Epilogue
? Everywhere, Everything - Noah Kahan
Emmy
Ten Years Later
“Gracie, did you steal my bracelet again?” I call down the hallway to my middle sister.
“Nope.” She pops out of her bedroom and holds out her empty wrists. “See?”
I head back into the kitchen in search of my youngest sister next. “Elsie! You better not have stolen my bracelet, you little sh—tinker.”
“For a kid who ran around this house with a swear jar for the better part of five years and bought her first car with the funds, I find this very amusing.”
I hold up my middle finger at my Uncle Jax as he brings a cup of coffee to his lips. “Have you seen Elsie?”
His eyes dart to the screen door leading to our back patio.
I pop onto my toes and hug him. “You’re my favorite.”
He pats my back twice. “Still my best girl, Emmy.”
“I heard that Uncle Jaxy!” Gracie says, trailing into the kitchen with her eyes locked on her Nintendo Switch, her dark curly hair cascading around her face.
She’s the polar opposite of my younger sister. Ten-year-old Elsie is all sunshine and rainbows, while twelve-year-old Gracie is more like storm clouds and thunder.
He shrugs. “She came first. You know I can’t mess with the timeline, Gracie Mae.”
It’s a running joke in our family that every girl who came after me, including Uncle Jaxy’s own kids, couldn’t live up to my best girl reputation. It’s not true in the slightest, of course, but it’s fun to mess with them.
“What are you doing here anyway?” Gracie asks. “Where’s Mom?”
“She’s finishing the cake, and your dad is on the grill. They sent me to get you guys.”
“Why can’t Emmy drive us?” Gracie asks.
“She is, but she’s still on her learner’s permit, so I’m her designated adult.”
“Hardly.” I snort. “You’re like a giant toddler.” I slide open the screen door and peer out into the backyard. “Elsie! Time to go!”
“She’s probably in the treehouse,” Gracie says, her bottom lip trapped between her teeth as she stares intently at her game.
Sure enough, seconds later, my youngest sister descends the rope ladder with an old, familiar bear-shaped jar tucked under her arm. On her wrist is the bracelet that was missing from my jewelry box.
I hold out my hand palm up. “Give it here.”
She rolls her eyes dramatically and slaps the friendship bracelet I made with my best friend into the palm of my hand. “You promised you’d teach me how to make one,” she says, twirling the end of her long blonde braid.
“Tomorrow, okay? We have to go to Gigi and Pops anniversary party.”
Her shoulders slump, and she frowns.
I pull her in for a side hug and hold up my free hand between us. “I promise.”
A gap-toothed smile spreads across her face as she locks her pinky finger around mine.
Uncle Jaxon tosses me the keys to his ancient powder blue Chevy. “Let’s go. I’m starving.”
“There’s no way I’m driving that thing.”
“Reba is perfectly safe.”
I toss his keys right back and pull my own out of my pocket. “We’re taking Maren.”
Hayes parties used to be a lot less chaotic when I was little.
Now, there are a million kids scattered around the backyard while Aiden and I are forced to set the table.
Jessie and Juniper are lying in the grass, staring up at the clouds.
Aiden’s younger brother, Finn, is chasing the twins, Annie and Alice, around with a Nerf gun while my sisters sit on opposite sides of the deck, giving each other the silent treatment over who got to feed Poppy today.
There’s a huge photo from Gigi and Pop’s wedding on a stand near the end of the deck with a hand-painted banner that says ‘Happy 50th Anniversary’ and two giant displays of flowers from Gigi’s greenhouse on either side.
Mom wanted to plan a huge celebration with tons of guests, but they just wanted their kids and grandkids over for family dinner.
The smell of BBQ wafts out of the grill as my dad flips the burgers. Uncle Griffin arrives carrying the huge cooler that’s usually filled with drinks, and Auntie Lina follows close behind with two bottles of champagne.
She stops by the table and sets them down in the center. “Hey Em,” she says, pulling me in for a side hug. “Did you get the job?”
My shoulders slump. “No. They want someone with experience, but like… how are you supposed to have experience if nobody will give you a job in the first place?”
“Why don’t you come work for me at the clinic? Marnie’s going on maternity leave soon anyway, and I could use someone to answer the phone and schedule appointments.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely.”
I practically tackle her with an aggressive hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’m gonna go find mom and tell her!”
“Tell me what?”
I turn to see my mom standing in the kitchen doorway, holding two massive platters of food.
“Auntie Lina said I could work at the clinic!”
A bright smile takes over Mom’s face as she places them on the table. “That’s amazing! Congratulations, Em. I’m so happy for you.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
It’s not long before the table is set and all of the food is ready. Every last Hayes in existence is seated on the back deck waiting for the guests of honor.
Pops and Gigi arrive fashionably late. I’ve never seen two people more in love, except maybe Mom and Dad.
Pops takes his seat at the head of the table with Gigi to his right.
Uncle Jaxy had to build a bigger table and matching benches once all the babies were old enough to sit by themselves.
It’s so long that you have to yell for anybody at the other end to hear you.
It makes for a hilarious game of telephone, though.
Pops stands and raises his glass in a toast. I swear my grandparents haven’t aged a day in my entire life. “To good food and the love of my life,” he says.
“Come on, Pops. You have to say more than that this time,” Dad says. “Fifty years. What’s the secret?”
Pops glances at Gigi for a long moment, then he brings their joined hands to his lips.
“Never go to bed angry—apologize and work through it. Communication is key.” He swipes his free hand down his salt-and-pepper beard.
“Always make sure she has fresh flowers on her table. When they start to wilt, replace them with new ones. Most importantly, marry your best friend. The person you can’t live without.
Make them the center of your universe, the axis your entire world revolves around, and your life will never be lacking. ”
Gigi stands, her eyes brimming with unshed tears as she rests her hand on his cheek and kisses him.
The young kids make gagging noises, and Finn says, “Can we eat now?”
Pops laughs. “Always hungry, that one. Let’s eat.”
After dinner, Mom brings out a huge three-tiered replica of their wedding cake, decorated with white roses and baby’s breath.
“Holy shit, Livie. You could feed the entire town with that thing.”
“Swear jar, Uncle Griffin,” Elsie says. “That’s five dollars.”
He carefully slides a five-dollar bill into her hand. “This is getting out of hand.”
As the sun sets below the horizon, I follow the familiar path to the big oak tree at the back of the cemetery. I clean the fallen leaves from the stone and set a new bouquet in the vase, then sit in my usual spot with my back against the tree, staring down at the name etched in stone.
“Hi, Mom. It’s me. Emmy.”