ALL THE LOVE WE LEAVE BEHIND

Epilogue

"Love you too mom, but I gotta go."

I hung up, without letting my mother finish her talk on how proud she was of the way my interior designing company, Lyla's, was blossoming. She did that every once a week, with just a few changes added to her speech, and so I knew I wasn't really missing out on anything important. Besides, I had a last minute meeting that had been sprung up on me, so I needed at least 10 minute prep time to prepare for that.

It was the last meeting of the day, after which I could shut Lyla's and go back home to meet with the actual Lyla- Lauren's 3 year old daughter.

Yes! Lauren was married, and bore a child, who proved to be a candle in the midst of the darkness I was facing. I had just gotten out of university after completing my interior designing course and was struggling on how to build my platform. I had moved back to Boston, since it had more of a scope than Florida did, plus it helped that my family was here, so I got a chance to be closer to them. It was here only, after Lauren's pregnancy, that her and Zain required an entire house change. They needed to make it baby proof, yet exquisite enough so as to not make them look like parents that had made their kids their entire life goal- even though they kind of had- but for a kid like Lyla- who's name sounded like the perfect blend between East and West- who wouldn't?

It was my first ever project, so I was nervous as hell. I didn't charge them anything though, and worked with the resources I already had. I was overjoyed that they even entrusted me with it, but they had faith, and maybe that's why I had faith in myself. Long story short, the design made the front cover page on a weekly magazine that then it all blew up from there. Of course, I didn't automatically start earning in the six figures- or even the 5th- nor did I become the next big thing. But, designing my first project for Lauren and Zain helped me an insane amount- more than I could have ever even imagined- and since the inspiration all came from Lyla, I saw it only fitting that I name my business after her- with Lauren's permission of-course.

Now, it did take me a while to move from just designing 'baby rooms' to then moving towards decorating actual business floors, but after 3 years of marketing, hustling and firing and hiring, I finally reached the point I wanted to. That didn't mean I'd give up and retire. There was still so much more to do, so many new houses, buildings and restaurants that needed my flare, but I was happy. I was proud, and content. There was one thing in my life that I was missing though, love.

It had been 6 years since the accident, and almost 4 years since Dylan and I had spoken. After he woke up from his year long coma, it took another 6-8 months just for him to recover, and while I stayed with him through that, we both decided that this wasn't something that was going to work. I wouldn't say it was draining for me, because I loved him, but it just wasn't our time. He too felt like a different person, once he had woken up, and decided that the last thing he wanted was a relationship. I understood his feelings, and told him mine, after which we parted ways as friends.

He moved back to London, where his career in criminal law- after facing a few setbacks- flourished as well. I heard stories about him rounding up criminals, predators, and even a murderer. I was more than impressed- I was happy for him and I wanted to tell him that so many times- that I was proud of him, but I held myself against doing that for the simple reason that it wasn't right.

Maybe we did love each other an insatiable amount.No- we did love each other an insane amount. It was the kind of love we read about in fairytales, a romance of a lifetime, a love that makes you think your life is complete, and while that is true, it isn't enough.

Growing up, for me, made me realize that the love we read about in fairytales just isn't enough. I was a teenager, and despite him being perfect for me- I needed someone to tell me to stay away- that someone ended up being the universe, and while it got its message across in the worst way possible- I was grateful for it.