𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 ♦ 𝐑𝐃𝐑

🇪​🇵​🇮​🇱​🇴​🇬​🇺​🇪​

May 1932

Arthur Sanders P.O.V.

"My parents... Where do you start in that sense? Most of you might say that your parents are good people, that your father works everyday for your momma. While she sits at home and usually handles the cooking, the cleaning, everything. For me, when I think about the words 'my parents', I think about two people who shared the work. My father has always treated my mother like an equal. My mom can shoot a gun, she has robbed people before, she's killed before... Now I look upon a lot of your faces right now and I see nothing but disbelief. That's normal. But see--- Before I was born, my parents were in a gang. It's how they met... So when you read my book--- 'My Favorite Love Story: Selina and Asher Sanders' You'll learn that gangs weren't just about big tough men, they had more complex features to them." I look up at the opening door to see my brother's and my sister's standing there with a bit of pride to their faces. I needed to wrap this all up, we had a wedding to go to. "I wouldn't be here today without those two... Without my younger siblings and the support they all gave me. I sincerely hope you all consider reading this book and gaining an even greater respect for the people around you--- For you most certainly don't know where they've come from. My name is Arthur Alexander Sanders... Thank you for coming out today to listen to me speak about my book. For now, I have somewhere to be." Everyone begins to clap for me before I step down off the stage, my siblings now heading outside as I'm shaking some hands and walking out the door to see Andrew, Sadie, and little Asher standing there. I was thirty three now, Andrew, a solid thirty one, Sadie was on her way to becoming twenty eight this year and little Asher is twenty three. The youngest but the boldest. "Look at you, big polished up man. Nice speech you was givin', sorry we interrupted you." Andrew speaks before he gives me a slight punch to my shoulder. "Yeah--- Yeah---" I begin before Sadie rolls her eyes. "Why must you always sound like you're being sarcastic?" She asks of the other man before he looks at her with a confusion upon her facial features. "Why must you always insist on bein' a total---"
"Enough. Both of you." I reply to them before the look at me and Asher laughs. "God you all are insane." He states and we look at him. "That's just how the Sanders family is, Junior. Always will be." Andrew replies and then directs his eyes back to me. "Let's get goin' brother. We need to make it before ma throws an absolute stink over us being late. Need to make sure our tuxes still fit." I give him a nod and we all head to the hitched horses, I get upon my white shire, big horses were always a bit easier for me to handle. Andrew owned a nice mustang, Sadie, an arabian, and Junior had himself a kentucky saddler. I get myself adjusted before I pulled my hat out of my saddle bag, my father's hat, the one my Uncle Arthur owned before him. Placing it upon my head proudly every single time before I look back at the other's and then I'm quick to get my horse going. We're smiling and laughing as we're riding up the path to the area in which my parents intended on coming together in unity again. This was their thirty third year of marriage and even if it was an odd number to renew their vows, they saw to it to keep everything feel fresh. They would do this once more if they made it to fifty years which we hoped they would. It was only seventeen years away anyways.

     They had family friends here, even Jack Marston who was here to represent both his parents who had passed. Our Aunt Sadie and Uncle Charles who might've been a hell of a lot older, but they would do anything to be here today. Uncle Nathan who would be my father's best man again. His children, his former wife, and just the rest of our extended families.
I'm heading inside to my old room so I can dress myself up in my new tuxedo making sure it still fit like a glove and of course it did. Boys were going to be in a lavender this time and my mother had all the women in a darker purple. She had old friends from back when she was growing up this time coming to be bridesmaids. My father, well, his sons and Jack alongside us with Uncle Nathan. I hear a knock at my door as I look into the mirror to see it open and Andrew enters. "Wow... Nice Tuxedo." He of course had the same one on. "You don't want to start this again do you, Drew?"
"I was being the most sincere brother there is."
"You are always so incapable of sincerity."
"Am I?"
"Yes!" I reply to him as I turn to face him completely and he shakes his head with a small laugh. "We've all looked forward to this beautiful day as long as you have, brother. You're not just my brother, you're my best friend--- Sometimes, I must admit, I'm envious of the life you lead. You always did inspire us to be our best." He replies to me as he comes up to adjust my collar for a moment. I give him a chuckle as I pat his shoulder. "Thank you... Now give us a hug."
He's quick to punch my shoulder once more and myself to him. "Stop it." We both laugh as I turn to look back at myself, making sure all was well as I place my father's hat upon my head. "But no really, how do I look?" I question of him as he looks me over once more. "Like our father... A real hero." He adds and then looks out the window for the moment. "It's time." He speaks up and I swallow harshly. "You go ahead, I'll be down in a second." I command of him, he turns to walk out the door and then looks back at me. "I wanna be alone, go on." He closes the door fully and I sigh deeply. Looking at myself in the mirror more and more, I did resemble my father when he was a little younger. My eyes were my mother's, but I had everything else as my father. She told me all the time. I readjust the hat upon my head as I turn to walk out, one final look and I just end up tipping the hat to myself in the mirror as I'm coming down the stairs and heading outside.