So, here we are at the end. Was it good for you? It was for me. I suppose in the end that’s all that really matters. I know that’s selfish, but you know I’m selfish and you love me anyway.
For what it’s worth, I think I might actually miss you.
Will you miss me?
Will you cry?
If you do, please drink a tear for me and know that I never meant to cause you pain. Our parting is no cause to fret. In the words of Frank Herbert, “There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.”
Livvie and I go on. We still live and have adventures.
Will we see each other again? I don’t have the answer to that. Life has taught me to expect the unexpected and it’s a lesson I learn over and again. Suffice to say – I hope so.
To be perfectly honest, I’ve gone around and around trying to find the perfect ending to this novel I never intended to write. In the end, I’ve come to the conclusion that there wasn’t anything wrong with the way Livvie ended things. Her epilogue was short, but it captured the essence of our story: Survival is the most important thing. It affords us the chance to live and to find all of the things that make living worthwhile. I found redemption. I found forgiveness. I found love.
That said, Livvie did a beautiful job with the ending and I can think of no greater tribute than to end this book as she intended.
As I walked, I could feel his eyes on me, the way I could always feel his eyes on me. Tears ran down my face unabashed, but I didn’t move to wipe them away. I had earned those tears, and I would wear them as a symbol of everything I had been through. They represented all the pain I had suffered, the love I felt, and the ocean of loss sweeping through my soul. I had finally learned to obey and never looked back.
The End
(For now)
The story is captivated. You won’t be leave hanging from book 1 to 3, I have this anticipation what would happen next. Congratulations, cj!