Epilogue:
Life sometimes completely changes direction for you without notice, without the chance to say a word. You spend your entire life planning things out and then something or should I say someone storms into your life and changes the direction completely. That storm had a name and that name was Tracy Turnblad. And he would not have it any other way.
She came into his life like a ton of bricks. Sure they had been in school together for years, but he never really paid mind to her, something he had been regretting. When she was auditioning he seen this spark. Even when Amber and her mom did everything they could do to tear her down. She never waivered in her joy for dancing, the smile never leaving her face, even when they made comments. In detention that day he felt drawn to that window, drawn to the way she moved, drawn to the fact that he bumped into her and for some reason unbeknownst at the time, it felt like electricity shooting through him. All he could spit out was. "Sorry Lil' Darlin' hope I didn't dent your do." Mentally he kicked himself after for sound so stupid. So Un-Link like. At the hop, she commanded the dance floor and she didn't care who seen her. She was truly happy just being herself. He found himself watching every move, every step. His hands even sliding out to catch the kiss she threw at him. He didn't know why when he slide across the stage and sang to her, like she was the only one there. He just had this pull to her. In class that day when he uttered, "Kiss my ass." as Patrick Henry's immortal last words. He didn't know why but if she had to get detention for a lie, he needed to also. That day at Maybelle's when he seen her cry. He never wanted her to cry, but he was the cause of for reason he could never apologize enough for. Going to her house, he should have been with her, he should have been with her. He knew that but he had been so selfish, so immature. But walking in her room, he finally admitted to himself that he loved her. More than he could have ever loved one person. When he finally seen her again, there was nothing that was going to stand in his way. He leaned in and kissed her deeply letting her know that he truly cared for her.
Three months of happiness. Three months of joy. Three months they had been together happy. Tracy was his best friend, and the person that he was truly in love with. They had spent the summer getting to know one another and the more he knew of her the more he loved her. She was so open and honest about her life. Something he wished he could always be. When he was with her he didn't have to be Link Larkin, star of the Corny Collins show. He didn't have to be anything he wasn't. All he had to do was be him. And all she had to do was be her. The summer was quickly coming to an end and in a few short days they would be headed back to the hallways of Patterson Park High School. Tracy and him would walk those halls together and no matter what might have been said he was ready for it.
Eighty Four days since that first kiss. Eighty four days since his life changed. Eight four days... of, he can't even put the words on it all. He recalled the last eight four days as he made his way over to Tracy's. Just like he did all the time. It had become his second, wait his first home. He was there more than he was at his own house. Pulling up in front of the house he fixed his shirt and grabbed the flowers out of the car heading to the door. Knocking he waited for someone to answer.
"Hello Link. Just in time for dinner." Edna smiled as she looked at him. "Nice flowers, Tracy will love them." She stepped out of the way so that he could walk inside.
Link smiled at her before handing her the flowers. "These are for you Mrs. Turnblad. I saw them and I thought for you."
"Aren't you a sweet boy Link." She smiled and took them putting them in a vase. "Tracy should be down in a few minutes."
Walking over to the bottom of the steps, Edna called up to her daughter. "Tracy, Link is here."
He smiled as he watched her light up over the flowers. He smiled as she made her way to the steps. He heard her call down that she would be there in a few minutes. "Take a seat hon. She will be right down." Edna spoke to him as she made her way into the kitchen. There was always something about this house that always made him feel at peace, made him feel like he was at home. Her parents always made him feel welcome. He slowly got up as he heard her coming down the steps. He smiled at her as she finally came into view. She had a white long dress on with a pink lace top. "You look beautiful Trace."
"Thanks Link." Tracy smiled as she walked over to him. "Ma, we are leaving."
"Be home by ten. No later." Edna called out as they walked out of the house.
He took her by the hand and walked her to the car before opening the door for her. He got inside and leaned over kissing her cheek. "You really do look beautiful Trace."
Tracy smiled at him. Eighty four days ago they started this crazy journey. No one excepted it to last a few days let alone eighty four. She knew before that though that Link Larkin was the love of her life. She had always dreamed of this and sometime she still had a hard time believing it. But here they were. Eighty four days later. Still happy. She had to wonder when exactly this happiness was going to end, when the shoe was going to drop and he would realize that he made a big mistake. Eighty four days she told herself and he was with her, still hadn't said he loved her but he was with her. In a few days they would be back to school and she was so unsure of whether things would change. Of course she knew that Link liked her but would being back in school finally make him realize they were not meant to be.
"Trace, darlin' You okay?" He looked over at her. "You are awfully quiet."
Hearing Link speak up it snapped her out of her train of thought. "Yeah I am just fine." She smiled at him pushing the doubts deep down inside. "Great actually. Where are we off to?"
"You will just have to wait and see." Link smiled as he pulled out of the front of her house and off to their destination.