Submerged in Your Love (✔️)

Epilogue

(Josephine's POV)

Kai won six gold medals total at the Olympics. He got gold in every event he participated in.

It was amazing to see. The amount of happiness he had on his face when people cheered for him and they placed the medals around his neck.

I was glad I got to see it. Actually see it.

Being blind for ten years taught me a lot of things. It taught me appreciate the little things and that it truly didn't matter what people looked like on the outside. It was the inside that was the most beautiful and it was that that mattered the most.

Life went on normally for Kai and I after they Olympics.

Well as normal as possible.

Kai was scouted and recruited for modeling gigs and advertisement. They wanted to put his face on cereal boxes and swimming gear and a bunch of other stuff. He took a couple of the offers, but nothing much. He did over twelve interviews as well. His face was plastered everywhere. Almost everyone in the US knew who he was and about his accomplishment. He was athlete of the year as well.

During one interview, he was asked about why he disappeared. He took a minute before explaining everything. After that interview a lot of people became bigger fans of his. He talked about how he learned to accept the fact that it wasn't his fault and that nothing he did that day caused Mason's death.

It took a while for everyone, including me obviously, to get used to having my eyesight again. Lisa and Jacob and all the others at the cafe to get used to it. It was good though to learn what they all look like. Some are how I pictured and others are not.

The first thing I did once we got back from the Olympics was look through Marie's stuff. That's also when I read the letter she left me. I practically had it memorized now.

Dear Josephine,

I know you're reading this with your own eyes and I'm so happy for you. How do I know? I overheard you and Doctor Greene discussing the possibility of you getting your eyesight back. He's a fantastic doctor, so I knew he could do it.

I imagine that you're shocked about being my beneficiary and gaining all my things. I could've done a number of things with it all, but I wanted to give it to you. Kind of as repayment.

After my husband died, I felt lost and alone. I'd accepted that the rest of my life would be spent alone watching soap operas and going to bingo. Then you moved in beside me. You made me enjoy life again. You made it brighter.

That's what you do for so many people. A lot of people on your situation would've given up or walked around grouchy all the time. But you embraced life. You refused to stop living. I've always admired that about you.

I did worry for you at times. You were always giving people advice and listening to their problems, talking to them about their love life and their work. But you never really opened up like that to anyone. That's why I am so happy that you have Kai now. He's a good man. A little damaged, but a good man. He's the kind to stick around for life.

I walked up to the roof one night and found you two in the pool. I didn't say anything, I just watched for a few minutes before going back down. I want you to know something about what I saw that night. That man was looking at you like you were his lifesaver. He looked at you with such admiration and, dare I say it, love. I said he's the kind to stick around for life, so gear up buttercup because that man is yours for life.

I want you to do whatever you please with my things and the money. Sell it all if you want and give the money away or keep it all and turn it into something good. Whatever you do with it, I know it'll be best.

I love you, Josephine. You were like a grand-daughter/daughter to me. I hope you enjoyed my company like I enjoyed yours. Give all my love to your brother and Kai.

I wish you all the best in life, happiness, and love. I will always be looking over you.

And remember,

If you can't run then walk, and if you can't walk then crawl, and if you can't crawl then just swim.

Love, Marie.

After reading her letter, I sat down with her lawyer again and sorted through her properties. I put all of them on the market except one.

Kai and I talked and the one we are going to keep is going to be turned into a center for aspiring athletes and those with disabilities who want to learn how to swim. Some of Kai's buddies from the Olympics have said that they would like to help out as well.

We are all very exited and can't wait for it to open. I didn't quit my job at the cafe. I am going to split my days, but mainly work at the cafe since Kai will have the center covered. Since Titan doesn't have to be with me everyday now, we've decided to let him go with Kai to the center to make those that come there more comfortable.

Life doesn't always work out the way we plan. Sometimes things go wrong and sometimes they go right. Sometimes they get worse before they get better.

When you're going through hard times, it's easy to only see the dark side. It's easy to want to give up.

But you haven to keep going. You have to see the bright side of it all, even if that's difficult to do. You have to remember that if things seem so dark that just means everything will be much brighter in the end.

And as a wise fish once said,

Just keep swimming.