Page 139 of Sunset Catchers

“Yes, Levi. Of course.”

She snaps out of it.

“It doesn’t matter,” she says. “I don’t make love.” She fakes gags. “Please Levi.”

“Okay,” I say with a sigh. “Where should I bend you?”

“Over the dining table,” she says while already walking out of our bedroom. I quickly follow behind, focusing on her bare curves. “And please, call me the wrong name while you do.”

“Fuck no. That’s too far, Win.”

“Fine,” she calls out while going down the stairs. I make sure the curtains are drawn, not wanting to shock our neighbors. “But no eye contact, you freak.”

She shrieks when my hand meets her ass cheek. I follow her to the dining room, where I bend her over the table, as instructed.

She stares at me over her shoulder the whole time.

Sunset Hour

Epilogue

“Tell me about it, Winnie. The rest of our life.”

My eyes slip toward Levi. We are lying side by side in bed, the dusky sky painting us golden.

My lips part.

Here’s how I think our life will go:

“Every day, we’ll come home to each other and talk about our days while we make dinner together. We’ll spend our evenings reading and cuddling on the couch.”

Friday nights will officially become pizza and movie night. Sloane will join us often, and so will our best friends, Junie and Ben, when they are in town to visit. With five members, we become a legit movie club. So you will make us some official t-shirts as a surprise.”

“Is that right?” Levi asks, smiling. I bob my head. “Tell me more,” he orders.

So I do.

“We’ll get married in Kit’s backyard, surrounded by our family, under a glimmering spring sun.”

Sure, Levi will provide most of the members to form that family, but it doesn’t matter; it’s both ours now. My dot is a full-on circle now. I will walk down the aisle, a bit heartbroken over my mother not being there. But it’s fine; my best friend will be by my side the entire way to Levi; she has been this whole time, steering me right into his arms.

Our vows will look like this for the outside world:

“I’ll say: You sure you want me enough to make me legally yours?”

“To which I’ll reply: Oh, Win. You have no idea,” Levi says.

We beam stupidly at each other.

Levi kisses the ring on my left hand.

“But then later, when we’re in bed, back at the cottages, for a makeshift weekend-long honeymoon, we’ll profess our love with whispered words and soft touches, only meant for us.”

Cue the fireworks and plane banner because this girl is loved, forever.

There will still be a cloud over my head, with which I’m still not sure how to properly deal, because even if I claimed to be a professional feeler of feelings, I am not. But I’ll go see a professional, and my licensed therapist will help me properly deal with my traumas.

You grow girl, but for real this time.