Epilogue #2
My three closest friends had all seemed a little nostalgic and even baffled when I asked them to help move out the bunk beds tonight, but they’d been eager to help when they learned I needed assistance so that I could finish on time.
A couple of pizzas from Raphael’s made for perfect bribery.
We’d all done it before, in those beginning days of camp.
Part of me wondered if a piece of Nat would be strangely disappointed to see the bunk beds go, but it had to be done.
We needed the space to feel like a room built for a couple.
Not a space for reluctant roommates who couldn’t stand each other.
The memories of me ever thinking I could hate Nat were laughable now. Once she got under my skin, she had quickly become my whole universe.
“It’s going to look like a grown-up lives here,” Hazel commented after we got the bunks out. Her dry tone made it sound like more of an insult than a compliment.
“Thanks?”
Maybe we were grown-ups now. I liked that idea.
Mostly, I liked the idea that Nat could settle here long enough to become comfortable and feel like this was her permanent home.
Nat’s place was cozy, but beyond Trudy, a finicky house plant I took care of while she was away, she didn’t make it her own.
There weren’t bookshelves stacked with books or knickknacks she collected from Wildwood, and she hadn’t hung photos from her travels on her walls.
I hoped that, if this worked, we’d be doing exactly that in a cabin we called ours.
After we finished dismantling and cleaning up, we toasted to new beginnings. I was more than ready to move on to the next phase of my life with the woman I loved.
Traffic to the airport was easier than I’d expected, and I made sure to arrive early.
Two hours early.
Okay, so maybe I was anxious to see Nat.
Eight days had gone by fast with how busy the projects kept me, but the nights had dragged.
I missed random moments where we’d argue over what movies to watch or listen to her random playlists while doing soothing face masks.
I missed how she’d tuck into my side and kiss me each morning.
But today was the day, and I was eager to have my girl back in my arms.
Nat had texted me photos throughout her trip. My favorite one was of her on a gorgeous hike in front of a waterfall. Sometimes knowing she hiked alone gave me anxiety, but she was always careful. Plus, she had Bernice with her since we shared custody now.
On the fifth night of her stay, she had sent me the first draft of her review of the place she had stayed, which was off the beaten path and in need of tourism. Any time Nat wrote about a previously undiscovered place, there was usually a significant bump in their business in the coming months.
Then there were photos she’d send me at night.
Full of beautiful smiles and local food she discovered.
And the best part? She looked happy. We’d talk a few minutes here and there, but I didn’t place any expectations on her when it came to calls and texts, apart from proof of life.
She always surprised me, though, finding the time to spend at least an hour a day talking.
Sometimes I went with her, like the trip to Puerto Rico for a week in October, and to Ireland last month.
Traveling with Nat had been the experience of a lifetime, but I also enjoyed standing on the sidelines when she had an impromptu trip.
All I wanted was for her to keep doing what she was passionate about.
Summers would be a little different going forward, since Nat wasn’t a counselor anymore, but I knew every trip she had planned.
There was a lot of time for just us. Nat had been busy.
She was primarily running Starlight’s and Sunlight’s social media accounts with the help of a new assistant, MacKenzie, who was based at Camp Sunlight.
Nat was able to set her schedule, which worked perfectly, so she could balance between both camps and her travel blog.
Her role could be done anywhere, so she could travel as much or as little as she wanted.
And I was more than happy to celebrate with her when she returned.
Knowing she would always come back to me was the sweetest reward I could ever ask for.
After zoning out for a while, I looked up to find Nat’s purple rolling suitcase at my feet. She had a backpack slung over her shoulder, and her cheeks were sun-kissed, pink and full of joy. I kissed her, and we hugged before we said a word.
When we did talk, I’d always start with my initial question. “What trouble did Bernice get you out of on this trip?”
She laughed. “That’s just between me and her.” She kissed the tip of my nose. “I’m glad to be back. I’m all yours for the next four weeks.”
“You’ll be all mine longer than four weeks if I have my way.”
She kissed my lips. I’d take all the time I could get with her.
We got back to camp, and when we made it to the front steps of my cabin, I pulled a blindfold out of my pocket.
“Jeez, Jack, let a girl unpack before you get all frisky.”
I laughed and shoved that thought down for later. “Will you put this on? I have a surprise.”
She nodded with a grin, and I tied the material over her eyes. She didn’t even question me. Was she just going along with this? I thought for sure we’d argue outside of the cabin for at least five minutes before I’d get my way.
Was I disappointed about that? I shook my head as she lifted her chin, granting me easy access to place the blindfold on her.
“We’re not getting frisky.” I held her hands to my face, then kissed them.
She laughed and smirked. “Not with that attitude.” Then her face went soft. “Leo may have already spilled the beans.” She winced under the blindfold, as if she didn’t know if she should tattle on our friend or not.
I heaved out a long sigh. Trusting Leo with secrets was my own damn fault. “Well, can you just pretend you don’t know?”
Nat nodded and smiled under her blindfold again, and my heart melted. I carefully led her inside our cabin, fingers crossed. I walked us to the middle of the room and put her luggage down.