Epilogue
Chessie, our black labrador retriever, and I watch the snow fall from our bay window at our house on the hill.
The snow looks mesmerizing as it falls in big, chunky flakes.
There’s already a foot of snow on the ground, and we have a path dug out from the front porch to the mailbox, but otherwise, the snow is perfectly untouched.
The smell of birchwood spreads throughout the house from the fireplace. There’s a candle lit on the coffee table, and a wool blanket draped over me. The record player in the corner of the room softly plays Andy’s NORTHERN SUMMER NIGHTS record, even though it’s the dead of winter.
Chessie barks at both the truck in the driveway and the opening of the front door, and I race to the doorway into Dean’s arms. He drops a grocery bag full of takeout Chinese on the floor, as he greets Chessie.
“Hi, sunshine,” Dean greets me with a peck on the cheek. His face is ice cold from being outside.
“Hi, my love,” I say to his chest, hugging him as he tries to take his coat off.
I release him and he hangs the coat on the hall tree.
He’s wearing my favorite flannel shirt, the one with the red checkered pattern.
He scoops me up into a real hug, and I run my hand through the back of his hair. It’s getting really shaggy these days.
“There’s some tea for you.” I motion to the kitchen, even though I’ve probably already drank half of it.
“How was your day?” He asks me, stepping on my heels on purpose.
“Perfect,” I say confidently. “Guess what.”
“You emptied the dishwasher finally?” He laughs.
“Um, no,” I say. “Well, I did do that, but that’s not what I want you to guess.” We walk into the living room, and Dean pulls me onto the couch, onto his lap.
“What?” He asks, waiting for me to tell him instead of guessing.
“I got the job.” I beam.
“At the school?”
“Yes, at the school!”
“Oh, Madeline, I’m so happy for you.” Dean kisses me with a smile. “You worked so hard for it.” He’s right—I went back to school and got my Master’s of Fine Arts in illustration, and got my teaching certificate.
“I start in two weeks, after winter break.”
“Congratulations, my love,” Dean whispers, leaning back onto the sofa, his head resting on my shoulder. “The record sounds great.” He pauses, listening.
About a year ago, I reached out to Andy’s record label and asked if they were interested in releasing his second album.
And of course—they were. I had to get Mark involved of course.
Mark remastered the recordings, and they were released last June, just in time for summer.
It’s nominated at this year’s music awards for best folk album, and I couldn’t be happier.
I got an early copy of the vinyl and it’s played in our house well into the winter season.
“Mark did a really good job with it,” I agree, Dean nuzzling my neck. Chessie paces around the table. “Let’s take her out.” I suggest.
We get up, and call Chessie to the back door. We let her out, and she tumbles into the snow like a snow leopard. Our backyard is a mess of dog, deer and bear footprints. Chessie seemingly can’t tell the difference. Dean steps out to throw her a tennis ball, which she happily accepts.
“Come out here with me,” Dean says, shivering.
“It’s freezing!” I say. “No way.”
“That’s why I need you out here with me. To keep me warm,” Dean smiles. “Come on. Just for a few minutes.” Reluctantly, I toe on my boots and step outside. I’m not kidding when I say it’s snowing outside—it’s wet and slushy and falling in my hair. “Look. There’s a cardinal.”
I spot it too, right in on the fence in the furthest corner of the yard.
“You know what a cardinal means, right?”
“Someone is safe and happy, even if they are far away.” I say. “Or something, right?”
“It also means good luck. And good things are on the way.”
“Good things are already here.” I smile, referring to my job, Chessie, our house, and of course him. I look back out in the yard, the cardinal still hopping along the fence.
“Madeline,” Dean whispers. “There are so many good things coming your way, you don’t know half of it.”
“Hm?” I turn towards him, and he’s holding a small, blue velvet box that shimmers in the snow.
“What—what is this?” I ask as he hands me the box, I turn it over in my hands, studying the soft fabric.
“Marry me, Madeline,” Dean kisses the top of my head as I open the box; inside is a delicate solitaire diamond ring with a golden band. “Please say yes.”
I look up at Dean, his brown eyes twinkling, snow getting caught in his eyelashes. Memories of us flash through my mind. I’ve come to love this man so tenderly, so thoroughly, I don’t know how I could live without him. He makes me shine in the darkest of places.
“Yes. Of course, I’ll marry you.” He takes the box from me, removing the ring and slipping it onto my finger. “But can we go inside, please?”
He laughs, and we step back inside the warm house. “Yes, I’m sorry, I just had to ask you then, you looked so beautiful.”
“It’s the snow in my hair, isn’t it?”
“It’s like the first time I really got to see the real you. On the docks at Camden.”
“How long have you had this planned?” I ask.
“I picked up the ring last week when I was in Caribou. But I knew I wanted to marry you the moment you agreed to come to Allagash with me.”
“That long ago? Why did you wait so long?” I laugh.
“I wanted you to be sure,” Dean smiles softly at me, pulling me into a hug.
“I have never been more sure of anything than you,” I say as he squeezes me, and I peer around him at my shiny new ring. Calling Chessie back in, we go back into the living room. I climb under the blanket while Dean pokes the fireplace.
“I can’t wait to show Sierra.”
“She’s already seen it.” Dean laughs from across the room.
“Ah, you sneak! It must have killed her not to say anything.”
“She survived somehow.”
“We’ll have a winter wedding, right?” I ask him, daydreaming about snow falling as we say our vows.
“It’s required.”
“We have both our fantasies now, don’t we?” I say aloud, thinking about our conversation all those years ago. “You have your house on the hill. And I have my prince.”
“I’ll buy you a big fancy dress and pay for finishing school if it’s what you really want.” Dean walks over after putting a new record on, sitting next to me.
“I think I have everything I want. Do you?”
“I do.”
“Where do you want to honeymoon?” I ask him.
“How about a little road trip?”