Wallflower Ink

Epilogue

· Merri ·

Several months have passed since her surgery, and as Katie sits on the sofa in my house she smiles up at me, watching me pace about the room. Gone is Jace's temporary tattoo parlor, having been slowly replaced by the furniture he's dragged in one piece at a time. I have long ago relinquished the fear that he will one day leave, and every day that he stays is another day I am blissfully happy.

I try not to think too hard about that. I know if I do I'll discover a whole new list of worries, and that is something that just will not do. I may over think many things--there are still times when I do, and Jace never fails to guide me lovingly through my irrational panic--but I will not allow myself to dwell long on our relationship with each other. It is too special to ruin it with the games my mind plays.

"You need to sit down, Merri. You're making me tired just watching you."

I stop in the middle of the room, then turn to look back at Katie. She frowns and shakes her head at me.

"They'll be here soon. Do you think I should call to tell them not to come? I fear it will end badly." I cross the room and sit down next to Katie, but I just can not seem to relax.

Soon Kyle will be here, and so will Jace, but I'm not worried about them. It is my family I am most concerned with today, and more pointedly my mother. Jace had planned this dinner days ago, but as each day had passed and brought me closer to this moment, I had doubted the soundness of his decision more and more. And now, as the moment is nearly upon me, I find I can hardly bear the idea.

Katie sits up then lays a hand on my arm and laughs lightly as she looks at me.

"If it ends badly, you can just chalk it up to a bad experiment and move on. There's nothing that says you have to do it again after tonight. Don't cancel. Everyone will just show up anyway if you do, worrying about you, and I'm pretty sure that would be worse."

I nod my head stiffly, though I'm not quite sure I agree. An experiment, like mixing two very different compounds to document their reactions when fused. Perhaps if I force myself to look at it in that way it will work, but my attempt to convince myself is weak at best. The frown that tugs at my mouth gives away my doubt.

"Merri."

I glance at Katie, then almost smile when I see the laughter in her eyes. "Yes?"

"Go drink a glass of wine. And when that one's gone, get yourself another." Katie's smile broadens as she leans closer to me then drops her voice to a conspiratorial whisper before continuing. "On second thought, bring back the whole damned bottle and just forget the glass."

I actually laugh. How could I possibly explain that to my mother, if Sophie shows up and I am inebriated? Quite likely, she will think Jace's corruption of her little girl is finally complete. And instead of that thought causing me undue worry, it only fuels my laughter. In no manner could Jace ever corrupt anyone, least of all me. He is too good--too gentle--at heart to even come close.

When the door opens a little while later and the man in question steps inside, I move across the room to help him with his burden. Though I had offered to cook tonight he had been adamant about my not doing so. Instead, he'd stopped to pick up dinner up himself.

He'd said tonight he just wanted me to relax and enjoy myself, though how I can do that with so much uncertainty plaguing me, I do not know.