Reasonable Doubt ✔ | Open Novella Contest 2020 | Complete

Epilogue - Alex

Eight months later

"Surprise!"

I know Colt doesn't do crowds or strange environments well. I thought I did a good job only inviting Mama, Sharron, and Finch.

Evidently not, judging by how Colt nearly leaps out of his skin. Clutching a hand to his chest, he lets out a low stream of profanities. Removing the greasy ballcap, he peers around at the party-hat clad people in the condo.

"The hell is all this?"

"Your birthday, baby brother," Finch responds, pinky raised as she sips her champagne and looks super unamused with her pink doily hat.

Hazel eyes burn on me. "Alex?"

I approach and pull him down into a chaste kiss, heedless of the motor oil. "Happy birthday, querido."

A strange mix of emotions cross his face. Tenderness, awe, and then shocked irritation. He smiles, but it doesn't quite touch his eyes. "You did all this?"

He's been so distant these past few weeks. Ever since we moved to this condo. I thought maybe it was the new environment, only he hasn't had any nightmares. Whenever I ask, he tells me he's fine. I haven't been able to figure it out.

Mama shoos me out of the way, drags my boyfriend into hugs and kisses "Feliz cumpleaños mijo."

Colt changes into a t-shirt and torn jeans. Mama proceeds to shove food down his throat, tisk over him. Their Spanglish conversations never fail to amuse me.

Initial shock aside, he functions as quite the social butterfly. There's none of that dangerous tension, the eerie darkening of his eyes precipitating an episode. Among these few people, he's amiable. I dare say he even has fun with the drinking and party games I planned.

"So, I'm curious," Sharron muses, well into the party. The slur of her words and color in her cheeks means she may be snoozing on the couch. "Who pitches and who catches?"

Colt narrows his eyes, shoulders squaring. Something about her has never sit right with him. Even six months after Ramilla's guilty verdict.

"That is an extremely rude question. Would you ask a straight couple who – "

I arm-bar him. "We switch."

"Hah!" She barks and yells across the room at Finch. "Pay up! Your brother's not a bottom!"

"You're kidding!"

I bite my lip to stop the laughter while Colt runs a self-conscious hand through his hair. Until Sharron punches him hard in the arm, earning a low groan.

"Hey, don't mess up my work," I protest.

"Oh, is this one of yours, Alejandro?" Sharron's already rolling up Colt's sleeve to inspect his deltoid. Seeing the image, she sucks her teeth. "Oh my damn."

"Wow, Alex," Finch admires. "That's some intense color. I'm impressed."

"Because he's heavy-handed," Colt taunts.

I smile at the brave mask. While I'm proud that his two-day-old tattoo has garnered such attention, I know he's withering under it. The tightness in the corners of his eyes, the hard set of his jaw warrant a break.

"We should probably get more Aquaphor on it." I gesture him toward me. "Ven conmigo."

Once we're alone in the bedroom, Colt visibly deflates. A hand drags across his face nervously. The jagged set of his shoulders and mouth don't leave, however.

I touch his elbow. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he grunts

I feel a bit of a sting. "You just don't like surprises and I surprised you."

He blinks. "No, Alex. This is incredible. I forgot it was my birthday until you texted me."

"How do you forget your birthday?"

"I was worried about other shit, okay?" Colt bristles.

I cock a brow. "Oh? Something more important?"

A bitter laugh. "Yeah."

Not liking his tone, I slide around to face him. True to my word, I slather his raw, colored skin with the emollient. "What is it, Colt?"

"I had plans tonight," he admits, watching my fingers.

I glance up, offer a soft smile. He's such an old man. "Colt, we can Netflix and chill anytime. This is your birthday."

"It wasn't that." Suddenly he's all twitchy, compulsive movements. "I just...I don't know. I didn't know where, so I thought – then I knew that was stupid, so I didn't. Now I was going to do this tonight and forgot it was my fucking birthday."

I scowl. "Colt? What are you talking about?"

Another nervous scrub through his hair. "I've been trying to do this for weeks. There's just never been a good time. Or there's been a perfect time and I chickened out."

Panic grips my throat. "Colt...are you...?" Are you breaking up with me?

His eyes meet mine and widen. "What? No! Alex! Of course not - ! I just...fuck it."

"Colt?"

Hands on my shoulders, he steers me back from him. Then he digs in his jeans pocket, sinks down to one knee. A black velvet box is in the middle of his palm as he rushes, "Alejandro Rios, will you marry me?"

"...the fuck?"

What is happening right now?

"I had this whole scene planned out – rose petals, all that shit," Colt continues to ramble. "I thought about asking the basketball game. Then again in the Italian restaurant. I just...the people. Alex, I – "

I silence his anxious mumbling with a kiss, fingers and hand around his on the velvet box. Then I laugh past our mouths, delirious and raw with elation. Never in my life did I think I would get proposed to.

"Yes."

Colt looks like he might cry. "Really?"

"Of course."

"Don't you, y'know, want to see the ring?" Colt fumbles.

I pull him to his feet. "If it's anything like you, I'm sure it's perfect."

AN://

The end! :D

Total words: 39.7k (I was sweating bullets)

Any updates from here forward will be finagling with grammar, sentence structure, and pacing. Comments and/or suggestions welcomed and highly appreciated <3

Are you satisfied with the ending? Anything you're wanting to know or anything you need expounded upon?

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Thank you for accompanying me on this journey. I hope it was as good for you as it was for me 😉.

Stay safe out there!

~ T