A Summer's Dream

~Epilogue~

I massaged my aching wrist as I dropped my keys and purse onto the entry table. Becoming a professional chef was hard on the body but I never regretted it. Not for a single moment. I had just plonked myself down on our old couch and was about to take my jacket off when the phone rang. With a grunt I hoisted myself back up and raised the mint green receiver to my ear. “Hello?”

“Emmy!” I smiled at his familiar voice. “I just finished walking through with the inspector. He gave us the go ahead!” My heart beat came quicker and I couldn’t hold back the grin that was coming. When Terrence had drawn up and showed me his plans for a house he wanted to build I couldn’t have been more confident. He was my Mr. Fix-It. He had already saved me from our spraying faucet twice since we moved into this rickety apartment.

Terrence did go and get his engineering degree, and accepted an unpassable opportunity to work for one of the greatest contracting companies out there. But once I told him the news about a little one on the way he resigned immediately. He said he had been going back and forth on the idea for a long time but once I tested positive it was the last nail in his career’s coffin.

“I want to be able to go to all my kids’ events. I want to build a treehouse with them and show them how to fix a clogged shower drain. I don’t want to be out of town half the year.” His eyes had become a little glassy and I knew it still pained him that his father was never there. That my father was never there. That there were so many absent fathers in the world today. He fiddled with his wedding ring a little and I put my arms around him, placing a kiss on his temple.

“Thank you.” I mumbled into his shirt.

His eyebrows scrunched in confusion. “For what?”

“For wanting to be the dad we never got to have.” I wiped at a hormonal tear on my cheek. Surely I wouldn’t be crying if I wasn’t pregnant. His expression softened and he tucked me into a safe hug and I would always remember how protected and secure I felt.

“Do you want me to come down there?” My hand rubbed my nearly flat stomach.

“Yes! I need you to pick out paint colors!” I couldn’t help the laugh I released. His child-like excitement always made me feel giddy and so privileged that I got to share all this with him.

My eyes darted down to our wedding picture on the desk. “I’m on my way.” I settled the receiver back to its home and snatched my purse and keys back up. It was only about a fifteen minute drive from here; far enough into the country yet close enough to the city. If you could call Derbyshire a city. On the way I passed his small repair shop and smiled a little. He was able to make fixing things a part of his future; only instead of hording all the treasures he would sell them or take on paid projects for others.

I locked my purse in the car as I headed in through the open front door.

“Terrence?” My voice echoed throughout the hollow home and I tucked my keys into the pocket of my jacket.

“In here!” I heard him call back and I followed his echo into the family room, where one day it would be a very fitting name.

“Hi.” I grinned up at him as he leapt over his tool box and wrapped me in a tight hug.

“What do you think?” He said while releasing me and kissing the top of my head. His hand swung out to reveal the entire room.

“It’s the same as last time…”

“I know. But we can move in now! Doesn’t it feel different?”

“And I thought I  was the emotional one right now.” I teased and he mocked an aggravated look at me.

“I couldn’t make up my mind between the goldenrod or the honey suckle. What do you think?” He held two swatches of what appeared to be the same color.

My stomach grumbled. It had been a long day at work. “I think the paint can wait, I’m hungry.”

He gave a chortle. “Come on.” His arm slung protectively around my shoulders and he guided us out to the front where we stood and looked at the entirety of the house.

One of my thoughts slipped out of my mouth. “We should have a moving in party.”

His eyes immediately sparked to life. “Good idea! I’ll ring Craig and Martin; they can help us with the furniture.” His eyebrows scrunched together the way they always do when he was thinking. “Speaking of which, when is he proposing to El?”

“I think he said next week…” I played with the ring on his finger in deep thought, trying to remember Martin’s elaborate plan and the date. Craig and Lucy had already gotten hitched two years before us and Martin had taken a little longer to get the idea. Apparently once it comes to actual relationships he’s rubbish. Every time he tried to talk to Eleanor his forehead would get sweaty and it was painful to watch him try and communicate. But now she kept him on his toes and he couldn’t imagine how he had managed without her. We all wondered how he had managed without her.

My head fell on to Terrence’s shoulder and once more he kissed the top of it. “Come on; let’s get you home so you can cook me some spaghetti.” We both chuckled while heading to my car.

It all still felt like my imagination had dreamt everything up. Like none of this was ever real and one day I would wake up to being the lonely girl I once was. But this summer’s dream had turned into an extraordinary reality and I would forever wake up to see my favorite brown eyes. This summer’s dream would never end.

I'm so sorry this is getting posted on Tuesday instead of Sunday! I was barely home at all on Sunday and yesterday a massive storm blew through; we lost our power. :( As I'm typing this I'm sitting in my Grandma's living room because we're still out. Anyways! This was the epilogue and the closure to the two love birds' story. HOWEVER I do have a surprise! I will be asking all who want to, to leave a comment telling me which scene they want written and I will write it in Terrence's point of view! Will it be them caught in the rain? Or when she confesses her "undying love" for him? Any scene you want! Let me know by Sunday the 6th and I will pick the winner! Peace out Home-Skillet!