Chapter 25 (Epilogue 1) – I Will Wait For You

Well, I came home
Like a stone
And I fell heavy into your arms
These days of dust
Which we've known
Will blow away with this new sun

But I'll kneel down,
Wait for now
And I'll kneel down,
Know my ground

And I will wait, I will wait for you
And I will wait, I will wait for you

~ Mumford & Sons

Poppy was rooming with Aria again that year, which was about as good as having her own room. Aria spent most of her waking hours with her current boyfriend. She left her side of the room in fairly decent order and was never disruptive, so Poppy called it a win. She wasn't used to, then, walking in to find her room occupied. Her twin sister was sitting on her bed, back against the wall, waiting for her. It wasn't that Bella was never in the Bella house – she was. But she usually remained in the common areas – or very occasionally ventured to Alexis' room. She had been in Poppy's room possibly two times prior to that moment.

"What are you doing here?" Poppy asked, dropping her bag on the floor near her desk. She turned to face Bella, a hand on her hip.

"I miss you, Poppy." Her voice was soft and hesitant, relaying a message she wasn't sure she wanted to share – she knew it could be thrown back to hurt her.

"I'm not living with Moms. I'm happy here."

"That's not what I mean," Bella responded quickly. "I don't care where you live. But we never talk anymore – we're barely ever in the same room together. I miss my sister."

"I'm right here," Poppy said, her tone flat. She turned away to unpack several binders and books from her bag, placing them neatly on her desk.

"You're not!" Bella cried, her voice raising to uncharacteristic levels. She moved to the end of the bed, throwing her hands up at Poppy as she spoke. "You're angry and distant – and I don't want that to be our relationship. Because it sucks. We used to tell each other everything – and now I can't even ask you about your day without you getting mad at me. I know you don't like the choices I made when it came to dealing with Andy – but I did what I thought was right. And it's over. What can I do? Tell me what to do – Poppy – that's going to make this okay again." She sank back against the wall and hugged the pillow that she'd captured up into her arms.

"I'm not angry with you," Poppy said sharply.

"It certainly seems that way!" Bella replied. Poppy walked over to the bedroom door, slamming it shut. Bella looked at her in surprise.

"Do you really want to have this conversation right now?"

"Yes," Bella responded stubbornly.

"Fine. I'm pissed. You and moms and Vera – you never once considered an alternative to making us all spill our guts. You're not the only one who had to sit in a police station and relive that crap. Andy admitted to what happened – there was no reason to drudge up the past."

"It wouldn't have been right," Bella told her. "And I'm not going to have this argument with you again. I'm sorry it hurt you – it hurt all of us. But it was the right thing to do. And the right thing isn't usually the easy thing. So what is it going to take for you to forgive us?"

"I don't know," Poppy answered. She shook her head and turned away from her twin. "I don't know." Bella sat there for another half an hour, waiting to see if her sister would crack. She didn't – she didn't say another word. Gulping back panic and tears and pain, Bella lifted her bag from the floor and left the house, successfully avoiding most of the other Bellas. Unfortunately for her plan to escape unnoticed, someone had told Alexis that she was there – and the taller brunette was waiting on the front porch. Bella, trying to move quickly and never quite having a lot of grace to begin with, tripped over her. Alexis caught her by the arm, standing up and frowning at the look on Bella's face. Bella's bag spilled across the sidewalk.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," Bella responded, trying to pull away. Alexis was stronger – she always had been. She kept her grip in the younger girl's arm. It wasn't a tight hold – but it was enough that Bella couldn't easily get away.

"Please," she said softly, her eyes swimming with unshed tears. "I need time to myself." That did it – Alexis released her. She bent over and helped Bella replace the items back into her shoulder bag and then lifted it, handing it to her.

"Do I have permission to go slap your sister?"

"No," Bella said, trying to hide the slight smile that bubbled up. It was nice to have someone wholly on her side once in a while. "Poppy didn't do anything wrong. Not really. I just – I'm tired of not having her around. But there's nothing I can do about it – she doesn't want to talk. Do not go and yell at her," she said sternly.

Alexis lifted her hands in surrender and gave the best "I-would-never" face that she could muster. "Will you at least call me later?"

Bella nodded. "Yeah. Just give me some time." She disappeared down the walk and Alexis knew exactly where she was heading – to the same clearing she liked to hide in every time she needed silence and contemplation. The older girl turned to glare at the house. If she had her way about things, Poppy would have gotten an earful from her a long time ago. She liked Poppy, but the emotional duress she was causing her sister – and herself – was unacceptable. But it was Bella's business to deal with it – or not – so Alexis sighed and trudged back inside to work on the rehearsal schedule for the next month. The twins didn't speak again until Bella picked up Poppy in front of the house the following Saturday morning. Vera and Dahlia were in the back seat, discussing the movie they planned to see that afternoon.

"Hi," Poppy said, trying her best to sound chipped.

"Good morning!" Vera told her.

"Hi," Dahlia chirped.

"Hey," Bella answered. "Is there anywhere you want to go first? Mom wants us to take Dahlia to find a few new dresses – minimum of five," she said, her voice raising so that it was sure to travel to the back.

"I know," Dahlia said grumpily.

"But other than that, nothing until lunch reservations at noon."

"You mean getting Dahlia to pick five dresses isn't going to take three hours?"

"Don't be mean!" Dahlia cried, kicking Poppy's seat.

"Watch it, squirt. I was teasing. Let's find the dresses first. I don't need anything specific. Vera?"

"I want to go to the book store."

"Me too!" Dahlia responded. Bella smiled widely and looked out of the corner of her eye to Poppy, who was groaning and grimacing.

"You're all ridiculously predictable." She was quiet on the rest of the drive to the mall. Vera and Dahlia kept up a conversation – occasionally asking one of the older girls something, but otherwise the twins were quiet. After four stores, they had six dresses for Dahlia – two of which she'd actually chosen herself. They transferred the clothing to the car and peeked into a few others stores before arriving at the book store. Bella stopped them in the entry.

"It's 11:15," she told them sternly. "We have to be at the restaurant in 45 minutes. It's only next door – but we are not going to be late. Everyone needs to be in line for the register by 11:50 – got it?" She looked warningly at Vera, who rolled her eyes and nodded. Vera headed off to the nonfiction section and Poppy headed for the romances. Bella followed Dahlia to the Children's department and sifted through the young adult titles while Dahlia chose several chapter books.

"You don't have to wait for me," Dahlia told her. "You can look at your own books."

"Not happening," Bella told her. "But thanks for the offer." In about ten minutes, Dahlia chose five books – which for her, was a record. She followed Bella back to the literary fiction section and browsed the titles along with her sister. When that got boring, she sat in a nearby chair that Bella could see and began reading one of her selections.

They were walking to the register when Bella realized she was being watched. She looked down at Dahlia and smiled. "Why are you staring?"

"Why are you and Poppy mad at each other?"

Her smile faded. "We're not," Bella said simply.

"You're both sad all the time," she said.

"We're fine, kiddo. Come on, it's almost time to go." Bella took Dahlia's books, her own, and Vera's. The redhead was waiting at the checkout, as requested. Bella paid for the books with her beloved mother-funded credit card and placed it back into her wallet. Poppy had one too – but hers had been confiscated more than once for improper use. Beca did not believe that $500 shoes were necessities – Chloe agreed. The four sisters met outside the store and walked to the restaurant where they were seated almost immediately in a booth that offered a good deal of privacy.

Having Dahlia decide what she wanted to eat – and avoiding tears – was a tricky thing. Somehow, they accomplished it. Vera was best with her – making things sillier and lighter than they were, defusing overwhelming circumstances. Once their food arrived, they were quiet as they ate. The tension was palpable, just as it was every time Poppy and Bella were together without parental intercession. Dahlia had finished about half of her grilled cheese sandwich when she looked at Poppy.

"What are you and Bella mad at each other? Is it my fault?"

"What?" Poppy asked, looking at Dahlia, then Bella. "Where did that come from? No – it's not your fault – that's silly - and we're not mad at one another."

"If you're not mad – how can it not be my fault?"

"We're not mad," Poppy repeated. "End of story. Eat your lunch." The three oldest girls all looked in horror as Dahlia began crying.

"I don't want you to hate each other because of me," she sobbed. "I'm sorry – I never should have said anything. Please don't be mad anymore – " She continued crying, offering more explanations and broken words. Bella tried to calm her but she shrugged her off and ran for the ladies room. Vera followed quickly.

"I'll go."

The twins stared at one another. "This has to stop," Poppy said finally. Bella nodded.

"I don't want to fight."

"Neither do I."

"I'm sorry we pushed you into telling the police."

"I'm sorry I never tried to protect you when we were kids."

"Poppy," Bella said softly. "Is that what this is all about? That's not your fault! We were kids. When I said that, I was angry and overwhelmed. No one blames you."

"I blame myself," she said simply, trying to bite back tears. "But I'm going to try to stop." While the twins held the first meaningful, civil conversation they'd had in months, Vera had followed Dahlia into the ladies room.

Dahlia was sitting on the sofa in the lounge right outside the bathrooms, playing something colorful on her phone. Vera sat next to her and tilted her chin up. She laughed. "Not a tear in sight. You just played them."

Dahlia shrugged. "Do you want them to fight for the rest of our lives?"

"That was pretty devious," Vera told her, grinning.

"Do you disapprove?"

"Not in the least. Good job, D." Dahlia smiled cheerfully and went back to her game. Vera and Dahlia went to the movie as planned, but Bella and Poppy sat in the lounge area outside the movie theater and talked. A year's worth of missed conversations and confidences weren't going to be made up in a few hours, but they were giving it a good head start.

Things at home were hectic that day. A surprise had been planned. Chloe stood in the kitchen, her expression pained as she spoke to Beca. "Are you sure you ordered it?" She posed the question for the fifth time.

"I'm positive," Beca answered, using a spatula to move appetizers from the baking stone to a serving platter.

"Then what is taking her so long?" Chloe's hands landed on her hips indignantly.

"It's Stacie. She probably met someone in the bakery and is flirting."

"Ye of little faith," Stacie said, walking in, her arms filled with a half-sheet cake box. She was wearing a sundress with pink and blue flowers and a pair of sunglasses slung carelessly up into her dark curls. Chloe let out a sigh of relief and hurried over to the brunette, who was setting it on the table. It was a beautiful cake – complete with a variety of flowers in all shades of blue and little blue pearls sprinkled in for good measure. It read "Happy 10th Birthday Dahlia."

"It's perfect," Chloe said, breathing another sigh of relief. Beca rolled her eyes.

"I've been telling you for hours that it would be fine. Why don't you put that on the dining room table? We were going to put the other food in here – easier access to the porch." Stacie nodded and moved it. Chloe hurriedly carried the beautiful blue floral paper plates and matching napkins and forks to set beside the cake. Beca had already set out the food that didn't need to be warm – and the other food was in the ovens cooking or baking.

She hurried to the front door as soon as the bell rang. She smiled widely as she opened it to see her father and Sheila. She hugged them both and welcomed them inside. "You look good, Bec."

"Dad, you saw me yesterday."

"Hey – it's been a tough few years. Every time I see you is another good moment – trust me."

"Thank you for coming."

"Well, of course," Sheila answered, smiling widely. "Does she know?"

Beca shook her head. "I don't think she has any idea." She grimaced. "I hope it's okay – I'm not sure we should have planned to surprise her. Chloe and Poppy talked me into it."

"It's a good surprise, hopefully she'll like it," Sheila answered. "I have a potato casserole. Can I throw it in the oven to stay warm?"

Beca nodded. "Sure – the convection oven on the bottom is on the keep warm setting. There's room in there." Sheila went to the kitchen to do that and Beca walked her father to the back deck where Emily, Alexis, Benji, Ben, CR, Mabel, Donald, and Jessica were finishing up decorations. It was fun but tasteful – blue flowers and balloons strewn about. Dahlia was going to love it. Warren took the gift in his hands over to a long table at the end of the deck and placed it with the other presents.

Dahlia was suspicious when they arrived home. Well, she had been suspicious for a while – ever since the night before when they twins had agreed to go somewhere together without their mothers making them. That never happened. But this was more troubling – cars all around. She craned her neck to look out the window to study the cars. "Who's here?"

"Maybe the neighbors are having a cookout," Bella suggested. She pulled into the driveway and parked behind Beca's SUV. She unbuckled her belt and was out of the car in enough time to help Dahlia from her own belt and booster seat. The child had started to grumble again about the booster seat a few weeks before – but Chloe showed her statistics about car fatalities and she stopped complaining aloud. The sidewalk was hot – even through her sandals. She had decided in the past few months that Georgia summers were worse than California summers.

Bella's stomach was in knots – she was worried about this plan. She felt that Dahlia had enough surprises in her young life – and although this was a good one, it was probably still unnecessary. Poppy and Vera were thrilled to be part of the trickery – Bella was not.

They were halfway up the walk when Dahlia turned around and looked up at them. "Is there a party?" She asked, looking Bella straight in the eye.

"Oh, thank god," Bella said.

"Bella!" Poppy chided.

"Pretend to be surprised," Vera told her. "Moms will be crushed otherwise. Well, Mom will be. Mama's been as nervous about it as Bella. The surprise, not the party. Everyone is happy about the party."

"It's for me?" Dahlia asked, eyes widening.

"Your birthday is in four days," Poppy told her. "Who else would the party be for?" She cocked her head to the side, studying the child. Dahlia shrugged. She didn't know – she simply hadn't expected a party for herself.

"They should have hidden the cars," Dahlia told her sisters, turning around to walk into the house. Bella and Poppy exchanged glances and broke out laughing. Vera was already following the youngest. There was about a ten second delay before a "surprise" rang out. Despite expected it, Dahlia jumped a bit. But she smiled when Beca and Chloe hugged her. Knowing that large crowds were not something she was a huge fan of, most of their family and friends funneled back into the kitchen or onto the deck.

Katie appeared and Dahlia hugged her – they hadn't seen one another since the holiday season. "We came for your party," Katie told her. "We brought a present."

"Thank you."

"My birthday is in March," Katie reminded her, taking her hand and dragging her out to the deck to show her the decorations she had helped with.

Chloe and Beca laughed, watching them go. "She's a sweet kid – but she's got Donald's tact," Beca said, shaking her head.

"Just a little," Chloe agreed. She put her arms around Poppy and Vera and led them out toward the party. "She did not look surprised – did you tell?"

Beca looked over at Bella's smile and her own expression brightened even more. She chuckled and tapped a finger against the teen's collar bone. "Were you a little worried?" She asked, nodding to the bright red blossoms of hives along Bella's chest.

"Don't be smug," Bella told her. "You were just as worried – you just don't get hives."

The party was still in full swing later that evening when Beca dragged Chloe upstairs by her hand. "What is going on?" Chloe asked. Beca didn't answer as she pushed her inside the bedroom – and locked the door behind them. She kissed the redhead deeply, her hands warm against Chloe's skin. Before Chloe could question it, she was pushed against their bed. She looked up at her wife in surprise. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Beca responded, throwing her blouse to the floor and standing to kick off her capris. Chloe's dress followed soon after.

Later, once they were curling up in one another's arms, resting and basking in the simple pleasure of being together, they could again hear the din of the party. Beca giggled as she heard the noise downstairs and hid her face against Chloe's neck.

"For you, this was almost exhibitionism," Chloe teased, brushing a lock of hair behind her reddened ear. "There were humans within a one-mile radius."

"Would you like me to wait next time?" Beca asked.

"No!" She dropped a kiss to Beca's hair line and looked down at her. "Are you okay?" She continued stroking her hair, tucking pieces behind her ear. The brunette nodded, her eyes soft and happy.

"Much better than," she promised. An hour later, they decided that Stacie – who had conspiratorially watched them leave – would no longer be able to keep family and friends from searching them out. Beca sat on the edge of the bed, slowly redressing. She used her fingers to gently brush her curls back into the right places. Chloe exited the bathroom, smiling brightly at her.

"Chloe, I'm sorry."

"For what?" Chloe asked lightly, moving closer to fix a few strands of hair that Beca had missed. Beca looked up at her, through dark eyelashes.

"For making you wait. For being as basket case – a lot of stuff, really." Chloe clucked as she sat next to her wife and took her hand. She gently put her fingers under Beca's chin, moving it so their eyes met.

"I told you twenty three years ago that I would wait for you. That hasn't changed – and it wasn't a one-shot deal. I know this is hard for you – and I know you try – I am not going anywhere."

Beca leaned against her wife, wiping tears away with shaking fingertips. "I don't deserve you."

"Of course you do," Chloe told her, hugging her tightly. "I think we both lucked out on the deal."

I don't usually do multiple epilogues – but I have a few more pieces that feel like they belong. The one was set just a year after the last chapter – the next will be several years later. Please review and share your thoughts – thank you for reading!