Millie opened her eyes when she felt the first rays of sunlight enter the window, her window ... nothing had changed, the rays entered the same angle as always, traveling through her walls to reach her face, the same tree, its branches slightly larger, lacking leaves due to fall, Millie loved being home... especially after being away for so long...
Amazing how Alice managed to keep everything intact for 4 years, no matter how much time passed between Millie's visits, every summer, every holiday, whenever she returned, everything remained the same, as if time had not passed, she still felt Like that teenager who, after being awakened by the rays of the sun, turned to hug her pillow tightly, the pillow that always remained on the empty side of the bed.
But the bed was not empty ... no more.
Millie turned to meet her favorite sight, there was a guy sleeping next to her, his calm and deep breathing, his lips slightly open ... he was muttering nonsense, he was a sleeping talker, he always was, when he had a fever,when he had nightmares, when he had good dreams, when he had had a very heavy day, when they fought, when they made love until dawn ... anything was the trigger of his soft nonsense murmurs, she loved that about him.
"What are you saying now?". Millie thought as she brought her ear to his lips, careful not to tickle him with her hair.
"Just ... just a little cheese please"
Millie had to struggle to contain her laughter, she didn't want to wake him up, not when she needed more time to admire him.
His curls were a mess like every morning, no matter if they were short or long, in 4 years she had observed every haircut and every new style, but his curls were a lost cause, especially after such hectic nights...
She traced the contour of his nose with her finger, following the path of freckles that began on his forehead and spread to his cheeks, some things never change, his freckles only increased over time, he was uncomfortable, saying that no one would respect a 23-year-old man with freckles covered his face, but she loved them, she could kiss each one, she knew each one of them ... 187, she had counted them.
Her hand slid to his bare chest, feeling the movement of his breathing, moving closer to rest her face close to his heart ... the scar was still there, smaller, but still visible ...
"Do you like what you see freckles? ...". Finn said in a deep, hoarse voice, still with his eyes closed.
Her time was up, now she had to endure his teasing, she hated that he found her looking at him while he slept.
"I wasn't looking at you ... your hair looks like a bird's nest, who would want to look at that?!!". Millie scoffed, leaning her arms over his chest as she tenderly kissed his scar, she loved to leave kisses close to his heart, a tender act, but also very dangerous.
"Mills ... don't provoke me, unless you don't want to leave this room all morning". Finn said with a warning tone, watching as Millie smiled mischievously as she left more and more kisses on his chest.
"Hey, don't talk to me like that, like I'm a provocateur ... I don't understand why you have that idea of me". Millie said sounding innocent, she loved teasing him like that, she knew that her kisses and caresses were Finn's weak point.
"Oh ... so, you are not a provocateur? ... Let's see ...". Finn turned to grab his cell phone from the nightstand, and began searching through his messages.
"Here it is!... 11:47 pm... It says here and I am quoting verbatim... Finnie, I miss you, I don't want to sleep alone, wait for Nana to fall asleep and come to my room, let's see some movie ". He said imitating her tone of voice and her accent.
"First ... I don't speak like that, after all these years and your imitation of me continues to suck... and second ... I don't see what the problem is!".
"The problem Millie Bobby Brown, is that I do not remember having seen any movie! ... I was quietly in the guest room that Alice, very kindly prepared for me and now I am here in your room, naked! ... look, all our clothes it's on the ground and it's your fault ... you're evil! ".
"And you're a crying baby ... you could say no, it's easy!". Millie said raising an eyebrow.
In a movement Finn spun, returning Millie to the bed now standing on top of her, holding her wrists on the pillow, it was a dangerous game, challenging the resistance of the other ... their favorite game.
"Let's see ... if it's that easy, tell me to stop." Finn whispered into her ear, beginning to kiss her neck, slowly lowering her to his collarbone.
"Finn, come on ... Nana can hear us". Millie said trying to regulate her breathing.
"You just have to say no, Millie Bobby Brown ... it's easy". Now he had her right where he wanted her, it was fun, but the game ended when 3 knocks were heard at the door.
"Tinkerbell, are you awake?".
"OH SHIT!". Finn said turning so fast that he fell to the ground, looking in all directions.
"I ... I will go out the window!"
"Finn, are you crazy? Did you already see yourself?". Millie said pointing to Finn from head to toe, referring to his nakedness. "Here! ... get under the bed!". Millie began tossing Finn's clothes under the bed as she quickly pulled on her blouse, wrapping herself in her blanket seconds before the door opened.
"Good morning honey! ... are you okay? ... your face, look a little red". Alice placed her hand on Millie's forehead to check her temperature.
"Nana! Yeah... it sure is a cold, you know, this couple of days in the cabins with the guys, the forest was really cold and wet... ". Millie said trying to regulate her breathing, fortunately the first days they returned to London they met with Sadie, Caleb, Noah and Gaten, to take a trip to the cabins, the same cabins they went to after their high school graduation, now Since they had all graduated from college, they thought it would be incredible to repeat it.
Millie hoped her excuse was enough ...
"Aww I'm sorry honey, I'll make you a tea to make you feel better ... I just wanted to let you know that breakfast is ready and I made your favorite cookies! I'll wait for you in the kitchen ... Oh and I forgot ...".
Alice paused a bit before leaving.
"I made bacon for you too, Finn". Without saying more, she closed the door.
"Shit ... shit ... shit." Finn said burying his face in the ground. "Mills, Do have a magical diary with you right now?... because I seriously need to ask the ground to swallow me".
It took them at least 20 minutes to control their laughter, get dressed, and find the courage to go downstairs and see Alice face to face.
.......................................................................................................
"Oh come on guys, are you really going to be quiet all morning?" .Alice said tired of the tension in the air.
"Listen ... it is absurd that at this point you really care about these things, I mean, you have been living in New York together for 3 years ... I am not a libertine but I am not stupid either, at this point the only thing I can thank is that in all this time you have not impregnated my granddaughter ".
"PPFFF!!!". Finn spat the orange juice straight onto the table, struggling to breathe.
"Nana !!". Millie slapped Finn on the back as they both laughed at him.
Alice was right, after they decided to study in the same city and in the same university they only endured being one year apart, they spent so much time in each other's dormitory that at the beginning of the second year they decided to rent an apartment together.
They were really a good team, they were an excellent support for each other, maybe at some point in the past there was a little doubt about choosing the same university, those voices arose in their heads that questioned them about their motives
Were they giving up on their dreams or opportunities for trying to stick together?
The answer is... no.
New York's University had everything they wanted.
Millie chose a career in literature, following the path of her parents, she dreamed of working for a major publisher and why not? Someday writing her own stories, after all her mind was full of creativity, a skill that increased with the events of recent years ... who better to write a story than someone who has experienced an incredible adventure, someone who has seen fantasy to become reality.
And as for Finn, he chose a career in psychology, after the difficulties he had in his childhood with the death of his mother and seeing how complicated everything was despite having the support of his father and the financial resources to receive help from professional therapists, he couldn't help but think of all the children and young people who are going through difficulties without having the opportunity to be cared for by a professional, so he hoped to become a great therapist capable of providing free service to children and adolescents of scarce resources ... The University offered both the opportunity to develop in the desired field.
It was difficult leaving London, especially after nostalgia prevented Alice from leaving her home, she decided to stay, she definitely could not get used to life in a city like New York, Millie had to get used to just seeing her grandmother in days Holidays or vacations, although the last 3 years was complicated since Millie and Finn had to work in addition to the school, after all there were expenses that both had to cover.
For Finn it was the same problem, his father was unable to leave London due to his work, for the past few years Finn and Millie shared everything, including the same feeling of missing their loved ones, so most of their plans included saving for travel back to London whenever they had a chance, but no one complained, they loved coming home.
Although if Finn were asked right now... his answer would be that he would have preferred to travel to a country in a war zone than to be in front of Alice while she embarrasses him about the now obvious sex life he has had with his granddaughter in all these years.
"Nana, stop embarrassing Finn!" Millie said stopping to pat Finn's back when she realized he was already breathing properly.
"I'm just kidding guys! ... God Eric will have so much fun when I tell him this".
"NANA!". Millie reprimanded her grandmother.
"I think it was not a good idea to leave them together for so long, this whole best friend thing, it is a dangerous thing once you decide to conspire against us". Finn said using the napkin to remove traces of juice from his chin and shirt.
He really wasn't serious, he loved that Alice and Eric had become great friends, they kept each other company and he and Millie could rest assured that there was a good person taking care of the most important person in their life, they were practically a family, Alice even encouraged Eric to go on dates again, even for a while he was dating a very beautiful woman, she was his co-worker, it did not work but it was a breakthrough, Finn was happy that his father returned to try, he wanted him to meet someone, to be happy, he hoped to be able to help him once he returned to his life in London, yes... now that they had graduated, both would return home definitively.
"Well ... I really enjoy your company girls, but on the subject of moving and coordinating all the shipping of our things from New York I haven't had much time with my Dad ... I promised him a boys' afternoon so it's time to go". Finn got up from the table giving Millie a quick kiss.
"Your things should be arriving in a couple of hours, please do not fall asleep or the delivery service will charge us extra".
"I wouldn't be tired if someone had let me sleep". Millie whispered making him blush, as Finn whirled around to make sure Alice hadn't heard, luckily she didn't.
"Do you really want your grandma to think I'm a sex maniac?!" Finn whispered in her ear as he took his keys, said goodbye to Alice and left the house but not before giving Millie a funny smile, gesturing for her to look at her cell phone, he didn't wait to see her reaction, he just left closing the door behind him.
To:Freckles
"Since the idea of me being a pervert seems so funny to you, leave your window open tonight, let's see if I'm still good at climbing trees 😉 ... I love you"
"Asshole...". Millie thought as she stifled her laughter.
"What is so funny?". Alice said pulling Millie out of her thoughts.
"Nothing Nana, it's just ... everything is perfect, I'm happy, you know?".
And she was not lying, everything had turned out well, after 4 years they were still together, more united than ever, they had graduated from university, now they were back at home, Sadie and Caleb never left London, Gaten and Will studied in California, but they would also be back in a short time, it is as if things gradually return to the way they were before, they could start a new stage of their life in the place where everything started.
"Tinkerbell". Alice said approaching her granddaughter taking her hands. "Are you sure this is what you want, what you both want? ... I mean, after knowing other places in the world, living in New York! ... Are you sure you want to go home?"
"What are you talking about, Nana?" Millie asked confused.
"I just want you to know that I'm fine, if you wanted to continue in New York or make your life elsewhere, I want you to know that I'm happy for you, I don't want you to make a decision for me ...".
And that's when Millie understood everything, Alice feared that Millie's decision was based on her concern to leave her alone.
"Nana ... listen to me". Millie said sounding as serious as possible, as if for the first time she was the adult here, but if you thought about it, she was already an adult, a woman.
"Nana ... of course I miss you and it kills me to be away from you, but that's not the only reason, London is my home, everything I love is here and as for Finn ... he thinks just like me, he wants to be close from his dad, close to our friends, this is the place where we met, we both love this place and ... wait ... ". Leaving the kitchen for a minute to return with some brochures and documents.
"Look... The University College London, it has extraordinary programs for our specialties, I want to take a couple more courses in writing and Finn wants to do a specialization in Social Work, the university is perfect ... I swear Nana, this is what we want, we don't know what will happen in some years, but we have never agreed more on one thing... we both want to be here ".
"It makes me so happy to hear that...". Alice said trying to hide the tears from her face, maybe it was age but she had become very sensitive, since the day of Millie and Finn's graduation, she could not stop crying ... she blamed the tiredness, saying that her eyes were irritated because of the jet lag or the New York contamination, of course ... she wasn't going to allow Eric to make fun of her ... although when the dean mentioned Finn's name at the ceremony, he also started crying like a baby.
"But hey ... stop being sentimental!". Alice said shaking her head and carving her eyes. "Tell me ... is everything ready for your trip? ... it is in less than 1 month!"
"Yes! ... well, I'm as ready as I can be ... can you believe that Finn still doesn't want to tell me where we are going? ... it's absurd, I mean ... how much can he hide it, from the moment I get on the plane I will know ".
"Surely Finn will find a way to keep the mystery ... that guy is a thing from another planet, when he told me he had a graduation gift for you, I never imagined that it was a trip". Alice said laughing as she started cleaning the kitchen.
"Neither do I ... I'm really excited Nana, he said I would love it so... I trust him".
"Oh believe me, you will love that place".
"Nana !! .... you know where we are going, you have to tell me!". Millie rolled her puppy eyes as she pleaded with her grandmother.
"Oh no ... I will not, remember... the most special thing about a magic show ... you must keep the mystery ... also, trust me, this is better ... it will be worth it".
And as always, Alice was right ... Finn knew what he was doing.
There was something about Finn's personality, something that Millie loved in particular among all the characteristics that made him an adorable person... Finn listened to you, and above all, he had an incredible capacity to remember everything, every little detail, even what Millie considered irrelevant ... for Finn it was not, not if it came from her,Finn seemed to have a special storage system when it came to Millie, no matter if he had a bad day, if he was half asleep, if he was sick, or if he didn't seem to be listening, Finn always listened and managed to remember any conversation in detail. Any information she has shared with him, even if she herself had forgotten and best of all, he always used that information to make her feel special at the least expected time.
3 years ago everything would start as a normal conversation ...
Finn and Millie were on the couch in their little apartment, the couch was near their balcony since they both liked to just lay back and watch the stars, Finn was lying down, using Millie's thighs as a pillow as she ran her hands through of his curls ... that was their favorite moment of the day, when school and work ended and it was just the two of them, two lovers enjoying their company.
"Finnie ... Did I ever tell you how my grandparents met?"
"Mmm?" Finn muttered with his eyes closed, Millie knew him, he was about to fall asleep. "I think I would remember that story, freckles".
That's how that conversation started ... and ended 30 minutes later.
"Holy Shit! .... and Alice still keeps that coin?". Finn said now too awake for someone who was practically unconscious less than an hour ago.
"Yes! She has it ... I swear Finnie, when I held that pink coin I could feel the energy that radiated from it ... it is a very beautiful and magical love story, when she told it to me, it was a little difficult to believe at first but now it is different, you know, after all we've been through, after we've also witnessed the magical way in which fate works... I feel lucky, lucky that we also have an equally magical story".
"And the story has not yet been written, we have some chapters ahead ...". Finn said capturing her lips in a sweet kiss.
It was normal for Millie to have no clue of where Finn would take her ... after all ... who remembers a talk that happened 3 years ago?
The answer is ... Finn.
Finn remembered it and when he decided he wanted to do something special for Millie, everything was as simple as logging on to his computer and buying two tickets to Paris.
.............................................................................................
"HOW LONG SHOULD I USE THIS? !!". Millie said screaming because of how loud the music was in her ears.
It had been 1 month and the day of his trip arrived, Millie still does not know what trick Finn used but not only made Eric, Alice and the guys keep the secret, somehow he had managed to convince the staff at the airport, otherwise there would be no way they would allow a man to get on a girl blindfolded and with headphones that made her completely deaf and blind... on a flight she obviously was unaware of.
Finn was persuasive, he just had to go days before and talk to the security staff about a romantic surprise he wanted to prepare for his girlfriend ...
Ok, The fact that Eric is the attorney for the airport's CEO also helped a lot.
The plan was simple, Millie could not see or hear anything until they landed in Paris, they had already boarded the plane so the most difficult thing had already happened ... the flight between London and Paris was almost 3 hours, hopefully Millie would sleep, he knew she was tired ... he took care of that the night before, it was actually his favorite part of the plan ... not letting her sleep, the only way she wouldn't complain.
Once they got to Paris, there was a car waiting for them, it would take them to the exact spot, Finn would agree to pick up Millie's headphones, just because the driver spoke English perfectly and his accent was almost imperceptible.
But as for the bandage, he would not remove it until they had reached the place where the surprise awaited them, when they arrived at the place Finn was in charge of placing Millie at the exact angle before allowing her to see where she was.
"Are you ready?". Finn said standing behind her placing his face between her neck as he hugged her.
"Yes !! ... please Finnie, I want to see!". Millie gave little jumps of emotion due to the anticipation of the moment, she was like a little girl.
"Ok, I don't think I can deny you anything when you're that adorable ... 1 ... 2 ... .3".
The bandage fell to the ground, just like Millie's jaw, when the first thing she saw was a beautiful lake, the place seemed to be on some hill because the view of the city was spectacular and in the distance through the clouds, she could see it, the most obvious reference to the place where they were ... The Eiffel tower .
"Paris..". Millie said almost like a whisper before turning excited and losing control as she hugged Finn. "PARIS ... WE ARE IN PARIS !!"
"We are actually in the backyard of your house,all this is a green screen". Finn said laughing at Millie's attempt to hit him.
"Finnie ... god! This is... This is beautiful, I have always wanted to know Paris ". Millie surveyed the place - there was a beautiful table that had some delicious sandwiches on it, there was a bottle of grape soda, which made her smile immediately and turn to hug Finn.
"So, a lake and grape soda? ... Did you really want to come to Paris to recreate our first date?" Millie said looking at him with all the adoration her eyes could express.
"You deserve it ... I'd give you the whole world Millie Bobby Brown, but for now you just have to settle for Paris"
"I love you so much". Millie said before wrapping her hands around his neck and drawing him in for a deep kiss that lasted for at least 15 seconds before Millie parted, puzzled by a noise she heard.
"Wait ... do you hear that? ... is it water?" Millie was confused since the lake was completely calm, there was no current, she wondered where the sound she heard came from, Finn smiled, she knew that in a short time she would realize that, Millie was extremely observant before the details of everything that surrounded her.
"Mmm yeah ... I think that behind this hill there is a river, that river feeds the lake ... Do you want to go see it?" Finn said pretending it was a place of no importance.
"Sure!..". Millie said taking his hand enthusiastically walking towards the source of that sound.
As soon as they arrived there was a fence, it was a little open, just enough for them to enter, on the floor there was a big chain and a padlock ... Millie had the feeling that this gate did not have to be open, but she was so excited she didn't care.
The truth is that indeed ... that place had been forbidden to the public for more than 20 years, Finn had to beg the security guard to make an exception, that's why the fence was open.
After a little walk Millie started to see the little river appear, the place was so beautiful, the restriction to the public only made nature claim the place, the river was so transparent, the place was so full of flowers, there was a section from the river that caught Millie's attention because there was a stone bridge, she was moved by how wonderful the view could be from there.
"Come on! Your long legs are useless, you really are like a turtle! ". Millie said running and stretching Finn's arm, she felt an immense need to be there, as if her soul sensed that this place was special ... once they met there Millie could not help but be surprised by the beauty of the place, although the bridge was of stone, small flowers and traces of vegetation that appeared between the cracks could be observed, as a sign that nature always claims its place in this world.
"This place is wonderful, it's really beautiful." Millie said as she observed how the lake was so transparent that the sky was reflected over it, the sun was hidden over the tops of the trees but because the sunset was close it would soon go down enough for the light to seep through the trunks and illuminate the water completely, Finn knew that ... he had everything perfectly calculated, he only needed a couple of more minutes, when the sun will touch the water, the magic would begin.
Finn was beginning to wonder how Millie hadn't recognized the place yet... he hoped she was suspicious at least by now. Was she really so distracted? ... Yes, she was, but this was better, so the moment would be more special, just a couple of minutes for the sun to light up the entire river, she just needed to kill the time a little more...just a little more.
"Do you know the best thing about being in such a private place and away from the world?". Finn said taking Millie by the waist and pulling her closer to him, looking at her in that way that drove her crazy, like a lion looks at its prey. "That you can do many things, without fear that someone will see you".
"FINN !! .. We are not going to .. we can't".
"Wow, wow, wow I don't know what that dirty mind of yours is thinking but, I don't mean that ...".
Finn took his cell phone and started looking for something, it seemed that he had found it because a smile appeared on his face, he pressed his cell phone once more and placed it on the side of the bridge.
Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band,
Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man
"Do you want to dance with me?". Millie didn't need to answer, her smile and the way she allowed Finn to grab her waist and pull her closer to him were better than any answer.
Their bodies moved awkwardly over that bridge, at that moment the world didn't matter.
Hold me closer, tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today
The world didn't matter, because in that instant they were the world, that little place away from everyone, it was their own universe.
"You know Finnie, that song seems very familiar to me"
"Oh, I'm surprised you remember that since you were completely drunk that night ... you remember how you tried to abuse me in the back of that bar". Finn said as he spun her around, his footsteps too uncoordinated, neither of them would ever win a prize for best dancer.
"I don't remember you complaining". Millie wrapped her arms around his neck and standing on tiptoe to kiss him as their bodies kept moving to the beat of the music.
But oh how it feels so real
Lying here with no one near
Only you and you can hear me
When I say softly, slowly
Finn was lost in the kiss, leaning Millie against the bridge, she turned her back on the river, she had her back to the river, she had her back to the beautiful view, without realizing the sunset time came and the rays that hit Finn's face were his reminder that his surprise should continue ... he opened his eyes and slowly broke the kiss.
"Freckles ... are you ready to find out where we are?". Finn said still so close to her face that their noses were joined, he gently took her by the shoulders and started to turn her
"What? ... What are you doing?". Millie laughed as Finn turned her so she was facing the river, moving closer to her ear.
"You know ... many years ago this place was the favorite place of many lovers and dreamers ... can you imagine why?".
Millie did not answer, as soon as her eyes connected with the beautiful view it is as if everything had made sense to her, the sun that filtered through the trunks of the trees directly hit the water making a thousand flashes be seen all over the river, It was like watching a river full of stars.
"They are... those are... coins... this place... Finnie! This place is.."
"Bingo!". Finn said hugging her from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her head. "It is the place of the history of your grandparents, I needed a lot of help from Alice to find it, the city has changed a lot in all these years and the fact that this place has been closed to the public for so many years did not help much to locate it, but you know me ... you know I never give up and I could think of every detail".
Millie turned to see him surprised, by the sparkle in her eyes Finn could tell she was about to cry.
"I never thought that this place still existed ... I never thought I would be able to see it, it's like being in a dream, I can't believe you found it for me..."
"Why always that tone of surprise?". Finn said pretending to be offended. "When are you going to understand that I would be capable of anything for you?". He took her face in his hands, Millie closed her eyes at the contact, unable to stop smiling, enjoying every second of that moment, she wanted to cry from happiness, But he did not want to return that moment, so sentimental, so she decided to do what she does best ... mess with him.
"This is wonderful, Finnie ... but..."
"But what?". Finn said confused.
"In my grandmother's story, she said that in the water my grandfather could see a pink flash ... I don't see any pink flash here ...sure... unless you stole my grandmother's coin...".
A big, pretentious smile grew on Finn's lips, he couldn't believe that his whole plan was being carried out in such a perfect way, This is supposed to happen when you know a person so much, you can anticipate each movement, idea or thought, as if they were your own.
"That coin belongs to Alice... that coin was her wish. You cannot steal the people's wishes Millie Bobby Brown " . Finn said, feigning a serious tone, like the one you use when you scold a small child. "But as I told you ... I thought about every detail, if I wanted to give you this surprise I would make sure you had the full experience ...".
Finn reached into his jeans pocket, took out something, and placed it in Millie's hand.
"We deserve our own pink wishes, don't we?". When Millie opened her hand and saw a pair of pink coins, she couldn't contain a cry of happiness, she jumped holding onto Finn's neck as she wrapped her legs around his torso, fortunately Finn was strong enough to hold himself upright, otherwise they would both be on the ground now.
"Hey wild monkey, you want to kill me!!"
"Did you really decorate these coins ?!".Millie said pecking at his cheeks, leaving as many kisses on his face as possible.
"Hey! you would be surprised by my artistic skills, I am a box full of surprises!". Finn said as he slowly lowered Millie.
"I can make my wish now". Millie said pretending to throw the coin as Finn hurried to stop her arm.
"Wait, wait ... let's do this well". Finn said, as he removed his little blue sharpie from his keychain and handed it to Millie. "The reason I got a bit bigger coins is so we can write our wish here ... we will have to be brief and use very small letters, but there is enough space".
Millie nodded frantically without being able to contain the emotion, leaned on the bridge and began to write, Finn loved seeing her so excited, he loved that about her, he loved how she could be a mature and passionate woman and at the same time keep preserving the illusion and surprise at the little things in life.
After Millie finished writing her wish Finn did the same and they faced each other, Finn took a few seconds to see Millie's eyes so full of happiness, that kind of happiness that does not fit in the body and emerges in In the form of light, he was so proud to be the cause of that joy, he was so happy that his plan went so perfectly since the proof of that was the smile on the face of the girl who was now in front of him ... but it was only missing something else, a small detail.
"Mills ... I was thinking ... in all these years we have discovered that the best way for a wish to come true is for it to be selfless"
"that is true ... so...?" Millie said a little confused.
"What if you ask my wish for me and I ask your wish for you? ...". Finn asked calmly, though deep down it seemed that this answer meant the world to him.
"Finnie that would be so romantic! But you go first, take my coin! ... ".
Finn with a huge smile on his face for getting what he wanted, he stepped forward, standing on the edge of the bridge.
"You can read it out loud, Finnie! It's just the two of us! " . Millie encouraged him.
"Ok, ok !!" Finn said clearing his throat, as he began to read Millie's coin.
"I want the world to remember how to dream and believe".
Finn smiled as he read those words and before tossing the coin he turned to kiss Millie a little and whisper in her ear.
"I know I am not the world, but thanks to you I learned to dream and believe freckles" . Without saying more Finn threw Millie's coin into the river, Millie smiled when she saw how the little pink flash could be seen through the water ... there it was, like a little pink star.
"Now it's your turn ...". Finn said as he placed Millie on the edge of the bridge and stood just behind her, placing the coin on her hand, placing the part of the text hidden against her skin.
Millie smiled as she got closer to the edge of the bridge, teasing Finn's nervous face.
"It's Okay, Finnie, surely your wish is better than mine". Millie turned the coin and began to read quickly, like an automatic reflex.
"I wish ... that she says yes".
Millie said it so quickly that it took a couple of seconds for the smile on her face to be replaced with a gesture of confusion, she did not even realize that Finn was no longer hugging her from behind, Millie turned quickly.
"I Wish that she says yes? ... What is ...".
But her words died in her mouth, in fact she could have died at that time too, When, what she found while turning, was a mixture of present and past...the 23-year-old men who slept next to her for the last 4 years & the teenager who defended her in the school hallway, both were in front of her ... In front of her on their knees, holding a ring.
The ring glowed with the same intensity as a star, it glowed like the coins in the river, it glowed like the stars that they had so often seen until dawn, it glowed like Finn's eyes right now... looking at her as if his life depended on her answer, the answer to a question he hadn't even asked.
"Millie Bobby Brown ... my Mills ...". Finn said trying to control the tremor in his voice.
"I want to make sure you never have to wish for anything else in your life, no matter how many magic diaries come your way...you will never wish something again because I will give you everything, everything you want, everything you didn't even know you wanted, I will give you everything of me, my time, my kisses, my love, my heart, my soul, I would give my life for you... again... ". Finn took her trembling hands closer to his chest.
"Can you feel it? ... this bleeding and pulsating thing has not stopped being full of love for you not a fucking second since I saw you the first time, this is your home Millie, my heart has always been your home and yours, mine... please, let's create a new home... together ".
Millie was a mess now, her face full of tears as she struggled to convince herself that this was not a dream.
"Freckles ... please marry me..." Finn moved the ring closer to Millie waiting for her answer, while he saw how she still held the pink coin in her hand.
"You still have my wish in your hand ... if your answer is yes ... you already know what to do to make it come true" Finn said trying to hide his nerves.
Without looking back Millie threw the coin into the river and then jumped on Finn, both fell to the ground, Millie's mouth on his, he could feel the taste of her tears in each kiss but could also feel her smile.
"So it's a yes!?" Finn said scratching the back of his head.
"Are you kidding?!!! Put that ring on my finger now !!! ". Millie said throwing herself to his lips again as Finn tried to put the ring on without being able to see what he was doing.
"You're crazy Finn Wolfhard." She whispered against his lips.
"You are going to marry me". Finn said with a shrug, still kissing her.. "Who is the crazy here?..."
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This could possibly be the best way to end a story, two lovers lying on the ground kissing as if the rest of the world did not exist, on an abandoned bridge, over a river, which could also be a sky, due to all the flashes that illuminated it.
They stayed there until night fell on them, and at some point they would feel the need to find another place, a more comfortable one, a more intimate one, being two beings did not feel right at this moment, they needed to be one.
It's funny how life works, always taking us down strange paths, but in the end everyone finds their destiny, just like Finn and Millie found theirs ... There were still so many stories to live, so many stories to tell ...things that couple of lovers still did not know.
Yes ... In less than a year they would be husband and wife.
Yes ... Alice and Eric would be deeply happy and finally they would recover the family they lost, Eric gained a friend and a new daughter and Alice gained a grandson and a crying baby (That was the official nickname that she gave Eric)
Yes ... Finn and Millie would finish their specialty in the University and both would find the work of their dreams, Finn would become the founder of a charity association that would help with psychological therapy to all the children of limited resources and Millie would become one of the best literary publishers in London, she would end up writing a saga of books, about a magical diary that would become a bestseller in many countries.
Yes... on Finn's 27th birthday, Millie would give him a big surprise... they would be parents... they would have a boy they would call Robert.
Yes ... 3 years after that, they would be parents for the second time, two little twin girls, Mary and Kelly.
Yes ... they would be happy, surrounded by their family, their friends ... they would be profoundly happy. They would never lose faith, they would never forget everything they lived, no matter how many years passed, they would never stop marveling at how lucky they were, for having been so special that the universe has decided to show them the magic that lives with us.
Yes ... there was so much future waiting for them, but they did not know it, while they kept giving their soul in each kiss they shared on that bridge they did not know it ... they only cared about the present, the person they had in their arms now.
And I only cared to tell a little of their story ...
I have been here for many many years.... I have seen so many things, I have witnessed how magic is real and is among us.
Magic is in the most unexpected places, perhaps within a person, perhaps within ourselves, perhaps among the pages of an old diary.
The point is that to be worthy we have to be brave, happiness and extraordinary things were not created for cowards... in this world there are so many negative things that sometimes we prefer to close our minds to things that we cannot understand and we prefer only ... not knowing.
I have always said that the worst ignorance is voluntary ignorance ... Why are people so afraid to know?... Knowledge is such a wonderful thing.
If we want to be worthy we have to start believing ... dreaming.
In the end things are always as it should be, there is always somewhere we need to go and there is always someone waiting for us ... you just have to wish it, the future has something wonderful reserved for you.
...Are you ready?.
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This wonderful journey ends here, I will not get sentimental here, I will leave my tears for the next section of thanks.
Now I just want to know what you think of the epilogue, please tell me everything, did you like the way the story closed? What you think? Is what you imagined? , Be honest!.
I love you guys, now...yeah, continue to the next page to see me pour out all my sentimentality.
I love you all.
Eli 😊