PETRICHOR , paul lahote.

040. epilogue

FIVE YEARS LATER
SAM AND EMILY'S, THE REZ

ONCE UPON A TIME, Lena Parkinson shook at the sight of the snow on the ground. It was a time of tense pressure, a moment in her life she would never forget.

But now, as her feet make prints in the snow on the Uley driveway, she couldn't think of anything better. Especially when it meant she could scoop a handful of it into a giant ball and chuck it full force at the figure on the steps.

Quil Ateara stumbled at the force, looking back at his attacker with a surprised grin, "Lena!"

"Hey!" She ran towards him, enveloping him in a tight hug, "Oh my god it's been so long."

"It's been four months." Quil attempted, slightly breathless due to her grip, but hugging her back nonetheless. "It's good to see you, Leens."

Pulling back from him, she grinned, "How's senior year treating you? Met anyone new?"

"It's good. Can't wait to finally graduate, though. I think I hate college more than I hated high school." He laughed, "Also no. Which is sad, 'cos i'm twenty-one."

"Eh." She shrugged, "You'll meet your soulmate soon enough. They're out there, somewhere, wondering when someone is gonna come along and help them complete their thousand-piece puzzle."

Quil laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, "Let's get inside. It's freezing."

She agreed, and the pair walked up the steps that were discoloured and worn down from the amount of trips taken up and down them over the years. Lena pushed the door open, and the familiar chatter that she missed hearing so much greeted her.

Emily stood in the kitchen, pan of muffins in her arms that Quil was quick to take from her, allowing the woman to embrace Lena in a hug.

"Oh my god, you're huge." Lena grinned, placing her hands on Emily's stomach, "How long is it now? My perception on pregnancy length has been fucked up since Bella."

"Two more months, and we finally get to meet little Yazmin." Emily grinned, "Christopher is ecstatic to be a big brother."

"I bet he is." Lena smiled back just as wide, "Where is the little monster?"

"Hey, I'm not a monster!" The little voice echoed from the stairs, "Mom, Aunt Lena called me a monster!"

Emily pretended not to hear him, letting Lena run up and embrace the little boy in a hug that he giggled into, his feet high up off the ground. She put him down eventually, ruffling his curls and sliding him a dollar with a wink and a "Don't tell your dad. Merry Christmas."

"Christmas isn't for two more weeks!"

"That's why I said don't tell your dad!" She responded, eyes darting when Sam entered the room, "Quick, hide it!"

"Lena." He grinned, bringing her in for a hug whilst Christopher scurried back up to his room. "How have you been?"

"Good. Good. Good." She replied, nodding quickly.