Here is the epilogue to Grand Jete. I'll see you at the bottom.
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His Ladder To The Stars
Five Years Later
A young woman sits alone in a hospital hallway. She's just received the worst news of her life. She can barely contain the tears dripping from between her fingers. People walk by her, and she can almost feel their sympathy, but she doesn't look up. It seems like everyone in a hospital has sympathy without answers. Why is this happening to her? She married her young husband barely a year ago, and now a death sentence – or at least the start of one – is brought upon them.
A door opens to her left, and for some reason, she looks up. A handsome man emerges from the office. He's tall and broad, and he's in need of a haircut. It's this weird color, and it keeps changing from brown to red under the fluorescent lights. He calls to someone inside the office, laughing. When he turns, there are tracks of tears on his cheeks, melting into the scruffy beard against his jaw.
"Stop molesting the doctor, Bella! It's even worse that it's my dad –"
A beautiful woman steps out of the office. She has even more tears on her face than the man, if that's possible. She has glossy brown hair that is layered just past her shoulders, and her eyes – the same color – are fanned by impossible lashes. The woman in the chair straightens her hair self-consciously. How can some women look so pretty in their tears?
"Oh, Edward – I – " She jumps up into his strong arms. She can see his biceps contract as he supports her weight, even if she's a tiny thing.
Even still, he stumbles back against the wall. She kisses him wildly, her glittering left hand grasping the man's – Edward's – hair tightly. Maybe that's why it's so messed up.
The woman sniffles, but she can't help but smile to herself. They are obviously deeply in love and deeply moved by some sort of good news.
"I can't believe, I can't – " the beautiful woman – Bella – sobs against his neck.
He puts her down gently. A gold band on his left hand glints in the light. "I know, baby. I can't – we're… I'm done. We never have to come back to this – I swear to god, I'm not coming to another doctor in my life. Herbal remedies, baby. That's all we're doing, ever."
"Don't be stupid," she laughs, but she can't stop hugging and kissing every part she can reach. She takes his hand, and they start down the hallway, in the woman's direction. "We have to get home. We promised Emily we'd babysit Candace, so she and Sam can have a date night."
He shoots her a look. "I can't believe you did that. All I want to do is go home and fu – "
It's Bella's turn to shoot him a look. "Language!"
"Fu…nction. I was going to say function."
The woman snorts back laughter, but because of the tears, it comes out louder than she meant it.
The couple looks in her direction. Edward grins in a way that could only be counted as a smirk, and Bella looks embarrassed.
"I'm sorry," Bella says. "We just – we just got the best news of our lives. We're acting like animals."
The woman waves off their concerns. "I'm very happy for you. I… think I just got the worst news of mine."
They're in the oncology wing, so that could only mean one thing.
"You?" Edward asks.
The woman shakes her head. "My – my husband."
Edward shakes his head. "I'm sorry. We…"
Bella squeezes his hand. "Go on. I'll meet you at the car."
He smiles at her. It's a smile of pride, of reverence, of love built on a house of cards that received the glue it ordered years ago. He kisses her, murmuring little words against her lips. Bella smiles, the tears flowing again.
"You did it," she whispers.
"We did it," he corrects.
The woman watches him go. He musses up his hair, and then slaps his thigh in triumph. The double doors open, and the sunlight sets his happiness aflame.
Bella watches him go, the smile never leaving her face. Then, she crouches in front of the woman, so they're eye-to-eye.
"Five years ago, that man was barely a shell. He was wrecked from chemo, but I couldn't help loving him. We pushed on, and every report came back clean. We built a life around each other, waiting for the other shoe to drop. It never did. Today, he was pronounced cured." Bella puts her hand on the woman's.
"My husband – he – we just got the news. They're readying him for treatment. I'm so lost. I… I don't know what to do."
Bella regards her carefully. "A woman I love very much told me once to not give up your faith before your big moment. This is your big moment. Don't lose your faith before it has a chance to be tested."
The woman nods. "Your name is Bella?"
"Yes, it is."
"I'm Jessica."
Bella digs a card out of her purse and hands it to Jessica. Jessica takes it, looking at it. It's a business card, naming a dance studio in downtown Seattle. It has her cell phone number on it.
"Please use it. No one should ever be alone in times like these."
"Are you coming, Bella?"
Edward has stuck his head back in the hospital, looking like he's ready to leave and never look back.
"Go," whispers Jessica.
Bella stands, brushing Jessica's bangs out of her eyes. It's so maternal, tears spring to Jessica's eyes again.
"This is your big moment," Bella says again, and then points to the card.
Then she turns with all the grace of a prima ballerina. "Impatient, much?" she calls to the man, who's nearly vibrating with energy.
They join hands, and Jessica watches them disappear into the light of the sun.
THE END.
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What can I say? Yes, this is my last full fanfiction. I might get the bug in me again, but for now, I'm exhausted. This story was so deeply personal to me, because of my own connections to cancer, and the wonderful dad I have that didn't make it.
I can't express my gratitude to each and every one of you. You're the reason I wrote this. I hope you carry a little something from it with you, because I'll carry all of your words, encouragements and love with me.
This is dedicated to Ali, who has all the talents of Bella, and all the beauty. Thank you to her, and my other wonderful beta, Shaina. I love you both very much.
I'll see you guys soon. Keep me on alert – I have one more one shot to write. And maybe some outtakes.
This chapter's title comes from "Timshel" by Mumford & Sons.
Cold is the water
It freezes your already cold mind
Already cold, cold mind
And death is at your doorstep
And it will steal your innocence
But it will not steal your substance
But you are not alone in this
And you are not alone in this
As brothers we will stand and we'll hold your hand
Hold your hand
And you are the mother
The mother of your baby child
The one to whom you gave life
And you have your choices
And these are what make man great
His ladder to the stars
And I will tell the night
Whisper, "Lose your sight"
But I can't move the mountains for you.
Love always,
Lindsey xoxo