Project Equality

Epilogue

Noel

I shook my head as Lynn, once again, left it on a cliff hanger. It had been hours, and the story that Holly and I had given them was short and very abridged. It resembled the story we'd told our friends back in Sunny Ville so many years ago, back before college, during high school. Before I'd truly become Noel. I couldn't believe that this girl had left us hanging again, and we still didn't know what happened with May at the concert.

"Lynn, the concert," I complained.

She laughed. "Oh, jeez. Yeah. So, basically, as happens sometimes at rock concerts, there are, um, substances. May got carried away in the mood is all."

"After so many hours, that was kind of an anti-climax," Holly noted.

"Sorry."

"So, did you and-?" Before I could finish my question, Hazel interrupted.

"You know, as lovely as this is, we cannot continue until I say something very important to the love of my life, girlfriend of six years." She looked at Andrea. "I love you."

"I love you too," Andrea replied, though I had a feeling I knew what was about to happen.

"Andrea Oswald, will you marry me?"

Andrea looked surprised, even if I wasn't, and nodded and cried and hugged her. They'd been dating for six years, waiting until after college to have that conversation, but now, they would be together. Since my note said to make sure that they met, I liked to think I played a part in their fate.

"Hey, Noel, Holly, what brings you guys to Northpointe, anyways?" Lisa asked as they had their moment.

"A friend's wedding," I said, not sure how to explain why we knew Special Agent Tracie Simon and her favorite forensic artist, Christine Jacobs.

"It's tomorrow afternoon, actually," Holly said.

"Wait, is it Tracie and Aunt Chris' wedding?" Lynn asked.

"Yes," I replied. "We, uh, know them through-"

"My dad," Holly interrupted. "He's an agent himself, and though he moved to a different area, he and Tracie used to work together." That was the truth, so I figured it worked better than anything.

"That's really cool," Lynn said.

"Anyways, I was wondering if you and Aubrey got together, or if that was just a platonic thing that happened?" I prompted.

Lynn smiled. "Well, that's sort of a long story. See, that led to a million other things all over the course of our college years."

"Well, shit, hit me the heck up with that story," I said. We had, after all, told them an abridged version of our college life.

"I love more stories," Ely said excitedly before leading us into the next part of their lives.