Epilogue

And to think that I was going to spend the rest of my life alone. That was how I thought it would be, until they came along. Erica, Stacy and Ashley mean a lot to me. They are my sisters, brought together by the love of two single parents.

It was late in August. It was almost a year since our parents wedding and my mom thought that it would be a nice idea to go camping for our one year anniversary and for a last hurrah for the summer. I welcomed that idea with open arms, for it was the signal that summer vacation was almost over and I was done dreading the boring, sweltering summer. Only this time, it wasn't as bad, for I had three step sisters to enjoy it with. I actually had fun for once in my life.

Stacy woke me up in my tent. It was early in the morning and I should've been still sleeping.

"What? What is it?" I asked sluggishly.

"Come and watch the sun rise with me." She said.

"No, tell the sun to stay down." I said.

"Very funny, come on." She said.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"I found this wonderful spot we can look out on." She said.

We cleared through a few trees as we were upon a cliff. I didn't want to sit on the edge, but there was a log about ten feet or so from the edge.

"Wow, the sky looks so clear and bright." I said. "Too bright."

"Come on, a little sunshine wouldn't kill you." She said.

"You're right, although you are my sunshine." I said.

"That is so sweet." Stacy said then kissed me.

"But still, no sunshine for me. I'm a vampire." I said.

"No you're not. Get over yourself." Stacy said.

"I can't believe that yet another summer is almost over." I said.

"You're right." Stacy said.

"What's going on out here?" Ashley asked. How she found us, I don't know.

"Were just sitting here talking, watching the sun rise." I said. "It was just the two of us but I think we can add one more."

"You two really are close aren't you?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah." Stacy sighed.

"Well aren't we all?" Ashley asked as she sat down next to me. I was sitting right between them, my two older sisters.

"I was just telling Skyler about how the summer is almost over and how school is about to start." Stacy said.

"I know. You're going to be a junior, aren't you Skyler?" Ashley asked.

"Yes. Aren't you going to be a senior in September?" I asked.

"Yeah, I am. I can drive you to school if you want." Ashley said.

"That would be great." I said. "I can trust you enough where I believe you can get me to school on time."

"That's nice." Ashley said as she put her arm around me, so did Stacy. Then I was in a web of loving arms, not being able to escape, but why would I want to?

Erica soon came out shortly after.

"Hey, there's my little middle school girl. Sixth grade, aren't you excited?" I said.

"Yeah." She said. "But I don't want summer to end."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I won't get to spend as much time with you as we are now." She said.

"Erica, you're such a sweet young girl. You will have no trouble making friends in middle school. You will be fine without me and you can spend time with them." I said.

"I can't believe a whole year has gone by since the wedding." Ashley said.

"I can still remember that moment we had on the dance floor. Do you remember Ashley?" I asked.

"Of course, how could I not remember?" Ashley said.

"This would make a great story to tell people." Stacy said.

"Or you can write about it." Ashley said.

"That's it! I'm always trying to think of a story to write but couldn't think of anything. I could write about this. Stacy, I can be a writer!" I said.

"Writers do make a lot of money, don't they?" Stacy asked.

"If they're lucky." I said. "I sure feel lucky right now and who knows? You three could be living with me in a nice big house and we can all raise families there." I said.

"Wow that sounds like a nice dream." Ashley said.

"Just you wait." I said.

"And we will stick by you, through good times and bad." Ashley said.

"So we're all in on this together?" I asked.

"Yes we are. We're family." Stacy said.

"I love you girls." I said.

"We love you too Skyler." Stacy said. "We love you too."

Like I said, I love them very much with all my heart and I don't know where I would be without them. It was like love at first sight, only Ashley and I took a little longer to get along. We have been through a lot, and a lot of good, (and maybe bad) times lie ahead. We just don't know how good or bad the times will become. One thing I will know for sure is that they will be there for me on the long run. We don't know what will lie ahead but we will find out when it comes, I mean that's life, is it not?

My pen is now running out of ink and I can't find another one anywhere. As I finish writing the first chapter in our lives, another one begins. The story of our lives is only at the beginning, but I have stopped writing it.

…for now.