HER

Epilogue

3 years later

The crowd was huge, way more than they had expected but they weren't complaining. The applause was deafening as the Catherine Summers, whose first album was number one on the billboards played the final note to an original song she had written for this very occasion. She smiled and took a bow before she walked back stage just as Kaylie walked by her and on the stage.

"How swell was that performance by number one billboard artist Catherine Summers." The crowd went wild again. "Let's give a warm welcome to my partner and our host, one of the women behind tonight's event, Dana Reed."

Dana smiled and joined Kaylie on stage.
"Thank you Kaylie." Dana said as Kaylie stepped aside and let her take center stage. "Welcome," She began "Tonight is a very special night as we celebrate the one-year anniversary of HER. HER, which was inspired by the amazing women I've gotten to know, is more than just an organization meant for women; it's a place where everyone is someone and no one. A place where you can truly be you, a place for victims of violence, a place for addicts, a place for kids with nowhere to go, a place for everyone alike, both men and women. We can all be Humane, Exceptional and Resilient if we choose to be. HER provides refuge to anyone who seems to be lost and wants to step out of the dark into the light, HER is a home for people with no where to go or no one to look after them. HER is more than just a building in Seattle or a movement on social media, it's an option in life; an option that says 'No matter what happened in the past or the choices I've made and will make, I'm going to stand tall unwavering and look forward at the good that I can do because I'm only human.'" Dana paused and the silence was deafening. "HER is the life we choose to live by taking a stand for what is right and what we believe in regardless of how hard or the things we've gone through to get to where we are. So, with that, I urge you to ask yourselves 'Is there something you want in life that you're scared to achieve? Is there something that's holding you back?'. If your answer happens to be Yes, then listen close to the story of these brave women."

Dana stepped to the side of the stage where Kaylie was as the large screen behind them began playing the video which was a compilation of men and women in the HER society telling their stories. The video played for a half an hour and ended.

"Everyone has a story..." Dana took center stage again. "And no one should be ashamed of their because it's unique despite the pain you've gone through and the things you've endured. You are who you are because of your stories, but it is left to you to decide if you want to let that story break you down or be a stepping stone to lift you up." She paused. "We have two of our partners here tonight to tell you their stories. Ladies and Gentlemen, Lily Kincaid and Nina Summers."

Kaylie and Dana stayed on the side as Lily and Nina took center stage.
"Thank you Dana." Nina said.

"And thank you all for making it here tonight." Lily said. "As one of the partners and members of HER, I've gotten over my past as a drug addict. I'm no longer ashamed of my past because I've learnt to embrace it as a part of me and I wouldn't be who I am without said past." Lily continued. "My family died in a car accident when I was in college and I just gave up on myself and drowned in anything that could make the pain go away, I found that in drugs. Dana was a constant in all of this and she pushed me to get clean which I was unserious about until my girlfriend passed away from drug overdose over two years ago. That loss and pain made me snap out of whatever dark hole I was in and I realized what a mess I was and that...I didn't want to die. I didn't want to waste my life drowning my feelings and the memories because a lot of those feelings and memories were good. Very good. I was in rehab for six months after that and I still wasn't the confident person I used to be before my family passed away." Lily ended and looked at Nina.

"I never knew my family. I grew up in an orphanage where I met my first boyfriend – Tom. He was the one who got me out of the orphanage, helped me find myself or a part of myself and I will always be grateful for that gift. But after years of living together, Tom changed, he was no longer the little kid I fell in love with. He was miserable and lost, he abused me physically for a couple of years before Gina, a mother figure who is now my mother, thanks to the law." She smiled as everyone clapped. "Gina helped me see that I could get out of it, that I was strong enough to break free of the chains that had been shackled onto me for years. Tom was a crutch I didn't want to let go off because I was scared of falling. But I took a leap of faith and let of those crutches after he beat me up and raped me the night I was supposed to leave." There were few gasps. "Gina found me in the apartment and things went from there. He got what was coming for him and I found that I could walk without those crutches even if it took a while to learn to use my legs. And just like Lily, I wasn't confident, I didn't feel like I had reached my potential as the person I was."