Epilogue - Millie
One Year Later
I lean back in my chair, running my hand over my swollen belly, cursing myself for wearing jeans instead of leggings. I wonder if it would really be that unacceptable for me to undo my zipper right now.
Caden reaches over me, one hand kneading my shoulder while the other grabs a forkful of stuffing.
“You might want to reconsider your hand positioning.” He laughs. “We don’t want to give Stella any more fuel to add to her fire.”
I choke.
He’s right.
Stella has been bugging us about marriage and babies ever since we officially started dating last fall. You’d think laying the groundwork on our first home would’ve stopped her and Maura from plotting for a while, but no such luck. They’re adamant that we paint the cabin’s spare bedroom yellow, ‘just in case.’
But I like being Caden’s girlfriend. One day I’ll be his wife, and with any luck, the mother of his children. But for now, I like where we are, and I want to keep him to myself a little bit longer.
Doug is more than enough of a handful, and Caden still treats him like a baby.
“You’re right,” I say. “Let’s not give her any ideas.”
Hunching over the table, I push my forearm into my gut, hoping it’ll help make some room for the homemade pumpkin pie Maddie and Stella have made for dessert.
“I’m so full I could die right now,” I groan.
“I’d rather you didn’t,” Caden laughs, “but isn’t that the whole point of Thanksgiving? Eat until you’re eighty percent carbs and molded to your chair?”
“No, dipshit,” I roll my eyes, “the point of Thanksgiving is to be thankful. ”
He dives his hand back into the serving dish in the middle of the table.
“Well, I’m thankful for this stuffing.” He kisses my cheek, the scent of sage thick on this breath. Delightful . “What are you grateful for this year, my girl?”
I look around the lodge dining room, at all of my favourite people together in one place. I take in everything that’s changed since this time last year – the things I have now that I could never have imagined for myself, the love I’ve found that I didn’t think was meant for me.
“This,” I answer, gesturing around the room.
Holidays like these used to just be me, Mom & Maddie, but now we’re surrounded by all of the friends I’ve made here in Braggan Valley, the people who’ve looked out for me no matter what I’ve needed, the family I’ve found.
There’s laughter, there’s joy, and there’s five different kinds of potatoes. It’s so simple, and yet it’s everything I could ever have wanted.
“Me too…” He smiles, and it’s a genuine smile, the kind we've been seeing more of lately, ever since he got back to doing something he loves.
As much as I’d rather his work didn’t involve him putting his own life on the line, firefighting is who he is. It matters to him that he’s making a difference, and I can’t help but love that about him.
Plus, I’m not at all mad about the uniform either.
“ Noooooo !” Elodie calls out, slamming her hands down on the coffee table and rising from her spot by the fire. “You can’t win like that.”
Parker leans back in his chair, trying to conceal the smirk rolling over his face.
“What have you done now, Dickweed?” Josie sighs, falling into the leather couch by his side, with a fresh glass of red filled to the brim.
“I won the game.” He shrugs. “And Elodie’s mad about it.”
“He won with an ‘S,’” she protests, “on the end of my word!”
Picking up the Scrabble board, she spins it around in her arms, imploring us all to take a look at what she deems to be Parker’s greatest sin.
“That’s ironic,” Caden whispers in my ear with a chuckle. “You see that? He won with the very same word that plagues him. ”
I squint my eyes, scanning over the neatly organized wooden tiles.
F-R-I-E-N-D-S.
“Oh, Parker.” I sigh, ruffling his curly brown hair as I perch myself on the arm of his chair. “You should’ve just let her win.”
He crosses his arms across his chest, screwing up his face as if he’s just realized that even when he’s winning, he’s still on the backfoot.
“Hey, Elodie,” Josie cuts in, “you should play against Caden, he doesn’t know how to spell.”
“That’s enough from you, Jo,” Caden warns, his big brother voice coming out in full force. “Unless you want me to tell everyone about that time you shit yourself at Disney World.”
“I’ll tell them myself,” she retorts. “You’ve got nothing on me.”
I kiss Caden’s cheek, leaving the two of them to squabble as I return to the dinner table and pull out a chair between Mom and Maddie. I need to soak up the time we have left together before they head back to Rowenbridge.
One of the hardest things about choosing to stay in Braggan Valley for good was knowing I’d get to see less of my two favourite people, that I’d have to save up all of my hugs for a couple of visits a year, and that I’d be swapping sofa chats for long phone calls across the miles. But somehow, whenever we’re together, the time in between seems to slip away.
Mind you, I barely see Maddie when she’s here. You’d think after spending so much time away from her big sister, she’d want to hang out a little, but instead she spends all of her free time at Stella’s. She calls it work experience, Stella calls it free labour – but either way, I’m proud of her. Seeing her so passionate, listening to her explain different techniques, and watching her eyes light up as she fantasizes over owning her own bakery one day – it’s everything and more.
“Mildo,” she says, interrupting my thoughts and reminding me that even though she’s growing up faster than I’d like, she’s still young enough to find rhyming my name with dildo hilarious. “Is this your phone?”
“Not mine.” I shake my head, taking in the black lace case and matching leather strap. “It must be Jo’s.”
“Well, she should answer it,” she tuts, sliding it across the table in my direction. “Somebody won’t stop calling, and I’m trying to have a conversation with Frank.”
She’s still got the teenage sass too, it seems.
The vibrations start again, sending the phone flying off the edge of the table. I bend to retrieve it, catching a glimpse of a man I’m sure I’ve met before as I turn the phone face up. His name moves across the screen in bold white letters as the call rings out.
“Uhhh.” I turn over my shoulder towards Josie, immediately rethinking calling her name when I see Caden sprawled out next to her.
I might be three glasses of wine in, but I’ve still got enough sense to realize that there are some things better kept between the girls.
I flick the phone into silent mode – making a mental note to add a new discussion topic to next week’s book club agenda… Wyatt Holden.