Epilogue Berg
O ur party takes up a good chunk of row four, and it makes me smile to know that the woman I love has so many people in her corner. I’m in the aisle seat at the theatre, with Louisa on my right and Natalie next to her. Caro’s mom, Sharon, is on Lou’s other side with a tote bag full of snacks and kids’ books at her feet. Their dad is hanging out in the aisle with his new camera so he can ‘get the shot’ when Carolina walks across the stage. Anna, Chris, Isaac, Ashlyn round out the crew. These are all the people that made this past year possible.
“I see her!” Louisa whispers so loud several people around us giggle.
Caro is utterly beautiful, waiting her turn at the side of the stage. Anna styled her curls onto the crown of her head, securing them with tiny gold pins that glitter beneath the lighting. Somehow she did it in a way that the graduation cap still fits perfectly.
“Carolina Wolfe!”
Our row goes wild, both girls giving a standing ovation and clapping eagerly.
I lift Lou onto my hip so she can see better, sticking my fingers in my mouth to whistle as I watch her accept her degree with nothing but pride coursing through me.
She pauses for a photo and the back of my throat burns at her self-assured smile, gown swooshing behind her as she descends the staircase on the other side of the stage.
She worked her ass off this year to complete her psychology degree.
With some of her classes being online, she didn’t have to waste hours commuting to class.
And that also left her more time to help with the girls.
But help isn’t the right word anymore, because Caro is part of our family now.
And, soon, it will be official.
The ring in the pocket of my slacks is impossible to ignore.
I’ve probably checked on its safety a thousand times since we left the house.
While Caro has technically been living downstairs to provide her with the space she’s needed to study, we spend most nights together anyhow.
Each time we make plans to sleep separately, it never happens.
Caro always said I never respected doors much.
Natalie knows what’s in my pocket.
I felt I owed it to her to loop her in and hear her thoughts.
We’ve had some good heart to hearts lately, because the grief from a loss like ours never really ends.
It just changes.
So we’re handling those shifts together as they come.
Natalie is wholeheartedly on board with us, me, marrying Carolina.
And even though I can’t trust Louisa to keep a surprise that big, I know she’ll be ecstatic.