A Stranger In My Home

Epilogue

Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who's read, voted, commented and 'fanned'. I hope you've enjoyed this story and I hereby deliver the (very short) epilogue.

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“I love every single part of you. You don’t have to try to be someone you’re not to please me, Jules.”

That was the moment in time that would always stay with Julie. Jason’s words would constantly sound in her head whenever she glanced at her wedding band.

Years down the line, she was stronger than she’d ever been and her love for Jason had only matured over time. She’d gotten a degree in teaching and started working at the local school. She had Carlotta in her class now and Jim and Glory’s little girl was a star student.

The Richies had two more daughters and she and Jason were godparents to all three girls. Their house was filled with laughter and love and Julie sometimes pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Whenever Jason caught her doing that, however, he would kiss the spot she’d pinched. Sometimes, she did it even when she wasn’t really thinking she was dreaming…

“Auntie Jules!” a girl’s voice cried out and Julie looked up from the dough she was kneading.

“Hey munchkin,” she responded with a smile and crouched down to sweep Jenny Richie into her arms, careful not to smudge her with flour. “You’re here to help me bake?”

Jenny nodded. “Mom says I’m better off in your kitchen where I can actually learn something,” she said. “What does she mean by that?”

Julie chuckled at the little frown on Jenny’s face. “Just that you’re such a good little helper that she can’t bear to keep you from helping me.”

“Oh,” Jenny’s mouth formed a little ‘o’ and broke into a smile. “What are you baking?”

“Cinnamon rolls,” Julie answered. “Go grab your apron and wash your hands, okay?”

“Okay,” Jenny agreed and scampered off to the cupboard where Julie kept a set of guest aprons for Jim and Glory’s kids. Julie smiled at Jenny’s eagerness to help and considered herself one lucky woman, and not for the first time, either.

-

“Wow, what’s baking?” Jason’s voice sounded from the doorway just as Julie was taking the baking tray out of the over, the smell of a batch of cinnamon rolls wafting through the air.

Jenny ran over to him and Jason crouched down to hug her, not caring that she was getting flour all over his shirt. “Uncle Jason! We made cinnamon rolls!” she exclaimed with glee.

“You did?” he said, feigning surprise. “And did you bake it all by yourself?”

“Nah, Auntie Julie helped,” Jenny shrugged.

“Oh, I’m sure she couldn’t have done it without you,” Jason said good-naturedly and winked at Julie.

“He’s absolutely right,” Julie said to Jenny. “You and your sisters are the best kitchen staff I could ever ask for.”

Jenny beamed and ran over to the still-hot cinnamon rolls to inspect her work. She knew better than to pick one up by now, so she kept her distance. Jason walked up to Julie and hugged her.

“Hey you.”

“How was the garage?” Julie asked, looking up at him. “You guys busy?”

“Yeah, this weekend’s been crazy so far,” he sighed. “But I left Tony in charge for the rest of the day, told him I wanted to spend Sunday afternoon with my wife.”

“You’re soooo dreamy,” Julie teased, feigning swooning.

“You’re so cute,” he chuckled and kissed her nose. “Can I have one of those cinnamon rolls?” he glanced over at the baking tray, cooling on the counter.

“With milk?” Jenny piped up and Julie chuckled.

“Okay, kids, go get your milk,” Julie said with a teasing smile at Jason. “And Jenny, you can grab a plastic bag from the bottom drawer to bring some rolls home, okay?”

“Okay,” Jenny said and pulled out the drawer Julie had indicated.

Jason kissed Julie’s cheek when Jenny was busy putting cinnamon rolls in her plastic bad. “Mm… you taste like cinnamon yourself,” he murmured in her ear. “Any chance I’ll get a roll later?”

Julie laughed and pushed him away. “How long have you been working on that line?”

“Since I walked through the door,” Jason shrugged. “What do you think? Needs more work?”

“Definitely,” Julie chuckled.

Jason shrugged and, with a mischievous gleam in his eyes that promised he’d keep trying to sweep her off her feet after Jenny had gone home, sauntered over to the fridge to pull out a carton of milk.

The three of them sat down at the kitchen table and ate their share of cinnamon rolls. When she’d finished her serving, Jenny announced that she had to get home for dinner and waved goodbye before heading out the door.

Jason had sold the old house and gotten a new one next door to Jim and Glory both so that the kids could be close to their godparents and also because the old house was much too big for just the two of them. They didn’t need two stories and more than two bedrooms – one master bedroom and one guest bedroom was quite enough. They’d decided not to adopt, opting instead to shower their friends’ children with love and affection - and presents.

“I thought she’d never leave,” Jason feigned relief and reached for Julie, who laughed at him.

“You love those kids as much as I do.”

“True, but I was thinking some alone-time might not be too bad, either,” he winked and pulled her to her feet. “Kitchen counter or bedroom?”

Julie flushed and shook her head. “Neither.”

Jason pouted and she pulled him out of the kitchen, chuckling. “I’ve been baking for hours. I need a shower.”

“Ooh, now you’re talking,” he grinned.

-

As Julie lay in bed that night, like many nights before that, she contemplated how lucky she was. She’d spent years married to a stranger, wasted years she would never get back, but thanks to another stranger – one who’d become her closest friend and partner – she had all the time in the world to put the past behind her and enjoy the present and future.

Over the years, Julie had blamed herself at times for wasting her life and risking it on a daily basis by staying with her ex-husband, but she’d finally found peace with herself. She’d done the best she could considering the circumstances, and what truly mattered was that she’d gotten out before it was too late. There was no point in wasting any more years asking herself ‘what if’. She was here, she was alive, and, most importantly, she was happy.

Some strangers are really just people you haven’t gotten to know and love yet. She, for one, was happy that Jason was one of them.