when dreams come true | x |

| EPILOGUE |

December 23rd, New Jersey, 2019

FIONA

I stare out through the window as the snow falls down from the sky and sticks to the glass. I sip my hot chocolate - which is not very hot anymore - and check the time on my wristwatch for the thousandth time now.

I really hated how late he was.

Biting my lips in frustration, I decide to call him yet again. Straight to voicemail.

Right on cue, the bells chime, signaling another customer entering and I see him walking inside the cafe. As soon as our eyes meet, he gives me an apologetic face and starts walking towards me.

"I would say I am sorry, but I am pretty sure you're tired of my excuses now." He tells me. "You know I always stay busy, I was lucky I could get out of that meeting faster."

As much as I want to scream and argue with him in frustration, I calm myself. I have to start understanding him better. He really is a very busy man. "It's okay." I breathe out, avoiding his eyes.

My mind goes back to five years earlier, back in California. Words can't describe how much I miss Parker and just the whole place.

I couldn't be more thankful to him actually. After I came back from California, my mom became a whole new person. Dad accepted the fact that I was learning Literature and didn't force me to join politics anymore. My mom never pushed me into going to anymore meetings or royal parties and instead started doing all that to my younger sister instead. And finally, I got my dream job in New Jersey in a publishing company.

I should be happier. I know.

But my mind keeps going back to that stupid promise Parker made. I kept believing he would keep it, but I did give up after a year. And what was worse was the fact that Parker never answered any of my calls or texts or emails or whatnot. Not one.

Diane was wrong. In the end, these memories are all that pushes us away from moving on.

And now, I am sitting in front of Jeremiah Evans, a friend from my college, who is now my boyfriend and certainly a person I was attracted to. The only problem was, I just never seemed to fall in love with him in the past one and a half year of our relationship.

I just don't know how it happened with Parker in such a short period of time.

Maybe it was just stupid feelings that I thought was love back then. But I used to be so sure.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I hear Jeremy ask and I smile.

"A lot of things are going on in my mind right now."

"You could always tell me you know."

I fake a smile, and I feel so guilty for Jeremy, that I couldn't return his feelings. "I know."

"Now that's a smile I would like to see. I love you."

I try smiling wider, but it just seems like a grimace now. "I do too."

-

"So you're going to resign?" I ask my father, my eyes wide in surprise.

"I feel as though I can't take this pressure anymore. I am an old man now, much to my dismay." I smile at my father, hugging him.

"Well that's great. Maybe I can see more of you in this house now." I never bothered to move out into another apartment. Neither did my sister. The house is already huge, and we both didn't want mom to feel lonelier than now.

"At least we'll still have all this luxury." My dad smiles sheepishly, "The only thing I was asked was to get a new lawyer." He says chuckling.

I smile. "He is actually supposed to come tomorrow at our house." He tells me.