Page 73 of The Other Half

Epilogue

Four years later

Oakley

Yesterday Oliver and I graduated from college.

After attending the local community college for a year, I was able to transfer to UT after bringing my GPA up to a 3.4. I realized that school and studying became a lot easier when there weren’t so many distractions at home.

I completed a Bachelor’s in education with a minor in history, and my plan is to become a middle school history teacher. I can immerse myself in the subject that I love while also making a difference in kids’ lives, I can’t imagine anything better.

Oliver studied architecture, and he’s already landed a great job at a firm in Knoxville. It makes me so happy to see him achieve his goal of turning his artistic ability into a career.

Right now we’re eating dinner at a quaint, little diner a few miles outside of Poplar Valley. For some reason Oliver insisted on coming back to visit instead of inviting them to our place. I look around the table at all the people I care about most. My parents, Oliver, his mom, and his two brothers.

About a year after moving to Knoxville I went home to visit my parents for spring break. I needed that time to separate myself from them. It helped me figure out what I wanted from life, versus what I had just gone along with at home.

I was surprised to learn that Dad had stopped drinking entirely. A few months after I left he started attending AA meetings. When I see him now I can barely remember the way it was before, it feels like a distant memory. Even though the trauma of it still affects me, and always will. I’ll probably never fully forgive him for the hell he put my mom through, but seeing them happy together again definitely erases some of the pain.

“So, what’s next for the two of you?” Dad asks before taking a sip of his Pepsi.

Oliver smiles at me. “Hopefully buying a house before too long.”

Dad nods, looking thoroughly impressed. “Together? That’s a big commitment.”

He grabs my hand under the table and smirks at me. “I think we’re ready for it.”

After the bill is paid and everyone exchanges hugs, Oliver and I get into my car. He drives it more often than I do now that we both have our licenses. “Ready to go home?” I ask.

“Not quite,” he says as he throws the car in reverse and starts to pull out of the parking lot.

“What? What else do we have to do here?” The plan was to make the two hour drive back tonight so we wouldn’t have to pay for a hotel.

“I just thought we’d take a quick detour while we’re back in town.”

He drives through the backroads for about twenty minutes until we reach his old neighborhood. “We’re going to your mom’s?” I ask, confused.

“Nope.” He climbs out of the car and walks around to my side to open my door. “Come on,” he says as he takes my hand and gently pulls me.

I follow him as he walks up the mountain behind his house. It’s a full moon tonight so it’s not as dark out here as it usually would be, but the stars are still bright and mesmerizing.

“What are we doing here?”

“I just wanted to stop by while we were in town. Reminisce.” He shrugs and smirks.

We haven’t been up here in years, and it certainly does bring back a lot of memories, some of my favorites.

When we crest the hill I notice a large blanket and a few pillows are placed on top of the big rock we always sat on, outlined by a long string of LED lights. A huge bouquet of tulips is sitting on top of the blanket.

I stare at it in confusion for a few seconds before spinning around to face him again.

Instead of being face to face with him like I expect, he’s kneeling on the ground in front of me, holding out a tiny, silver ring.

I clap my hand over my mouth as a sob tries to escape. I hoped this would happen soon, but I definitely wasn’t expecting it to happen today. I feel like I’m floating, watching myself in a dream.

“Oakley Evelyn Matthews,” he smiles up at me, “I love you with all my heart and soul. I can’t imagine a life without you in it. You’ve made me everything I am today. Will you marry me?”

I nod as a tear slides down my cheek. “Yes,” I choke out.

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