Epilogue
Josie
One Year Later
After assessing my appearance in the mirror, I decide to swap the hoop earrings for a glittering pair of sapphire studs that match my blue dress. I smooth my hands over the fabric one more time, admiring my reflection.
Today’s the anniversary of my first date with Theo and Alex, and they’ve apparently arranged a romantic evening for the three of us but have told me exactly nothing about where we’re going.
I hope I’m not overdressed, but I figure better to go a little overboard than end up in jeans at some five-star restaurant or something.
I head down the hall, my heels echoing on the wood with every step. About two months ago, the three of us had moved in together, choosing a house to rent with an option to buy. We could have all fit into Theo’s place, but he said he wanted something that all of us loved.
And we’d found it. The place has something perfect for everyone: Theo likes that there’s an entrance directly into the laundry room so he can strip off his scrubs and throw them straight in the wash, and from there he can just turn the corner and he’s right there at the hall bathroom to shower.
Alex likes that there’s a massive garage, he’s turned part of it into a workshop where he tinkers with some metalwork.
And I love that they’re here with me. Sure, the house itself is nice, but they’re what makes it home. I could be content living with them in anything from a trailer to a mansion.
The two of them are both waiting for me, having gotten dressed in another room and leaving me to primp in the bathroom, and I’m relieved to see them both in suits.
“Wow,” Alex breathes, giving me the full up-and-down look.
I grin and blush, and Theo lets out a wolf whistle that makes me turn even redder. “You guys don’t look half bad, yourselves. So do I get to know where we’re going yet?”
“Hmmm…no. I will tell you that we’re gonna go get something to eat and that we have a stop to make before that, but that’s all I’m giving you,” Alex replies.
“Yep,” Theo adds quickly, “No more hints, no nothing.”
“Fine,” I pout, “So can we go now?”
They laugh. “Yeah, let’s get going,” Alex says.
They lead me out to the car and I settle in the backseat. They’re both jovial, but they’re also weirdly quiet. Lately they’ve been super chatty, whispering to each other and driving me crazy, but somehow the silence after all that is even more suspicious.
I know it’s all part of their big surprise and all, but that doesn’t mean I’m going any less nuts.
I look out the window while we’re driving, but I can’t figure out where we might be heading. The roads are familiar, but the longer we drive, the more confused I get. There’s nothing out this way except for…but that can’t be it, right?
But to my shock, my suspicions prove to be true, and we pull up at White Willow Memorial Gardens. The cemetery where Toby is buried.
It’s not the first time Alex and Theo have come with me. When I mentioned that I was going to visit his grave on his birthday, they’d asked to come along, surprising me. At first I thought it was just for moral support, but to my surprise, Theo had stood in front of Toby’s gravestone and introduced himself as if he were meeting a friend, and Alex had followed suit, then they both led me in singing “Happy Birthday.”
I’d never asked them to come with me, so for them to come and pay their respects in such a way had meant more to me than I could find the words to describe. I’d cried a lot of tears that day, but for the first time ever, they weren’t all sad ones.
Theo and Alex both understand that Toby will always hold a special place in my heart. He’ll always be my first love. But I know he’d be so happy for me, and he’d love them too, if only because I do.
“What are we doing here?” I ask.
“You’ll see,” Alex says with a gentle smile.
They get out of the car and Theo opens my door for me. They help me across the grounds in my heels and we make our way to Toby’s gravesite.
“This might be a little bit weird,” Theo says as we arrive, “But Alex and I have spent a lot of time talking about it, and it feels like the right way to do this.”
“To do what?”
He doesn’t answer me, but instead turns to face Toby’s stone. “Hey, Toby,” he says, stirring a wave of emotion in my chest, “Me and Alex are here, and we brought Josie.”