One Year Later
"Crossing between the two buildings, my speed increases. I had always hated the dark, or more specifically, what was hidden in the dark. It makes me feel small in all the hidden space.
"Exiting the alleyway with a relieved sigh, I see my destination a few feet ahead. Picking up my pace once again to get out of the bitter winds, my hand reaches out for the door's metal handle. Before my hand can make contact though, the door is swung outward, hitting me. The impact causes me to lose my balance, falling on my behind and hitting a chair in the process.
"Without so much as an apology from the jerk who hit me, he continues on his way.
"Dusting off my jeans, I stand back up and fix the chair that toppled with me. Going for the door handle for a second time, it is again swung open haphazardly, narrowly missing me this time.
"Fed up with the inconsiderate people on campus today, I huff out a 'seriously!' and continue on my way into the cafeteria, but not before hearing the second offender apologize and call out 'Leon!'"
I take a deep breath, the applause from the small crowd in front of me, washing over me, solidifying my choice. My eyes search the crowd for my main characters, seeing Damon and Brandon in the back of the room also clapping with proud looks on their faces. When I was first approached to do a book reading as the "local author of the month," I was hesitant. While it is exciting to know that people enjoy my work, secretly, however, I find myself agreeing with the boys. I have laid our lives bare for everyone to see and read and judge. They find our lives entertaining without having to deal with any of the trauma that came from it. So, the thought of having to read about said lives in front of a live audience and have them clap seemed slightly disturbing. Being here, however, made me feel a sense of pride in my work and, more importantly, in myself. I made it through and came out on top, capitalizing on the worst parts of my life.
With the applause dying down, the host of the event comes out between the stacks of books that stand behind me. The light brown shelves, about six feet high, are filled to the brim with modern and classic novels of all genres. My book was among those, taking a temporary residency on those shelves.
"Let's thank Rose for coming out today and sharing her story with us. You can find her book showcased on the center table back through those shelves by the register. Thank you all for coming and we hope to see you again soon."
With everyone dismissed, I get up from my own seat and attempt to make my way to the two men waiting for me. I don't get far though.
"Excuse me?" A petite woman, around the age of thirty asks, standing in front of me, her smile unsure.
"Yes?"
"I loved your book," she gushes. "I was wondering how you came up with the topic. I'm also a writer, but I can't seem to think of anything novel-worthy."
Her question takes me back to when I was in my last year of undergrad, grappling with the same problem. Nostalgia fills my body, but it isn't as pleasant of a feeling as everyone describes. Despite everything, I would take nothing back for the present and future I now have.
"That's a great question and also something I struggled with for a long time. Authors usually say to write what you know, but that may not always be interesting for readers. I happened to get lucky honestly. When I started this novel, I had some new neighbors," my eyes slide from the woman in front of me to the two men still waiting for me, a soft smile on my face. "And they changed my life. They showed me that an ordinary day can be extraordinary if you're not afraid to take a couple of risks here and there. I used that concept and turned it into a story." I finish my explanation and focus back on the woman.
"Make the ordinary extraordinary," she repeats in a hushed whisper.
"Yes, exactly. If you are driving to work, listen to your music a little louder and sing along. If you are grocery shopping, make it a game. Go out and explore new places. Talk to new people. You never know when or where inspiration will strike."
"Thank you. Best of luck with your book."
"Thank you. Best of luck with yours," I say, a genuine smile tilting my lips.
As the woman walks away from the conversation, I continue my walk to the boys.
Damon is the first to react when I finally meet them in the back. "You did great up there!"
"Yea, you did, but why did you choose that passage?" Brandon asks the one question I was hoping no one would.
In truth, the book is limiting. Despite having published this book and indirectly told the world about our journey, I didn't want to read it to the audience. Those good moments are for the boys and I. I also didn't want to talk about what happened to me or my less-than-stellar coping skills following it. Therapy has been so helpful and I truly feel more clear and mentally strong, but I don't want to risk that progress for one book reading. So, I read the most neutral part of the book: the first chapter. And, despite that, the audience seemed to like it.
Instead of explaining all of that, my reply was simple: "I didn't want to give away any of the good parts so people would buy the book."
By the looks on their faces, the boys didn't seem to believe me, but they also didn't call me out, which I'm grateful for.
"Are you both ready to get out of here?"
With two affirmative nods, we weave our way through the bookshelves to the front of the store. Luckily no one stopped us on our way and we were able to get out unscathed.
The short trek through the parking lot was quiet. I was in my own thoughts about today's reading and what it might mean for the future and I'm sure they were doing their twin telepathy thing if their looks are anything to go by.
Since I had published my first book, my publisher had been down my throat about a new one, possibly a sequel, on the characters' lives now. For a while, I had dabbled with the idea, but I have come to face the same problem as I had when I was first given the assignment back in my final year of college - I have nothing to write about. Our lives now are normal, typical, boring. The only difference between now and then is that I like the normalcy. I don't want to hunt down excitement and danger because, if I ever do feel an urge to spice things up, the boys are down to help me. So, I have put the notion of another book on the back burner. For now.
Brandon tapping on my shoulder breaks me out of my thoughts. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, just lost in thought. Sorry." My response is quick as I climb into the backseat of the car.
"What do you want to do today?" Damon asks once all of the doors are closed and the engine comes to life with a loud purr.
Another toss-up. I'm caught between going back to the cabin, my favorite place, or my apartment where this all started. After all, this is the end of the chapter and we are all looking to the future. My mind is quickly made up.
"Let's go to the cabin, please."
With a silent nod, Damon turns right out of the parking lot and speeds down the road. The car is moving forward while my train of thought goes back to the first time we went to the cabin after my accident.
I had begged the boys to take me back there for months but they always refused until one day I told them I was going to go on my own. With that declaration, they were easily persuaded to go with me. The weekend was interesting. The boys were with me everywhere I went; I was constantly in their eyesight. I understood their reasoning but it was frustrating me to no end, so I finally sat down with them and we talked about everything - even my therapy sessions - and, since then, we come here more often than ever. We have all been talking about moving out of our apartments and into this cabin - an idea that grows on me more and more each day. So much so, in fact, that we have given our landlord our two months notice last week.
Despite being the one who wanted separate apartments, this year has done wonders. I truly feel like a new person and the boys have been so focused on their careers, that they are thriving. This feels like the right time to join again - not because we need to - but because we want to.
The car turns right onto the small side road that leads to the cabin. The crunch of gravel can be heard underneath the tires, birdsong can be heard overhead, the faint whistle of wind through the trees joining in with each breeze. Every time we come here, I feel renewed; it is peace.
The drive is short until the cabin comes into view. Each time I see it, I am amazed and awed like it is the first time. From the main road, you would never suspect to find something like this less than a mile away. That's the thing though, the best things are the ones you often don't expect.
Damon parks the car in the front of the cabin and gets, signaling for the rest of us to do the same. Stepping out of my own door, I walk around the side of the cabin instead of through it. While the cabin itself is beautiful, my favorite part is what lays slightly beyond the small structure. The leaves of the weeping willow have grown significantly longer since the first time I came here. They no longer hover over the lake but glide in the water with the small ripples. The water itself hasn't changed, continuing to reflect the sky perfectly on its surface, rippling softly in the wind.
Claiming my normal seat under the willow, the boys come out of the backdoor, books in their hands and join me, Damon on my left and Brandon on my right. Brandon hands me the book I started when we were here last. Leaning back on the willow's thick trunk, I sigh in contentment and flip the pages to my bookmark.
A few pages in, a gentle breeze makes its way through the trees, causing the leaves to gently sway and my hair to move. I take a deep breath in, the air fresh and warm. I look to both sides of me to see the boys engrossed in their own books. In this moment, everything is perfect and I never want to leave. But, I know better, things will change, that's how the world works, but I know, in my heart of hearts, that the three of us will always be together. After all, we have managed to tear each other's lives apart and rebuild them together to create a completely new future, one that none of us could have never imagined, one that I never thought I would have. They were my inspiration when I first met them, but they continue to inspire me to be the best person I can be so that we can continue to live in our little bubble of peace and love and understanding forever.