Sold Out - Michael Hardy

FIFTEEN

"What're we doin' today, my love?"

"Let's get married."

Michael's eyes go wide. "Here? Now?"

"Why not? We're in Florida!"

Michael laughs. "What about family? And friends?"

"We can have a ceremony when we get back. C'mon, it'll be fun! Elope-y in Florida."

"But we're still gonna have the ceremony and reception and stuff, right?" Michael asks, setting his coffee cup on the table in front of him.

They rented a house on the beach for their week vacation and it was the best idea ever.

"Absolutely." She nods, her hands on his knees as she leans closer to him. "Whatever you want, I'll make it happen." She smiles and kisses him. "So yes on getting married today?"

"Yes. Let's get married today."

+++

"You were in that two-piece in the bucket seat
Of my old man's red Camaro
Rolling down to Port Saint Joe
That FM dial cranked up to ten had Mellencamp
And I was picking out little pink houses
All the way down the coast..."

These lyrics hit Michael in the face as he and Cassie were heading to the courthouse. When they got back to the house, he felt like he was thrown back in time to their wild teenage days.

Michael had told himself that he was going to marry this girl but he did not want to hold her back from her dreams. He knows- guarantees that she would've never left if he verbalized his thoughts.

He couldn't ever live with himself if she gave up her dreams for him.

"...That first time loving feeling
Midnight kiss I'm stealin'
Pullin' me in like we were there all along
First-time tequila buzz
Thinkin' every song that played was us
Singin' all the wrong words all night long..."

Michael is so in love with her that it hurts.

When they were dating back then, they were inseparable- even before they were dating.

They grew up together and were best friends way before they started dating. Michael had kissed her on her birthday one time and the rest is history.

"Hey baby," Cassie says behind him, joining her husband on the back deck as the sun is setting across the ocean. "Whatcha workin' on?"

Michael holds up the notepad for her to read. "My First Everything? Sounds kinda familiar." She teases, playfully hitting him in the shoulder with the notepad before sitting next to him at the table.

"I dunno, I couldn't stop thinking about when we were younger and it just hit me." He says, fidgeting with the pen in his hand. "I still cannot believe that we're actually married."

"Kinda late to be having second thoughts."

"Pfft. I'm not having second thoughts, Cass. I just- I've thought about this ever since we were kids."

"You wanted to marry me when we were younger? That's so sweet, Michael." Cassie says, tears in her eyes. "I'm so goddamn lucky."

"C'mere." He says, pushing his chair back as he pats his lap. Cassie grins and slides onto his lap, her arm around his shoulders while they watch the sun sink down below the water.

This is the life.

This is what Michael has wanting with this woman and he's finally got it.

He's finally got it.

+++

"Michael. Michael, can you- Michael come here." Cassie shouts from the window of their bedroom.

Michael's sitting on the deck with Morgan and Ernest, brainstorming song ideas for Morgan's new album.

"Michael!"

He rushes up the steps, stumbling a couple times but he finally makes it to the bedroom. "Are you okay? What's- what's wrong? You okay?"

"Look." Cassie holds up a blue and white stick with tears already in her eyes. "Look!"

His eyes narrow on the small word printed on the stick then chokes out a laugh. "Is this- is this real?"

"Second one that's says it. I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant!"

Michael laughs tearfully, wrapping her in such a tight hug that she can feel his arms on her insides. "Holy shit."

After months and months of negative tests and a handful of doctors appointments, so many let downs and tearful nights, it's positive.

It's positive.

"We're having a baby." Cassie whispers, locking eyes with her husband. "We're having a baby!"

+++

- Two Years Later -

"Babe, c'mon, we're late!" Michael shouts from the bottom of the stairs. "C'mon!"

"Shush!" Cassie shouts back, pausing her tracks to put her earrings in. "How do I look?" She asks, adjusting her dress before looking down at her husband.

His jaw drops at the sight of Cassie in a floor length dress and heels for tonight's awards show. "Beautiful." He smiles. "Wow."

She playfully rolls her eyes as she takes the steps, carefully tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Okay Justin." She picks up her clutch. "We'll be back in the morning. You okay with staying over night?"

"Of course, Cass. Me and this kid are deeply bonded bros, huh?" Justin laughs, popping Lee on his hip before getting a fist bump from the toddler.

"Don't worry about us." Rae says from the kitchen. "Just have a good time."

Justin and Rae got engaged a couple months ago and honestly, no one was expecting him to finally settle down but Rae got him turned around.

"You call us if somethings wrong, okay?" Cassie says, giving her little brother a look. "Okay?"

"Okay, jeez. Get outta here." Justin snorts. "We're gonna be fine. Just go enjoy your night."

"Babe, c'mon, we're late." Michael takes her hand and tugs her out to the truck.

"Love y'all!" She shouts on her way outside.

+++

After a rather disappointing award show, Morgan lost on album of the year, song of the year, and male singer of the year and Michael lost on writer of the year, the married couple are finally checking into the hotel room they booked for the night.

Cassie and Michael sigh heavily as they flop back on the bed, exhaling tiredly together.

"Hey." Michael says after a while. "You hear that?"

"Hear what?" Cassie whispers back, her tired eyes finding his.

"Quiet."

Cassie laughs then yawns. "I had no idea how tired I was until we laid down. That little boy is running circles around us, how are we gonna keep up?"

"Just how we are now." Michael replies. "But, y'know what I see this as?" He leans up on his elbow and looks down at her.

"What?"

"Nine hours of uninterrupted quiet time just for us."

"Oh yeah?" She chuckles, laughing even harder when Michael starts kissing her neck. "You're right. We deserve this break."

"Damn right we do."

- end -

+++

My First Everything - Riley Green