Tuck Everlasting - Alternate Ending

Chapter 4

As they got closer, Jesse's energy replenished. It got to a point where he was dragging her behind him and she had to jog to keep up.

The sun was almost completely gone behind the horizon when they took a sharp turn into a lightly wooded area with a small gravel path leading through it. When they reached the clearing where the house sat, Winnie's eyes widened.

There was a large maple tree next to the house with an old wooden swing hanging from a drooping branch. The house itself was two stories tall and painted a faded pale blue with white window frames and a white porch stretched across the front.

"Ma! Pa! Miles!" Jesse called. "I'm back, and I brought a surprise!"

"You didn't tell them I was coming?" She asked.

"I didn't tell them I was going," he said with a smirk.

"Jesse?" Mae yelled, opening the white front door. She saw them approaching and gasped. "Miles! Get down here!" She stepped out on the porch and wiped her hands on her skirt.

"What, Ma?" Miles asked, stepping out next to his mother. He stared, like Mae, at the two. They all stood in silence until Tuck appeared from behind the house.

"Ma, Pa, Miles, I'm sure you all remember Winnie," Jesse said. Miles stepped down off of the porch.

"Winnie?" He asked. She smiled.

"I picked her up by the spring," Jesse said, grinning.

"So you drank then?" Tuck asked in his quiet tone. She immediately felt guilty. She nodded, looking down at her feet like she had when the constable questioned her all those years ago. Mae had tears in her eyes.

"We missed you mountains, Winnie," Miles said, pulling her into an embrace. Jesse dropped her hand so she could wrap her arms around him. Mae took her turn next.

"You've grown so much," she gushed, looking Winnie over.

"A fine state to be in forever, wouldn't you say, Ma?" Jesse asked, still beaming.

When Tuck had his turn, Winnie whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, child," he said. "Jesse needs someone to look after him."

"We'll have flapjacks for dinner," Mae decided. "Just as we did the first time Winnie was with us."

"Well, I'm hittin' the hay," Jesse said with a large yawn.

"Oh no, you're helping me with dinner," she ordered.

"But Ma..." He whined, dragging out the last word.

"That's what you get for disappearing without a word."

"I can help," Winnie offered. "Jesse needs sleep." Mae sighed.

"Fine, thank you Winnie," she said. "Go on," she said to him. He turned to Winnie.

"I love you," he said, making her blush furiously. He grinned.

"Oh, Jesse, stop teasing her," Mae said. "Miles, show Winnie around-"

"She's my fiancée!" Jesse interrupted. Mae was the only person who didn't react.

"She may be, but you're too tired to help with dinner, so obviously you're too tired to show Winnie around."

"I-"

"Jesse, don't argue," Tuck said. "If you're tired, go to bed. If you're not, help your mother."

"Fine. Goodnight, Winnie." She smiled. He climbed the stairs onto the porch and walked through the still open door.

"Winnie, have you actually agreed to marry that boy, or is that just Jesse being Jesse?"

"I- I agreed," she said, playing with her hands.

"Oh, that's great!" Mae exclaimed. Miles grinned.

"Come on, I'll show you around," he said.