My Double Life

|| Epilogue ||

Fourteen years later, I finally conquer my happy ending. The one I want, the one I have truly desired. My family has it too. Mother and father finally came to their senses and divorced after two years of screaming and arguing over the phone. When we moved to our new place, my father left overnight. Here’s how it went:

Day yields to night, a beautiful transition of colours over the countryside. Rosemaple is a serene town, hidden behind a teeming major city. A close-knit community, not one person I see here is lonely, well, except for me. The first few hours have passed, with already countless families visiting to welcome us to the neighbourhood. We now live in a one-story house that looks suburban, with the white picket fences and all. But no more blue orchids. Now we have water lilies floating relaxedly, in my line of view outside my bedroom window. The light switches off from the hallway outside, and another door closes, shaking the other rooms. The flickering yellow light above me bugs me, because it isn’t constant, and it frightens me when it elapses to darkness for a few minutes. We really need to fix that. I crumble onto my bed, the springs beneath squeaking from my weight. No more Evie, no more Ashton. I can tell I’ll be both happy and miserable here. Turning a blind eye to my misery, I tuck myself in, praying to God for a fulfilling day tomorrow, for new friends and for a good time in Rosemaple. The name sounds like a type of flower, just like Evergreen is a type of tree. It also sounds like an even sweeter form of maple syrup. Creaking floorboards approach, and my father silently opens the door, the lock clicking out of place.

“Shh,” he says, tiptoeing into my room.

“Hey, Dad. Shouldn’t you be sleeping? You’ve got your first day at work tomorrow.”

“I know, darling. Your mother said I shouldn’t see you, but I have to say goodbye.”

“Goodbye?”

“Your mother and I are separating, I’m moving to Lorden, in the west. I won’t be too far, but far enough so your mother and I don’t fight too much. You’ll be coming over for weekends, of course.”

“Oh, okay. I saw it coming. I’ll miss you, Dad.” I hug him, my arms around his neck, his spiky beard scratching my arms.

“Just so you know, it snows here. And snows even more in Lorden. You’re going to love it, don’t be discouraged by your mother just because she hates the cold and everything else.” He is bitter towards my mother, and I don’t see any reason not to be.

“Okay, so I’ll see you next week then?”

“Hmm… Maybe in two weeks, I have to unpack and yeah. But I promise, it’ll be snowing by that time, so bring your jacket and lots of blankets.”

“Okay, Dad. Bye.” He kisses my forehead affectionately.

“Love you.”

“Love you too.”

 

That’s how both my father and mother’s happy endings were set in motion. Now my mother is happily married with our next-door neighbour, Nick, who is ravishingly handsome with dark, brooding hair and tanned skin. He is also of Asian descent, with big and oblique eyes. They’re perfect for each other, he keeps her nonchalant and she keeps him steady. My father on the other hand is going to propose to his girlfriend of ten years in a few days. They met at the ski lift, where they were put on the same chair together when the business was demanding, as they were both alone. Both have blue-green eyes, except she has ginger hair and more freckles on her face than the grey hairs on my dad’s head. Mother and father are on good terms now and they are able to converse without making any sour or snide remarks. It’s marvellous that they’re both content with their lives.