Epilogue
Evie
We’ve finally finished decorating the adoption center, and we’re waiting for the annual Christmas party to begin. The lights are up, the Christmas trees are decorated, and the DJ and the caterer should be here soon to set up.
I walk over to the arch I was standing under when Dru first kissed me a year ago. Well, for the second time, really. I would never have guessed that night how that kiss was going to change my life.
Dru comes in and walks over to me, smiling. Damn those dimples. They still make me melt.
“The place looks great. Thanks for helping me decorate, baby.”
“It was fun. Is there anything left to do?”
“I just have to kiss you,” she says, pointing at the mistletoe hanging overhead.
“You are so sentimental,” I tease.
“Yeah, I am. Especially when it comes to you.”
She kisses me, and the butterflies start right away. I can feel her smiling against my lips.
“We are gonna do this every year,” she tells me.
“I like that idea. I was just thinking about how much has happened in the last year, since the last time you kissed me under the mistletoe.”
“All the good things,” she says, gazing down at me, her arms around my waist. “We fell in love. We adopted our babies together. You found your new job at Sonoma State. You moved in with me. And we waited a whole two months, which in lesbian terms is pretty much a miracle.”
“Two and a half,” I correct her, making her laugh.
She reaches up to stroke a stray hair from my cheek, and there’s so much love in her eyes. “When you know it’s right, you just know.”
“It’s true.”
She clears her throat as two of her kennel staff wander through carrying big tubs of ice for the bar.
“Are we all done here? What’s next?” I ask her.
“Come on upstairs with me,” she says, taking my hand.
We walk up the wide stairs together, and when we reach the loft, Seven and Sulu go wild, jumping all over us, and it takes several minutes to get them to calm down and quietly chewing on bones in their dog beds next to the sofa.
“Come here,” Dru says, pulling me with her, and we sit on the floor in front of the Christmas tree.
It’s even bigger than last years’. The twinkling white lights are up, and all the ornaments, and this year there are a bunch of wrapped presents.
I went a little nuts with gifts for her and our puppies.
I think I have a lot of lost time to make up for.
“What’s up, babe?” I ask, reaching out to straighten a crooked bow on one of the gifts.
“This,” she say, handing me small box. “Open it.”
“But it’s not Christmas yet.”
“No. But it’s the Solstice. A time for new beginnings.”
I’m a bit confused, but honestly, I’ll do anything Dru asks me to. Although as I look at how tiny the box in my hand is, the butterflies start all over again and goosebumps rise on my skin.
“Dru…”
“Open it, love.”
I slide the ribbon off and remove the lid, pulling out a small velvet box. I’m crying even before I open it. And when I do, there’s the most perfect emerald-cut sapphire set in a simple white gold band.
I look up to see her smiling at me, and she reaches out to take my hand.
“Evie, I’ve always known it was you. And I want forever with you. I need forever with you. I love you so damn much, I can’t think of my life without you. Baby, will you marry me?”
I can’t even speak, so I throw my arms around her neck, trying not to cry. It’s not working. And she’s kissing my cheek, over and over, laughing with me while the happy tears fall.
Finally she says, “Is that a yes?”
“Yes! Of course it’s a yes. I love you, Dru. Oh my God, I love you. Yes, yes, yes.”
The dogs must be wondering what all the excitement is about, because they’re all over us, wiggling and making their adorable little yelping noises, and trying to lick our faces.
They manage to crawl into our laps while we laugh at how ridiculous they are, and Dru has to lean over them both to kiss me.
“This is our family,” she tells me.
“It’s true,” I agree. “I can’t think of anything else I need. Just you and our babies. Just a life together. Our home together.”
“You’re my home,” she says without even knowing how often I think of her that way.
“Home,” I murmur. “I knew it was important, something I craved. But until I had it, a real home with you, I had no idea what I was missing.”
“You’ll never have to miss it another day. This is us. This is forever.”
“Forever,” I repeat as I lean into her strong shoulder.
I have a brief flash of all the years I skipped Christmas because I just couldn’t face it. And while I still miss my mom and always will, I’m healing. Enough to be able to truly enjoy life again. And so much of that healing is because of Dru, this woman I love with all my heart and soul.
Love has healed me, in a way I never knew was possible. A part of me still sometimes can’t believe how lucky I am to have this. But I have her. And we have forever.
Who knew forever could feel this good?