grumbling or treading the thin line of patience when it comes to Marcus; a lifetime of hardships doesn’t stop weighing on you overnight. But I do think he’s been giving himself permission to relax more, breathe deeper, and I hope he keeps giving me those private, precious, knee-wobbling smiles for a very long time. Everyone in Fern Port has come to enjoy his presence, rather than simply be used to it. I think even Mayor Sawyer and Ronnie have warmed up to him.
Sort of.
“Hi,” I say with a grin.
“Hi,” he repeats, leaning down to give me a peck. “Are we rea–”
My phone rings, interrupting his question. I look down, though the light is so bright, I need to move beneath the shadow of a tree to read the caller’s ID on the screen.
Mom.
I wouldn’t say our relationship is nearly back to the way it used to be, but I’ve been making an effort to talk to them more. Cedric helps, of course. He knows how precious the time we have with our parents–the ones we care about and who care about us in turn–is, and didn’t want me to miss out on that.
I’m glad I’ve been listening to his advice.
“Hi mom, everything alright?”
I pocket my phone as I make my way back to the table where Faye and Cedric are chatting.
“Your parents okay?” Faye asks.
I nod, biting my lip. “Yeah, yeah! They, uh...”
“Yes, darling?” Cedric asks with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, they asked when I can take some time off work.”
“Whatever for?”
“They’d like to meet you,” I say sheepishly. “They’ve invited us over for a month.”
“A month? Geez, that’s got to be a record-breaking time for a ‘treat my daughter right’ speech,” Faye says before popping a half chestnut in her mouth.
“Interesting,” Cedric says, his tone curious. I’m about to tell him we don’t have to, or can stay for a week instead of a full month, especially because I can’t leave Myrta alone for that long, but he adds, “When are we leaving?”
“You’re sure you want to go?”
“Of course, I’d love to pay my respects. Perhaps a different air could prove beneficial to all of us.”
“Okay, grandpa,” Faye says without taking her eyes off her drink. Cedric gives her an unimpressed look, and because there is no real heat to the gesture, my heart squeezes in my chest at their easy banter.
“Well, I’ve never left town for so long since I was Turned,” I say, the extent of my condition crashing down on my dawning excitement at the prospect of taking a road trip with Cedric, at the image of my parents warming up to him like everyone else has. “How are we going to manage that?”
“We’ll prepare,” Cedric replies, rising from his seat to wrap his arms around my waist. “We’ll write down an itinerary, and I won’t leave your side for a second. I’ll rent a car and drive us back to Fern Port for the full moon peak if that’s necessary.”
I look up at him, still overwhelmed by the sheer thoughtfulness of my man.
Mine .
That will never not make me giddy.
“Okay,” I say with a nod. “I mean, I’ll have to talk to Myrta, but okay! We’re going.”
“Okay,” Cedric repeats, a smile tugging at his lips. “Let’s eat.”
After Faye’s left, I walk up to the plants on my balcony, my fingers trailing on the leathery texture of the leaves. My eyes roam across the pot of fresh peonies Cedric gets me periodically to replace those from his gift. He wordlessly passes me one of the watering cans, and I carefully pour a small amount of water in the pot, leaning back to inspect my work. I feel Cedric’s eyes on me, and when I turn, he’s leaning against the wall. His toned arms are crossed against his chest, and his eyes glint with something peaceful.
“I’m looking forward to it, you know.”
“Looking forward to what?” I ask with a smile.
Cedric closes the distance between us, his now-tan skin and dark eyes making me as helpless as the first time I saw him. He presses a kiss to my cheek, to my nose, then my mouth. I must be sporting the most awestruck expression when he says,
“Watching you bloom.”