Epilogue
The Emerald is a historical hotel from the 1800s offering twenty luxury suites and a Michelin-star chef. It’s also the only place that isn’t a motel within driving distance to Smith College. Naturally that’s where most of the parents bunk when they visit their offspring. It’s also where Gabriel and I check in after arriving in Massachusetts. A porter escorts us to the separate penthouse elevator.
The glass doors open to reveal an expansive sitting area, larger than the average hotel room. It includes elegant seating arranged around a fireplace, a desk in the corner, and a built-in reading nook with walnut paneling. Through the door to one side I can see a high bed. On the other end, sunlight streams through French doors that lead to a private terrace.
When we’re alone, I turn t
