Fate's Identity

Epilogue

Forty-five years later

Camila's POV

Zayn concludes, "And from then on, Liam slowly but surely picked up the broken pieces in his life. But he kept the ones that were still stuck with him. His movie went on without him, and although it isn't well-known, the movie really touched our hearts because it was written by Ally. Liam went on multiple dates, trying to find someone to occupy the hole inside him, but none could satisfy him. He didn't complain though. He knew well enough what his goal was and that was to reunite with her."

"Aunt Ally," Ben adds.

I nod my head, wiping the tears dry with the quilt around me. "Yes. Your father and I have been with him every step of the way."

Ben widens his eyes with the realization. "So that's why Aunt Lauren and Uncle Louis can't be in the same room when I was younger and how Aunt Dinah came to meet Uncle Harry. But what happened to Aunt Normani and Uncle Niall?"

"Yes. Well, shortly afterward, your father and I join Liam in this house," I explain, "Aunt Lauren was not ready to forgive Uncle Louis. So a few days later, she left with only a letter to inform us that she had to get away because life wasn't the same anymore. She wanted to find her place and to find happiness. Although she never gave us any hints as to where she lived then, your Aunt Lauren has healed. She does come and visit more often than before. Uncle Louis, after her departure, became an alcoholic. He became like Ally's dad, and no longer than ten years, he passed away from alcohol poisoning. Your Aunt Dinah decided to give Uncle Harry a chance. She moved to Europe and has lived happily with him. Uncle Niall and Aunt Normani's divorce was due to miscommunications. Normani felt like she was losing him. She came to realize that she was never going to be enough for him. So...after their second kid graduated high school, Normani moved in with Dinah while Niall lived with his mom. Your dad proposed to me a couple years after everything. And overall, all of us just kind of scattered, but we still keep in touch, one way or another."

"That is so sad," Ben comments. "I pity Uncle Liam. He hasn't even done anything wrong, yet fate punished him by taking away his love."

Zayn assures, "We can't know everything. Karma is the most fairest consequence of anything. Liam and Ally did nothing particularly wrong. I guess it's other people's karma that separated them."

I nod my head. Ben asks, "What's wrong with Uncle Liam? You guys never told me. Other than him talking, he seems to be forgetting where he is and believes he is somewhere else."

Zayn sighs heavily. "Your uncle, I fear, has Alzheimer's disease," Zayn answers, closing his eyes in complete sadness. I place my hand over his and squeeze his hand. "He isn't in the right time most of the time. His mind fades back to the time where he lost Aunt Ally, and he thinks that he is by himself, so he speaks those things out loud."

Ben nods his head. He sighs lightly. I take a sip of the hot chocolate. I remember exactly the day Zayn and I moved into this lake house. We were glad to be a part of someone else's world and support them. After dad died from a heart attack, Zayn and Liam both take care of the university, and Ben is slowly inheriting the business.

I prop myself up from the chair and speak, "I'm going to go check on Liam." I excuse myself and walk upstairs carefully. My rigid body wasn't the same two decades ago. And I was clumsy and still am.

I open the door to the closest room to the staircase and see Liam resting in his bed. He was bundle up in his sheets. I walk to his side and shook his arm gently. His eyes slightly open, and he greets hoarsely, "Hey...Mila."

I smile and reply, "Hi, Liam, are you feeling okay?"

He nods his head lightly. "Yes, I had a dream about her again. She wore the same white gown. Her golden hair blew in the wind. And although she couldn't see me, I could see her. It was a small paradise," he smiles with his eyes lighting up.