Between Then and Now

EPILOGUE

Emily (The next protagonist)

one year later

I t’s late—later than I’d like to admit. I blink away the fatigue, forcing my eyes off the computer screen and out to the New York City skyline. It’s surreal, this view. The skyline I once only saw in movies is now my reality, ever since I got this job three weeks ago. It’s been a series of pinch-me moments since I started here, like living inside a postcard. I even have my own desk, right by the window, with a view that never fails to mesmerize.

My attention is glued to the pedestrian sixteen stories below. She has a phone set up on a tripod and she’s dancing while the others are obviously annoyed at how she’s taking up space on a busy street. I chuckle to myself because the streets of New York are very rarely dull.

I let my gaze drift further down the street and catch sight of one of those silver-painted robot performers, moving in slow, calculated motions that somehow captivate the busy passersby. A little further down, a hotdog vendor is arguing with a customer, gesturing wildly with a mustard bottle. The chaotic, vibrant life of the city pulses beneath me, and yet…

There’s something missing.

New York has everything—energy, excitement, an endless stream of distractions—but it doesn’t have comfort. It doesn’t have the warm, familiar embrace of Magnolia Heights. Funny, isn’t it? Back then, I would’ve given anything to run at the first sight of an exit sign, to leave behind the small-town life for the thrill of the big city. But now, in the stillness of the towering buildings and the hum of the busy streets, I find myself longing for that familiarity. The kind of place where everyone knows your name, where you’re greeted with a smile when you walk into the local diner, where you know exactly which creaky floorboard to avoid in the house you share with your family. I miss that. I miss home.

With a sigh, I decide I’m done for the night. There’s no point in pretending I can focus anymore. I grab my phone and Facetime my boyfriend, Rob. He answers on the fourth ring—unsurprising, really

“What’s up?” he says, his tone casual, almost distracted.

“Nothing, just checking in,” I reply, trying to inject some cheer into my voice. But even I can hear how forced it sounds. The truth is, I’m not cheerful. We barely talk anymore, and when we do, it feels like I’m pulling teeth just to keep the conversation going.

“Oh, well, nothing new here. How about you?” His words are flat, almost like we’re acquaintances rather than a couple.

“Good,” I say, already feeling the effort drain out of me. The conversation is going nowhere, and I’m not in the mood to force it any longer. Just as I’m about to say something else, my phone pings with an incoming call—Bon’s face lighting up my screen. Relief floods me.

“Sorry, Rob, I have to go,” I say quickly, cutting the call short. He just nods, ending the call before I even have the chance. I roll my eyes and answer Bon’s call, my mood lifting instantly.

“Hey,” I greet, but before I can say anything else, I’m met with a chorus of voices.

“EMILY!” Bon, Kate, and Haley all shout from the other side of the screen. I can’t help but smile. God, I miss them. The noise, the chaos, the way they always made everything feel better .

Haley and Kate are grinning like Cheshire cats, doing an exaggerated drumroll with their hands before pointing dramatically at Bon.

“Tada!” Bon exclaims, thrusting her hand into view. There, on her finger, is a ring—a giant, sparkling ring.

“Oh my god, Bon!” I gasp, my heart swelling with joy.

“Can you believe it?” Bon says, her voice filled with excitement. “Ryan proposed!”

The three of them are beaming, practically bouncing with energy, and even though I’m miles away, I can feel their happiness radiating through the screen. My heart aches a little—partly because I wish I could be there with them, and partly because I’m so damn happy for Bon.

I can't stop smiling as I listen to them gush about the proposal. It’s like a scene straight out of a movie, as is everything with those two—Bon and Ryan took a trip back to Batanes for their anniversary, revisiting the place where their love story truly began. Ryan proposed at the lighthouse, the very spot where he first confessed his feelings for her. The way Bon describes it, with the ocean breeze in her hair and the sun setting behind them, sounds almost magical. She shows me a photo of the moment, Ryan down on one knee with the lighthouse towering behind them, the ocean stretching out endlessly in the background. Bon’s face is lit up with pure joy, and it’s clear that she’s happier than I’ve ever seen her.

It’s exactly what I needed—a reminder of the love and joy that’s still out there, even when everything else feels distant and cold.

“The wedding is in eight months. You HAVE to be here,” Bon says. “I will move my wedding for you if I have to.” She chuckles .

“I’ll be home by then, Bon. I promise,” I say, and for the first time in a while, I’m excited.

We spend the next hour catching up on the usual things—Kate’s new job as a preschool teacher, Haley’s new role in a theater production, and all the small-town gossip that I didn’t know I missed so much. Their laughter fills the room, and for a moment, I forget about the lonely nights in New York, the strained conversations with Rob, and the city that, while exciting, doesn’t quite feel like home. Because right now, in this moment, I’m connected to something real, something that’s always been a part of me. And that’s enough.

I may not be home yet, but maybe I just need something that resembles it.