Epilogue Kellen
Two Months Later
I make my way back to the tent with the hot coffee, hoping I’ll be able to nudge Elizabeth awake with a steaming mug.
She was so excited when Jake arranged to stay with her parents so the two of us could “have an excursion” together.
Pittsburgh has been experiencing a warm snap and so, even though it’s nearing Thanksgiving, we booked a spot in a state park to go camping.
Elizabeth was gung ho to camp on the ground in a remote spot, have us walk in all our gear.
But when we loaded the backpacks and took a practice walk around the block, I felt the sting in my foot and knew it wasn’t a good idea for me.
So we compromised and borrowed Orla’s air mattress to wedge into the tiny tent.
When I approach from the picnic table where I’ve left the camp stove to cool, I’m greeted by the sight of Elizabeth’s backside in black tights.
I nearly spill the coffee as I ogle the beautiful round shape.
She’s on her hands and knees, crawling around the tent looking for something when she hears me approach.
She turns over her shoulder and smiles, and I’m so overcome with lust I have no choice but to plunk the travel mugs on the ground and climb inside the tent.
“Stay where you are,” I tell her, wedging myself behind her, rubbing my hands over her warm skin. The November air was just cool enough to snuggle under the blankets but not so cold that we see our breath this morning.
“Where have you been, mister,” she asks, dropping down onto her elbows as I massage her backside. “That feels nice.” And then she gasps when I pull down the leggings and whatever she has on underneath them.
I reach between her legs and find her wet for me, and I growl at her. “I’m wild in the wilderness,” I whisper. I’m immediately, painfully hard and her small noises arouse me further as I root around inside my pants to pull out my cock.
“Kellen Brady, are we having wakeup sex?” Beth actually giggles, but sucks in her breath as I slide right into her. We’ve been working hard over the past month to build up her body’s stamina where sex is concerned. I’ve been more than happy to help her with this therapy for her most intimate parts.
“God, Beth, you feel so good,” I pant into her ear, leaning over her as I start to rock in and out. I’ve never had this type of experience camping and I’m filled with regret that I missed out on 50 years of rutting in the outdoors.
“I love how you fill me up,” she says, and I know she means both physically and emotionally. But right now, I’m focused on the physical part.
I grunt like a caveman as I thrust as hard as I dare, my hips banging off her generous curves. I want to respect that this is still very new for both of us, but Beth turns over her shoulder and blows her hair out of her eyes and says, “Harder, Kellen. Faster.”
“Oh god,” I groan as she slams her body back to meet mine.
Together, the two of us set a frenzied pace in the tent until we are both tumbling over the edge, crying out in the woods among the birds and all the wild things trying to hibernate.
I spill inside her as she moans my name and collapses onto the floor of the tent, sated.
A few minutes later, we’re cuddled together on the air mattress sipping the coffee. “You know,” she says, “I really think that diversion was perfect. This is just the right temperature now.”
I nod, agreeing with her. We don’t always agree like this, but we did make a promise to always talk things out. She draws the line at my rubrics a lot of the time. I call her out when she’s evading discussing something important.
We’ve had so many long talks this fall. So many deep conversations on her couch, on mine.
She’s been so helpful when Maddie needs breastfeeding advice and has stood by my side as I’ve implemented both policy and physical changes at work to make our space more inclusive not just for autistic employees, but engineers of all abilities.
I’m so grateful for Beth and Jake and the ways they’ve opened my eyes to the brilliant staffers I had inadvertently been leaving out of the conversation. Which is why I wanted to bring her here specifically, to this state park, home of an ancient grove of hemlocks.
After our coffee, Beth gets cleaned up and we hike out to the trail. “This is amazing,” she comments, inhaling deeply. I haven’t been here for many years, but I know what she means. The air feels different here. It actually feels mystical, like anything could and has happened among these branches.
“I’ve been thinking about your tattoo,” I tell her, leading her through the shady grove. “And then I was thinking about this grove, how I’ve always loved it here.”
“Oh yeah?”
I nod. “The druids say hemlocks symbolize shelter, protection and healing.”
“Hm,” she says. “That fits.” She spins around on the path, looking up into the soft, fir branches. “It’s beautiful, Kellen. Thank you for bringing me on this excursion.”
I squeeze her hand again. “I’ve been wanting to tell you something,” I whisper, leaning in close and pulling her up to one of the massive trunks.
She looks up into my eyes and I know she knows what I’m about to say, but she lets me say it first anyway. “I love you, Beth.” I kiss her. “I love your passion and your strength. I love your determination. You inspire me and I love you.”
“Oh, Kellen,” she says, her hands coming together in front of her chest. Like a prayer. “I love you, too.”
I kiss her there, beneath the protective shade of the hemlock grove, and I promise to be her steadfast partner as long as she’ll have me. We eventually make our way back to our campsite, arms around each other, pressing our bodies tight together like vines entwined.
Beth’s phone rings as we crest the hill, the small space in the state park where we evidently have cell service.
She looks at me. We’d agreed to avoid our phones for this trip if possible, with emphasis on the “if possible.” I nod and reach for her pocket.
“Go ahead,” I say. I kiss her cheek. “I’ll wait. ”
She looks at the number on the screen. “It’s Jake’s autism center,” she says, arching a brow at the phone. “Hello? Amy?”
I watch Beth’s face as she talks to the counselor from the social skills group. Beth nods, smiles, nods some more, and then gasps. “Oh. Oh my. Oh, Amy, yes. I’ll take it.”
She nods a few more times and says she’ll be sure to phone when we are back in an area with reception. Then Elizabeth hangs up the phone and starts jumping up and down clapping her hands. “Kellen, I got a job!”
“What? That’s fantastic. What’s the job?”
“I’ll be the program coordinator at the center,” she says, squealing again. “Amy called as soon as Mandy gave her notice. It’s a part time job and I can work remotely a lot of the time and oh! Kellen, it’s just the perfect space for me.”
I laugh, catching her enthusiasm. “I’m so happy for you.” Beth does a little shimmy in the sunlight and I stare, wanting to capture this memory, her happy face on the day we first exchanged “I love you’s.”
“This is my favorite camping trip of all time,” she tells me, linking her arm through mine again.
“Agreed,” I tell her. And then I wink. “Let’s go back to the tent and celebrate.”
And we do.
Gasping, moaning, sighing, we celebrate together.
We celebrate our love, Elizabeth’s job, our families.
We celebrate the life we’re building together.
It’s not the experience either of us was expecting and it hasn’t been easy.
But we’re here, together under the stars.
“I love you, Beth,” I whisper into her ear as she falls asleep in my arms.
“I love you, too.”
The Brady fun continues when Cal moves in with a dude named Logan…who isn’t a dude at all…