The Marine I Know

Chapter 29

"This is delicious!" Cole says, after swallowing. We're sitting around the table and just having small talk. "Who made this?"

"Usually it's me, but Parker did this time," I reply, sneaking a glance at Parker, who meets my eye and smiles.

"He's a keeper, Belle," Cole replies, and I nod.

"So how did you and my mom meet?" 

"I was in a bookstore, looking in the cookbook section, and Cole was as well. We accidentally bumped into each other, and both dropped our books that were in our hands. We laughed and started picking up each other's books, and then he asked me out to coffee, and the rest is history." My mom says, and I can see complete adoration in her eyes.

"Cole, you couldn't have picked a better woman than my mom. Fiercely protective, loyal, and sure can crack some jokes." I can tell my mom is blushing and trying to hide her face, which I giggle.

"Thank you, Belle." She says. That was the typical conversation, and for some reason, I can see Cole as my stepfather because he has similar characteristics as my dad, but still different. We finish the meal, and mom and Cole went into the living room, and I'm leaning against the counter, staring off into space.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Parker asks, standing next to me.

"My dad has been gone for about ten years, we had to move out of the house where I grew up because my mom couldn't handle it, but it brought me to you, and now it brought Cole to my mom," I say, tears starting to run down my face. Parker wraps me up in his arms and holds me as I cry into his shirt.

"Peter will always be in your heart, and right now, I bet he's smiling down on both of you, telling his buddies that those two people are the most amazing people and he's proud to call you family." I sniff, and Parker rubs my back gently. I gently pull back and kiss him on the lips, and he wipes my tears away. I pull the dog tags out from under my shirt.

"Something to remind me of him, of who he was and he would be very protective towards me, but would loosen up because he's always one to crack jokes." I chuckle, before grabbing Parker's hand and pulling him towards the living room to see my mom and Cole kissing on the couch.

"Okay you two, get a room." I laugh, and my mom looks embarrassed while Cole laughs. 

"Okay, payback is even now." She laughs.

"I was wondering if Cole, would you like to attend my graduation?" I knew I was going out on a limb, but what I see with my mom and Cole is what's between Parker and I. I also knew never to fight fate, no matter how much you wanted to. Cole looks to my mom, who nods.

"Of course. I would love to, but-" Cole starts, but I cut in.

"What you and my mom have is what Parker and I have, and I learned never to fight fate." My mom stands up to hug me.

"Thank you, Belle." She whispers before hugging Parker. Cole comes up to stand next to my mom. 

"Looks like we got ourselves a blended family." He replies, and I agree. 

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One month later

It's finally the day of graduation. Clare, Piper, Autumn and I are looking for dresses at Penny's in the sale and clearance section. 

"I can't believe today is the day." Clare gushes, and we all agree. We find some dresses and try them on together before purchasing them and heading back to my house. Quentin, Phoenix, and Beckett already graduated one year before us, but they will be in attendance along with my mom and Cole. 

"This was one hell of a senior year, heck all four years of high school," I say, and the girls look at me with knowing looks. "Oh come on, it makes sense. Two years of not knowing anything and then he shows up."

"But we got to meet the best group of guys in the world," Lilly says. We finish getting ready and wait to put our gowns on till we get to the school when there is a knock on the door. 

"Come in!" I say once we all change into our dresses. The door opens, and it is my mom holding some boxes in her hands. The girls come next to me, curious when my mom starts handing out the boxes.

"Mom?" I ask, but she shakes her head.

"Open them." We do, and we all pull out matching bracelets, except the first letter of our names is attached to the infinity symbol. 

"Mom, these are beautiful." I gasp, and we all look at them together. "Did you make these?"

"No, actually Cole's sister did. She wanted to do something special, and she's heard me talk so much about you girls that she had to." I hug my mom. 

"Thank you, mom and I will have to send my thanks to his sister," I say, as the girls thank my mom as well and we put the bracelets on, putting them together so mom can get a picture of all of our wrists.

"Now, you can't be late for your graduation," Mom says, leaving as we finish getting ready and walk downstairs. The guys are standing downstairs, dressed in their outfits, but the only guy I notice is Parker, who can pull off a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up just below the elbows, grey tie, and dark trousers. His hair is styled almost like he used a hat, but it looked perfect on him. He turns from his friends to hear our shoes hitting the floor, and I can see a different emotion in his eye, one that I have never seen before. With the help of my friends, I decided on a maroon dress that ends above my knees, the neckline is modest, so I can still wear my dad's dog tags, but my necklace from Parker is visible. The sleeves are lace, but have a slit down the sides, black wedges, and my hair is curled with a minimal amount of makeup.

"Belle, you look-" Parker starts, but I smile at him, happy that he's a little speechless. 

"You don't look so bad yourself," I say, walking up to him and kissing him on the cheek, which causes him to slide his arm around my waist. The group walks out towards the cars and hop in, heading towards the school.

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"Congratulations class of 2017!" The principal announces, causing us to throw our caps in the air, cheering. He dismisses us, and I look for Parker, catching his eye and I speedwalk towards him, leaping into his arms with the biggest smile on my face.

"Parker, we made it," I say, happily. He chuckles and puts me down, not breaking eye contact with me. 

"Yes we did and forever will I remember you slapping me when you saw me the first time since I left." He whispers, and the smile falls from my face at the memory.

"Parker I-" I don't finish because he lays his lips on mine and we pull apart after a brief second.

"I'm with you now, and that's all that matters." He says. Everyone finds us, and we get pictures, knowing this is my family that will always have my back. My mind slips back to that fateful day at the cemetery that I would not date a military man, and I look at Parker to see him with a smile on his face, talking to his buddies, laughing. 

"Earth to Belle," Lilly says, chuckling. I look at her with an eyebrow raised. "Penny for your thoughts."

"Just how when I was younger that I wouldn't date a military man," I say, still looking at Parker. "I guess when the right one comes along, you put all fears aside and focus that he will love you forever." I rub the necklace that Parker gave to me the night he deployed. Lilly puts an arm around my shoulders.

"Yep." She agrees. 

"He's just the Marine I fell in love with."

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Hi all!

So I ended up tearing up a little as I wrote a part of this chapter, but I hope that this seems like a perfect ending to Belle's and Parker's story. I'm hoping to have Lilly's, Autumn, and Clare's story each as its own book and part of a series. 

Anyway, let me know what you guys think and don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe!

Bye for now: 

-SunSetSunny