Page 134 of Cruel Kiss

EPILOGUE: CALI

It's early fall when we go back to the lake.

The leaves are just starting to turn, the ones on the far side of the water fading to amber and orange, the water itself gone dark and still as the summer heat finally lets go. Ronan drives us up in the old Land Rover. No Paolo, no black car, no men in dark coats trailing behind. It's us, and the kids in the back.

Plus, of course, Doctor Fuzz's shoebox on Isabella's lap.

The caterpillar is still a chrysalis. Isabella checks it every ten minutes, tilting the box toward the window like the light might do something. But he's taking his sweet time with the transformation. Hanging there. Waiting. I think Ronan has been giving him secret midnight lessons in patience.

Isabella was clearly not in on those lessons. "When's he gonna come out?" she asks for the hundredth time.

"When he's ready," I tell her. "You can't rush it."

Hayden, who has read three library books on the subject, launches into an explanation of metamorphosis that lastsseveral dozen miles. Having heard this a dozen times already, I'm a little weary on the subject. But Ronan is attentive as always, even though he was also a captive audience for each of those previous twelve lectures. God bless this man. We truly don't deserve him.

The house is exactly like I remember it. Old and wooden, the wide porch, the dock, the rope swing. My mom's car is already parked out front. She came up yesterday to help set things up, which mostly meant she supervised while Grigor carried folding chairs, the two of them arguing the whole time about the correct way to arrange them.

Setting those two up was either my best idea ever or my worst. I can't decide yet. Either way, they seem smitten.

The kids tumble out of the car before it's fully stopped. Isabella dashes for the water with the shoebox held out in front of her like an Olympic torch, Hayden right behind. My mom comes out onto the porch, wiping her hands on a dish towel.

"There she is," she crows. "The bride!"

"Mom." I blush. "Stop."

"Second time's the charm." She kisses my cheek. "This one's the real one, isn't it?"

I look out at the water, at the dock, and then at my tall, patient man unloading suitcases from the back of the car.

"Yeah," I say. "This one's real."

The trick to doing it right the second time around is not to do much at all.

There's no minister, no clerk with beige walls and fake flowers. There's no gala ballroom, no room full of people I have to convince. There's just the dock, and the water, and the six of us.

My mom, of course, who's both my wedding planner and maid of honor.

Grigor, who shaves his thick beard for the occasion, the ultimate act of respect in his book.

Navi, who is still healing but who drove here despite his doctors telling him not to, and who is sitting in a folding chair with a blanket over his knees like an old man, complaining about it the whole time.

"I took two bullets for that man," he says to nobody. "You'd think somebody would fluff my pillow."

"I'll fluff you right into the lake if you keep whining, young buck," Grigor tells him.

The sun is climbing down over the far trees, flamingo-pink and brilliant, when Ronan comes out onto the dock in a plain white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. We decided to nix the tuxedo and tie. I want just him.

I'm waiting at the end in a simple dress, pale green, because it's my color now. I've got the gold octopus on my wrist and my mother's earrings, but no mirror to check myself in, because I don't need one anymore.

Isabella kicks off her shoes before the ceremony begins and stands barefoot on the wooden planks, singing and swaying sothe hem of her dress flares wide. Hayden stands beside me with his hands folded in front of him, very serious.

"So I'm the witness again," he reminds me.

I bend down to kiss his head. "I couldn't imagine anyone better for the job."

"Duh. I've done this before. At the courthouse, remember?" He straightens his shoulders. "I'm basically a professional at this point."

Ronan hears us as he approaches and laughs. "You are indeed, Hayden. The most experienced wedding witness I know."