Epilogue

EpilogueGaleI put the car in park, sinking back against the seat and looking out the windshield at where the familiar shape of the North Lodge stood over the lot, dressed up in Christmas lights, a red-dressed Christmas tree standing in the window. Stella looked over from the passenger seat, giving me an odd smile.“I’m not the only one who feels a little weird here, right?” she said, and I laughed, shaking my head.“Nah. You and me both. Time capsule kind of stuff here.”She sank across the center console, resting her head on my shoulder—we never made it two seconds together over the past year before she was lying on me like that, but it wasn’t like I was complaining. “I’m a little nervous, if I’m being honest… haven’t seen a lot of them since last Christmas. And walking in with a girlfriend on my arm is a change.”“I think you made your stance clear with them last Christmas…”She laughed, sitting upright. “Yeah. Just let me know if they try to give you a hard time, and I’ll kneecap them, okay, sweetheart?”“Okay, princess. Well, I’ll let you know if you need to go mob boss. In the meantime, shall we?”We stepped out into the bitter cold, clinging to the inside of my nose with a prickling weight that made my head ache, and I huddled tighter into myself as I headed up to the front porch, scraping the snow off my boots before I pushed the door open—familiar as it was, it felt like walking through a doorway into one year ago.The lodge was as cozy as I remembered it, dressed up in its tartans and Christmas garlands, firelight dancing between the wood rafters and over thick windows cloudy with frost, and I’d barely made it into the door before I heard a squeal, and I turned just in time to get tackled by Clarissa, who had somehow crept up to my chest height since I’d last seen her.“Gale! It’s been forever since I last saw you! You have a serious delinquency problem.”“Ah. Someone’s picked up some vocabulary.” I hugged her as Stella laughed next to me, stripping off her coat and scarf and draping them over her arm, and Clarissa stepped back from the hug with a skeptical look.“Stop changing the subject. You too, Stella. If you keep taking so long to see me, I’m going to forget who you are.”“Gale and I have classes, you know, bigshot,” Stella laughed, but she stepped in and gave Clarissa a hug too. “Look how tall you’ve gotten! You’re going to be taller than all of us soon.”“I know, now stop changing the subject.”“Okay, okay.” Stella patted her head. “Gale and I are very sorry we took so long to come see you again.”Footsteps came up from behind her, and I looked up to where Julia Jackson came around the corner, dressed in a neat red uniform, carrying a coffee pot, but she set it down with a big smile that felt more natural than any I’d ever seen from her, coming over towards the two of us.“Well, if it isn’t the young woman who stole my daughter and ran off into the sunset with her…”I laughed, suddenly awkward, scratching the back of my head. “It’s not like I enrolled her in classes, Julia.”“It’s not lost on me that she calls me less these days. I wonder who she might be spending all her time with now.”Clarissa sighed. “Mom, you can’t stop them from getting married.”“That’s still rushing things a bit,” Stella said, coughing into her hand.Julia laughed, coming in for a hug, squeezing me lightly. “It’s good to see you again, Gale. Merry Christmas.”“Merry Christmas.” I hugged her before I stepped back, giving her a once-over. “Are you… are you working here?”She moved in her uniform, showing it off like she was posing for a photoshoot. “Well? I’m stylish in a button-up and vest, aren’t I?”“I’d heard you and Clarissa moved up here… I hadn’t expected you working at the lodge.”“Well, you know,” she laughed. “Small place, local economy. We all kind of work everywhere a little bit, just pitching in where we’re needed. I’m here as seasonal help with a certain rowdy crowd coming into the lodge soon.”Clarissa giggled wildly, leaning in closer to me and whispering. “Mom is dating one of Santa’s helpers,” she said, sounding inordinately proud, like she’d arranged the two of them. Stella laughed, stepping in and giving Julia a hug.“You look like you’re happy here, Mom.”“It’s certainly no California sun, but… I’m happy. Very.”The doors swung open again behind us, and I turned back to where Philip Jackson—or I guess he was Philip Wright now—came in out of the snow, shivering with a coat that was too thin against the snow, and he stopped, lighting up at the sight of us.“Gale, Stella, you beat us here,” he laughed. “How’s it going, two of my four favorite daughters?”I laughed, meeting him in a hug—the entryway was getting a bit crowded now—before I heard Faith sigh behind him.“Ugh, Dad. Can you be less corny for one second?”“I’ve tried… didn’t take,” he said, turning to hug Stella too. Faith, squeezing in and shutting the door behind her, gave me a weary look.Seemed some things didn’t change. Faith looked as moody as ever, but she at least smiled a little when she saw me. I thought back to what Stella had said last year—even Faith misses you. Do you know how rare that is?“Hey, Gale,” she said. “Glad to see you’re not sick of my sister yet.”Stella put her hands up. “Faith, I didn’t even do anything to you.”I gave Faith a shrug. “Ah, y’know. I’ve kinda taken a liking to her.”“Yeah, yeah, suit yourself.” Faith pushed past me. “Hey, Mom, do I get my room key now?”“Is that how you greet your own mother?” Julia said, hands on her hips. Faith shrugged.“Sure seems like it.”“Charlie is at the desk, young woman,” Julia said. “He’ll get you your key. And have a very lovely stay.”“Ugh, sending me off to talk to her boyfriend…” Faith hunched her shoulders, marching off towards the desk. Stella gave Philip a look, and he shrugged.“Kid needs some space, I think. And some quiet.” He dropped his voice. “She’s just a little messed up that she’s graduating soon… I know she’s going to miss her friends.”Stella narrowed her eyes just a fraction. “Um… that still include Sam?”“Her especially,” he said. “Pretty sure Sam’s been seeing someone and Faith is just sad she doesn’t get as much time together.”Stella cast me a look. I met her gaze with pursed lips, wondering if I dared to say anything. It was nice being on Stella’s wavelength so precisely I could tell she was waging war on the exact same topic.“Gotta be rough,” Stella said, finally. “I know how close they are…”“Yeah, especially lately,” he said, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking at where Faith argued with Charlie—Charlie just keeping on that serene smile. I felt like he’d make a good stepdad. “Faith has been having Sam over to the new house so often it feels like it’s the three of us living there.”“Has—has she,” Stella said, eyes wide. Philip grinned, inching in towards the two of us and winking at Stella.“Don’t tell a soul, but… I reached out to Sam’s mom and scheduled a surprise appearance here the day after tomorrow. Think it might be nice to pick her spirits back up.”I cleared my throat. “Oh… no kidding. I’m sure she’ll be… uh… ecstatic.”“Really happy,” Stella nodded along, clearly keeping herself from saying what was on both of our minds.Julia smiled politely at me and Stella, rooting in her pocket and pulling out a pair of room keys. “You two must be exhausted,” she said, handing them over. “Room twenty-one.”“Ah. Home sweet home,” I said, taking the card. “Thanks, Julia. What’s on the itinerary today?”“I managed to talk Dad down from scheduling a big dinner on the first night everyone’s here. What’s on the itinerary today is checking into your room and coming down to the lobby anytime after seven for a cozy dinner right here in the lodge that Charlie was good enough to bring in.”Stella took her card with a relieved smile. “Thanks, Mom. Finals kicked my butt this year… I need to lie down and never move again.”Julia put her hands on her hips. “I live in Bellsford now, which means you’re visiting my home. So I get an excuse to spoil you both. Go upstairs and get some rest.”Stella nudged my side. “I’m going to grab some coffee and cradle it in bed. Want me to get anything for you?”“The exact same thing. Thanks, Stella,” I laughed, and I got a rush pressing a kiss to her cheek, still feeling a swooping sensation at doing it in front of her family even though they all well knew.When Clarissa dragged Philip off to show him something, with all the spontaneity only Clarissa had, Julia and I were left there in the quiet of the entrance, the lodge still murmuring with only the first few people to arrive. I paused before I chanced saying something.“Hey… Julia. Can I ask you something?”She put a hand to her forehead. “Are you marrying Stella already? I guess it’s true what they say about lesbians…”“No! No. Um… uh.” I scratched the back of my head. “I mean, it’s not like I don’t like the idea, but… er… we’re taking it a bit slower than that.” I relaxed, leaning against the wall. “Just… that feeling you were looking for. Did you find it?”“Mm.” She softened into a gentle smile. “You’ve always had a sharp eye… you already know the answer, don’t you?”“Ah, well. I have a feeling.”“Let’s hear it.”“Just… it was never about California, was it? It was about deciding your own life. Independence. Having choices and knowing you’ve made that choice for yourself.”She laughed. “If I’m being honest? I do still miss beaches sometimes.”“I’m sure Charlie would take you if you asked. Probably take you as far as Argentina.”She smiled wider. “So he mentioned that, did he?”“Ah… it might have come up.”She got a far-off twinkle in her eye, looking past me, out the window and into the horizon. “I don’t know if that’s too much…”“I mean, we only have so much life to live, right? I don’t see why you should limit yourself.”She put a hand on her hip, giving me a wry smile. “I’d think you’re studying philosophy.”“Eh… economics is just philosophy for people who like money.”“Funny. Here I thought it was the study of investing.” She dropped her arms, softening. “You might be right. But I’m not rushing. I’m enjoying what’s happening, and I’m happy to just keep enjoying it as it does. But maybe I will go off to explore beaches, or… or go visit California, Argentina, anywhere I want.” She laughed. “I can only imagine how much Clarissa would love it. And how much Faith would want zero to do with it.”“Yeah, I can kind of see that.” I glanced over at where Philip leaned on the counter talking to Charlie—they seemed so friendly with each other, and I didn’t really get the dynamic, but I guess if they were happy with it, it could only make things easier. Faith headed upstairs, still sulking all the way up, although I… really looked forward to seeing her mood turn around the day after tomorrow.I just hoped she and Sam would have a smoother ride than Stella and I did.“It’s nice, though,” I said, distantly. “That Faith has gotten so close with her father.”“It is…” She followed my gaze up to where Faith disappeared at the top of the stairs. “I worry I’m too far away, not seeing her enough. That she and I are disappearing from each other’s lives…”“Faith is a big girl. She knows you’re there for her if she ever needs you. And you’re modeling for her by just… being happy. I think that’s the best thing you can do.”She smiled sweetly at me. “You always know the right thing to say. I’m glad it’s you my daughter found.”“Oh, uh…” I looked away, a tingle prickling across my face.“Go on,” she said, clapping a hand lightly on my shoulder. “You and Stella haven’t had much time together lately between finals and everything else. I’ve heard her sigh dramatically more than once over how she doesn’t get enough time with you.”“Is—is that so?”Her eyes twinkled. “But don’t tell her I told you. She loves you quite a lot. Take good care of her, okay?”I laughed, a nervous sensation racing in my chest, and I nodded. “I… I will. It’s a promise.”Unsurprisingly, after I spent so long there, Stella was already in the room ahead of me once I got upstairs. I heard her moving around inside, and I turned my key in the lock and pushed inside and kind of forgot what I was doing or thinking when I saw Stella without pants on.“Oh, finally you see fit to join me,” she said, turning to me with her hands on her hips, a big smile on her face.“Uh. I’d have joined you earlier if I’d known this was the dress code.”“It’s cozier this way,” she laughed, taking my hand and pulling me towards the bed once I’d gotten my outerwear off. “Now, come snuggle with me. I’m exhausted and I haven’t gotten nearly enough time with you.”So I’d heard… it was kind of nice knowing she was so serious about us that even a couple weeks for finals without visiting one another had her complaining to her mother about how school was keeping us apart.Then—it was just nice in general knowing Stella was there for me, in all the hundred thousand ways she was. Being with someone who never doubted us and all the things we could be…Plus, she slept without pants on, and she looked really fantastic like that.I fell into the bed with her, admittedly exhausted, and I sank against her side, breathing in that sweet scent of her that felt like coming home, now and forever, and we watched the snow drift down outside the window.“Hey, Gale,” she whispered.“Yeah?”“Do you need to skip the big dinner thing? If it’s too much for you, we can always go out and do our own thing…”“I think I’ll be okay,” I said, relaxing deeper into her side, feeling her warmth wrap around me as she slipped an arm around to my side. “I’ll let you know if I’m overwhelmed and I need to bail. Your grandpa isn’t going to kill me, though?”“Nah… he’s trying to do better, I guess. Nominally?” She shrugged. “He asks me how you’re doing when we talk. He hasn’t said girlfriend yet, but… I think we’re getting there. Slow as it may be.”“Well. Maybe I’ll lay off from trying to make him pass out.”“It would be appreciated. We don’t need him to have a heart attack… Bellsford doesn’t have the hospital facilities to take care of what happens to him if we go into too much detail.”I buried my face against her shoulder with a soft sigh. “I’m glad we could make it back here for Christmas…”She kissed the side of my forehead, squeezing me into her. “Me too. Although next time is after we graduate…”“Nothing that’s going to take me apart from you,” I laughed. “I’ll be there for every Christmas. You’re kind of stuck with me.”“Oh, like that’s a punishment?” she laughed.“Mm-hm. For that cupcake.”“Whatever will I do. A beautiful girlfriend who loves me. Truly, eternal torment.”Indeed. That would really teach her a lesson.