Martini Kisses (epistolary) ✔️

epilogue pt. 2

MARTINI KISSES

epilogue

The flowers dance with the wind. Milly tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear, a wistful smile falling upon her face.

There are two now instead of one, two granite stones lying on the grass, bearing the names of the people she loved the most. The first time she was here, she couldn't even bear to look at them. It was just too suffocating and painful to try. She'd still feel the same twinge of loss every now and then whenever she thought of them, but unlike before, the grief and pain are only fleeting, more bearable.

Kai made sure of that.

A delicate breath escapes her lips as the warmth of his jacket drapes over her shoulders. The grass rustles when he takes his place beside her, kneeling to lay down the paper flowers they made on the grave stones.

Milly gives him a soft glance. His head is bowed in a solemn, quiet prayer. A part of her wants to know what he's telling them in his head, but she never asked, content to just be with him in this moment. 

Smiling, she turns back to them. Her maestra and her lolo. The very people that made this possible. The only people that taught her how to love and how to do it without any measure or restraint.

She bows her head too, not in mourning but in a breath of greeting, her hands, relaxed and unstrained, neatly folded above her lap.

"Hi Maestra..." she says in a soft whisper. "Hi Lolo..."

Beside her, Kai opens his eyes and turns to her, ever watchful and silent, always present but never demanding.

She looks at him briefly before continuing, "It's been hard... but I made it. I made it through." She takes a light breath, tears starting at the sides of her eyes. "It's not easy getting to this place, but I'm here. I miss you both so much."

The tears fall, but they're no longer heavy with unspoken grief. They no longer wash away the smile on her face and they no longer carry the wounds she can't forget.

Nevertheless, Kai reaches down for her hand.

The first time they came here together since her lolo passed, she was inconsolable. She was a broken mess who couldn't stop crying and apologizing for all the things she didn't get to do for them. Kai held her the whole time. Like a pillar, he became the steadiness and anchor that she needed to get through the grief. He never once asked her to stop—only wiped her tears each time.

It's only because of Kai that she can face them with a smile now, only because of his steadfast belief that she will get through that made her carry on.

Her lolo was right.

Love isn't a walk in the park. It's not a candy you can take and give away once you've had enough. Instead, it's the hand you hold in time of need, the shared breath in moments of grief, the solace between calm and chaos.

It's choosing, over and over, despite it all.

Now, Kai is there to hold her once more. The golden band embracing her finger catches the sunlight, gleaming next to his own, and her chest warms, remembering the perpetual vow she'd made with him just a day before. 

Milly squeezes his hand and entwines it between her own.

"Maestra... Lolo... I got married," she says through the happy tears. She raises her hand for good measure, the one carrying his name and his oath. "I'm on my way to living the life you dreamed for me. I wish you were there to see me."

She doesn't break this time, but she sobs. Kai wraps an arm around her shoulders.

"It took so long," she continues, the tears obscuring her view of the granite stones, "but I've finally found the meaning of my life. I'm fine, really fine now. He's a good man and I love him so much. So you two can finally rest now. Don't worry about me anymore because"—she turns to Kai and smiles—"I have my own family now."