Caught Up // Jimmy Butler

Chapter 27

"What do you mean you can't find him?" Xander asked, crossing his arms.

"I mean..." Taj shrugged, "We lost him, don't know where he is."

"You think he got cold feet?" Xander asked

"What?" Allison asked, as her head popped out the door to hear the last words come out of Xander's mouth.

"A..." Taj trailed off.

"Jimmy's gone?" Allison asked, raising her eyebrows as she tried not to panic.

"No, no, no." Xander lied, "Um,"

"He wanted," Taj began, trying to think of the words to play this off to Allison, "He's just – it's a joke."

"It's a joke?" She asked, as she tried to hold back the stress and sadness that was starting to bubble inside her.

"Yeah," Xander played a long, "A, don't worry about it."

"Yeah," Taj agreed, "Just finish getting ready or whatever, and he'll be there. I swear."

Without another word, Allison just shook her head and walked back in the room.

"I'll help you look." Xander nodded, as the two boys went off.

"What's goin on?" Jimmy's mom asked, standing up noticing the sadness on Allison's face.

"Um," She breathed, "I think Jimmy is gone." She shrugged, sitting down.

"What?" His mother asked angrily, "What do you mean gone?"

"Well I overheard Taj and Xander in the hall, talking about how Taj can't find Jimmy."

"Oh, hell no," Jimmy's mother shook her head, grabbing her purse, "No son of mine." She mumbled, walking out the door and into the large hall that led to the room were the ceremony was going to happen in.

Quickly pulling out her cell phone she called her son, hoping he'd pick up. But, nothing.

"Dammit.' She mumbled to herself, seeing Taj and Xander walking outside, "Hey!" She called to the two, running outside after them.

"Mrs. Butler." Xander began, "We're just..."

"Any sign of him?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"We don't know." Taj shook his head, "He left his phone."

"Alright," She shook her head, "I'll let you know if I find him, same goes for you." She said sternly, as the two men just nodded and they all split up.

It'd been about 15 minutes of her walking around outside, and she was about to give up on looking for her son until she saw that familiar speck out of the corner of her eye.

There her son sat, in the grass near the water – alone. She slowly approached him, and gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Ah, mom!" He exclaimed in surprise, "You scared me." He breathed, as she sat down next to him.

"Well good." She shook her head, sending a quick text to Taj and Xander, "You have us all worried sick in there." She said, hitting him upside the head.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, putting his hand on the spot where she'd wacked him.

"Everyone in there thinks you got cold feet and left." She said firmly, "Including Allison."

"What, no!" Jimmy groaned, putting his face in his hands, "I just came out here for a minute, I wanted to just...I needed some time alone."

"For what?" She said, crossing her arms.

"Relax Mom!" He defended, "I wasn't going anywhere." He explained, "I just felt like I needed to breathe." He admitted.

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't know." He shrugged, "I just wanted to make sure this was the right thing." He blinked, "I just...I love her but, I don't know if she's ready and-"

"What are you making excuses for?" She interrupted, "Man up." She shook her head, "You need to decided what you want to do: right now. That poor girl in there is broken up about you."

"What?"

"She heard Taj and Xander talking about how you went off somewhere, she thinks you got cold feet and left." She explained, "You shoulda seen her face, Jimmy. So you better decide what you wanna do. Because you can't keep her waiting any longer."

"I..." Jimmy trailed off, feeling horrible that he'd made her feel like he was leaving, he wasn't he just wanted to be alone for a minute, "I'm going." He nodded, helping his mother up as the two walked back inside together.

"Hey, hey!" Xander began, pushing Allison back inside their secluded room as he saw Jimmy and his mother approaching, "It's fine, he's here." He stated, as Allison just let out a deep breath.

"C'mon now." Adrianna said, getting up, "Let's get you married!"

Allison stayed seated as her bridesmaids walked out to walk down the aisle where Jimmy was 'supposedly' waiting.

"I'm scared." She blurted to Xander.

"Hey," Xander smiled, taking his hand in hers, "You're fine." He assured, "He's there, I promise."

Allison just took another deep breath, as Xander stood up and extended his hand to her – as he was the one walking her down the aisle.

"C'mon," He smirked, "It's time."

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Jimmy stood at the end of the aisle watching intently as each set of their friends walked down – now he was sorta worried Allison wouldn't be coming down. But, eventually the music started and all of their friends and family in the room stood up as the doors opened to revealed Xander and Allison: and did she look stunning.

He couldn't help himself but grin widely as she approached, and even though he told himself he was going to try his best to keep himself together he felt some tears prickling in his eyes. She looked like a living, breathing angel. 

She looked back at him with relief: he was here. Xander left her right in front as Jimmy helped her near him.

"You..." He began, taking her hands in his, trying to find the right words, "Are so beautiful."

Allison smiled as she saw him wipe away a tear that escaped, and had to blink back her own. For a moment, she remembered that he'd left and she brought her hand up to his bicep and then suddenly pinched him.

"Ow, shit!" He let out, as quietly as he could.

"Don't ever do that to me again." She whispered, looking up into his eyes as his expression softened.

"I wasn't I-" He began, wanting to defend himself. But he stopped, "I'm sorry, I won't." He concluded.

"Are we ready?" The man ordaining them whispered. 

"Yeah." Allison nodded, the smile returning to her face as Jimmy gave her a soft smirk.

"Well," He began, "Let's get started then!"