Unforgiven - Complete

Epilogue

8 Years Later

"Janine's been crying all week you know," Abe grumbled. "Couldn't you find anywhere closer?"

"Not really Abe," Dimitri answered guiltily. "Competition for Internal Med. residencies is fierce. Be grateful it wasn't Alaska," he joked, although he was serious. He and Rose had been freaking out for the last few months wondering where they were going to end up for his residency.

Dimitri had got the marks for medicine, and even a tuition scholarship. For the last four years, he and Rose had lived off campus halfway between the university and hospital where he was studying. They'd shared a dilapidated four bedroom flat with another couple, Amanda, and Jake. Amanda was doing medicine with Dimitri, and Jake was finishing his Ph.D.

After she'd graduated, Rose had done a six-month internship where she'd discovered she had a real flair for automotive product design - specifically interiors. Something about creating the interior fittings for cars appealed to her, and it turns out she was good at it. She'd ended up accepting an entry-level position at an automotive design firm, slowly building up her portfolio and contacts. She'd been biding her time, waiting for Dimitri to graduate and for them to find out where he'd be based for his medical residency. Once they knew he was headed to Dallas, Texas, she'd started applying for anything and everything she could in the area.

"It's a good chance for Roza, too," Dimitri reminded Abe. "The job at General Motors will help establish her name in her field. And it won't be forever. The plan is to settle back here."

"It better be," Abe growled. He and Janine had been lucky. Rose and Dimitri had lived less than an hour and a half away for the last eight years, so they'd seen them regularly. He'd known the time was coming when they would likely move away, but it didn't mean he was happy about it. "So are you all packed?"

Dimitri nodded. "It's all upstairs. I didn't want to risk it in the truck overnight, so I thought we could load up tomorrow morning first thing, have breakfast, and be on our way?"

"Sounds like a plan," Abe agreed. Janine had decided their only child was not going to move so far away without her assistance; hence the plan for the four of them to drive to Dallas was born. Rose and Dimitri had enough they needed to take that Abe's truck would be put into service, and they were going to do the drive over four days so they could incorporate some sight-seeing, stopping at hotels along the way.

Once they got there, the four would stay at a serviced apartment for a fortnight. Dimitri would be starting his residency a couple of days after they arrived, but Rose had a few weeks before her new job started, so the plan was Janine and Abe would help her find an apartment and together they'd set everything up.

"We should probably go and get cleaned up," Abe suggested, looking at the clock. "Your friends and family will be here in an hour or so." The two were in Abe's workshop, mostly to give the ladies space upstairs as they prepared for Rose and Dimitri's farewell party.

"They can spare us for another few minutes," Dimitri said evasively, walking over to Abe's beer fridge, pulling out a couple of bottles and passing one to Abe before opening his own.

"She's twenty-six now you know, Abe," Dimitri said suddenly, giving his girlfriend's father a level look and taking a nervous swig of his beer. "Mia's pregnant with her second, Lissa and Christian were married last year and have bought a house. I'd like to take the next step with Roza. I want to ask her to marry me."

Abe sighed. He'd known it was coming. In fact, he was surprised Dimitri hadn't brought it up before now.

"Do you think she's ready?" he asked.