Little Sunshine [Ghost~Copia x Female POV]

Epilogue

Two Years Later

My empty coffee mug rattled against the glass table I set it on, sending a few birds hiding in a nearby bush scattering to the sky. I watched them fly away for a moment before my eyes scanned the horizon, admiring the way the peaks of the mountains in the distance added their own texture to the world. All around me red, orange, and yellow leaves clung to their branches waiting for the next strong breeze to carry them away signaling the end of autumn. I tilted my head up, letting the setting sun warm my face that the brisk Maine air had chilled.

"Need a refill?" a voice asked from a few feet away. Copia was sitting in an Adirondack chair with a book in his hand. My eyes fell down to the screen in front of me, staring at the blinking cursor that hesitated to punctuate the final sentence. I hovered my finger over the key for a second, making sure that I was satisfied. A small click tickled my ears when I tapped it.

"No. I'm done," I answered, a small smile creeping up the corners of my mouth.

"Oh, yeah?" Copia set his book down.

"I think so," I said, leaving my seat at the table and joining him in the empty chair next to his. Looking out at the forest that surrounded the cabin we were renting, a wave of serenity washed over me. Copia stood and disappeared inside for a minute, returning with a glass of whiskey that I gladly accepted. He had already been sipping on one that rested on the arm of his chair.

Closing my eyes, I exhaled deeply and allowed my brain a moment of stillness. After our album came out, we spent a couple of months planning the initial tour for it. There were meetings, interviews, and guest appearances at different conventions and music festivals. Tickets sold out so quickly that we decided to run a second stadium tour only a few months after we finished the first one. People knew my identity now, but the guise of the band allowed me a small sense of privacy. The brothers ended up writing another album that we were due to start recording next week; however, Copia and I decided to spend a month in the mountains of Maine while everyone took some time to travel home and see their families. I used the break to finally sit down and write, which was an itch that I couldn't stop scratching when I started. We fell into a routine of hiking and exploring during the day, occasionally going into town to restock on groceries, and in the evenings I would write while Copia read a book or even did some writing of his own after a little encouragement from me. It was bliss, and while I was looking forward to seeing everyone again and getting back to work, I was going to miss our little piece of heaven.

"Marry me," Copia said quietly. So quietly, in fact, that I was certain I heard him incorrectly.

"What?" I asked, opening my eyes to look at him. He slid out of his chair and onto one knee in front of me. My breath caught in my chest as he produced a small, velvet box from his pocket. His fingers propped it open, and my heart stopped beating.

"Marry me, Rose Marie. Let me spend the rest of my life by your side," he smiled. His voice was calm and steady, unwavering in his intentions.

"Oh my god," was all I could shakily get out at first. "Yes, of course, yes!" I exclaimed confidently, even though the tears were bubbling up in my throat. Copia delicately plucked the ring from the box, holding my hand as he slid it over my finger. It fit perfectly. Immediately, I threw my arms around his neck as he stood, picking me up with him. Our lips melted together as he spun me around, and I fell into a fit of both laughter and crying. He set me down eventually, wiping the tears from my cheeks.

"You've just made me the luckiest man alive, my little sunshine."