I did not originally plan to write an epilogue, but epilogues are popular. Who does not like an epilogue? Plus, they cannot be very long, so less effort for both of us.
We have been home for nearly a week. My aging father was thrilled to have us back and we have spent good time together since our return. Our house is in good shape. The cars still run. Jae can now go to her favorite local coffee shop and get a chai tea latte. The barista effusively welcomed her home. Our mainsail is already in the loft, being repaired. We have hauled a lot of stuff off the boat, some of which we will not put back. We learned what was useful and what was not.
We are remembering how to live ashore. The house seems quite large in comparison to a boat. I formerly thought it was a nice size, but now I think it is pretty big. I leave the shower running when I am in it and don’t worry about running out of water. I like that comfort of home.
The motion of the boat has finally subsided. For those without this experience, if you spend a fair amount of time on a boat, the land will begin to seem unsteady when you go ashore. In small, enclosed places, like a shower stall, this is quite pronounced. It can be enough to make you want to go back aboard.
I think we will live happily ever after.