Epilogue

"Wait, tell me another story." I ordered my parents.

"Tomorrow night, Charlotte." My mother said with an air of finality, "You have to be ready for school tomorrow morning."

"But I don't want to go to school!" I whined, morphing my face into the cutest shape I could manage. "I've got a tummy ache."

"You do?" My mother asked in a slightly worried voice. I saw my chance.

"Uh-huh." I affirmed, "And it won't be gone by tomorrow." My father turned to my mother.

"Jean, she hasn't got a tummy ache, it's just an excuse to get out of school." He looked at me, "Isn't that right, Charlotte?"

"Can't I just stay home tomorrow?" I pleaded, "I never stay home."

"That's a good thing, dear." My mother told me in her parent-knows-better-than-child tone.

"Now goodnight, Charlotte." My father pulled the blankets up around my shoulders, and I snuggled down into my nice warm bed.

"Goodnight, mom." I closed my eyes. "Goodnight, dad." I heard my parents walk out the door to my bedroom. I waited for their footsteps to recede, before I stealthily slipped out of my covers and placed a piece of thick cloth in front of the crack under the door. I turned on my lamp, which I had modified to make no noise when it turned on and off.

I paused to listen for any sounds coming from the rest of the upper story of our large house. After I was satisfied that my parents were fast asleep, I started up my computer. I typed in my password and opened up my digital diary.

I skimmed through the various pages I had written. I had started keeping track of my day-to-day life with this diary two years ago, when I was almost ten years old. I had seen a friend writing in her own diary, and decided it was a good idea. I started off quite innocently writing out the events of the day, but soon my diary was chock full of information about which I would prefer no one found out. Now I only ever wrote in or read my diary in the middle of the night.

I opened the most recent entry, and began to type.

Today mom and dad told me about how they got married. They're so happy together. I wish there was someone in school who would love me like dad loves mom. If only someone would ask me out.

I wish I was in love with someone at school, but to be honest, no one's right for me. Then again, mom didn't think there was anyone for her either, until she met Simon.

When I get married, I want it to be just like mom and dad's. I'll have all of my friends and family and they'll all throw little flower petals over us. Then we'll have a party and eat Uncle Theo and Aunt Ellie's best cake. After that, we'll go on a trip around the world and see all of the best wonders of the world.

Then we'll have two baby girls, so that neither of them will ever be lonely, and they'll play in our big house with a massive backyard.

It'll be perfect, if it happens. Mom and dad only decided to get married after they had gone to university, so I guess they didn't meet anyone before then either. I'm still only turning twelve, so it's not that bad for me not to be in love with someone.

Mom and dad always know how to sort out any problem I have, but not this one. The only person who can fix my loneliness is the right boy. Maybe I'll meet someone tomorrow. It's unlikely, but, as dad always says, unlikely is still 10% certain.

I have to go to school tomorrow, so I need to get to sleep. Otherwise I won't wake up in the morning and dad will get suspicious.

There. I saved my diary and closed my computer. I looked up at my digital clock. The numbers '00:04' were glowing bright green, a sort of night-light that wouldn't be a night-light when my friend, Laura came into my room.

I stood up slowly, turned off my light and made my way back into bed. I closed my eyes and dreamed about my future wedding.

It wasn't long before my mother woke me up.

"Charlotte, it's time to wake up, you have to be at school in an hour." She told me. I would have asked to stay home, but I knew the answer would be 'no'.

"Have you done all of your homework, dear?" She asked me while she packed some sandwiches into my lunchbox.

"I only have homework on Mondays, mom." I replied.

"Alright, then." My mother placed my lunch in my backpack and zipped it up, "There you go."

I bathed myself and changed into my school uniform, before walking to the kitchen.

"Charlotte, your breakfast is on the table." My father informed me.

I ate all of my breakfast cereal and brought my bowl to the dishwasher, before I picked up my backpack and swung it onto my back.

"Have a good day, Charlotte." I gave my mother and father short hugs, said 'goodbye' and walked out onto the street.

"Do you realize that we've been married for more than fourteen years?" I asked Simon.

"It doesn't feel like it." He replied, "I can remember a time when she was only a baby, like it was yesterday."

I had to get to school soon, or my students would be there before me.

"I have to go now, or I'll be late." I told Simon, "I hope you make a groundbreaking discovery today."

"I love you, Jean." He replied as I walked to my car. With both of our salaries combined, we could afford one each, which helped us, since Simon and I had jobs in different places.

"I love you too, Simon." I sat down in the car and Simon gave me a short kiss. I closed the car door and started the engine. Simon waved me off as I drove out of the driveway.

Telling Charlotte the story of our marriage and its beginnings reminded me of something I had thought as I first fell in love with Simon. I had jumped into the abyss. It had brightened my heart, and then blackened it to its core, but after everything was over, I emerged and found myself floating on a cloud of pure happiness.

The only real abyss encompassed my never falling in love with Simon, and I dare not think of what my life would have been like without him. However I would have managed, had I not married Simon, I know that I would not trade our love for anything in the universe.

That was almost fifty years ago. Charlotte is grown up, and soon, Simon and I may even have great grandchildren. Our whole lives were shaped in that fateful final year of school. Marrying Simon caused ripples throughout time, creating five other families, and affecting countless others. I helped hundreds of children attain their dreams, and Simon helped a team explain the physical universe in an all-encompassing theory of everything. All of these things could be traced back to our single decision to get married, for without each other's support, I would have had no reason to live, and Simon would surely have given in long ago.

The abyss has been cruel to many, broken many couples, but the truly perfect matches always emerge better for the journey. those who shy from the jump before the abyss, can only be rewarded with endless wondering; how would life have turned out, had I only taken the plunge. Completely ensuring your survival makes certain you will never truly live.

So what do you think? Please review this chapter, as it is obviously the last one. When you review my epilogue, also review my story as a whole. This is the first story I have ever written and finished, and I couldn't have done it without the support of you reviewers.

Also, were you surprised by the beginning? I thought the sudden change of perspective to that of their daughter was almost completely unpredictable. I'm interested to know what you think.

So basically, I want to know what your thoughts are with regards to my whole story, how you rate my story and whether I should continue writing.

Also, would you read a sequel about Charlotte's life? Just a thought.

Thank you very much for reading to the end of my story, and I look forward to reading your reviews.