EPILOGUE
EPILOGUE
Nerves bound Liz’s chest tightly. Bri would be here any moment.
Melody had volunteered to the do the honors of driving up to the prison to pick Bri up while Liz stayed back to make sure the event of the century went off without a hitch.
It was supposed to be a surprise party, but Melody and Liz had both decided that was maybe too much for Bri right now. Sometimes even happy surprises could be stressful, and knowing what was just around the corner was preferable. Bri had argued against the party, at first, but then she’d agreed on just a small homecoming with Liz’s family, Melody, Christopher, Matt, and a few others, including Danette Rhodes. Mr. Lyme was going to stop by as well.
“The car just pulled in.” Matt turned from the window and caught Liz’s eye.
Liz’s insides lit up, half from the anticipation of Bri walking through the door, half from Matt himself. They were dating these days, double dating with Melody and Christopher some of those days.
Matt flicked the switch to turn the lights off.
Liz was about to object. That wasn’t part of Melody’s plan. Since Bri knew they were here, there was no reason to hide. Before Liz could say anything though, the door opened and Bri stepped through.
“Surprise!” Matt and a few others said.
Bri’s smile was hesitant, growing warmer as she glanced around the room.
When she finally looked in Liz’s direction, Liz grinned. “Surprise,” she mouthed.
Bri laughed quietly. Freedom looked good on her. Her skin was glowing and her eyes were bright. “All this for me?” she asked, gesturing at the decorations that Melody had hung around the room. There was a table of gifts as well.
“Why not for you?” Danette asked, her head bobbling as usual. “You deserve it.”
“I deserve it because I made it out of prison?” There was a note of sarcasm in Bri’s voice.
“No, because you’re you. The same you who grew up around here and the you you’ll always be. The one we know and love,” Danette said.
“Words of a wise woman,” Christopher said with a nod.
Danette’s smile dropped. “Are you calling me old?”
“I wouldn’t dare, Danny,” he said with a laugh.
Liz just watched, soaking up the moment. She’d wished for this moment for years and she’d never thought it could be like this, with all of them together again. Almost all of them at least.
Bri hugged each person as they stepped forward. Then, when all the hugs had been doled out, Melody directed folks to the tables that were set up. One might think today was a graduation ceremony or retirement party of some sort. It was fancy, yet simple. Perfect in a word.
Melody walked toward Liz. “Aren’t you going to sit down?”
“Yeah. I was just taking a few pictures to document the afternoon.”
“If you spend the whole time behind your camera lens, you’ll need those pictures to know what happened. Come on,” Melody said, reaching for Liz’s hand.
As they reached the table where Bri was sitting, Mr. Lyme stepped up as well.
“Bri, glad to have you home.”
Bri nervously twisted the charm bracelet on her wrist. Liz suspected that Melody had handed it to her as soon as Bri had walked out of the prison. There was a lot of making up for lost time to be done. “Thank you. Glad to be home.”
Mr. Lyme reached into his jacket pocket. “Jo gave me something to give you once you were out. She had clear instructions that you should have it immediately.” He handed Bri a small black box with a blue bow adhered to the top.
“What is it?” Bri took the box and looked down at it, not moving to lift its lid just yet.
“Well, you’ll have to open it to see.” Mr. Lyme chuckled. “Jo would have a fit if I ruined the surprise before you laid eyes on it. Go on.”
Liz noticed how Bri’s hands shook as she grasped the lid and lifted it up. Then a soft gasp tumbled out of her.
“It’s beautiful.”
Liz leaned over to see what the gift was, and she gasped as well. “A charm.”
The charm was of a teacup. It was gold with amber stones accenting the top.
“Jo always told me we’d share a cup of butterscotch tea when I got out.” Bri wiped at a tear, dangling from her lower lash.
“Butterscotch tea was Jo’s go-to for any occasion. Not sure if you knew, but her cup always had a little something extra.” Mr. Lyme winked.
They all laughed.
“Jo must have known we’d find the bracelet in her shop,” Melody finally said.
Bri shook her head. “She was one of a kind.”
“That she was,” Mr. Lyme agreed. “Anyway, welcome home. When is Ally getting here?”
“Tomorrow,” Bri said. “Her father is putting her on a nonstop flight from California. I can’t wait to hug her.”
“Give her a hug from me as well.” He offered Bri his hand and squeezed.
After he’d walked away, Bri took the tiny charm in her palm and looked at Melody. “Can you add it to the bracelet?”
“Of course.”
Liz watched as one more charm found its link. The bracelet was filling up quickly.
“What’s next?” Bri asked once it was attached.
Melody lifted a hand to answer that question. “We eat and then we have our own little private celebration. Just us.”
Liz nibbled at her lower lip. “And the guys. But we can make them disappear for a while.”
Bri grinned. “I like the sound of that.”
* * *
The night was chilly, even though when the sun had been shining just a few hours earlier, the temperature had climbed into triple digits.
Melody glanced over at her friends. This day had felt like it would never arrive and now that Bri was here, sitting on the ocean shore, it felt like it had always been just like this. Time was relative.
“Hey.” Christopher stepped over to Melody and plopped down beside her. “You look like you’re lost in thought. Care to share?”
Melody leaned her shoulder to his. “I’m just happy, that’s all.” She pulled in a breath and released it into the night, tipping her head back to look at the stars.
Christopher’s hand found hers, covering it with his warm palm. “Me too. Not everyone likes the small-town life, but you really can’t beat a night like this. Good view. Good friends. Good drinks.”
Melody glanced over. “I like this small-town life.”
“Well good, because I like you.” He leaned in, brushing his mouth to hers in a sweet kiss.
“Eww, guys. Come on,” Bri whined. “I just got out of prison. Spare me the PDA at least on my first night.” She was just teasing, of course. Bri seemed happy and carefree, for the most part. “Besides, Liz and Matt are coupled up. Mel and Christopher are making out. I’m the odd woman out. It’s making me consider going back to lock-up.”
Liz laughed. “No, you are not. We’ll find you a date, if that’s what you want.”
Bri frowned. “Don’t threaten me like that. All I want tonight is a glass of wine. Do you know how long it’s been?”
Melody leaned forward and grabbed the basket with wine and glasses inside. “Too long, my friend.”
Matt shared a look with Christopher. “You ladies pour your wine. Christopher and I have business to take care of.”
Christopher stood, avoiding Melody’s inquiring glance.
“I wonder what that’s about,” Liz said when it was just her, Melody, and Bri sitting together at the end of Sunset Pier.
Melody shrugged. “Guy talk. That’s okay because we can have girl talk.” She pointed at the bracelet on Bri’s wrist. “When you wear that, you have to do something wild and crazy, something you would never do, in Alyssa’s words, to prove that you’re not just a zombie.”
Liz shook her head. “Okay, maybe we should change the purpose of this bracelet. Obviously, we’re not zombies. Not anymore, at least.”
Melody nodded. “Good point. Maybe we just wear the bracelet and remind ourselves not to forget any of it. Alyssa. Jo.”
“Prison,” Bri said quietly.
“Panic attacks and fear over everything,” Liz added.
“Charlotte.” Melody leaned back on her arms with her legs extended in front of her. “When we wear the bracelet, we remember those things that made us who we are. They’re not good or bad, they’re just part of us.”
“And we remember each other too,” Liz said. “I never want us to lose each other again.”
Bri leaned forward over bent knees, wrapping her arms around her shins. “I like this new pact. It’s fitting.”
Liz draped an arm around Bri’s shoulders from her left side. Melody did the same from the right, sandwiching their newly free friend. “Do you think Jo and Alyssa are smiling down on us right now?”
Melody swallowed past the thick lump in her throat. “I’m pretty sure.”
A pop rang out, puncturing the night, followed by fireworks lighting up the sky of stars. Red. Blue. Yellow. Orange. One splash of color after another. Melody’s lips parted. “Do you think the guys are behind this?” she finally asked.
Liz laughed. “I’m pretty sure.”
Melody grabbed the bottle of wine and popped the cork. Liz grabbed the glasses, offering up one at a time for Melody to fill. Then, once all three of them had glasses in hand, Melody raised her glass. “A toast.”
Liz and Bri raised their glasses as well.
“To long-lost friends and newly found direction,” Bri said.
“To remembering to remember,” Liz added, clinking her glass to the other two.
“To us,” Melody finally said. “All of us.” She clinked her glass to theirs and then her gaze caught on the newly added teacup charm on Bri’s wrist. It was as if Jo was toasting them as well, and maybe she was. Another splash of brilliant color erupted across the black canvas of the night sky. On a happy sigh, Melody brought her wine glass to her mouth and took a grateful sip, savoring this moment and looking forward to all the ones to come.