Souled [Editing]

Epilogue

One year later

Meredith stood in her mother's old study and instead of the air in her lungs feeling tight, she could breathe easy. She felt light. Her hands gripped a new book fresh off the press. Timing is Key read the cover of the book as Meredith set it down in the center of her mother's desk. It was the book her mother was in the process of writing when she passed.

A few months into her new career at Seven Chapters Publishing House, her and Nate took a weekend trip to Guthrie to introduce him to her father. While they were here, Meredith found the courage to dig up the manuscript her mother was working on before she died. It was much closer to being completed than anyone had thought. After reading it, Meredith talked to John about publishing it. After all, it was her mother's last wish even if she had never said it when she was alive.

Months of editing and even adding a few parts that would've fit her mother's style, Timing is Key was finally published. Meredith stared at her mother's name written in big white letters at the base of the cover. Mary Mason.

Already, it was selling well. Those who read The Midnight Truth were buying it like hot cakes. It made all the hard work and fighting she did for it to get the green light worth it.

Meredith's chest swelled with pride as she stared at the two books next to each other. Her mother would be proud, she decided. Both of her and of the book. It felt right to do this. There was no other book she wanted to have such a heavy hand in than this one.

She felt arms wrap around her from behind. Nate. She turned her head to look at him but his eyes were on the desk. His eyes shone and a bold smile was on his face. He was with her every step of the publishing process. Every night she felt the weight of it all crash down on her. When she thought she wasn't going to be able to make it. When reading words her mother had once written hit that spot in her that was still tender and it made her feel dizzy. He held her on the darkest nights and on the brightest of mornings.

"I think she's smiling down right now," Meredith murmured, returning her gaze to the desk.

"I do, too."

Meredith twisted in his arms and pivoted to wrap her own arms around him. "Are you ready for this dinner tonight?"

Nate chuckled and Meredith could feel it reverberate in his chest. "We've had dinner with your father before."

"I know, but ever since he started talking again and met you he's turned into a real Chatty Charles."

"I think I can handle it. Besides, you handled my entire family last year without a problem. Which is saying something because my family has difficulty knowing when to stop talking."

Meredith thought back to their time together at his family's vacation house. They hadn't been back since but they talked about going back. Meredith particularly wanted to go back because she had a little surprise for Nate there. The spot of land that he loved to go to on his own went up for sale a few months back. Meredith quickly bought it up before some developer could and she wanted to surprise Nate with it. She hoped maybe they could rebuild the cabin he mentioned once inhabited the land.

"I handled it like a champ," she clarified.

"You did." He released his hold on her and pulled them to the bay window to sit down. "After dinner we should go somewhere to look at the stars."

"I'm not sure if my dad would be into that."

"I was hoping it would be just the two of us."

"Oh. Okay. We can do that." Meredith chewed on her lip, unsure of why he was wanting to break off just the two of them. Instead, she stood up from the bench and pivoted towards him. "Speaking of, I need to start getting ready for dinner."