Love & Serenity

Epilogue

One Month Later

It was December twenty-fourth and Lillian walked into Jax's place with her own key. She shut the door behind her and made her way towards the sitting area.

"Jax?" She called but no answer. "Otto. Lady?"

Nothing.

She hadn't left Burlington since she came back for Lady and had resumed working at Mindy's. She still stayed at Deidre's cabin but she was mostly if not always at Jax's.

Lillian walked towards the door leading out into the patio, once outside, she sighed when she saw the dogs playing near the beach with Jax sitting there staring out into the ocean. He'd been that way for a few days and she knew it was because of his family. The holiday season always made him feel this way and this year wasn't any different, well, maybe slightly.

Lillian made her way down the stairs and towards Jax. The dogs saw her before he did and they ran towards her. She gave each of them a few seconds of head scratches before she resumed walking towards him.

"Hey." Lillian sat next to him.

Jax looked at her and smiled, reaching out, his arms around her, he pulled her into him and placed a kiss on her temple.
"Hey." He greeted, "How was work?"

"Tiring." She said, "When you said Christmas time was peak tourist season, you weren't kidding."

Jax chuckled,
"You'll get used to it."

Lillian sighed and placed her head on his chest as they subconsciously played with each other's hands.
"Are you ok?"

Jax was silent for a moment.
"Just thinking of when I decide to return home, how that encounter would be like."

Lillian smiled,
"Heart-warming." She said,

"For my mum, maybe." Jax said, "Not sure about my dad, or the rest of the family."

"If you're anything like your dad then I'm certain he misses you just as much and is just too strong-headed to say anything or do anything about it."

Jax smiled.

"What was Christmas like, at home."

Jax grinned,
"It was a full house, cousins, uncle and aunts, their spouse's family." Jax snorted, "The house was decorated inside and out, lights, wreaths, trees..."

"Trees, plural."

"Mum thought a tree in everyone's room would be nice, so we'd get a big tree for the living room and then we'd get little trees that didn't get picked by other families for the rooms. I loved those little trees more than I did the big one."

Lillian smiled and pictured every single detail he gave.
"I would love to see what your childhood room looks like."

"Ugh, posters of my favourite musicians, a book-shelf, and clothes covering the floor, from what I remember."

"I'm sure the clothes have been taken care of." Lillian smiled,

"Of course, my mum wouldn't have it any other way." Jax said

There was a moment of silence.

"I miss them."

Lillian tilted her head back to look at him as she placed her hand on the side of his face.
"I'm sure they miss you too."

She wanted to come out and say it, tell him to go home and spend New Year's with his parents, his family.

"You should go home a while." She said it before she could stop herself.