last chapter guys.
January 21st:
3 years later...
He is piling the familiar shelves, his hands accustomed to the action when she bursts through the glass door. His heart leaps out of his chest at the loud crash in noise. Followed by the muffled stomps of boots against the front carpets, the winter chinook breezing in a second later. He can hear the low whisper of her soothing voice talking to someone else. That familiar sound makes his pulse quickening, his brown eyes opening wide in recognition.
Has it been that long?
Time had gone by so fast that Elias can't even remember the last time he sat down for coffee, the last time he breathed functionally. A now-famous writer, whose book, Stolen Voices, gained lots of reputation and even won the National Book Award. The meaning behind it is a secret to everyone but him, a question he brushes off frequently.
The library had asked him to come back, who even had a poster of him hung proudly above the front desk, to read to young children. He'd done it with the excuse to come home, and maybe a piece of him had hoped to see her.
Though they ended their relationship shortly after he moved to New York, last he heard, she'd come back home, her mother falling ill. His love for her never dwindled, only succumbed to life. His published diary, in entries that are almost all consistent with the mystery girl whose crystal eyes are the expanse of the ocean.
He thinks about her, a lot even, but he's moved on with life as did she. The first thing he learned as an adult is that past flames are just that, past. Even ending a two-year-long relationship just a few months ago that would have gone somewhere had she not said his mind had been elsewhere for a while.
"We have to be quiet, so we don't get caught," he hears her low whisper, pushing himself against the shelves so she won't see him. Molding himself into its oak boards, his tongue-tied.
It is so casual, this feeling of his pulse quickening, his skin hot, that he has to cover his mouth, stifling the laughter that builds in his chest. Elias hasn't changed much over the years, filling out in some more places and growing his hair out a little, stubble forming on his chin. The white shirt, fitting a bit more snug, Elias still has that boyish charism to him.
"Hey baby, I think your books over here," he hears her voice again, its low vibrato sounding closer. She is walking towards him, the din of her heels clicking against the floor, softer ones trailing behind at a quicker pace.
"Mama, can I get many?" A young voice speaks.
Elias, surprised, sucks in the breath, which draws Mara's attention his way. Frozen in the aisle, her head, shooting towards where he hides. It is unmistakably Mara, considering she doesn't look much older, her eyes maybe a tad more jaded.
She had done well after Elias left, though she realized good didn't last eternally. Having another manic episode not long after they broke off whatever it was they had become. It had nothing to do with Elias, simply the wiring of her brain, it was then she realized it was a good decision she'd made, staying home.
She never wanted him to have to deal with her in that state, and she knew he would pick her over his internship, always. Elias had never learned to live without the help of another, and that's all she wanted from him. Though time had caught up with them, in a sense, she'd been glad it did. Because they needed to become adults to have an adult relationship, and they were still kids figuring it out at the time.
Now, twenty-two and with a child, she can say that she's matured with the help of her friends in California. Cairo and Ryn, who look out for her when she needs it.
"Had I'd known the place wasn't empty, I would have robbed it last night," she snickers, Elias's face shifting from horror to realization. And then they are laughing, an audible pitch the echoes through the low ceiling of this place. One that twists the muscles in your stomach until you gasp for breath, when eye contact sends you rolling to the floor, almost quite literally.
"You never failed to surprise me, that's for sure," Elias beams, his laughter dying down as his eyes catch the infant boy who stands next to Mara, gripping onto her leg. He can't be much older than two, his big green eyes staring up at Elias, his hair curling over his ears. He is smiling, his eyes not holding any ounce of fear towards the stranger.
"And who are you?" Elias crouches down to his level, the little boy moving forwards proudly. He is his mother's personality, with no fear and a wide vocabulary before stepping foot into preschool. Considering his aunts and uncles consisted of Ryn, Cairo, Will, it was no surprise that he was both a genius and a smartass before he could walk.
Mara always worries her kids will have bipolar like her. Or she won't be a fit enough mother, too lost in her own mind. During her entire pregnancy, it never felt real, she'd been very disconnected to her growing stomach. It wasn't until she held him, felt his head against her heartbeat that she realized she wanted it, the everlasting love. His emerald green eyes always look at her with stars in his irises as she kisses his button nose. Feeling his arms wrap around her neck protectively.
"My name, Bo," he cheeks out, the soft honey skin of his cheeks tinted pink. He smells of baby powder. He has a cheeky grin that shows off his crooked teeth, just a step away from Elias.
"Bo?" Elias says, glancing up at Mara, who shakes her head.
"Uh-huh. Like Bodhi," Bo says proudly, his name sounding more like body with his slurred speech. He stumbles back to Mara, his little legs moving fast, tapping her legs so she will lean over. More level with him as he attempts to whisper into her ear, "who that?"
"That's Eli," Mara smiles, glancing up at Elias, who is staring at her oddly, his eyes narrowed as his lips curled up on the sides. He hasn't heard that nickname in a while, she is the only one who ever called him anything other than his name. Even his past girlfriend called him Elias all the time, he hadn't realized he missed the name Eli so much. And the name Bodhi, which he hadn't heard in years when they created the snowman in his yard.
"You make a book?" Bo says, gazing up at him.
"I did write a book, buddy," Elias responds, standing up his knees go weak. Mara does the same, picking Bodhi up, so he is on her hips. His head rests on her shoulder, his soft brown locks tickling her neck as his wide eyes watch. She will never get used to the soft hugs of babies, turning into mush.
"Mama cried," Bo says, "and Auntie Ryn even didn't get mad." His eyes go wide as if that is a marvelous thing.
Mara had bought the book seeing his name, not realizing it. Halfway through, the words had become so blurred, the pages stained with her tears, that she shoved it away in her desk drawer. Not reading past the day they went bridesmaid dress shopping.
"You're supposed to keep secrets, remember?" Mara squeezes his leg as he recoils away from her, giggling in high pitch. She smiles, glancing over at Elias bashfully, who smirks; crossing his arms over his chest. His biceps bulge as he flexes his muscles, a bit too proud, he has to remind himself.
"You read my book?" Elias says, his smile growing.
"Yes," she seethes, "of course I read your book."
"And his father, did he read it?" Elias asks, pointing towards Bodhi, whose attention is fixated on the books stuffed in the shelf behind him. Reaching out towards it, as Mara keeps a far enough distance, as if he could reach them. He will try though, the kid has no sense of bounds when it comes to giving up.
Mara just shakes her head no, her blonde hair cascading down her back in waves. She doesn't know who Bodhi's dad is, and frankly, doesn't want to know. He isn't in her life, and she is satisfied with that. Getting a degree, she can support herself and Bodhi, she has enough people around as a family. He is loved by her entire friend group, with Will and Cairo as surrogate dads.
"What about your..." she drawls, cocking her head to the side.
"Nope," he shakes his head, sighing. Most girls don't last long upon realizing Elias has more issues than seen on the surface of his good looks. He still has nightmares every so often and is so guarded that only a few make it past his walls. The longest relationship Elias had ended because she said he was too distant, which in a sense, he was. He'd found out he was coming home, and he would admit that Mara found her way into his mind more than once.
"Are you in town for a while?" She asks, bruising her hands through Bodhi's hair, who falls asleep in her embrace. He is a big kid for his age, his baby weight making her arms go weak, shifting him up on her hip.
"I can work from anywhere, so," he shrugs, "I'm not sure how long I plan on staying here. I know Mom likes having me back around."
"Maybe I'll call you then, see if you want a coffee or something?" She puts it out there, letting him decide, walking back towards the door as Elias follows. The knit backpack hung over her shoulders, stuffed with chapter books for her and children's books for the boy asleep in her arms.
"I'd like that," he smiles, "I'd like that a lot."
"It's a date," she beams, and then she's gone. Only the lingering fragrance of pine as her imprint and the permanent smile etched on his lips. Elias never once realized that she didn't check the book out.
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Authors Note:
And that's the end. Make sure to read my author's note on the next page for more.
Thank you all for reading, it means a lot to me.
Once again, thoughts?
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- Nia
Edited 4/14/22