43. Epilogue
43
“ Y ou ready?” I ask her, squeezing her hand.
I made it as clear as I possibly could that she didn’t have to come to this. There will always be other birthdays, and other celebrations, but she said she was ready. If I’ve learned anything from this woman in the last few months we’ve been together, it’s that I trust her to know herself. If she says she can handle it, she can.
It just makes me admire her strength and resilience that much more.
She also really likes Vic, which helps. If it was Autumn’s party, there would be some hesitation there. I don’t think she dislikes my other friend, but she hasn’t yet forgiven herself for their shared past. I think it’s too hard, because she looks at her and sees a version of herself that she wants to move past. Sometimes I feel bad that my connection to them won’t allow her to shove it all away, but I suppose it’s healthier to face it. I’ll be here to help her the whole way, however long it takes her.
Kara only looks mildly panicked when she nods.
“Sure. Let’s do this.”
I prepped everyone else, too. I wanted to avoid any awkward conversations, or attempts to feel her out. She doesn’t need to be prodded like a zoo animal, and I will swat away anyone that makes her feel that way.
We step out of the car, and I watch her as she looks up at Vic’s two-story house, covered in large windows, and deep green details. Her jaw drops, just slightly.
“Isn’t it gorgeous?” I ask.
“Is Vic loaded?” she asks in return.
I laugh, surprise at her astonishment. It's not any bigger than the one her mother lives in.
“Kind of.”
The door opens before we get to it, and Vic steps out in a beautiful blue, floral dress. She smiles so sincerely when she sees us, that my body has the sudden urge to produce tears. I clear my throat before I go in to hug her.
“Happy birthday, babe!” I kiss her cheek when I pull away. “You are stunning ! This dress is everything.”
At that, she feels around the sides of the dress and slips her hands inside the fabric.
“It has pockets!”
“It’s a ten out of ten from me,” I say.
Then I gently grab Kara’s hand and pull her a little closer.
Vic doesn’t give a second of hesitation before going in to hug her.
“Thank you for coming!” she tells her. “I love your outfit.”
Kara slips her hands into the pockets on her skirt and gives a little wave to show them off. Vic lets out an amazed laugh.
“I need one!”
They make more small talk, telling each other where they shop, and I step past Vic to go inside. Everyone’s in the living room, and they all turn to stare at me when I walk in.
“ Play it cool ,” I mouth to the room.
Lacey and Wyatt, a couple of Miles' friends, look just fine. They’re maybe a little confused, which makes sense if no one has filled them in yet. Julian is his normal self, his ever-calm demeanor in place.
Autumn looks way too nervous, and my heart sinks for a minute. She’s another person that told me she was ready for this, but now I’m worried she only told me what I wanted to hear. Before I can ask if she’s okay, Kara steps up beside me. She gives the room an awkward wave, and it’s returned by everyone but Autumn and Miles. He looks pretty uncomfortable too now that I actually look.
Crap .
Well, there’s no going back now.
“Let’s get you two some drinks,” Vic says cheerily from behind us.
My beloved icebreaker.
Kara takes my hand as we turn to follow her into the kitchen. Only once we’re hidden behind a wall do I lift hers to kiss the back of it.
“You’re amazing,” I whisper. “You’re a star.”
She scoffs under her breath.
“I love you, but tone it down a notch. I’m not freaking out, it’s okay.”
I wouldn’t say all of the worry falls off my shoulders, but at least a few pebbles of it tumble down.
“We have margaritas, juice, water, and–obviously–Pepsi.” Vic gestures to the counter full of things with a flourish, and I giggle.
“How is a girl to choose?”
Without another word, she goes to hand me a can of Pepsi, but I shake my head.
“You kidding me? I need a drink .” I tug on Kara. “What are you thinking?”
“A margarita sounds nice.”
“Strawberry, blackberry, or peach?”
If this was a cartoon, I’d have heart eyes at our options.
“Blackberry,” I answer with confidence.
“Strawberry and peach sound enticing,” Kara offers.
Vic finds her own glass on another counter and shoves it towards my wife.
“That’s exactly what I made. Try it!”
As she sips from the large glass, Miles walks in behind her and I freeze on instinct. I love everyone in this kitchen more than I have words for, but I will get fiercely protective over my wife if I need to.
Please don’t give me a reason , I try to telepathically tell him. Please play nice.
“Hey,” he says quietly.
Kara startles a little, and I think the liquid goes down the wrong pipe because she starts to cough into her hand. I take the drink from the other and hand it back to Vic.
“You okay?”
She holds her chest and laughs.
“Yeah, all good.”
“I… need a refill,” Miles tells Vic with a shake of his glass.
“How does strawberry and peach sound?”
“Delicious,” he says.
Vic steps up to her ingredients in front of the blender, and we stand there in a briefly uncomfortable silence.
Kara surprises me by breaking it.
“Can you show me how? You shouldn’t have to make all the drinks on your birthday.”
Vic beams.
“I’d love to show you! None of them ever ask,” she says and points in mine and Miles’ direction.
“I make plenty of things for you, drinks just aren’t my specialty. I don’t know what this guy's excuse is.” I go to playfully poke him with my elbow, but then I notice the look on his face.
He’s basically flabbergasted, and it makes me feel like I’m winning inside. That’s why I want her to spend more time with them. Not because she has anything to prove, not that either of us do, but it feels good to know that there’s a change in her. A positive change, that’s obvious to everyone else too.
I bet he can’t imagine a time she’d offer to help anyone with anyone.
“You’re staring,” I whisper.
“You’re a wizard,” he says back, not as quietly.
“I didn’t do anything. I just fell in love with her, and she’s done all the rest.”
He puts an arm around my shoulders and squeezes me into a side hug.
“I’m glad you’re happy, Rey.”
“Me too, Cress.”
He pulls away and shakes his head.
“It took you this long to give me a nickname, and that’s the best you could do?” he asks with mock offense.
I sigh.
“I’ll keep trying then. Your name is just too short.”
“Then call me by my name like the rest of the world.”
“Nope! Too easy,” I declare. “Happy belated birthday, by the way.”
“What’d you get me?”
“Another year of irreplaceable friendship,” I say cheerfully.
Kara turns back to us with a soft smile, and her hands full.
She gives one to Miles first, and he accepts it with a nod.
“Thanks.”
“Sure,” she replies. Then she hands me the other and gives me a knowing look. “I’ll make yours, I just have to rinse the blender. Do you want to try mine?”
I shake my head.
“I’ll rinse it. You two should catch up.”
They both laugh a little uncomfortably, but they accept the set up for what it is.
I try to eavesdrop over the sound of the sink, but I can’t gather much. They ask each other how they’ve been, and then nothing. Just the sound of water hitting the plastic blended I pout to myself, but I’m sure my wife will tell me everything later.
Vic leans into me.
“Smart.”
“Hopefully.”
The night carries on smoother than I could’ve imagined. I check in on Kara at regular intervals, but she doesn’t seem to be struggling at all. Her and Autumn don’t interact much, but they’re polite when our board games force them to talk to each other.
I’m counting it as progress.
Wyatt, with less of a filter than I have, decides to ask the room if they think it’s super weird that Miles' ex is here with his friend.
Yeah, he’s plastered. Everyone just laughs him off, thankfully. It’s not long after that when we call it a night, and Vic tells us all to get out of her house so she can take her husband upstairs.
She’s pretty drunk, too.
As we walk towards our cars in cool autumn air, we give simple goodbyes. Kara gives Miles a quick nod, and he returns it the same way. I don’t expect them to ever be best friends or anything. I couldn’t imagine them smiling or hugging in greeting, but this is still good. This works.
If I had it my way, Miles would know exactly what the problem was with their marriage, but it doesn’t matter. It’s not about me, and if Kara wants to keep that to herself, then so be it. That’s her prerogative.
I’ll let everyone think she was this big, bad villain, while I enjoy what a sensitive little softie she is behind closed doors.
“You look like you want to say something sweet,” she tells me with a sneer.
“It can wait,” I respond, having mercy on her.
Not too much, though, as I place a wet kiss on her cheek. I giggle as she wipes it away, but that’s all she does.
Oh, progress indeed.