Preacher's Son

Epilogue

Shawn
Five years later.
"Count to 100 no peaking!" I quickly ran and hid behind the nearest object.
"Shawn?" A voice called from behind me.
I turned around, "Andre?"
"Yeah it's me. Long time no see." He said embracing me in a quick hug.
"I know it's been about four years. I thought you moved." I agreed.
"Oh I did, but I'm back in town for a wedding". He explained.
I arched an eyebrow, "Oh who's getting married."
He smiled, "I am."
As if on cue, Andre's fiance walked up beside him.
"Hey I bought you an ice cream." His voice was a little husky.
"Thank you." Andre said taking a bite out of the bottom.
I shook my head, "I see somethings never change. Hey I'm shawn by way. "
He shook my hand. "Ashton, Andre's fiancé."
"So I've heard. When's the wedding." I asked.
"This weekend." He smiled.
"Oh congratulations."
"Thank you."
"You know Shawn you never told me why you were here in the park, alone." And said after a moment of silence.
"Oh I'm not alone I'm here with my..."
"I got chu!" My little girl said grabbing my pant leg.
I picked her up. "Awe you win baby girl."
"Yay!" She screamed in delight.
"Andre, Ashton, this is my daughter Katie. Say hi Katie."
"Hi." She whispered.
"Hi Katie, you are so cute." Ashton smiled.
"Thank you." She replied.
"She looks just like you Shawn." Andre commented.
"You should see her when she scrunches up her nose, it's like I'm looking in a mirror." I agreed.
She reached out and touched Shawn's hair. "Pwetty."
"Thank you." He smiled.
Colby walked up. "Okay so whose ideal was it to make the pregnant lady go get ice cream."
"Ice cream!" Katie screamed leaning down, and grabbing the little pink one.
I grabbed mine. "Thanks momma."
"Thank you, mommy," Katie copied.
"Colby, you remember Andre.Andre I suppose you the same."
"Yeah, I do." She said holding out her hand.
"How could I ever forget the woman who stole you right from under me." Shawn joked.
Colby smiled. "You can have him back."
We laughed. "No thank you. I got my own problems, don't need yours."
We laughed again.
"Colby this is my fiancé Ashton."
"Fiance? When the wedding."
"This weekend," Ashton piped up. "We'd be happy if you could come."
"Really?" I asked my question more directed towards Andre.
I saw the uneasiness in his eyes. He took a breath. "Yeah. The more the marrier."
~~~~
"So how'd you two meet?" I asked Ashton and Andre. We were now sitting on the grass, conversing.
"Um, he had just moved in the neighborhood, and I offered him a casserole. He told me he was allergic to beans and slammed the door in his face. I offered him a cherry pie, he told me cherry gives him indigestion, and slammed the door in my face, again. I pretty much brought my whole kitchen to his door, and he shut everything down. So I went back over to his house, for the hundredth time that week,knocked on his door, and asked him if he wanted to go to dinner. He started at me blankly a good minute. Then he took a deep sigh and said, 'It better be somewhere fancy.' That's when I knew he was the one."
We all laughed. "And now after three years, and three proposals, we're getting married." He finished giving andre a kiss. "How about y'all, how'd you meet?"
"Well." Colby started. "We met at a club. He came in like Tarzan and saved me from dancing with this pest that wouldn't go away. Then he got up and left. So I chased after him. But he made it clear he wasn't attracted to me nor would he ever be. I'm the type that's up for a challenge, so I kissed him, and he kissed back, but when I pulled away, his face changed from calm to, a deer in headlights. He shot off. Left his phone and everything. The next day, I was out for lunch and here he comes over to take my order realizes its me, and ask me if I was stalking him."
We all laughed again. "Since then we've been almost inseparable."
"Mommy I'm sleepy," Katie said rubbing her eyes.
"Well, I guess that's our cue to leave." I said getting up.
"Yeah it's getting pretty late." Ashton agreed.
"We'll see you at the wedding though, right?" Ashton ask getting up to shake my hand.
"Of course." I assured.
~~~~
"I look like a cow." Colby stated to the mirror.
"Babe you're pregnant, your supposed to look like a cow."
She frowned, "Shawn you're such an asshole."
I slapped myself mentally realizing what I said, "You're the prize winning cow. The best cattle in the herd."
"No matter how you try to fix it, you still called me a cow." She gave me a death glare.
"You look beautiful." I assured.
"Daddy!" Katie yelled jumping into my arms.
"Speaking of beautiful, ready to go princess."
She shook her head up and down.
"Okay let's go."
~~~~
"Just everybody get out! Please. Thank you!" I heard shawn yell from all the way down the hall.
"Babe go find a seat, I'll be there in a minute." I gave her a kiss she seemed to understand.
"Is he in there?" I asked the lady standing outside his door.
She shook her head yes, "Good luck."
I smiled. "Thanks."
I entered the room. "I told everyone to get the hell out!" He screamed with his back turned to me. He stuck a cigarette in his mouth and searched for a lighter.
"I see you still have that dirty habit." I said walk towards him.
He ended up lighting it with a candle, he took a drag and let out a shaky smoke filled breath. "I see you still don't knock. And for your information this is my first cigarette in five years."
"Can I get a hit of it?" He handed it to me, I took a puff and threw it out the window.
He rolled his, "I forgot you do that shit."
I smiled. "Why are you only half dressed."
"The same reason why I was smoking a cigarette, the same reason why I kicked everybody out, and the same reasons I've peed about forty times today." He sighed. "I'm nervous, as hell Shawn."
"I know how you feel, on my wedding day I was so nervous I thought about climbing out the window."
"What helped you?" He asked.
I smiled at the memory, "Colby texted me and said she was so nervous she felt like climbing out the window and not coming back. So I knew I had be strong, not for me, but for this woman I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. And now you have Ashton.You have to be strong for that man who's also shaking in his boots, because he loves you Andre."
He smiled, "I see your still a smooth talker."
"I see you still don't know how to tie a tie." I said grabbing his and tying it right.
"Shawn... Do you ever think this could've been us?" He asked timidly.
I look up from his tie, "All the time. But then, I hear the little feet tapping on the floor. And Colby's laugh, and think I wouldn't change this for the world. And by the way you look at Ashton tells me, you feel the same way."
He laughed, "Yeah I do."
"There." I said finishing his tie.
"Thanks Shawn." He called after me. "For everything."
"Anytime."
~~~~
"Uncle Ashton cheated." Katie yelled out.
"No I didn't." Ashton denied.
"Uh huh. I hide in place where no one find me, and then he find me because he peak."
"OK you two, if your gonna do this every time you play, I'm gonna ban the game from my house." Colby interjected.
Me and Andre laughed. It had been two months since andre and ashton tied the knot. We've become very close. Ashton saw after they left this town, how homesick he was, so they pick up and moved. The kick is, they ended up being our next door neighbor. Katie and Colby fell in love with Ashton right away. Me and Andre we're not what we used to be, but it's good to have my best friend back. It's funny how life ends up working out.
"Come out of the house Colby, you're gonna miss the fireworks."
"I have two bowls of popcorn, my feat are the size of saucers, and a human is growing inside me, so hold your fucking horses." She griped.
I smiled, getting a popcorn bowl, and helping her sit down.
"When are you due again." Ashton asked taking a handful of popcorn.
She groaned. "In a week."
"Wow..."
"Shhhhhh... They're starting."
There we sat watching fireworks. I had this unexplainable feeling. I felt happy. No not happy, happy doesn't even begin to explain how I felt. I felt complete. Like someone had found the missing piece of the puzzle. Yeah, I was definitely way more than happy. I was whole.

The End