Epilogue
June
“ I hereby sentence you to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Amber Morgan.”
Bang.
The judge’s voice echoed in the cavernous courtroom, his words hanging like a death knell. My breath caught in my throat, and Linda gasped beside me, her head leaning on Frank’s shoulder. The world around me slowed. Chatter dimmed to a mousy whisper. Carter’s warm hand burned against mine.
It was over.
After all this time.
I sat motionless, my knuckles white and palms damp. My heart pounded an anarchic, relentless beat in my chest.
Amber.
Her name rippled through me like a ghost.
I closed my eyes, fighting back the surge clawing at my throat.
She tried to destroy my family, but my mother destroyed two.
“Bailiff.” The judge gestured toward my mother in an orange jumpsuit, her hair streaked with gray strands, the dark brown color fading rapidly.
She won’t last.
She half-turned in her chair, staring at me from the other side of the aisle. “I’m sorry, Junie.”
My chin quivered as I exhaled slowly through puckered lips, my hand trembling in my lap.
“Junie, please. Hear me out.”
I stared straight ahead, Linda and my mother in my periphery, Carter on my other side.
My stomach bubbled, the acid rising, burning everything in its path. My molars ached as I ground them together. I swiped my free hand over my damp cheeks and sniffled as my mother wailed—the bailiff carting her off to begin her sentence.
How did my life turn out like this?
Dad sat on my mother’s side of the aisle, his shoulders hunched and his eyes red.
I hadn’t spoken to him in six months, his support of her a shameful beating to my soul.
We stood and followed Linda and Frank out of the courthouse. My gaze pointed toward the ground, avoiding my father .
“That couldn’t have been easy for you, June.” Linda pressed her hand to my upper arm, then released me. “I appreciate you coming.”
Forcing down the tightness in my throat, I nodded.
What do I say?
We all hurt, our souls damaged with such a senseless act.
Amber wasn’t perfect, but she didn’t deserve to die.
Not like that.
She needed help.
“June-bug?”
A cold sneer twisted across Linda’s face, and then she glanced at me, her features softening. “We’re here if you need us.”
I gave a quick dip of my head, and Linda and Frank walked away, a tissue to her nose, her arm wrapped in his.
“Hi, Dad.”
Carter’s hand stiffened in mine as he tucked me behind him, protecting me from my father like he had with Paul.
“ Uh ...“ He shoved his hands into his suit pockets, shifting from one foot to the other. “Can we, uh , talk?“ His voice cracked as his eyes darted to Carter’s face, then away, refusing to linger. “In private.” His throat bobbed, and he tugged at his collar as if the air thickened.
“Anything you say, you can say in front of Carter.”
He gave a curt nod. “Right.” Sighing, his shoulders rose, his gaze tossed to the floor. “I know what happened was wrong. I tried to...” he grumbled. “My therapist and I are working through making amends, and I’m trying here. ”
“I know you’re sorry, Dad.”
His eyes lit up as they clashed with mine. “You do?”
“Yes.” I gulped. “But that changes nothing. You would be in jail right now if it weren’t for the statute of limitations expiring.” His face fell, and my heart plummeted with him. “And you supported Mom through this whole trial.”
“Please, June-bug.”
Carter squeezed my hand, and I glanced at him with a tight-lipped smile. “We’re going to go. Please stay away.”
“Let me make it up to you.”
I gave a derisive laugh. “No. The best you’ll get from me is the house Carter bought you. Other than that, you’re on your own.” I released a shaky breath. “Bye, Dad.”
With a heavy heart, we turned our backs on him and walked out of the courthouse. I glanced back at my father before the doors closed, and for the first time in my life, I saw tears streaming down his face. His shoulders trembled as silent sobs racked his chest.
“You did great, dollface.”
“Really? It doesn’t feel that way.” The fragile organ in my rib cage ached, pleading with me to turn around, to wrap my arms around my father, to forgive him, and escape this nightmare together. But my mind roared the loudest, drowning out the soft cries of my soul.
“I know. And I’m sorry this is the way things turned out.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” I grimaced. “Your sister is dead, and my mother is in prison for life in a state I’ll never step foot in again.”
“You know what I mean.”
I let out a shaky sigh, tears sliding down my cheeks as he opened the car door for me. “It’s just so surreal. You know?”
Slipping inside the rental car, I folded my skirt over my knees. “I get it.” He shut the door and rounded the car, sitting on the driver’s side. “But if there’s one thing we’ve figured out so far, it’s that we can conquer anything together.”
I forced down the ache in my throat with a nod.
Our bond had deepened over the past eight months, each day weaving us closer together. We shared every waking moment, laughter and conversations filling the spaces between us. My new teaching job and his regular schedule blended into our lives, creating a comforting rhythm. Yet, despite the growing warmth between us, a dark cloud circled overhead like vultures waiting for its prey to take its last breath.
Now that it was over, we could breathe. We could fall into each other and start living like we should have all those years ago.
Before Amber put herself between us.
The drive to the modest airport was quick, and the small town of Gypsum offered a limited number of flights.
“What are we going to do when we get home?” Carter parked the car in the hangar, and we got out. He popped the trunk, grabbing our suitcases, and then handed them to the worker.
“I hadn’t thought that far ahead yet.”
Carter leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. “We can do whatever you need, June. Whatever it takes to forget all this... if only for a little while.”
I shied away from him as his parents came into view—their belts buckled, Linda’s tears dried, leaving her face pale and weary. Frank sat beside her, his silence heavy and his expression an unreadable book.
Carter gave me a teasing smile, his eyes gleaming with a mix of exhaustion and relief, but I couldn’t match it.
Not yet.
His arm brushed against mine as we buckled up, the touch a fleeting but reassuring warmth. I swallowed hard against the lump in my throat, making it difficult to breathe, and blinked away the sting in my eyes as the plane ascended into the sky. Each bump and jolt mirrored my turmoil, strengthening the pang with every passing moment.
Forgetting was impossible.
But sitting with Carter by my side and his parents’ stable presence behind us, I wasn’t alone.
I didn’t have to do it alone.
And they didn’t either.
We’d figure it out when we got home. Maybe not today or tomorrow—but eventually, we’d find a way to move forward.
I leaned my head against his shoulder as the plane leveled out, letting the steady hum of the flight lull my racing thoughts into a quieter tempo.
For now, that would be enough.
My lids fell heavy over my eyes, and sleep took over. When I woke, the plane jerked against the runway as it came to a stop. Carter’s shirt had a dark spot on the shoulder from my wet lips. “We’re here?”
“ Mmhmm.”
A heaviness lifted off my shoulders as the stairs opened, and we shuffled off, the Philly lights illuminating our way.
We said our goodbyes and took the quick drive home, my weary body crying out for a bath, a glass of wine, and a long, silent sleep, devoid of nightmares or dreams.
I popped the cork on the wine, and Carter dragged the suitcases up the stairs. Pouring two glasses, I carried them up the steps and met him in the bedroom, the bathwater running. “Am I that predictable?”
“No, but I figured it was warranted after such a long day.” He took the glass from my hand. “Thanks. Bourbon would have been better.” He winked and gulped the entire glass in two swallows.
I sipped mine and then put the glass on the nightstand, letting the fruity aroma play around in my mouth before swallowing. Opening the suitcase, I took out a pair of his socks and mine, then walked into the closet. “Want to share my bath?”
“Does that need to be a question?” He wrapped his arms around me as I opened his dresser and dropped his socks inside, my fingers brushing against something hard.
I frowned, stood on my toes, and glanced down. “What’s this?” I pulled out the small square box, and his fingers wrapped around me, pulling it out of my hands .
“It’s not time yet.” He held his hands high.
“Not time for what?”
He gave a weary sigh. “It’s nothing—“
I reached for the box, my heart clattering. “Carter.”
His smile softened, and he lowered his hand, cupping my face with the other. “June, listen to me.” His voice was low and tender—melting away the lingering ache of the day. “I know today was... hard. And I know life hasn’t been easy for you lately, especially with everything going on with your mom and how we... But I need you to know something.”
I blinked, my breath catching as he held my gaze.
“I’m in this for the long haul, June. I’m not going anywhere. Not now, not ever.” His thumb brushed over my cheek. “I love you, and nothing—no matter how dark or heavy—will ever change that.”
I swallowed hard, my heart swelling.
“You’ve been through so much, more than anyone should ever have to bear, but you’re still standing, still fighting.”
Tears brimmed in my eyes. I let out a shaky laugh, letting the weight of his words sink in. “You love me?”
He nodded, his eyes softening.
“I love you too, Carter.” His lips pressed to mine, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding onto him as though his touch gave me life—as though his kiss gave me the air I breathed.
“I wondered if I’d ever hear those words from you.”
“I’ve thought them for so long.” I kissed him again, our tongues exploring one another. “You’re such a sap,” I whispered.
He grinned, his eyes twinkling as he towered over me. “Yeah, well, you bring it out of me.” He lowered his hand, opening the small box to reveal a delicate, shimmering ring inside. “I was going to wait for the right moment—“
“Yes.” My heart skipped a beat, and I gasped, covering my mouth. “My answer is yes.”