Is It Love?

Epilogue One

Rea's POV

Eight Years Later

June 13th, 2029

Today is my 26th birthday, and I have a lot planned.

But I'm going to backtrack for a moment. I ended up changing my major to fit me being a vet tech. I learned quickly after I started volunteering that this is what I wanted to do. I'm really happy and the clinic I work at pays me pretty well.

Lily had stayed in college to get her master's, so she kept her waitress job until then. She's doing really well, and I'm really proud of how well she's juggling everything. We still live in the same apartment, and my mom and Tom got married three years ago.

He's really great. He stepped up to a kind of 'stepdad' roll. I always thought I would hate the person my mom ended up with, and now I couldn't approve more.

I told Lily I had work today, which she was very bummed about since she took the day off for me, but little does she know I've spent the morning planning everything.

She knows I want to choose what we do, so I've been using that opportunity to my advantage.

My first stop– the store I ordered the dresses from.

"Rea! Good to see you here on time! Are you ready?"

I laugh and wave to her. "Claudia, good to see you."

Claudia is the old lady who owns the closest dress store that tailors custom-made orders, and I've become friends with her over the past month because of dress check-ins.

"Are they ready?"

"Am I old?"

I laugh, "I take that as a yes. Can I see them?"

"Yes, honey. One second."

She leaves to enter the backroom before coming back with two bags on hangers. "Which do you want to see?"

"The pink one," I say, "that's hers."

She smiles at me, setting the blue one down and unzipping the bag. I see the puffy fabric layered multiple times with fabric as a belt. The sleeves are puffy too and it reminds me of a princess.

She's going to look so good.

"It's perfect Claudia," I exclaim, "I could just hug you, you did it perfectly."

She waves her free hand, "I would hug you if I liked hugs, now take the dresses darling. You don't have much time."

"You're right," I agree. I take the dresses and thank her repeatedly. I hang them in my car before I head home.

When I get home Lily is sitting on the couch with Berry, and when he sees me he stands up and stretches, jumping off the couch and walking to me slowly. The sun hits his eyes and they shine blue. I hang the dress bags over the side of the couch before crouching to pet him.

"Hi babe," Lily greets, smiling at me. I stand up and walk to her, pulling her off the couch by her arms to bring her in to hug me. My head is on her shoulder, "Missed you." She giggles, "I missed you too. Now, what are those bags Peanut is trying to eat right now?"