Epilogue
“I ’m so nervous.” My voice was shaky as I wobbled my weight back and forth.
“Don’t be. You’re going to do great. All these people are here for you. No one else but you,” Grey said, pressing a kiss to my right temple.
“I think I just always assumed Olivia would be with me for something this monumental, you know?”
Grey stepped back, placing himself in my direct line of sight. “Oh, MJ, you’re forgetting something…” He squeezed my hand. “She is always with you, right here,” he said, pulling my hand to that comforting heartbeat of his, thumping against my palm.
A woman’s voice stole my attention from him. “Hi, everyone. Welcome to A Second Page Library. We’re so excited to introduce to you MJ Morgan, a brand-new author who has just released her debut novel, Second Chances .”
I stepped from behind the dark red velvet curtain, making my presence known. This was the first time I’d seen the crowd, and the sheer number of people staring back at me was something I never could’ve expected. I paused, just long enough to take a mental screenshot of this moment and keep it with me forever.
“Thanks so much for having me. I’m so excited to be here.” I beamed back at the librarian.
“Ms. Morgan—”
“Please, call me MJ.”
“MJ, tell us a little bit about your journey, and how the story came about. If I’m remembering correctly, this book was loosely based on a true story, is that right?”
“That’s correct. My story, actually.” I sighed, feeling a soft smile emerging. “Like the main character in the book, I tragically lost my best friend. I remember the accident like it was yesterday. I remember it hurting so badly that I couldn’t even cry. I remember thinking I’d never get out of the darkness that surrounded me. But if I’ve learned anything on this journey of mine, it’s that most of the time, the prettiest rainbows come after the scariest storms.” The cry that was lodged in my throat cleared itself as I gazed out into the crowd and saw hundreds of eyes staring back.
“I know this is an emotional story,” she said, her eyes kind, “and if you don’t feel comfortable doing so, please just say, but I know we’d all love to hear a little excerpt from Second Chances. ”
“Of course I wouldn’t mind. I’m honored that anyone even wants to read it. But I’d love to start off by reading a part of the acknowledgements, if that’s okay?” I responded.
“Absolutely!”
“To Olivia, my best friend, my soulmate, and my angel, you live in heaven now. That means I don’t get to see you anymore. It means I don’t get to hear your laugh. I don’t get to see your smile. I don’t get to hold you when you’re sad. I don’t get to celebrate with you when you’re happy. I don’t get to ask you for advice. I don’t get to have you yell at me when I do something wrong. I don’t get to tell you about the man that I’ve fallen in love with. You’re gone, and I no longer get those pieces of you.”
Feeling my emotions rising, I subconsciously reached for that all too familiar gold metal that dangled from my neck. My fingers landed on the lines of their heartbeat, the lines I’d memorized at this point.
“But instead of dwelling on all the things I don’t get to do, I’ve decided to cherish all the things I do get. I get all the memories we shared together. I get to hold on to the way you played such a profound role in my life. I get to listen to the sound of your heartbeat. And I get to love you for as long as I live. Just because you’re gone doesn’t mean that you’re not still here. I miss you, and I will always love you deeper than the ocean. Oh, and Liv? One more thing. You wouldn’t believe it, but I’m doing it. I’m living in the big city writing silly love stories.” My tears were on the verge of emerging, but I pressed on.
“To Grey, the man who completely shifted my perspective on life. The man who taught me that life is too short to be boring. The man who makes me smile and blush all in the same sentence. The man I wouldn’t be standing here today without. I owe so much to you, and I hope you’ll let me spend the rest of my life thanking you, even though that still won’t be long enough. I lost Liv that day, but because of you, I’ll always have a piece of her right next to me. I love you, Grey Prescott.” I looked up from my book, and the first eyes that caught mine were his.
His lips moved silently. “I love you.”
“To Chief Williams, thank you for saving my life and making me believe my story was good enough to be told. Without you, this story would’ve stayed locked away in my brain forever.
“To Sam, thank you for being the friend I needed when I didn’t feel like I needed a friend at all. Our friendship is something I’ll always cherish.
“And lastly, to my parents and my second parents, I would’ve died that day had you not carried me out of the hospital. Honestly, I think I would’ve died many days over without your love and support. We all lost someone that night, yet you four showed up for me every single day, even when Liv’s death weighed heavy on all of us. For that, I love all of you, big.
A smirk spread from my lips, turning to the page that I’d previously bookmarked. “I’m sorry. I just know those acknowledgments were an important piece of my story, of this story.” I motioned to the book.
“Don’t be sorry. Your words are truly incredible. They’re touching, real, and raw. Something I find admirable about your writing is the way you can evoke so many emotions from your readers. You’re truly inspiring.”
Her compliment made me blush, the heat filling my cheeks. I sat back in my chair, making myself comfortable before locating the spot on the page where I wanted to start. Clearing my throat, I took one last gaze into the crowd, registering all the enthusiastic readers staring back at me with doting eyes.
Then, I started reading.
“‘I used to think that the more people you got close to, the more chances you had of losing someone. That’s why I’ve kept my distance from people ever since losing you. I’ve also recently discovered that being close to people who love you and care about you is worth the risk. No matter what the chances are that you might lose them. It’s really as simple as that. Life without love is no life at all. So, love wildly, live bravely, and please never forget to chase your dreams. Life is too short, and most of us don’t get a second chance.’”