A Long Way Home

Epilogue: 5 Years Later

Mia pushed open the screen door to the backyard with her hip. She felt the baby kick as she balanced her laptop, a glass of lemonade and a journal in her hands. She had a deadline she needed to meet if not Walt would not be pleased. As he expected, she had risen quickly in the ranks to editor and now wrote exclusively about politics for the eastern seaboard. Sometimes she missed covering local news as she needed to travel from DC to Boston about as often as time would allow. But still, she wouldn't trade it. She was grateful to have the ability to live a life on her terms, no matter where it took her.

She dropped her things onto the table and squinted into the sun. Towards the far back of the lawn she saw Mike and Drew pushing Polly, Max's 2 year old around the yard on a tricycle. They had created an Olympics course and Polly squealed with joy as she passed under a limbo bar.

Max and Mike had moved in right before Polly was born. Drew had just finished replacing the original shed with a small but efficient three bedroom home. It was nestled far back onto their property so everyone had privacy but there was something nice about being able to raise their kids together.

About eighteen months after their fight, Mia's phone wrong. Max was sobbing on the other end of the line about being let go from the hospital. She had had too many HR violations from colleagues about being mean that she had been asked, but mainly told, to leave her post. While they didn't resolve everything in that moment, the phone call opened up the bridge of communication again. Mia let Drew handle the majority of that relationship. She couldn't quite yet handle Max as she came down from the shame of a dismissal and the rage of having it happen in the first place.

Eventually though, Max changed. Slowly but surely. She and Mike started couples counseling and it turned out that Mike was very displeased with Max's involvement in breaking up his original relationship. They ended up on the verge of divorce for a solid three months before gaining the strength and the faith to come back together. When it did finally happen, they both decided they needed more space to raise Edie. It also didn't help that without Max's salary, they couldn't afford to stay in New York.

When the call came, it was Mia who took it this time. She listened carefully as Max explained their circumstances with a tail between her legs and instead of saying "I told you so," Mia offered them a home. Drew had been building Mia an office to work from and had gotten the idea to build a house during the process. Every day, Mia would watch as he designed then built structures across the lawn. She was in awe at the eventual result. He had built her a beautiful wide open artists' studio where she could work in peace. He had also build a three bedroom bungalow for anyone who wanted to stay.

When Mia answered the phone, it became clear that Max had grown. They would have plenty of conversations involving apologies in the future. Max would eventually end up taking full responsibility for what she said and how she treated Mia. But those conversations were interspersed with moments of pure joy. Like Mike and Drew building a pergola together and the four of them have a celebratory dinner underneath. Like Max finding out she was pregnant with Polly and running across the lawn to tell Mia before Mike. Like Drew coming home to find Max, Mike and Mia tucked under blankets in the living room watching When Harry Met Sally.

Yes, Max and Mia's friendship had broken down but it had been put back together in ways Mia could have even begun to have predicted. Mia's premonitions had even slowed down. When the life she had dreamed of became real, she found that she dreamed less and that was okay. She was already living her dream. Often times Mia would pinch herself as she stood at the kitchen window watching Drew play with their kids. She was always astounded by how lucky her life had turned out.

"Mia, it's time!" Drew called from the far side of the lawn. He began sprinting over to her.

"Come on we're going to be late!" Drew grabbed her hand and ran playfully through the house for the front door. He settled onto the second to last step and Mia took her spot right next to him. Every school day they would sit on these steps and wait for the bus to show up. The tradition began when their oldest Louisa, known as Lola, started pre-k. She's bravely board the school bus barely being able to make it up the large steps.

Lola had turned five in September and Mia marveled at how quickly her life had changed. She and Drew had gotten married in their backyard two months after he proposed. The wedding had taken place under a large white tent with gorgeous twinkly lights and long tables that held their large group of family and friends. On their honeymoon to Spain, she found out she was pregnant with Lulu. After Lulu came Georgia, another little girl who lit up their lives. She would be three in a few short weeks.

"This is my favorite part of the day." Drew leaned in as though he was sharing a secret as they watched the bus pull up. He rested a hand on her knee and she embraced it with her own. The baby boy inside of her gave a light kick, almost as if to say "Hey don't forget about me." Internally Mia spoke directly to him. "Don't worry little one, we can't wait to meet you."

Mia and Drew watched the school bus pull up from their seat on the steps. Through the screen door, they saw the STOP sign be put out and after a moment, Lulu came bounding down the stairs.

"Mommy!" Lulu was waving a picture in her hands barreling towards her parents. She quickly realized she had forgotten Georgia who was taking her time exiting the bus due to the large steps and her tiny legs.

"Daddy! Mommy!" Lulu bounced impatiently from foot to foot waiting for Georgia to land safely. Once Georgia was free of the bus, Lulu grabbed her hand and pulled her through the gate eagerly waving her picture. Georgia smiled broadly as she picked up speed behind her sister, the two girls running eagerly towards their parents.

"Don't you love that they call us that?" Drew looked over and Mia smiled back, wide open and glowing.

"I do and I love you." She kissed him deeply. She meant it, the love she felt for Drew continued to grow every single day. As they did every other day, Drew stood first and put his hand out to help Mia up off the steps. Then the two of them turned towards the front door with wide open arms to welcome home the children they loved more than anything in this world.