Paper Lanterns

Epilogue (Part 2) Φ

Epilogue (Part 2) Φ

"What did she do?" Eric asked over the phone, clarifying what he had heard.

"She gave it all to charity," repeated Chuck Murray on the other line, laughing at Eric's astonished reaction. "What can I say? She got the trait from her grandfather."

"She'd told me about this several years ago. I never thought she would actually do it," Eric replied.

"Well, she already did."

"And there's nothing left?"

"Not even a cent," Chuck confirmed. "Well, except for one. I forgot to tell you that she didn't sell the house."

"What house?" As soon as Eric asked, he already knew the house that he was talking about. So instead, he just asked, "Why?"

"Ask her if you're curious," Chuck said to him. He had had enough of this drama between the two. Chuck could tell that they both liked each other. It was very obvious, since they both refused to be with anyone else.

Chuck was aware of what had happened before, of everything. But then, for him, it wasn't that complicated anymore. They were both okay now.

He heard that Anna was doing an internship at a publishing company. As for Eric, after receiving a part of Anna's inheritance—in exchange for him replying to her letters, as an odd bargain—he had left his father's house. Anna also said that she would resent him even more if he wouldn't accept it. She'd left him with no choice but to be kind to himself and be freed from the grip that his father had on him.

After he had graduated, passed the bar and got into a known law firm, Eric fulfilled his promise and took on the case of Anna's mother. Chuck was the one who had offered to do it himself with his bleessing, but Eric had insisted that he wanted to take part in it.

But surprisingly, Anna had refused to press charges against Jared, under one condition that he would make a public apology and tell everyone what had really happened that night. Afraid to end up in jail and despite his father's insistence that they'd battle it out in court, Jared went ahead and apologized.

After which, Anna said that it was enough. She couldn't undo the past. Just as long as her mother's name got cleared from all the false allegations, it was enough for her. It was all she was asking for.

"It's the one in New Waulds, right?" Eric asked Chuck just to be sure.

"Yes, it is that one," he said. "So how's Andy doing? You didn't forget about the family dinner my wife had set up for next week, right?"

"He's good. We'll drop by on Friday. He looks forward to seeing Trish," Eric replied, watching as Andy, who just came home from school, walked in the living room and dropped his things on the sofa. He went straight to the fridge, looking for something to eat.

"Is he still asking for a mother?" Chuck asked him.

"He stopped a while ago, but he still asks about Anna," Eric replied.

Andy turned his head to him. "Anna?"

"That boy sure did take a liking to her," Chuck added.

"I guess he did. What can I do?" Eric said with a shrug.

"Is that Chuck? Did he see Anna again?" Andy asked with absolute curiosity.

"Why? Do you want to live with him now to see Anna?"

"Pa!"

Eric laughed.

"Don't be so hard on him," Chuck reminded him.