Keeping Secrets (Book 1)

Epilogue

"Are you sure I should do this?" I asked, looking back and forth between my grandmother and my sister.

Grandma nodded. "My daughter and I didn't exactly leave things on good terms. I'd love to tell her how much I love her and how proud I am of her. Of course, that's up to you. I can't ask you to do this for me."

Jenny agreed. "Yeah, I've seen how much she cries about me - still. I hate seeing her cry so much."

I took a deep breath, hearing the front door close. Mom was home. "Then I guess we're doing this."

Mom poked her head into the dining room where I was sitting. "Hey, honey. Who are you talking to in here?"

"Uh... actually, there's something I gotta tell you. Do you want to sit?"

Her face softened as she came over to sit next to me. "Oh, are you okay? Is it your leg? Travis?"

"What?" I shook my head. "No, everything's fine. Travis and I are great, actually. This is, uh... this is about Jenny, actually."

It had been almost a year since the accident. I didn't mean to wait this long to tell her about them, but I just wasn't sure how she'd react. It almost felt like I was back in the closet again, fearing what she'd say when I told her I'm gay. But this was a different story. This was me telling her that her daughter and mother were both still around.

"What about her, Dyl? I know this time of year is probably going to be hard to get through for a while, but you can always talk to me when you're missing her, you know that, right?"

"Yeah, but that's the thing..." I played with my hands, uncertain if this was the right thing to do.

"Oh, just spit it out," Jenny said, rolling her eyes.

I shook my head at her before mustering up the courage. "Jenny's still here, Mom. Her ghost is here. I've been able to see her, and other ghosts, ever since the accident. Actually, Grandma is here too."

Mom started tearing up. "You better not be joking, Dylan. Or is this something you picked up from Nina?" I shook my head. "You can really see ghosts? And they're here? Jenny, my mom?"

I nodded, feeling my own tears start to form. "Yeah, they're here. I've really gotten to know Grandma in the last year. She's told me a lot about you too, especially how much she loves you and how proud of you she is."

I looked over to my grandma to see her wiping at her own eyes, although I doubted ghosts could even cry. Jenny leaned her head against Grandma's shoulder with a small smile on her face.

"Jenny loves you too," I said, still looking at my sister. "And she doesn't want you to cry anymore."

Jenny sat up straighter. "Tell her I've seen every movie that's come out this year because I can get into theaters for free."

I laughed before telling that to Mom, who also laughed. "I swear, she's been having more fun since she's been dead than while she was still alive," I said.

We talked for a while longer, the four of us. It was fun hearing both sides of stories from when Mom was little. And Grandma made me share stories of Jenny and I that she saw, but Mom never knew about. Some of them were quite embarrassing.

Eventually, the conversation somehow turned to Travis. Mom asked if he knew and how he felt about me seeing ghosts. Of course, I told her nearly everything - leaving out the part of his dead mother trying to kill him. I even told her what I hadn't ever said out loud before.

"I want to marry him, Mom."

Her hand covered her mouth as it opened in shock. Awe? Pride? I'm not exactly sure what that emotion was. Then her hand dropped and she started talking. "Oh, my baby! I'm so happy for you! Are you going to propose? When are you going to ask? Do you want me to come pick out a ring with you? Do you alrea-"

"Mom," I said, cutting her off. "I don't know yet. I don't know anything. We haven't even talked about the possibility of getting married yet. I just know that I never want to live without him. He means too much to me."

She leaned over and pulled me into a hug. "I'm so proud of you, Dylan."

Then the doorbell rang. Mom stood up before I could, even though I knew it was probably just Travis. No one else ever stopped by.

I followed her out of the dining room just in time to see her pull my boyfriend into a huge hug. He looks over her shoulder at me, very confused. She's never hugged him that forcefully before. I had a feeling it was because of what I just told her.

"Mom, come on," I said, walking up to them. "He didn't come here to be attacked by you."

She stepped back with a small sigh. "I know. It's good to see you, Travis, that's all. I'm just glad you make my son as happy as you do."

He smiled at me. "Me too." Then he stepped closer to me and kissed me. "I love you."

"I love you, too." I grabbed his hand and started leading him down the hallway. "She's crazy, I swear," I whispered once we were far enough away.

"I love your mom, you know that," he said. "I don't mind her hugs, usually. Anyway, did you get a chance to tell her?"

I nodded. "Yeah, she took it really well. And she knows that you know. I'm done keeping secrets from now on."

Travis smiled. "Good. So that means I know everything about you now? Huh?"

He said it jokingly, considering I've been so much better at telling him everything this past year. But I suddenly felt guilty for telling my mom I wanted to marry him before telling him.

"Trav..." I started, sitting on the edge of my bed. He sat next to me. "I've been thinking recently."

He laughed. "Oh no. What is it, babe?"

"Nothing bad! Just..." I sighed, not sure how to say it. "I love you, Trav. I do. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you.

"You're not even going to wait until you have a ring?" Jenny asked, having suddenly appeared in the room. "Get down on one knee or anything?"

I rolled my eyes at her. "Go away," I told her. She did. Then I turned to Travis again. "Sorry. What I was saying was that I want to be your husband one day. If you want to be mine. I know we haven't talked about it, but that's what I've been thinking about."

Travis cupped my face in his hand. "I'd love to, Dyl," he said before kissing me softly. Then, backing away from me slightly, he dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "I've been carrying this around with me for a couple weeks now," he said. "I never knew the right time to ask you."

Opening the box, I found a gold band. "When did you get this?" I asked, taking the ring out of the box. It fit my finger perfectly.

"A few months ago. Only started carrying it with me for a couple weeks. This seemed like the right moment to pull it out."

I smiled, wiping at a tear that had formed in the corner of my eye. "I love you." 

I couldn't think of any other words to say in that moment, too happy at the idea of being engaged. I just knew that despite my physical issues and these new ghost-seeing skills, Travis and I were going to be so happy together. For the rest of our lives.

A/N: Hey guys! So this is officially the end of Keeping Secrets! I really hope you enjoyed reading it! Please let me know what you thought! And check out my other books if you're interested. Thanks!