Moose and Goose

Chapter Ninety - Epilogue

Three years locked away was more than enough time for me to see how deranged I was. I hurt a lot of people including myself, and somehow everyone can forgive me, but I can't look at myself in the mirror. I don't know why Jerome is always here. Some days I wished he'd leave me like David often did because I always assumed I'd turn into David and Jerome would become me, cowering in fear of my closed fist. I'll never be him, especially not after what it took to win him back – thanks to Kacey's persuasion and my love letters. I'll gladly leave before I crush the purity out of my boyfriend's eyes, and I'll run away before I scare Stevie or Vera again. They're better, also, which I'm glad about. High school's growing on them from what I read in letters and heard in telephone calls, and Mom's seeing a shrink too. I hope things stay like this. This tiny shred of normalcy. |April 1983|

***

Though she never had Darlington University shut down or the dean replaced, having a new school near the beach with her friends was enough.

The sense of security and better opportunities were sometimes more than they could handle, but they reminded each other of what it took to get there.

Kacey may not be half as successful an oil tycoon as her dad, but she knows her youth provides her with new, better ideas.

La'Shawna may never be the president or mayor, but she never cared because leading her group for all those years was enough - at least until she's forty, she says.

Veronica might be imprisoned for marijuana possession at the rate she pushes herself to compete with her cousin in California, but her stubbornness is as strong as her plants.

Jennifer and Juniper may never heal from the pain they suffered - sometimes they long for their old life in Ireland - but since she was released from Red Cave and Jenny started taking medication, they've looked out for each other more than before.

Then there's Judith - currently struggling to ride a bike.

"Judy, you have to pedal or we'll both fall," Jerome orders her, his legs growing sore as he maneuvers down the road.

His dreads are longer, reaching just below his shoulders in fresh twists done by her. He's wearing his grey university sweatshirt and she's wearing her navy blue, Morehead one.

"I'm trying," she yells back, panic laced in her voice as her clogs slip off their placement and occasionally pin her feet under the pedals.

Her dark, crimped hair is in a half up half down style, flowing against the summer breeze but held in place by a grey scrunchie. They're cruising downtown on an autumn orange tandem bike, catching the eye of a few civilians lounging around nearby shops.

"Okay. Okay, stop!" Her kicking feet come to a halt, and he mashes the brakes under his meaty middle fingers. Gently, he pedals backward, and the two-person vehicle slows in the middle of the road. He veers against the curb, stopping at the bike stand they rented it from.

"I'm sorry," she tells him in a meek voice, lowering her head. He's taking deep breaths, exhausted from the workout and when he hears her, he aims his red, sweaty face over his shoulder. "I'm really trying to learn, but -"

"Babe, don't sweat it." Judith looks at him over the top of her hexagon glasses. "This is just the second time. It took me like five tries to get it and I taught myself."

"Really?" He nods and she sighs, gazing at the back of his uniform. "Maybe it would be easier if I wore something else."

"I told you not to wear those shoes and it's definitely too hot for jeans." He stands up, swinging his leg across the bike and stopping on the pavement.