Charlie anxiously sits in the passenger side of Molly's new car as she drives them to the edge of the city. She's a new driver so she's still a little nervous but he keeps reassuring her that she's doing well. She parks the car at the bottom of a hill and then they slowly walk up toward the top. They sit on a bench overlooking the bright lights of the city, everywhere is lit up from here. They have flasks that contain hot chocolate and Molly drinks hers as she glances out at the river.
"You okay?" he asks her.
"Yeah, it's just been a really emotional day," she says quietly. "I keep wondering when I'm going to wake up."
"Well, I don't visit people in their dreams often so make the most of it."
She smiles and then her eyes turn sad. There's something eating at her, something more than just today.
"What's wrong? Seriously?"
"I got a call a few days ago, just before we left for Bakersfield. It was my parents' solicitor, he wants me to go back to Florida after my birthday to meet with him. He's the benefactor of their wills and he has some paperwork for me to sign."
"Okay," Charlie says. "Why didn't you tell me that?"
"I didn't tell anyone," she whispers. "I tried to forget about it. I haven't been back there in years, it's the one trigger I don't think I can face."
"You can face anything," he says. "Do you want me to come with you?"
"I can't ask you to do that," she says. "It's such a long journey."
"Long journey?" Charlie laughs. "Molly, if I had to accompany you to. . . Europe then I would. We'll wait until spring break and then drive down there. It'll take a couple of days but at least we get a fun road trip out of it."
"You're sure?"
"No, I'm going to let you drive down to Florida on your own."
She rolls her eyes. "It's just a few weeks away. I still need to make a decision about the house."
"Sell it," Charlie says. "You could probably buy a one bedroom apartment with it that overlooks a trash site or a yard shed."
Molly laughs. "Yeah, California is expensive." She sighs deeply. "I don't know, it'll feel weird knowing another family is living there. And it's been vacant for so long, it'll probably need a lot of work."
"Just knock down the price," Charlie says. "People love a bargain and doing work themselves. It's your choice, Moll, no one can make it for you."
"I need to let it go," she says. "I can't hold on to it forever." She smiles wryly. "Hands always let go."
Charlie meets her eyes and his words come out with one breath. "Not mine."
"No," she whispers, leaning her face closer to his. "Not yours."
They kiss slowly, gently, on top of a thousand twinkling lights and underneath a billion more. The city is quiet, sleepy, exhausted from the crazy day. It's just the two of them, and the peace Charlie feels is exhilarating. There's no feeling like it in the world; of bathing in the silence, surrounded by the cool night air, and just knowing without a shadow of a doubt that his whole heart is hers.