—Epilogue— #2
I frown at Mindy. “You okay? Seem a bit on edge.”
“Kids. Whether they’re four or fourteen. I’m up to here. Why’d Bonnie not let me bring mine? Just ‘cause Kirkland Junior’s a ‘big boy’ now who wants only his ‘big boy’ friends here? Please.”
Sounds like a whole cave of drama I’d rather not mine. “This must be why you’re itching to hang out after this.”
“Adult time. I need my adult time. I need wine. I need to get fucked the fuck up.” She stops at once and turns to me. “Let’s just go. Like, sneak out. Not even tell her. You, me, your man, my man, out, now.”
I snort. “Mindy, you’re so bad.”
“The worst.” And then she’s off to grab Joel.
I don’t really have a say in the matter.
It wouldn’t be the first time one of these hangout things got thrown together in the last second before I’ve even had a chance to clean up the house or restock on food.
Thankfully, Mindy and Joel had the foresight to bring snacks.
The TV’s on. Table is set out full of food and drinks in minutes.
Diego volunteers to head next-door to invite Nicole and her sons over, assuming any are home.
He returns with a little more than just the neighbors.
Billy and Tanner, who left their kids to stay overnight with Kirk and Bonnie, drop in because Mindy sent a text.
Lance shows up by himself, since Chad is dealing with some unexplained family drama I will have to pry out of Lance later.
(Neither came to the birthday party, which is another question I’ll have to get answered later.) Then comes Ethan who apparently was at Pepperoni Pirate the whole time (like, seriously, where was he?) and hitches a ride with Billy and Tanner.
And with no warning at all, my house is full of laughter, loud conversation, and whatever’s blasting from the TV that no one’s paying a lick of attention to.
When I’m in the kitchen to get King Lance a drink, apparently incapable of prying himself away from his conversation to get his own, I get an unexpected text:
CHECKMATE!
I frown and reply: You cheated!
She replies with a string of laughing emojis followed with a: YOU ACTUALLY TRIED THAT TIME AND I STILL WON! HAHAHAHA
I type back: Modest much?
THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE.
I finally crack a smile and shake my head.
Connie is clearly doing well. Last I heard, there’s a handsome new guy in her life. It isn’t official, she keeps insisting, but I have the sneaking suspicion that the next time she’s in town, she won’t be coming alone.
For some reason, after I pocket the phone, I look up through the kitchen window at the driveway next-door.
It’s empty.
Knowing they keep their car in the garage, this isn’t news. Not a new observation at all. But I find myself struck by a feeling that fluttered around inside me the day Diego arrived and filled that driveway and that house with everything he knew and loved.
I wish I could go back and see that car with as much love as he did the first time it came into my sight.
“Miss it?”
I turn to find Diego next to me, also gazing out the window.
I’m not even sure he’s talking about his dad’s car, but I reply with: “Do you?”
“No.” He keeps his eyes on that empty driveway.
“I was just … clinging to something that didn’t need to be fixed.
He put his love into that old thing. I felt it every time I worked on it.
It was like he was still with me, understanding I needed to process him being gone in my own way, letting me take all the time I needed …
even if that old engine would never turn over again.
It was never about getting it started again.
” He looks at me, eyes twinkling in the soft kitchen light.
“But even as dead as that car was … it still managed to drive me somewhere.”
“Into my arms?” I offer with cheesy romanticism.
He leans in and lets a kiss be his answer.
“HEY!” shouts Joel from the living room. “Y’ALL LOVEBIRDS DONE MAKIN’ OUT? LANCE NEEDS HIS WINE AND HE’S GETTIN’ CRANKY!”
Diego groans against my mouth. “I hate this town.”
I chuckle. “Liar.”
Diego takes the drink out of my hand, kisses me once more, then heads back with it. Just before I join him, I catch sight of the reflection in the kitchen window.
A faint tableau of everyone behind me.
My friends.
My Spruce family.
The whole dang house filled shoulder-to-shoulder with people I love and adore.
Nicole laughing with Mindy, already as thick as thieves.
Lance occupying the chair in the corner, Ethan’s usual seat.
Ethan, apparently not minding at all, now sitting on the floor in the center of the room holding an enormous bowl of M&Ms I do not remember setting out.
Billy sitting on his husband’s lap chewing Joel’s ear off about some ambitious plan his mother-in-law Nadine has for New Year’s.
But right here on the windowsill, in front of that reflection, is my Diego’s ridiculous, slightly lopsided, beautiful little orchid.
And its one bloom.
A perfect little bloom.
That’s how anything worthwhile starts, isn’t it? Just one little burst of color and life in a sea of writhing green.
Who knows what’ll grow next?
Diego has stopped at the archway leading into the living room to peer back at me, as if waiting.
No longer an observer. Now truly a part of the town, like he always belonged.
I pour myself a glass of wine (because I deserve one too, Lance, thank you very much) and leave the kitchen window behind.
And my boyfriend gently takes my hand, tugging me back into the joyful noise.
The End.
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Thank you for reading!