Just for This Year

Epilogue

Thursday
May 22nd

Graduation day.

Lila had thought about what this day might look like for years.

The reality was much better than anything she had conjured in her head.

She stared into the mirror with determination glimmering in her eyes, her cap and gown already on. She had a while before she even had to get to the high school for the ceremony, but she couldn't wait any longer to put it on. She had waited for four years, she didn't see a reason to wait another second. After all, she would likely only wear this twice in her life— the next time being four years from now. She wanted to make the most of it.

It was surreal to think about what today meant. She was proud of herself. She was proud of Sam. They started this together, and she was incredibly grateful that they were both here. Having her twin there meant the world to her. Lila couldn't fathom doing this without him. She spent every day grateful that she didn't have to.

"Look at my beautiful grad," her mother said from behind her. Lila smiled at her through the mirror, turning around and holding her arms out to present herself.

"What do you think?" Lila asked happily, walking towards Lorena.

"I think..." she started, taking her daughter's hands into her own. "That I can't believe the last of my children are graduating high school and going to college soon, and that I am so incredibly proud of both of you."

Lorena lifted her hand to cup Lila's cheek, who leaned into her touch happily. Lila assured her with saying, "We'll be back all the time."

"Eh, empty nest doesn't sound like the worst thing," Lorena teased, letting go over her cheek and reaching up to adjust her cap.

Lila laughed, rolling her eyes. "Liar, you're gonna miss us."

Lorena paused for a moment, and a realization seemed to pass over her. She clicked her tongue, giving her a sad smile as her eyes glazed over. "Yes... yes, I will. I'll miss you both very much."

She felt a wave of emotion rush through her, tears of her own pooling into her eyes. "I'll miss you too, mom."

Lorena let out a short breath, gathering her daughter into a tight hug. Lila hugged her back just as firmly, never wanting to let go. She breathed in her mom's perfume, relishing in the feeling of her embrace. Her mom's hugs were warm— they were like the sun. She despised the idea of not being able to hug her mother like this whenever she wanted to.

It took a while, but the two of them had gotten through everything that had happened. Lila forgave her mother for keeping the secret of her birth from her. She was able to see that everything Lorena had done, though not without it's flaws, was all for her. Lorena only wanted to protect her daughter. They let it make them stronger, the weight of the secret no longer dragging them down.

"Let's go check on your brother," Lorena suggested in a light voice. "I wanna see you both in your cap and gown."

Lila couldn't hold back a snort. "You know for a fact he hasn't even started to get ready yet."

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Sam fiddled with the plastic that held his cap and gown anxiously. He refused to take it out of the packaging until he absolutely had to. Until there was no more avoiding it. He was torn on how to feel. He was ready for college and to move on from high school. He didn't know what the next four years would look like, but it didn't scare him as much as he thought it would.