on golden pond | fillie

epilogue

eight years later...
millie's p.o.v.

i climb the ladder to our attic, my daughter, lake, following closely behind.

i stumble and lake giggles.

"shhh hun, you've gotta be quiet.  we don't want to wake your father." i smile down at her.

she nods.

i push open the attic door and step in, kneeling down and sticking out my hand.

"come on hun, i'll pull you up." i whisper.

lake grasps onto my wrist with her small hand.  i pull her up alongside me and close the door behind her.

"here we are." i grin, motioning around the cluttered room.

the five year old bites her lip.  "mommy why're we here?"

i bend down to eye level.  "well hun, i thought you wanted to look at pictures?"

her eyes light up, remembering yesterday.

-
flashback

"mommy?"  lake's small voice wavers.
"who's this?"

i spot the small picture that lake has pulled out've my wallet, a smile growing upon my lips.

"this isn't daddy." she pouts.

"no it's not your father, you're right."

"well then who is it?"

i shake my head at the curiosity of little miss lake schnapp.

"that's a story for another day hun."

end of flashback

-

"well now, come on sweetie.  let's look at some pictures."

lake grins, bounding around the room and rummaging through the boxes filled with my memories.

excited giggles spew from her lips as she pulls out pictures.

"mommy mommy mommy!!!"

i crouch down beside her.  "what what what?"

"i-it's you and that boy," lake stammers,  "and aunty ava!"

"let me see that."  i grab the small photograph, holding it gently.

my shaking hands become clammy.

it's finn, ava and i, and i don't even have to check the back to know it's from that summer.

the last summer on golden pond.

finn's cheeks are rosy and he's smiling so brightly.  i can remember holding his hand when we took the picture, feeling all giddy inside.  my mom had shouted, 'everyone say harbor fest' and i intertwined my fingers with his just as the flash went off.  mom smiled in delight, looking at the picture saying 'this one's a keeper' and i looked up at finn and thought
he really is.