Welcome Home, Rose

Epilogue

"Heather Turner, you're still here?"

My boss Holland Marquis stood in front of my desk her arms crossed over her chest. I smiled apologetically setting the draft I had been reading down. Her eyebrow was raised her very stance demanded an explanation.

"In my defense I was going to leave on time and then this draft sucked me in. It's had me on the edge of my seat. We'll definitely want to bring them in for negotiations. They definitely have potential." I explained. She sighed heavily failing to keep the stern look on her face.

I had stayed in Bennington Parque a grand total of three months. During those three months I stayed with AJ. With his help I made it to all of my physical therapy appointments. A total of six months later and I had full functionality back in my right arm. Although if the weather grew too cold or if I overdid myself, my injury would trigger and I'd be in pain for days.

Tyson spoke to both Giselle and the Bennington Parque Town Council, asking if he could be given ownerships of our childhood home. The answers were both the same, ask your sister. I agreed, the paperwork prepped and finalized in days. The town still wished to honor the Turner family in some way, they had a mausoleum constructed in the cemetery and a memorial built in the place of the red stage. Following in the footsteps of our ancestors my brother and sister-in-law began the remodeling choosing to keep the landscaping and my mom's kitchen intact. While the remodel was taking place, they stayed with Randy who made a full recovery.

Upon my move back to Cornell Lake AJ and I hammered out a way to stay in touch and a way for us to maintain our long-distance relationship. We alternated weekends staying over at one another's places. Cerys and Cassi would accompany me, each visiting their respective significant others. With how crowded our small house became we each opted to rent our own apartment. As luck would have it, we were all accepted into not only the same complex but also had units on the same floor.

New apartments were not the only changes we experienced. I had been reaching out to various publishing companies looking for an editing position. I received a call from Holland Marquis of Wilson & Havoc Publishing asking for an interview. I received the position on the spot. Cassieopeia opened her own shelter and counseling service for helping kids in tough spots. With Val at her side, the two were unstoppable. Cerys opened her own art studio and music shop, Cersei moved out of Bennington Parque joining me in Cornell Lake. She and Cerys had been steady ever since.

The MacBride and MacClellan trials soon became the trials of the century. With Cersei's testimony alongside mine and Tyson's with most of the residents of Bennington Parque's the jury's conviction was a no-brainer. Livana MacClellan and Cordelia MacBride, their parents, relatives, and associates were all found guilty of all charges. Their sentences, life in prison in solitary confinement with no possibility of parole.

Bennington Parque experienced even more changes. The members of Fallen 4 came home they all made a mutual agreement to disband. Pietro Jr and his boys made it big, being signed under Elsewhere Records. Their band name was Jazzy Lane a combination of my and Pietro's mother's name, a homage to the two women who made an impact on Pietro Senior. Damien proposed to Soren in front of everyone at The Grill. Clay and Isobella were going steady. Peace returned to my humble hometown at long last.

Yet it felt like something was missing, like I had left a part of myself behind in my small town. V liked to tease me, saying my heart wanted to be home. Maybe, or maybe it was because of the one my heart belonged to. It wasn't the draft that had kept me, although it certainly helped. It was the empty apartment awaiting me, the duffle waiting to be packed. Another eight-hour drive, another weekend that would go too fast. Long-distance relationships were taxing on the heart and I honestly didn't know how much longer I would last.