Love, Scars, & Shooting Stars

Epilogue

Julie floated languorously up from the plush depths of slumber, her head nestled against Cameron's shoulder as the fireplace pumped cozy waves of heat throughout the room. The sound of the television fell abruptly silent, and her eyes fluttered open to find that the inset flatscreen above the mantle had gone black. Though Christmas had come and gone more than a week before, a string of dainty white lights still decorated the mantle, glowing softly amidst a thick garland of pine boughs. The fir tree that she, Cameron, and Finn had cut down themselves in the woods out back still stood in the far corner, its multi-colored lights casting tiny prisms of light onto the freshly painted walls. A plush, new sofa had replaced the hideous antique settee, which Cameron had decided to keep after all in light of its 'sentimental value'. They still had a lot of work to do on the rooms upstairs, but Julie couldn't have imagined a better place to spend their first Christmas as a family. She sighed contentedly and cuddled deeper into Cameron's warmth, the crick in her neck telling her that she'd been asleep for quite some time.

"I did it again, didn't I?" she murmured.

"You did," Cameron confirmed, planting a kiss on the top of her head. "You didn't even make it through the opening credits this time."

Julie yawned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she pushed herself up to sitting. His left hand came to rest on her thigh and she covered it with her own, the glow of the fireplace flames glinting off the surface of her diamond and his coordinating platinum band. She turned her head to face him, still awestruck at the depth of love she felt for her husband.

"Did Finn go upstairs already?" she asked, seeing that her son's usual seat in the recliner was empty. "This movie was his choice..."

Cameron shrugged. "Girls trump movies any day," he said. "Zoey called and he took off to his room with the phone. I haven't seen him since."

Julie patted his arm in sympathy. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "Tomorrow night we'll turn off all the phones, and I'll drink an entire pot of coffee so that I don't conk out on you again."

"I've got a better idea," he suggested. "How about you finally go see the doctor and find out why you've been so tired lately?"

"Cameron—" Julie started, not wanting to have this discussion again.

"No, don't 'Cameron' me," he interrupted. "This has been going on for weeks now, and I'm worried about you."

Julie swung herself up to straddle his lap, looping her arms loosely around his neck.

"There's nothing to worry about," she assured him. "I'm just a little run down, that's all. It's a lot of work starting up a new business, and I've baked over four hundred pies since Thanksgiving!"

"And what about before Thanksgiving?" he countered. "You were sick then, too, remember?"

Julie laughed. "Cameron, I had the flu, just like you and Finn did the week before!"

"Finn and I weren't laid up for almost two weeks with it," he argued, his arms circling around her hips and pulling her closer. "Are you afraid to go to the doctor, is that it?"

"I'm afraid of our exorbitant medical deductible, that's what I'm afraid of," she quipped. Weaving her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, she teased a kiss across his lips and leaned in to murmur seductively in his ear. "Let's go upstairs, and I'll show you just how very healthy I am..."

Cameron growled playfully and flipped her onto the couch, his body draped over hers as he kissed her neck, all talk of doctors instantly forgotten. Smiling at how easy it was to distract him, Julie closed her eyes and basked in the ardor of his affection.