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“Let’s do it.”
Epilogue Meg – The Best Surprise
We decided to delay our honeymoon trip so we could oversee the beginning renovations at the inn. It stretched into almost three months, but the time was not lost to us as we united as a couple deeply in love.
Drew made those months so special as he and I wandered around town and the local areas nearby, getting to know people and settling into what is and will be our community.
We talked about where we would have our first picnic as a family of four… yeah, long term planning at its best. And we made plans for having just the right number and kind of pets that would suit us best.
Those of course include the cats, but we agreed that Lizaardo would be happiest remaining at the cottage with Mia where he can continue to bask in his favorite spot on the porch facing the ocean.
Meg agreed that the dog of my childhood should be replicated for our own children, so a black lab it will be. She even suggested that his or her name will be Lucy, like my childhood best friend.
We finally board the plane to soar away for our three delicious weeks in a different world than I have ever seen before.
Looking back, I never thought our first date talking about places to see would end up helping to decide on a honeymoon destination. All the places Drew insisted I see he guided me through himself. I felt so spoiled that we had our own private adventures rather than being a part of the bustling tourist crowds that were guided by a single tour guide, a stranger, someone they shared no connection with.
I was able to walk through a new kind of paradise. It’s one filled with art and culture and cuisine to die for, all while holding the hand of my husband, who surely knew far more than the tour guides themselves.
He took us to places off the map. Hidden treasures, he called them. There were secret places to find the best wine, the most romantic paths to walk through at night, and the most breathtaking views tucked away just off the beaten paths.
There were so many moments I wanted to bottle up and save forever, but photos and my travel journal will have to suffice. I never thought another paradise, a different paradise, could exist outside of Seaside, but it was Drew’s turn to prove me wrong.
***
It seemed like no time at all, but soon we are back standing in front of Seaside Inn again. “It’s so much better than I pictured,” I say to Drew, as we return from our honeymoon in Italy.
The inn has never looked better! I didn’t think it needed so many renovations until everything was completed. Now it’s still recognizable…but in the best way. What looked aged and faded before has been given new life with vibrancy and color. The brighter walls in the lobby make it seem more spacious, while the rooms have been given remodels that still fit the beach theme, but with a more modern style.
It’s no coincidence that Mia has had to turn people away when they hear just how long the waitlist is for available rooms. Word spread so quickly that at one point, I wondered what the cost of an expansion would look like to accommodate more people.
Bringing me back to the moment, Drew comments on the updates to the inn. “I told you it would be great.” He nods in approval. “I made sure the integrity of the place stayed the same. I knew she just needed a good sprucing up.”
“I still can’t thank you enough.” I kiss him on the cheek before I continue to explore, but he takes my hand and pulls me back to him.
“I also hired contractors for the house too, remember?” He grins. Just before we left for our honeymoon, the realtor gave us the keys so we could see the house and make notes with the contractor about the changes we wanted to make.
Like the inn, it didn’t look terrible or dilapidated. It just needed some extra love to bring it back to life. It mainly looked a bit dull and weathered by time, but if you looked close enough, you could see the magic that still resides within its walls.
“Which do you want to see first?”
Smiling broadly, I ask him to guess.
“Okay, it’s off to the house!” He can already read my mind it seems, and I roar with laughter as we put the top down on Sunny and take her to see her new parking spot, well, her new gorgeous garage, that is.
As incredible as it was to finally see Italy and all it has to offer for a couple of newlyweds, there is something special about getting to come back home. I felt a sense of pride returning when I saw the inn return to its former glory. But seeing the renovations on our house - our home - is something else entirely.
I drove past this house so many times growing up and have admired it for just as long. I imagined what it would be like to live in it but never thought of who would live there with me, apart from Mia.
The once empty and chipped exterior cluttered with fall leaves and dust is now shiny and new. The pale federal blue house, like the inn, has been brought back to life. Now the wrap-around porch is decorated with potted sunflowers and daisies, with big windows just behind them to let in the light of each day. A white porch swing, big enough for two, sways softly in the breeze on the side of the house, overlooking the waves coming into the shore just beyond the property line.
Living here is no longer just a dream. Now I can see Drew and I coming out with our morning coffees, taking in the first glow of the morning sun before starting our day and ending it in the same spot over a glass of wine.
Inside and to the left, the images of kitchen dancing and wholesome meals at the table paint the scene. In the living room to the right, our cozy space is filled with decorations for holidays and family visits with siblings and nieces and nephews. The thought of Christmas hot cocoa and matching pajamas for everyone fills my heart with a joy I never knew existed.
The three bedrooms in the back of the house are now furnished and complete our home. Inside the fourth, our master bedroom, I’m in awe of the view of the ocean through the windows. It’s the beginning of lazy weekends spent in bed, cuddling with a cup of coffee, and no plans on the agenda.
Drew’s messy curls are the cutest things to wake up to when he brings me that first cup with a kiss on my forehead. And now it will be in our very own home.
