Epilogue
It was early May. After a long period of gray skies and cold temperatures, spring had finally arrived. Trees and plants gained their lush green color, and a warm breeze was tickling my skin when I got out of the car.
Emerald Valley Community College. I clasped the folder with my documents tighter and looked around. Modern sandy-colored stone buildings were connected by paved paths that cut through well-kept lawns. Fresh-faced students walked between the buildings. Some lounged on the greens, enjoying the first sunny days of the year. They all looked like babies to me, but I would soon join them.
“I can’t believe I’m really here.”
Quentin locked the car, took my hand, and gently pressed it. “You worked hard to be here today.”
I laughed. “We worked hard. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
He smiled and kissed me. I leaned into him, savoring the feeling of his lips’ soft caress. After six months, I still got butterflies in my stomach when he kissed me. Quentin broke the contact to look me in the eyes. “I was just there to cheer you on from the sidelines,” he said. “You already had everything it takes, Kelsey. You just lacked confidence in yourself.”
I took a deep breath. “I’m still not sure if I’m totally crazy for doing this, going back to school at my age. Pretty late for a career change.”
“You’ll do great,” he said. “Now, stop stalling. Let’s do this. ”
He took my hand, intertwined our fingers, and pulled me down a paved path, toward the building with the sign saying Admissions Office .
My heart was racing as we walked through those doors, nearly colliding with two young women chatting with each other on their way out. It was happening. It was really happening.
The woman at the front desk was barely older than me, which made me feel even more awkward.
“Welcome to Emerald Valley Community College. How can I help you?”
I exhaled. “I want to register for the fall semester.”
I expected a weird look, maybe a scrunched nose, but the woman just nodded with a smile. “Alright, go down that hallway, into room four. Janice will guide you through the process. Your companion can wait here.”
I threw one last look over my shoulder. Quentin met my eyes and nodded reassuringly.
Now or never. I followed the woman’s directions and knocked on the door with the number four.
I heard a friendly “Come in!”
Behind the desk sat Janice, a middle-aged Asian woman with thin-rimmed glasses and a very warm smile.
“Hi,” I said meekly. “I want to register.”
“Full-time or part-time?” Janice asked.
“Part-time.”
“Major?”
“Uh, the licensed practical nurse program.”
“Please, sit down.” Janice wheeled her swivel chair over to a nearby filing cabinet, pulling out a stack of forms. “Okay, I need a copy of your ID, a copy of your high school transcripts, and your letter of recommendation. ”
I put the photocopy of my driver’s license on the table, the GED transcripts I had worked so hard for, and the letter of recommendation Raphael Ortegas had written for me.
“Here is the application form.” Janice handed me two pieces of paper and a green pen with the college’s logo on it.
I filled in the blanks on the form with my data while Janice checked my documents over the rim of her glasses. “Ah, you already earned college credits with your GED test. Good for you.”
I smiled an insecure smile before handing over the filled-out application form. “Math is my strong suit.”
Janice put all the documents in a neat stack and wheeled over to a different filing cabinet to put them away.
“Wonderful. All that’s left is paying the application fee. Once the money is there, you’ll receive a timetable with your courses for this semester in the mail.”
“That’s all?” I asked, surprised at how smoothly everything was going. Why had I been so afraid of this all those years?
“That’s all,” she confirmed. “I hope you have a wonderful and successful time at Emerald Valley Community College.”
I left Janice’s office to meet Quentin outside. When he saw me, a warm smile spread across his face, and he eagerly opened his arms for a hug.
I leaned into his embrace and took a few deep breaths, taking in his familiar smell, enjoying the warmth of his body against mine.
“Everything okay?” he whispered in my ear.
I was tongue-tied. It was done. Stupid little trailer trash Kelsey was going to college.
A small part of me wanted to tell Ryan, to laugh in his face and tell him, “See! It wasn’t such a ridiculous idea after all.” But my lawyer had advised me against contacting him, so that conversation had to play out in my head.
I hugged Quentin a little tighter. He’d always believed in me, had built me up and made me believe in myself. I remembered the awkward moment at the trash cans, after our fight, when he told me I didn’t lack intellectual ability. If not for him, I probably would’ve quit before getting past the first chapter of my study guide.
“Are you happy or scared?” he asked with a trace of concern in his voice.
“Both,” I admitted. “But mostly happy. Thank you for going through this with me.”
“It’s an honor to be part of your journey.” Quentin kissed my forehead. “And to be part of your life.”
Warmth spread through my body. I thought I had loved Ryan when I married him, but in hindsight, I realized that was mere infatuation—with him and with the promises he’d made. Loving Quentin was entirely different. He was my safe haven. My home. My lover, my biggest supporter, and my best friend.
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Do you want to go straight home?”
He shrugged. “We don’t have to. Richmond is a beautiful town.”
I straightened my shoulders. “Then let’s go out and find a place to celebrate. I want to celebrate our future.”
Quentin smiled, his warm amber eyes full of love. “To our future.”
THE END