Epilogue Rosalynn
Epilogue
Rosalynn
Rosalynn had always dreamed of living on the water.
It was funny how hopes took on an unexpected shape that ended up exceeding anything she could have planned.
Wind rolled across the Potomac River, sailboats and a fishing vessel dotting the horizon.
Great blue herons picked their way along the shallows.
She couldn’t imagine a better place to say her final farewell to her father. On the body of water where they’d found healing so long ago after the march. A place she now called home.
Lillian held the box with Ace’s ashes, standing between Rosalynn and Elsie at the end of the dock. In a fitting tribute, Elsie plucked out a flawless rendition of “Peaceful Easy Feeling.” As the notes washed over them, Lillian knelt and trickled the ashes into the water.
Dusty leaned against Rosalynn, instinctively comforting. Tears stung her eyes, of loss, but also ones of such gratitude for Grady and the honor of being his daughter.
She’d opted to relocate from South Carolina to Virginia to spend more time with her father.
Even if her job at the arts center hadn’t been put on hold due to hurricane damage, she liked to think she would have come to the same decision.
She and Elsie had moved in with her parents.
It made sense to pool resources, financially and emotionally, like when Della had come to live with them.
Elsie had requested homeschooling for her senior year to spend more time with Ace.
She’d also used the flexible schedule to deal with the stress of holding the guilty parties in South Carolina accountable.
They’d made the most of Ace’s last months, enjoying a final Christmas together. Best of all, Ace had lived long enough to witness the public announcement of Lillian’s candidacy. He’d even scraped up enough strength to be there by her side.
Rosalynn glanced toward Elsie now as she played her grandfather’s guitar with focus and intention. Her heart swelled with pride at how her daughter had faced down her fears and made it through the other side of her ordeal.
Lillian had harnessed all her legal influence to recruit a high-powered South Carolina attorney.
The dominoes fell from there. Elsie had shared the threats.
Willow had turned over evidence against Porter, and she’d received a suspended sentence.
Porter had tried to take a plea deal in exchange for implicating the other boys in their school.
However, thanks to Elsie’s bravery, other girls had stepped forward with accusations.
Freeing Elsie of her ties to Sullivan’s Island.
After completing high school, Elsie had enrolled in a local college in Alexandria to pursue a degree in music, surprising all by continuing to live at home with her mom and grandmother. She’d shrugged off their shock and simply noted they deserved time to enjoy being a family.
Rosalynn had suggested Elsie make an appointment with the campus counselor to process the betrayal.
Someone neutral since she’d already suffered enough embarrassment during the investigation.
The talk therapy seemed to be helping. Elsie had been pushing her grandmother to make bullying and cybercrimes part of her platform.
No more hiding in shame for something that had never been her fault.
Seth had driven up to see Elsie once, and their daughter had been warily hopeful.
Until Seth let it slip that he was actually on his way to Atlantic City in New Jersey.
Sad. But not unexpected. Making a big change took more than effort.
As Ace had shown her, the person had to want the transformation.
How thankful she was that her father had chosen to take that step all those years ago.
Rosalynn had given a lot of thought to her own life makeover and had used the small profit from her Sullivan’s Island home as seed money toward a loan for a small dance studio.
She’d taken her solitary workouts public, with the assistance of two students at a local college.
Her studio also offered options in adaptive dance classes, from ballroom to ballet.
And fitness workouts too. Pilates. Yoga. Even doga—yoga with a dog. Turned out, Dusty had a Zen side.
Money was tight. But the rewards were priceless. Dancing again, expressing her art in new and creative ways while helping others to do the same, reignited an empowering fire in her soul.
As the last notes of Elsie’s song drifted out over the water, Rosalynn turned to her mother. “Are you ready, Mama?”
Standing, Lillian placed the lid back on the box. “For which part?”
Elsie hugged her grandfather’s guitar. “How about all of it?”
Rosalynn glanced over her shoulder at Ben grilling burgers on her mom’s back patio. Changes went beyond her professional life to her personal as well. Their friendship had developed into something more. Something fun. As for the future? She enjoyed anticipating the journey, wherever it led them.
A pair of cardinals winged inward to land on the railing like a howdy-do from loved ones.
So sweet. But Rosalynn didn’t need red birds or superstitions for reminders of her father and Nana Della.
She could feel their approval all around her.
Elsie was healthy and well on her way to a career in music.
Her mother would make an earthshaking addition to Congress.
And Rosalynn? She intended to spend the rest of her days dancing.