The next morning Angie walks downstairs to find a package laying by the front door. She picks it up and reads the label, giddy with delight when she realizes what it is. "Cole!" She shrieks. Cole bounds down the stairs as fast as he can, in protection mode. He finds her standing by the front door holding a package. "What--what is it?" he pants. She smiles excitedly. "It's our photos!" Kim hears the commotion and steps down from the loft in the barn and walks into the house. "What's all the ruckus about?" she asks yawning. "We got the pictures, Kim!" Angie squeals. "Really?" Kim smiles, not too interested but mainly wanting to see how Angie and Cole's turned out. "Well? ...Open it!" she says chuckling. Angie rips it open and pulls the photo out, looking at it and 'awwwwing'.
"You look beautiful, sweetheart." Cole kisses her temple and gazes at the photo. “It’s lovely, you two.” Kim smiles. She goes to walk upstairs when Angie calls to her, "Don't you want to see you and Toms’ photos, Kim?"
Kim shakes her head and continues walking. "No." she replies softly.
The day finally arrives when it's time for Kim and Angie to head home. They're packing excitedly upstairs, hardly able to contain their joy at the thought of seeing their parents after 3 life-transforming months.
Tom pulls up in his truck with a small bag in hand then steps up to the house. Cole meets up with him and points to the bag. "That's a mighty lot of luggage for ya', Tom." Cole jokes. "What's up?"
Tom chuckles and walks into the house. "I hope ya' don't mind, Cole; my Aunt and all the cousins got a sick virus goin' 'round and I don't wanna catch it."
Cole takes the bags and sets them down on the chair. "If they have a virus, where did you spend the last few nights?" Cole inquires.
"Oh, I camped out in the prairie; I forgot how peaceful it was out there..." Tom chuckles faintly.
"Well, don't you worry about it; you can stay here as long as you'd like. The girls are just getting the last of their things packed up for Manhattan."
"You goin' with 'em?" Tom asks.
"Yep. Angie's my wife, ain't she?" Cole chuckles. "Besides, their parents are throwing them a welcome home party -- they don't know Angie and I got married yet so I kinda gotta be there."
Tom nods and scoffs to himself.
"You can have the whole place to yourself until we get back -- it'll be pretty darn quiet around here--"
"'Until
we get back'? Cole, you're not gonna bring her back here, are ya'?"
"Tom, she's my wife." Cole replies sternly, laughing in disbelief at his behavior. "We haven't quite decided on what we're going to do but we'll figure it out sooner or later."
Cole exits the room to help the girls finish the rest of their packing.
"Do you think mom and dad would mind?" Kim asks sheepishly.
"Kim, she's a huge golden retriever!" Angie laughs, the tone in her voice should answer Kim’s question.
"Awww, but I'm gonna miss her..." Kim pouts mockingly, baby talking to Daisy.
Daisy starts to sing and bark playfully, licking Kim's hand.
"You can come and visit her whenever you'd like." Angie assures her, placing a couple shirts into her bag. Kim looks to Angie, as if she was hit with a revelation. "I totally forgot. Now that you and Cole are married, you'll be living down here, right?" Kim asks, hoping Angie says no.
"I suppose so." Angie replies. "Cole and I haven't finished discussing it yet but it's a possibility."
There's a knock on the door and it grabs both girls' attention. "Who is it?" Angie asks, still packing her things. No answer. "Who is it?" She sets down her bag and listens intently. "
Who is it?[/b] she says again with a little bit of frustration in her voice. She looks over to Kim but Kim just shrugs. Angie gets up and opens the door. Cole picks her up and spins her around; planting kisses all over her face and down her neck. "Oh Cole, stop it!" she giggles. The two kiss sweetly then Cole shuts the door, walking inside. "I came to help ya' girls pack."
"Thanks sweetie, but we're almost done." Angie replies, sitting back on the floor and zipping up the front of her case. Cole sits down on Angie's bed and gasps, mocking her voice, "Oh my goodness! This bed really
isn't as comfortable as mine!"
Angie laughs and swats at him. "You’re so mean!." she shakes her head and giggles.
Kim sits off to the side, pretending as though she doesn't hear the two giggle and sweet talk each other; but it's hard not to when her mind always wanders back to the "what if's".
I guess Tom was right: I can't expect him to have the same feelings for me as I do for him. It'll do me good to get back home and see New York again. I don't think I could ever go back to my old friends, but I have missed some of the perks that city has to offer. She smiles as she looks down at a picture of her mom and dad in a frame; she gently rubs her thumb against it's metal edges.
I have better things to focus on anyways. I am happy for Angie and Cole and it should be her time to be happy -- she's waited just as long as I have."Kim?" Angie snaps her fingers.
"What?" Kim breaks from her daze and looks up.
"I said are you ready? Cole's gonna take the stuff downstairs now."
"Oh, yeah." Kim places the frame into her suitcase and zips it up.
Cole looks out the window when he hears the rain start to pour down heaps. “Oh, we better get goin’ soon, darling; looks like we’re gonna get a thunderstorm here.” He says as he picks up a few pieces of luggage and carries it down to the kitchen, ahead of the girls.
Kim and Angie set down their luggage – which is surprisingly lighter than when they first arrived – and take one final glance around the house.
“I really am gonna miss this place.” Angie says as Cole wraps his arms around her.
“It’s really gonna miss you too; both of you.” Cole says, looking to both Kim and Angie.
Kim smiles weakly and looks down.
“You girls really have grown a lot since you first got here; I’m really proud of you – and even though Tom won’t admit it out loud, I know he’s proud of you, too. He just has a weird way of showin’ it.” Cole laughs.
Angie laughs and Kim breaks a smile.
“Well, whaddya’ say we hit the road and get outta this joint?” Angie wipes a single tear – getting a bit sentimental.
They all dash to and from the house, picking up all the luggage as the rain really begins to down pour. Angie and Cole get into the truck when Kim opens the door and gasps, “Oh! I’ll be right back; I have to get something.” Kim closes the door and runs into the house, trying her best to dodge the cool rain. She walks into the house and almost knocks into Tom. “Oh!” she gasps, as she holds her chest and tries to calm her heart. Tom doesn’t budge when usually he just walks past her and ignores her completely. He looks down, acting as though he wants to say something
She waits for a moment then looks into his eyes deeply – the fear of him suddenly loses it’s power as she stares straight into his heart. She doesn’t expect to find kindness or anything…for her…linger, but she knows now that as she looks into his eyes: he was right. He would never love her…nor could he ever love her. The hesitation in his step was only because he felt compelled to say goodbye – nothing more. She smiles weakly, feeling no hurt or anger toward him because she’s trained herself – or rather, he trained her -- to expect nothing from him…but a command.
“Come on, Kim!” Angie hollers from the truck. Kim takes her eyes off of Tom and whistles for Daisy to get into the truck. Daisy springs from Kim’s bed and bounds down the stairs toward the truck. Kim looks up at Tom then smiles once more. “Goodbye Tom.” She says kindly, then walks out the door and climbs into the truck. The three drive away, with Daisy in Kim’s lap, and say goodbye to a summer not one of them would ever forget.