Epilogue
LILA
As the plane touches down on the tarmac, the boys all look so relieved that, for a moment, I worry they’re going to be those people who clap when the plane lands.
Thankfully, they don’t. But as the flight attendant announces over the speaker system that we have arrived on Koh Samui, Fisher reaches around to massage his shoulder.
“Finally,” he says with a groan.
“What’s wrong?” I tease as I lean over to kiss the shoulder he’s rubbing. “I thought you were well-traveled. A man of the world who was used to long-haul flights with multiple connections.”
My husband’s expression goes from pained to sheepish. “I’d never flown economy before today,” he admits. “I thought the Fiat had changed me, but I’m still a bit high maintenance, I’m afraid.”
On Fisher’s other side, Penn chokes on the water he’s sipping.
“Dude, I’d never even stepped foot on a plane until I went to college,” he sputters.
Then, he frowns, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
“Although I have to admit, I have gotten used to flying private this past year. I forgot how tiny these seats are.”
“Same,” Noah says. “And how the legroom is so…nonexistent.”
Fisher nods in agreement. “Economy wasn’t made for men of our size and stature.”
“Bunch of bougie little babies,” Ally mutters, and I giggle, even though the boys have a point—Fisher’s knees touch the back of the seat in front of ours, and after two connections and twenty-six hours in transit, I can’t imagine he’s comfortable.
Meanwhile, I curled my feet up under my legs and tucked myself against my husband’s arm and slept like a baby for most of the flight. With my head on my husband’s chest, I slept soundly and dreamt of tropical island breezes, endless fresh pineapple, and turquoise water.
“So what are we doing first?” Hazel asks, ever the planner. The Lonely Planet she was reading for most of the journey is still cracked open in her lap. “I was thinking we could go to a night market for dinner, and before that maybe stop at a viewpoint or waterfall, or…”
“Beer,” Noah, Penn, and Fisher all say in unison.
Hazel sighs. “I was going to say take a walk on the beach.”
“How about beers on the beach?” I ask.
“Say less.” Fisher laughs, and the others nod in agreement.
We get off the plane and out of the airport as quickly as possible, and a quick tuk-tuk ride later, we reach the little beachfront villa we rented. We don’t even bother to explore it—we all dump our bags, pull off our shoes, then race straight out the beach.
“I can’t believe we’re really in Thailand!” Ally squeals.
“It’s even more perfect than the pictures,” Hazel says, her eyes huge as she looks around at powdery white sand framed by palm trees that bend towards the ocean.
Along the beach, clusters of colorful fishing boats bob on the gentle waves.
The warm air smells like salt and tropical flowers in bloom. Faint music pulses from a bar nearby.
The boys all head over to the bar to get us drinks, and Ally, Hazel, and I walk toward the water.
“Wow,” Ally sighs once we make it to the shallows and dips her toes in the warm water.
“I’m so glad you’re both here,” I tell them with a big smile.
“We wouldn’t be anywhere else.” Hazel links her arm through mine. “It’s an honor to be here.”
After everyone gave Fisher and I our surprise wedding gift, the three of us girls went shopping—real wedding shopping, this time.
Ally even broke out her binder again. We bought khaki shorts and white linen button down shirts for the boys, cherry-blossom pink silk sundresses for the girls, and I found the destination wedding dress of my dreams: a simple, flowy, lace gown with spaghetti straps and a plunging back.
Our plan is to have a recommitment ceremony on the beach at sunrise in a few days’ time.
Fisher and I will make forever vows to each other—this time, from the heart, in the presence of the best friends anyone could ever ask for.
We’ve even planned to livestream it so my art collective back in San Francisco can watch, too.
That way, everyone we love can share our joy with us.
“Well, I know from experience you two make pretty badass bridesmaids,” I say with a giggle. I squeeze Hazel’s hand, then link my other arm through Ally’s. “And you know our boys are bonded for life…so that makes us bonded forever, too.”
“Sisters,” Ally says softly. “I always wanted a sister.”
“Same,” Hazel and I both reply at the same time.
I look out at the golden sun sinking low in the sky, thinking back to how I was so stressed about meeting my husband’s family, wondering what they’d think of me.
But as it turned out, what they thought didn’t matter at all, because the real meaning of family is much deeper than blood.
Fisher’s true family is the group of people on this beach with me. A family I’m now a part of.
“Drinks are here!” Penn yells, and we turn to see the boys walking towards us. They’re all laughing and look like they don’t have a care in the world.
The shimmering light catches in my husband’s hair, and he smiles at me. I love seeing him like this—sunglasses on, hair windblown, feet bare and the legs of his pants rolled up so he can walk along the sea’s edge. He looks as loose and relaxed as I feel.
They’re all holding a beer in one hand and our drinks in the other. Noah’s got a Pina Colada for Ally, Penn hands Hazel a glass of bubbly wine, and Fisher passes me a pink, frothy drink with a grin.
My eyes widen. “Is this what I think it is?”
“Nom Yen,” Fisher says with a nod, looking extra pleased with himself. “But with a splash of whiskey in it…for old times’ sake.”
I laugh in delight, thinking about how long ago that night feels now, the one where we got drunk together on a concoction of my favorite childhood drink mixed with vintage whiskey worth more than Fisher’s new car, then agreed to get married. Best bad decision ever.
“The bartenders were a little confused at first,” he says as he loops an arm around my waist, pulling me against him. “But we got there in the end.”
I turn my head to give him a secret little smile. “We did.”
He presses his lips to mine for a fleeting second, then pulls me even closer. I sink into the warmth of his body, breathing in his familiar warm vanilla and sweet tobacco scent.
Noah slides his hand into Ally’s, and she leans her head on his shoulder, while Penn wraps an arm around Hazel.
On the horizon, the sun begins to sink behind the water, casting the beach in fiery orange and magenta hues.
It’s gorgeous, a work of art, but I don’t feel the familiar itch creeping into my fingers of the artist in me demanding to paint.
Instead, I let myself exist in it. Let myself feel every part of this incredible moment in life. My mom’s presence is so close right now, I can feel her smiling down on us.
A lone tear trickles down my cheek as I silently tell her I love her. That I’ll always miss her, but I’m okay…at peace. I still don't know what the future will hold, but I’m no longer scared. I’m hopeful.
“I can’t believe we have to move out of 3B after we get home,” Penn says after a few moments of silence, and we all nod in agreement.
A couple of days after the boys’ last game, an eviction letter arrived at our door from Fisher Group. None of us were surprised Fisher’s dad was kicking us out of his property after what went down at my gallery opening…we were all just sad at the prospect of saying goodbye to 3B.
“Kind of feels like the end of an era,” Noah says as he gazes out at the sunset. He sounds sentimental, which is unusual for him.
“Best era of my life.” Ally smiles up at him, and his face softens as he turns to look at her. But then she smirks. “Even if it did start with you hating me.”
“I never hated you!” Noah protests. “If anything, I was grumpy all the time because I liked you too damn much.”
“Aww,” she responds with a grin.
“It’s going to be weird not living there.” Penn winks at Hazel. “Although it hasn’t been the same since the tenant below us moved out and I no longer had a downstairs neighbor to bug with my music.”
Fisher sighs. “Anyone have ideas of what they’re going to do yet?”
Everyone shakes their heads. After the eviction letter arrived, Noah talked about buying his own place now he had a contract extension with the Lions.
He and Ally even went to a few open houses.
Penn and Hazel also considered looking for something, as her studio across the road from the loft is on a month-to-month lease, and barely big enough for her and her tarantula.
And Fisher and I thought we might rent a little apartment in the art district, near the firehouse…
but none of us have acted on anything yet.
“We’re going to be homeless if we don’t figure it out soon,” Penn says.
Noah blows out a breath. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but what if we just…rent another place for the fall?”
Hazel scrunches her nose. “What, like, together?”
He shrugs. “I thought maybe rent a big house with a yard, something with plenty of room for the six of us and the menagerie of animals we’ve accumulated…” He trails off, scratching the back of his necks as his cheeks turn red. “I mean, only if you guys all wante—”
“I want to,” Fisher cuts him off, at the exact same time as Penn says, “I’m in!”
Noah looks pleased. And a little relieved not to be the only one who wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the current living situation.
Ally smiles. “Plus, Harry Styles needs six parents. He’s a handful.”
“And I’d love to get out of my tiny studio.” Hazel nods in agreement. “Let’s do it.”
“Puck yeah, that’s my girl.” Penn kisses the top of her head.
Fisher looks at me, brows raised. “Lila? Do you want to live with all of us for a second time?”
In the distance, the last rays of the day’s sunlight spread over the water as the sun completes its descent below the horizon.
The day is over, but a new one is right around the corner.
I can’t think of anything better than to spend it, and the days beyond, with these incredible people.
With Fisher—because ultimately, home is wherever he is.
Which makes my decision an easy one. “I do.”