Trines

Trines (Epilogue)

Epilogue

Ten years later

The sun was shining brightly in the horizon, glinting off the metal nails in the picnic table. It was late august, 2023. Children’s' laughter rung in the air. The clock had just turned 11 AM on a Saturday, and the park was blooming with life. Families were occupying the picnic tables, kids playing around in the sand box and slides.

Five people were making their way through the busy park, three shorter legs struggling to keep up with them. It seemed they were looking a free table, but they were just walking through the busy part of the park.

It had been a yearly thing for a while now, as they were spread all over the US, and barely had time to visit each other at all. They always made sure to come back to Hemet, and the old, worn-down park they second journey had started all those years ago. Only in the past few years had another four people joined them.

No one noticed as they slipped into the woods and began the small walk to the swings. Even if it had once been an abandoned park, it was now very popular. No one ventured inside the words, though. They knew no one would follow them there.

"It's sure been a long time," Jennifer Harris murmured as she sat down on the old bench they had placed there eight years ago.

"Only half a year, Jenn," Rebecca Nelson said as she joined Jennifer on the bench.

"Yeah, well, a lot has happened," Jennifer replied, gesturing to the big rock currently sporting the red-heads finger.

"I told you about that on the phone," Rebecca replied with a roll if her eyes.

Still, she blushed slightly when she remembered the night Alex had proposed to her four months ago. He had asked her several times, and even if she loved him, she had refused several times. Rebecca had never seen herself as the married woman. But now she had someone else to think about as well. She glanced over at fiancé who was chasing after the two three-year olds who had way to much energy.

A fond smile played at her lips. Dana and Derek had been a surprise on her and Alex almost four years ago. They had no plan to have any children when they were twenty-three and straight out of college, but that's the way it had turned out.

They were twins, and both had her red hair and Alex's blue eyes. They were very alike in looks, but complete opposite in personality. Even at only three years old, Dana showed a smugness and arrogance Rebecca recognized from the very first time she had met Alex.

Derek, on the other, had inherited his mother's fiery temper and stubbornness.

Rebecca couldn't have been happier at how her life had turned out. She loved her little family and would give her life for them.

"Well, yeah... But I also have some news," Jennifer said with a cozy little smile on her face.

"Tell us," Ava demanded. She had just gotten here as she had been chasing after Sabine and Derek with Alex. She sat down on the bench opposite if Rebecca and Jennifer.

Jennifer glanced quickly at Drew who was currently holding their one-year old son and setting up the barbecue.

"Well, I might be pregnant again," Jennifer replied.

"What?" Rebecca exclaimed. "How in the hell did you keep that a secret from us?"

Jennifer simply shrugged. "We only found out a week ago, and decided it would be better to tell you now."

"I guess a congrats is in order," Ava said.

"I'm happy for you, Jenn," Rebecca said with a warm smile.