Autumn in Philadelphia Trilogy

Saudade: Didn't We Almost Have It All

Story notes:

-There are mentions in this chapter of scenes that have yet to be published: the proposal scene is coming up very soon in a future chapter and has already been written. The leadup to this is at the end of Birthday Wishes and Valentine Kisses which is still being published. It too is already written.

-Jon and Audrey recall the events at the end of Keys. I have had an expanded version of the ending that Lizettevanessa asked me to write sitting on my PC for nearly a year. I am hoping to get back to it very soon to polish it up and get it out. The drunken call Jon mentions getting from Chet is detailed in that story. It is also in this one-shot that Eddie and his relationship with Chet is explored (Jon makes a mention of this in his conversation with Audrey).

As Saudade gets further along and Jon reveals more of his story, Shawn will learn just how significant music has been to him throughout his life and why he kept it hidden the year Shawn lived with him. This is hinted at throughout AiP as music was life for Audrey's dad. It is also brought up in Birthday Wishes and Valetine Kisses and will be the subject of an upcoming one-shot.

Chapter title is from a Whitney Houston (one of Aud's favorite artists) song of the same name.

=====

It was the beginning of a new month and for Jon, Shawn, and Audrey it was the beginning of a new life.

The little family was sitting around Audrey's kitchen table eating her trademark breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, chocolate chips pancakes, and orange juice while chattering excitedly about the month ahead.

And what a month it was turning out to be.

The countdown to the end of Audrey's student teaching was being tracked at both homes on special calendars Jon and Shawn had made and they change them daily with great punctuality. The end of Audrey's student teaching meant the end of Jon's position as her cooperating teacher and although she was, thanks to Mr. Feeny, staying on until the end of the year, the moment the bell rang on her last day, they could be together publicly.

"Okay, Shawn," Jon said between bites of cereal and pancakes. Audrey was less than thrilled with his choice of Cornflakes in addition to everything else. She leaned over him slicing bananas into his bowl as he ate. "I wanna do this guardianship stuff up big."

"Like how?" the teen asked pushing the tip of his nose up with the handle of his fork.

Jon shrugged. "Like, I dunno, rent Chubbie's or somethin'. Go to Six Flags. Whatever you wanna do."

Shawn considered this for a while. A smile slowly stretched across his face. "Chubbies would be cool. Can I invite Cory and Topanga?"

"I kinda figure when I say Shawn, I'm also sayin' Cory and Topanga without actually sayin' their names," Jon remarked without sarcasm.

He grinned. "What about their parents? They've always been cool to me."

"Yeah. The Matthews and Lawrences have been a big help to us too." He grinned at Audrey and caught her in a surprise kiss as she finished slicing the banana.

"Can Little Cory come too?"

Two weeks before, he had met a couple at a livestock show Jon and Audrey took him to. They had a place just outside of the city with chickens, donkeys, goats, sheep, and a lonely little female pig just about Little Cory's age. The couple offered to let Little Cory stay with them any time Shawn needed a safe place for him.