Emancipation

epilogue

She lied to me.

A lifetime, that's what I was promised but as I sit here in the backyard of this cabin, staring at the clear sky above my head, I know that it was a lie.

If there is one thing in our life that's guaranteed, it's the endings. However abrupt, sad, heart breaking, meaningless or ironic it might be, endings are always going to be there. A promise of a lifetime on the other hand, is nothing but false hope.

My miserable thoughts are interrupted when I hear a car stopping in the driveway. I peek from the side of the house before going inside and opening the door. Just as one car comes to a halt, another one follows behind it.

I lean against the doorway as I look at everyone making their way towards the house. Caleb and Austin are the first ones to enter, both offering me a nod which I return. We don't exchange words, but I know sometimes that isn't necessary.

Alex and Hale follow shortly behind them, both pausing to give me a hug as Hale studies my face. "Okay?"

I scoff at his question, shaking my head which earns me a scowl in return but he doesn't say anything as he goes inside. The last ones are Jeremy and Joan, and their daughter.

"James!" She squeals as soon as she's within my reach and I bend down to pick her up in my arms.

"Lily." I smile at her, possibly the only little human who's capable to getting that reaction out of me.

I turn to her parents who give me a hug each. I want to be so angry, yet when I look at the people in my living room, I swallow it down. I've been angry along with thousands of other emotions for about a year now, and it has gotten me nowhere.

It's been a year yet every second feels like a nightmare that I'm waiting for her to wake me up from. I want to be mad, so mad at her for lying to me but then I know in her head, she believed it as much as I did. We were just fooling each other with little hopes here and there. How can I be mad at her when she promised me a lifetime of five years but instead gave me thirteen?

"You shouldn't have brought her," I tell Jeremy as I stare at Lily in my arms.

"She wouldn't stop crying. Mom was herself a mess anyways." He responds, looking at the four-year-old. "Sorry they couldn't come."

"No worries."

I would've preferred if none of them would've come. I'm not sure why are they here. I know why Hale is here, but that's about it. I haven't seen any of them since a year, or really kept in contact unless it was urgent basis.

Hale is here to check-up on me. He makes a monthly visit and this counts as one of those.

"Suit yourself. There's alcohol over there." I gesture towards the bar as I take a seat on the couch and let Lily down.

Lillian Vince. Jeremy named his daughter after his sister even when she was alive, and sometimes I wonder if that is the reason I have immense love for this little girl but then I stare at her pigtails as she reaches for the candies I kept out for her and I immediately know that regardless of her name, she's a wonderful kid.

I just wish her parents hadn't brought her along today. A child shouldn't be here, not in this house. Hale and Alex have a kid too, a boy in his teenage and I'm glad they knew better than to bring him.

"How are you doing, man?" Caleb asks me.

It reminds me of the time Lillian got sick of me pestering her to tell me how she was. But I can't be annoyed at Caleb for being concerned.

"I'm okay. How are things with you guys?" I look at everyone.

When Lillian was declared cancer free seven years ago, there was not a happier man alive than me. She was so incredibly happy that she cried more than when she was diagnosed with it. Her entire fight with cancer wasn't easy, it was painful, heartbreaking with continuous ups and downs.