Moving On

Epilogue

With the fading of the cold and snow and the arrival of a new season, the mansion morphed from a time capsule that captured what had been lost to a home where great friends gathered. Instead of the painful memories of loved ones gone, the mansion now echoed with laughter, joy, and love.

Even Evelyn's house had been transformed.

Since Kate couldn't stay at her scorched house, she had to stay at Evelyn's to get ready for the wedding. They spent a week cleaning up the house and clearing all of Evelyn's clutter.

It was spick and span now, but Kate was certain it wouldn't last.

Kate and Evelyn lay in bed, with Evelyn scanning through the channels on TV. Kate looked at the wedding dress hanging in front of the wardrobe and smiled. "I hope he'll like the wedding dress."

"He loves everything about you. He'll love the dress," Evelyn replied monotonously.

Turning to her side, she studied Evelyn's face. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, come on," she said.

Evelyn sighed softly and stared at the television's screen. "I'm worried for you. I know it's silly, but I can't shake the notion that things will change after marriage, and he'll end up hurting you. Then I'll have to commit murder."

She laughed and looped her arm around Evelyn's. "He won't hurt me. I'm sure there will be times when we'll quarrel, and I'm sure there will be times when I'll feel like killing him. But I know he'll always love me. We'll be happy. I hope that someday, you'll find someone you believe will love you no matter what. And don't say you've got me. You know what I'm talking about."

"What's that?" Evelyn snapped upright at a small thud on the window.

"What?" Kate sat up. She frowned when she heard another thud on Evelyn's window. She got off the bed and moved toward the window, gingerly pushing the curtains aside. Evelyn was right beside her when she slid the window up and peered out.

The ground outside the window was completely covered with pink and purple tulips. In the middle of it stood Tyler, dressed in an impeccable suit. Kate gasped and broke into the widest grin.

Evelyn scrambled for her phone, recording the scene below as a video.

Just as Evelyn got back to the window, Joseph, Ryan, and Dan appeared at a corner, holding a large piece of white paper with the words 'ASK: By whose direction found'st thou out this place?'

Kate chuckled at the absurdity of three grown men waving the mega piece of paper over their heads, but she complied anyway. "By whose direction found'st thou out this place?"

"By love, that first did prompt me to inquire. He lent me counsel and I lent him eyes. I am no pilot. Yet, wert thou as far as that vast shore washed with the farthest sea, I would adventure for such merchandise. Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear, that tips with silver all these fruit tree tops ..."

Kate laughed and shook her head.

She couldn't believe that Tyler would memorize the words from Romeo and Juliet and display such silliness in front of their friends.

Movements from where the guys were standing caught her attention, and she turned, seeing the words that Juliet spoke next written on the paper.

She didn't need help; she already knew the words by heart. Taking a deep breath, she quelled her laughter and continued. "O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon that monthly changes in her circled orb, lest that thy love prove likewise variable."

"Then I swear with my life that I love you with all my heart and soul, that I truly will go to the ends of the world for you, with you."

She laughed and sniffed, wiping the tear hanging by the corner of her eye.

Another round of movements made her turn to the guys. This time, they held another line from further down the scene.

"A thousand times goodnight."

"A thousand times the worse to want thy light. Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books. But love from love, toward school with heavy looks."

"Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say good night, till it be morrow," Kate said before the guys could bring up the lines.

Tyler grinned. "Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast. Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest."

She sighed softly, then blew him a kiss.

"Goodnight, my love," Tyler said and gave a dramatic bow.

The guys in the corner followed, bowing like true gentlemen.

Kate laughed and gave a curtsy.

A round of cheers erupted as Tyler left with the rest of the guys. When they were out of sight, Evelyn stopped the recording and laughed as she gave Kate a hug.

"He must be crazy in love to do that. But it's so sweet. He didn't take out any paper, so he memorized it. And he actually did it in front of all of us."

"I love him."

And with Tyler's voice speaking Romeo's lines, Kate fell asleep with a smile on her face, looking forward to a new chapter in her life with Tyler.

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The end! If you've enjoyed the story and would like to support an indie author, you'd be doing me a great favor by leaving a review on Amazon by clicking on the "Buy from Amazon" link. You won't have to buy anything. I don't know why Wattpad put that as the link. :)

Stay tune for Closing Books, book 2 of the Ghost of the Past series.