She always loved the way the moonlight and the stars reflected against the water. It was so peaceful and always left her feeling warm in her heart. A light breeze tickled her nude shoulders, and she shivered slightly. But Zeke was there, and he slid his arm around her lovingly. It had been a long year full of highs and lows. The transplant, which had taken place two weeks after Mona's return to the island, had gone really well. But the chemotherapy had been rough. Once a week, just as before, Zeke returned to the mainland to undergo his chemo. But Emersyn refused to let him do it alone anymore. She'd go with him, and she'd sit in the bathroom with him all night as he threw up whatever he'd eaten that day. Then the next day she'd nurse him back to health. How he'd done it on his own for so long, she had no idea, but she vowed never to let him go about things on his own again.

She also went to the island a couple times a month for her own therapy, only this she did with her mother. It had been a compromise the two had reached together. Emersyn agreed to come back to the mainland twice a month for family counseling, and her mom agreed to come visit her on the island twice a month for bonding time. It was working out great, and for the first time in her life, she felt like she was starting to form a really close relationship with her mother. It was a dream come true for her.

Her mother had also saved all the paintings Emersyn had thrown out, and once she cleaned them up and fixed some mistakes, she decided she was ready to share them with her loved ones. Part of her had expected everyone to think they were creepy or morbid, but no one did. Axel and Avery thought they were beautiful, and Doris asked her if she could buy one for her house. At first Emersyn thought they were just saying those things to be supportive, but when Zeke insisted she talk to the museum about it, she found that even the folks who ran the museum thought they were amazing. Her first art show was supposed to be at the end of the month. She was nervous, but hopeful that this would be the start of a long career for her.

As for Mona, she'd kept her promise about not leaving until her son was better. She really wanted to help him go through everything. And while she definitely did that, she also rekindled her relationship with Kiel, who looked like he had died and gone to heaven himself whenever he was with her. Emersyn had never seen Kiel look so happy in all her life. Honestly, it was like he and Mona had never been apart. Like those missing twenty years had never happened. And on New Years Eve, just as the clock struck midnight, he had surprised everyone by getting down on one knee and proposing to her. She accepted, and they planned their wedding for the summer. Everything seemed to be happening so quickly, but in the best possible way.

Zeke couldn't stay mad at Mona for long, especially after she'd told him her story. How she'd been a runaway, hiding from social workers so they wouldn't put her back in an abusive foster home, when she'd met Makayla. How Makayla had introduced her to Kiel, and how it was love at first sight. But because she'd lied about her age, and because she'd gotten pregnant, she'd been afraid of getting him into trouble. The argument they'd had when Kiel found out about her age just solidified her worst fears, and she'd left the island without ever telling him she was pregnant. It was such a sad story. One that Zeke was still trying to wrap his head around. But the important part was it was enough of an explanation for him to forgive his mother for her lies. And she swore never to lie to him, or Kiel, ever again.

Kiel and Mona's wedding was a private affair at the church, with only a handful of people present. They said their vows, and then solidified their marriage with a kiss. Emersyn cried. She'd only ever been to funerals, so attending a wedding was a nice change of pace. They had a small party afterward at Kiel's house, where she danced under the stars with Zeke before sneaking away to the beach. And that was where they stood now as they both gazed at the water. Because they weren't just celebrating the wedding. They planned on telling everyone the next day, because Zeke didn't want to take away from his mom and dad's nuptials. But the doctor said, according to his most recent test results, that he was cancer free. Officially in remission. He'd have to go in for checkups every six months or so, but for now the invisible boogeyman that was his Leukemia was vanquished.

There were so many things left to talk about. She knew Zeke wanted to go back to school to finish his degree. And she was more than okay with that. Strange how, a year ago, she'd been so afraid of him leaving the island. Now she didn't mind him leaving. He could go anywhere in the world because she knew his heart belonged to her. And there was no doubt that he would always return to her. But the conversation about going back to school could wait. They were too focused on celebrating his remission to worry about anything else.

When Emersyn asked him how he wanted to celebrate his good news, his answer had surprised her. She couldn't believe he'd still remembered, after all that time. But she had agreed. She looked up at him, and she loved how much brighter he looked. So much different from when they'd first met. And yet somehow still the same. Always the same.

"Are you cold?" he asked beside her as the sound of the waves crashing into the sand filled their ears.

She shook her head, smiling. "Not really. Are you ready to do this?"

A bright smile spread across his face. "I was born ready." She nodded her head and slid her bra and panties off just as he let his boxers fall to the sand. They stared at each other for a moment, taking in each other's naked bodies. Bodies they'd now seen at least a hundred times. And then they turned to the water and jumped in. It felt cool against her naked skin, but she loved it. And she loved him.

She loved the way the wet sand felt between her toes. They splashed at each other for a while, and then he pulled her close and kissed her. It wasn't as heated or as fast as he used to kiss her. But that was before, when he thought his time was running out. Now they had all the time in the world together. And she planned on enjoying every minute she had with him. The best hello she'd ever gotten. And they'd never have another goodbye.

THE END

One Year Later

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