Epilogue Two — Fifteen Years LaterThe house was quiet in the way only a Saturday morning could be—sunlight slanting through the kitchen windows, the smell of pancakes lingering in the air, and the faint hum of the washing machine down the hall.Elena stood barefoot on the porch of their two-story farmhouse, one hand cradling a warm mug of tea, the other resting against the wooden post that Jack had sanded himself. The house wasn’t new anymore, but it was theirs—solid, weathered, and full of laughter. The porch swing creaked behind her, and she turned to see Jack step outside, grinning, his hair streaked with silver now."They’re still asleep?" he asked, kissing her temple."Miraculously," she said, smiling. "Even Lila."Lila was twenty-one now. Off at university most of the year, but home for the summer and curled up upstairs in the same bedroom she’d helped paint yellow when she was six. She had Jack’s steadiness and Elena’s fire, and a mind of her own sharp enough to carry her anyw
Epilogue — HomeSeveral years had passed since that day on the beach.Life had grown, slowly and softly, like wildflowers in spring. It hadn’t always been easy, but it had been real—and full. And now, it was fuller than ever.Their new house sat at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, painted a soft blue with white shutters and a wraparound porch. It wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t falling apart either. It was theirs. A home they’d chosen together. A place to grow roots.Boxes were stacked in every corner, some labeled in Lila’s careful handwriting—books, toys, kitchen stuff. Jack hoisted the last one from the truck while Elena stood in the front yard, one hand resting on the curve of her pregnant belly, the other loosely holding the fingers of their youngest, a giggling two-year-old with Jack’s eyes and Elena’s wild curls.Lila, now ten, darted past them with a grin, holding a clipboard like a tiny general. “Okay, we’ve got bedrooms assigned, snacks unpacked, and the couch is in the perfect
Chapter Forty-Five — A Name of Our OwnThe summer sun dipped low behind the hills, casting long golden streaks through the windows of the house that had finally become home.Dinner had been quiet, full of clinking forks and shared glances. Jack had made garlic bread from scratch, proudly declaring it his best batch yet, and Lila had eaten three pieces before announcing she was officially "bread drunk." Elena laughed until her eyes watered, the kind of laughter that came easily now.Afterward, Jack washed the dishes while Lila colored at the table, a fox-themed sticker book open beside her. Elena moved through the house, tucking blankets back onto the couch, collecting stray socks and a juice box left on the stairs. It was all so beautifully ordinary.Later, with bedtime stories read and the sun nearly gone, Lila appeared in the doorway of their bedroom. Her fox tucked beneath one arm, eyes wide and nervous."Mommy?"Elena looked up from her journal, already sensing something in her da
Chapter Forty-Four — The Last GoodbyeThey didn't go far for their honeymoon.Just a quiet cabin a few hours up the coast, tucked between towering pines and the hush of a private cove. It wasn’t lavish. It didn’t need to be. It was time carved out just for them—a pause between chapters, a place where the noise of the world couldn’t reach.Lila stayed with Elena’s parents, who were overjoyed to babysit. They waved her off with tearful eyes and promises of too much dessert and bedtime stories every night.The first night at the cabin, Elena and Jack walked the rocky shoreline, hand in hand, the sea breeze curling through their clothes. The sun dipped behind the trees as if tucking itself in.They didn’t talk much. They didn’t need to. Everything between them was quiet certainty.Inside, they lit the fire and poured wine. Jack put on a soft playlist and pulled Elena into a slow, swaying dance in the middle of the living room, her head tucked under his chin.Later, wrapped in each other b
Chapter Forty-Three — The WeddingIt was small. Intimate. Exactly what Elena needed.They chose the same beach they’d once danced on—the place that had come to symbolize not just healing, but joy. No church, no aisles. Just a driftwood arch draped in soft linens, the music of the waves, and the scent of salt and spring in the air.Elena wore a flowing dress the color of sand, simple and soft, with delicate embroidery that Lila had insisted was “magic thread.” Her hair was loose, kissed by the wind, and tucked behind one ear was a single white daisy—Lila’s last-minute addition. She walked barefoot, every step grounded and intentional, as if her past had finally released her hold.Jack stood barefoot in a linen shirt and slacks, the top buttons undone. His eyes never left her as she walked toward him, hand in hand with their daughter, who had scattered wildflowers with theatrical flair all the way to the altar. His breath caught at the sight of them, his future walking toward him in slo
Chapter Forty-Two — AlwaysThe day after the dreamlike stillness of morning light, life returned to its regular rhythm—school drop-offs, work emails, groceries, laundry. But something about the way Elena moved through it all had shifted. There was an ease to her smile, a softness in the way she held Jack’s hand in the cereal aisle, a lightness in her laugh that hadn’t been there before.They came home late from the park that evening, all sun-tired and wind-kissed. Lila fell asleep in the car, her fingers still clutching a leaf she had found and deemed magical. Jack carried her upstairs, and Elena tucked her in, brushing a kiss across her forehead. Then they descended into the quiet of the kitchen.The dishwasher hummed as Jack scrubbed a pan at the sink, his sleeves pushed up and water speckling the front of his shirt. The scent of lavender bubble bath still lingered in the air, blending with the garlic and thyme from dinner.Elena stood behind him, drying her hands with a dish towel.