Epilogue
ROWAN—ONE MONTH LATER
I end my last call of the day and close my laptop, inhaling deeply. One minute late is better than the hour late that I used to work, I suppose. Baby steps.
Just when I’m about to rise from my desk, someone knocks lightly on the door. I can practically smell Aspen’s too-sweet perfume.
“Come in,” I say, rolling back in my chair.
She stands in the doorway, smiling sheepishly. “I’m here to talk about—”
“Work?” I lift an eyebrow.
Her shoulders slump. “Well… yes. I’m so sorry. The boutique just closed, and I meant to come over sooner, but—”
“It’s all right.” I’ve practiced this, and now Aspen is giving me an opportunity to set my boundaries. Instead of opening my laptop, I stand. “It’s just past my office hours, but if you want to meet for coffee tomorrow, we can chat then.”
The disappointment I’m expecting never comes. Aspen steps closer and taps my nose. “Good job. That was a test.”
I roll my eyes and turn my back on her. “You’re ridiculous.”
My sisters have all been supportive of my boundary setting as of late, and the more time passes, the better I’m getting at it. I’ve even learned to go an entire weekend without checking my phone.
Though, admittedly, I look down at it now. There’s a single text from Seth.
Seth
Don’t forget to bring the bag.
I won’t let you in the door without it.
I stow my phone in my pocket and pick up the duffel bag in question from my bed. It’s neatly packed, though the contents won’t remain within the container for too long.
“Oooh,” Aspen croons. “Is Seth taking you on a romantic getaway?”
“No.” I slip into my shoes, offering no further information. “As I said, we’ll get coffee tomorrow. I’m just going over to Seth’s for the night.”
“Sounds good.”
This isn’t a grand event, but my heart is still hammering away as I carry the bag across the street to Seth’s home. His mother answers the door, seemingly having a good pain day—she’s perkier than usual, and the house smells of garlic and ginger.
“Ro.” She wraps an arm around my shoulder. “Dinner is almost ready. I’ll make you a plate.”
“We’ll eat with you,” I say, soft and assuring. “Just give me a moment to, um… put my things away.”
I’m unpacking. In their home.
Luckily, Liezel has always been quite happy with my presence, and she didn’t seem to question it when I began sleeping over. It’s better this way. Seth can be here if she needs anything, but we’re still close enough to my house, which I don’t see myself moving out of anytime soon.
I shuffle into the bedroom where I find Seth watering his plants and tidying up. The few plants I saw when I first visited his room have grown, and there are more—enough to fill up the space with beautiful green life.
“Well.” I lift my duffel bag. “I did it.”
“Oh, yeah?”
He leans against his dresser and crosses his arms, looking me up and down. “Let me see the haul.”
My face is bright red as I set the bag down on his bed and unzip it, bringing out the first item: a perfectly folded outfit, and then another.
“Spare clothes,” I say. “I hope it isn’t too much.”
“Not even a little.” He opens one of the drawers. “Cleaned this one out for you already. Hand it over.”
I do, and he sets them down. “You have a lot more room in here.”
“Enough for… my pajamas?” I pull out two pairs next: one sultry nightgown and a more comfortable, warm flannel set.
“More than enough room for that. What else did you bring?”
I wrinkle my nose. “Water flosser, toothbrush, and floss. Period products and potions.”
“Excellent.”
Seth and I may not quite be ready to move in together, and it’s hard to say whether I’ll ever want to move out of my family home, but I know this is a big step for him.
He’s the one who asked me to bring some of my things over—it’s far better than sneaking into my house early in the morning in the clothes I wore the night before.
There are other things in the bag. Shampoo, skincare, body lotion. He already bought me all of my favorite snacks and teas. Everything to make me feel at home.
“We’ll find a place for all of this in my bathroom.” He steps closer and smooths his hands over my hair. “Mom is going to love having you around more often.”
“And I’m going to love being around more often.” I sigh softly. “I still don’t know if I’m ready to move in.”
“And that’s all right.” He kisses me, just a peck, but it’s enough to give me butterflies. “Maybe you won’t move in until we get married. Mom will probably approve. In Filipino families, it’s pretty common to live at home until marriage.”
“Married?” I smirk, tilting my head to the side. “I didn’t take you for the marrying type.”
“I wasn’t.” He kisses me longer, dragging his teeth against my lower lip. “But I am with you. Just you wait.”
“Hm… no more waiting.” I wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m happy here. Like this.”
“Does that mean you don’t want to marry me? I’m wounded.”
I snort. “Shut up.”
Before he can find something else to whine about, I plant my lips on his. Firm. Decisive.
That should answer the question for him.
Despite the waiting, the long-gone hex, and everything else we’ve been through to get here, it doesn’t feel like I’m in limbo anymore. I’m happy here, and someday, when we’re ready…
Yes. I think I’ll marry him. In front of the coven and all of Starbrook, we’ll bind our hands and become one.
And what a good life it will be.
FIVE MONTHS LATER
The Liezel Bautista Community Garden.
The name was my idea. Liezel will be with us for quite some time, but even when she’s gone… this garden, and everything Seth built, will be here to honor her.
Seth and I hold his mother’s hands as we lead her down the leaf-covered path. Donnie’s greenhouse in the park remains, but there’s one just across from it, for the community. Outside the greenhouse, flower beds flourish, and vegetable and herb beds are filled with plants.
Liezel gasps, squeezing my hand.
“Well?” Seth asks. “What do you think? It took a little longer to put together than we wanted, but it’s worth it, right?”
He’s looking between the two of us for confirmation, and I give him a warm smile. This isn’t my first time seeing the garden. I spent weeks and months sitting on one white bench in particular, watching him hard at work.
There’s nothing quite like seeing Seth get his hands dirty.
And it’s a beautiful space. Marble statues of the gods—Demeter, Persephone, Dionysus, and others—rest about the place. Statues of animals do, too. Watchers. Protectors of Starbrook, in their own right.
We’re not the only ones here. Donnie and Regan are knee-deep in the dirt, and others roam around. Liezel lowers herself onto a bench—my favorite bench.
I tilt my head.
There’s something new about it.
A little golden plaque with words engraved on it.
My name.
“Seth…” I turn to him with my hands on my hips.
He lifts his hands in surrender. “What? You said you didn’t want the garden named after you, but this. This isn’t the garden.”
“It’s still too much.” I can’t help but smile. “This is your passion project. It’s not supposed to be about me.”
“Everything.” He steps closer, his hands on my waist. “Everything I do is for you. For us.”
He kisses me, and I melt, accepting the gift and immortalization of our love, too.
It’s all for us.
He pulls away, and uncertainty flashes across his expression. “Don’t… don’t freak out, okay?”
I narrow my eyes. “Why would I freak—”
He lowers to one knee, his motions so fluid that I don’t see it coming when he pulls out a velvet box. He opens it, revealing a ring of sparkling rubies and clear crystals.
“You’re—you’re ruining your day,” I whisper harshly. “This is supposed to be about you and Donnie. Donnie is going to kill you.”
“Sure about that? Donnie helped me pick the ring.”
“Gods…”
Sure enough, Donnie is smiling ear to ear.
And everyone is watching, but I don’t mind the attention. This may be the first time I've enjoyed it. I want everyone to know Seth is picking me.
“I think I made you wait long enough,” Seth says. “It may have taken me a little while to realize what I wanted, but once I did, I knew you were it for me. You’re my best friend, the funniest person I know, and the one who can calm me down when nothing else will.”
Proposals like this are more of a human ritual than one for witches, but it still feels important to me. He’s been wrapped up in my world of magic for years, and now I want to be wrapped up in his as well.
Knowing Seth has changed me for the better. Surprises, something that used to be so nerve-wracking, are now something I love. Even the growing crowd around us is something I could get used to—at least when Seth is by my side.
The world may see how our relationship has helped him grow, but it’s time they see how much he’s assisted me, too.
For the first time in my life, I’m able to let go of control and accept the good. And Seth? He’s so good.
I’m nodding before he asks the question. “Well, when you say it like that… It’s about time you asked.”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “Will you marry me?”
The orange glow of the sun shines into his face, his eyes lightening to the color of warm, amber honey.
“Yes.” I stick out my hand, allowing him to slip the ring on. “I think I will.”
With no warning, I join him on the ground, kissing him hard while the town I’ve always loved claps for us. Celebrating us.
It was all worth the wait.