Epilogue
Lily
We never returned to our old present.
That day, standing in front of the building, we realized there was too much to lose if we decided to go to that basement. And part of us was afraid of what might happen if we managed to get back, would we lose everything we'd fought so hard to achieve?
Kyle and I promised each other we'd enjoy just one more month and then reconsider. After that month passed, we decided to give ourselves another month, and then another, until we didn't even mention it anymore.
So we simply decided to live the life we would have wanted the first time, hoping we could stay here forever. And thankfully, everything turned out great.
This time, I decided to study medicine. It had always been my passion, and I realized it was what I'd always wanted to do. I graduated with honors and specialized in emergency medicine, waking up every day happy to help people save lives.
Kyle studied systems engineering again. He said he'd always loved it, and with all the knowledge he had from our previous timeline, he became one of the best in his field.
Kyle's parents eventually decided to divorce, but this time the process was peaceful. Neither Aria nor Kyle suffered in the process, and they remained a happy family, attending events together and celebrating holidays with their new partners.
Kyle went back to study in Australia, but he came back every 4 months to be with his family, friends, and me.
He always said he couldn't be away from me for so long, and I'd remind him that there was a time when he abandoned me for ten years.
He'd claim he didn't remember that, that maybe it was a Kyle from another universe that didn't exist anymore.
That comment always made me laugh. We liked to joke about a life that "never existed," when deep down we knew it was something we'd never be able to explain to anyone else.
After Oliver's death, Leo decided to talk to my parents about everything he was going through.
Just as I'd known would happen, they supported him completely and told him they would always love him no matter what.
Leo went to therapy to work through the trauma and depression from hiding who he was for so long, and eventually, he became his old self again, but stronger and more confident.
He and Jeremy remained friends for a while, until five years ago, when they got drunk and decided to get married in secret.
They've been madly in love and shouting it from the rooftops ever since, which has made me incredibly happy to see.
I'd always known they were meant for each other from the moment I discovered their secret.
We never saw Brandy again after the trial, just like what happened in our old present.
Some people just aren't meant to be in our lives, no matter what we do to keep them.
Sometimes we torment ourselves, wondering what would have happened if we had acted differently, without realizing that in the end, those who are no longer here were never meant to be.
My mother still developed cancer, but this time we caught it early thanks to my "medical intuition.
" My parents were always surprised by how much I seemed to know about medicine, especially when I noticed her exhaustion wasn't normal.
What they didn't realize was how much I'd gone through to learn what I knew.
Everything else remained largely the same, as if life had adjusted itself so these small changes became part of the world we already knew. I was relieved to discover that our actions hadn't triggered the catastrophic butterfly effect we'd initially feared.
Sometimes we avoid doing things because we're afraid of the consequences, without realizing that life might unfold similarly whether we act or not, and that, in the end, what really matters is being happy with the decisions we make.
This was our real present, the life we'd always wanted to live, and we didn't want to lose it all again. We were finally happy, so we decided simply to keep living in it.
I won't lie and say we never had moments of fear, waking up terrified that we'd lost everything. But then we'd look around at our life together and realize things were still the same, making us breathe easier and feel grateful for this second chance.
Kyle
Today was Saturday, and Lily was having brunch with Claudette and Marlin.
These girls had worked for Waldo in our other life, and one of Lily's biggest worries about staying in the past was not being able to have them as friends again.
But I'd encouraged her to frequent the same places they used to go and find ways to reconnect with them.
Luckily, everything worked out perfectly. Lily seemed to "understand them like no one else" and always knew exactly what to say or do, so they became inseparable again.
I took advantage of her absence to prepare a surprise with the help of our families and, of course, Jeremy, who had become one of my closest friends.
One thing I was grateful for in this timeline was connecting with people I'd never have expected to be in my life.
Jeremy had proven to be an incredible friend, always there to help me make decisions and improve my "basic style," as he put it.
We were in the park behind the church, the place where Lily and I became closer, and the place where we decided to give ourselves a second chance in our lives.
The entire space was decorated with flowers, lining the path from the entrance to our bench and a floral arch behind me.
Our mothers had helped with the decorating, since I wasn't particularly good with plants.
To the right was a table with desserts and champagne for toasting, assuming everything went well.
I knew everything was fine, but part of me still harbored that small "what if" that I couldn't control.
It's human to dwell on the negatives even when everything seems positive.
Even though we'd had ten wonderful years together and I couldn't imagine life without her, it was impossible not to think about that alternate timeline where we'd spent a decade apart, barely speaking.
Those memories made me treasure what we had now even more, but they also reminded me how fragile happiness could be.
I got a text from Claudette saying they were almost here, and my nerves started to rise.
"Stop being so ridiculous. Everything's going to be great." My sister handed me a glass of champagne that I drank in one gulp.
"I know. I just can't help it." I passed the empty glass back to her.
"In case Lily doesn't like the surprise, I can introduce you to some friends," Jeremy added with a grin. "There's this guy at the gym..."
"Don't even think about it. I've told you a thousand times I'm completely straight."
Jeremy looked me up and down. "I've always had my doubts."
I laughed loudly, which helped ease my tension. I definitely couldn't understand how I'd gone through one lifetime without having this guy's support and friendship.
A few minutes later, I saw Aria gesture from the church entrance. "Lily's here! Everyone to your positions!"
I watched Lily stroll down the flower-lined path in the white dress she'd picked out that morning for her "fancy brunch and spa day," but now sporting a fresh haircut. She was taking in everything around her with a radiant smile, while I stood there, breathless at how beautiful she was.
Many people would think that after so much time together, I'd get used to her beauty, but all these years by her side had only confirmed how stunning she was inside and out. I would never tire of looking at her.
When she finally reached me, I took both her hands, still mesmerized by her face.
"What's all this?" she asked, still smiling. "Why is everyone here?" She looked around at all our family and friends gathered throughout the park.
"You cut your hair again," was all I could manage to say. Over the years, Lily had grown her hair out, and I'd loved how she could change her style while remaining beautiful in every version. Now she had it cut short around her ears, just like when we'd first met and found each other again.
"Well, yes, I got tired of the long hair. It was getting hard to style. Do you like it?"
"Of course, I like it. There isn't a version of you I don't love."
She gave me a soft kiss, and we stood there for a few seconds with our foreheads pressed together, breathing each other in.
"Lily," I whispered, "I've known a world without you, and I realized it's not what I want. One of my biggest regrets was taking so long to understand that I didn't want to live away from you. But I'm grateful to the universe and to you for giving us a second chance to make things right."
I didn't care that everyone listening couldn't fully understand my words. Lily and I knew what they meant, and that was what mattered.
"Thank you for coming back to me," she answered softly, "and thank you for having the patience to let me learn to trust you again. Thank you for fighting for us when I was too scared to try."
"And I would do it a thousand times if this were the outcome."
"And I would accept you again in all lives." She laughed.
"Do you know what day it is today?"
"January 6." She replied.
"January 6," I confirmed. "The day our lives changed for good, and now that I know for sure there's no turning back, it's time to make this forever."
I pulled out the ring box from my pocket and dropped to one knee. "Lily," I said, looking into her eyes as tears began to fall, "will you marry me?"
She stared at the ring for a while, as if she couldn't believe what was happening, and then finally answered, "Yes. In this life, and in all the ones to come."
I smiled and slipped the ring onto her finger, then stood to kiss her deeply, pouring ten years of love and gratitude into that moment. Everyone around us erupted in applause, and I couldn't believe how perfect everything had turned out, how lucky I was to have all these people in my life.
Sometimes we need to lose everything to discover what truly matters. And I would live this life a thousand times over if it meant understanding what I'd needed and wanted all along.
I'd spent much of my previous life regretting decisions I'd made in moments of desperation. Although it took me a long time to realize what I should have done, I was grateful we'd been able to take a few steps back and fix everything.
Because now, at this point in my life, I had no regrets.