Epilogue One Year Later
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER
Me: Guess who’s officially landed now!
Aimé: Oh good, they let y’all back in
Me: Yup!
Kiki: Say hello to Canada’s newest permanent resident.
Aimé: Was it complicated?
Me: Not at all! The cold was the worst part
Aimé: Well, it’s Niagara Falls in winter sooo.
Me: It took literally 10 min. We crossed the bridge to the US side, K had quick chat with the American border guy, then we U-turned to cross back to Canada’s side, got PR stamp at the booth.
Kiki: And bob’s your agot.
Me: *uncle
Aimé: I got it Wow it’s finally over!
Kiki: If I never see another form again, it’ll be too soon.
Aimé: Until you apply for citizenship.
Me: That’s just a test & not for a long while.
Aimé: And by then, u might finally actually be
Me: Be…?
Aimé: MRS. LEGESSE.
Me: Wot that got to do with anything?
Kiki: Our women keep their name, remember?
Me: @Kiki Luh ya.
Aimé: Kay C u tmr bright and early!
I text Kal, who is snuggled under the blanket on the other side of our couch, privately, burrowing my toes deeper into the warm nook of the couch corner and his butt cheek.
Me: Should we tell her?
A mischievous smile comes over his face.
Kiki: No, let’s wait. Don’t want her getting distracted and coming in over her target time.
“God forbid,” I say, widening my eyes. That first race having totally revamped her mojo, Aimé has since progressed steadily to a full marathon and is fast becoming a “rocking it toward midlife” coach-influencer. All my projects a resounding success, if I do say so myself. Including Project Miz. As usual, Aimé’s hunch isn’t totally off. When Kal and I were coming back over the Rainbow Bridge, he’d wanted to make a brief stop to take a photo with Niagara Falls in the background so that we’d have something more personal than paperwork to mark the big day. Little did he know though that I had something much more special in mind. Maybe it was the romantic, two-hour number 12 GO Bus ride we’d just been on, or the memory of how things had been between us the last time we re-entered Canada. Or maybe it was the past year of simple, pressure-free dating, but I felt ready.
I didn’t get down on bended knee or send my people to Kal’s people. Though jewellery was involved. I just used my words, peering at him through my faux fur–lined hood, squinting against the biting wind. “Hey.” I squeezed hard to feel his fingers through the thick padding of our thermal gloves.
“I think it’s time to order those custom-made rings from Teklu Desta.”
I could only see his eyes over his extra-thick scarf and parka zipped up past his nose, but those pools of hot chocolate syrup told me all I needed to know even before he responded.
“I thought you’d never ask.”