Shawn and Zoey arrived back to Philadelphia from their honeymoon.
The two spent their honeymoon in Bora Bora. They explored the small jungle that ringed the rocky little peak. Zoey and Shawn visited the parrots that lived in the canopy on the south end of the island. They watched the sunset from the rocky western cove. The two of them swam with the porpoises that played in the warm shallow wards.
"So is it different being married now?" Blake wondered.
"Not really ." Shawn answered, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist.
"Well, I think of dating is a journey, while marriage is a destination. Dating is a process of trial and error. You learn about yourself and the other person as you go. It's a journey of discovery. Marriage, on the other hand, is a destination. When you get married, you're committing to each other for the long haul. It's a decision that should not be taken lightly. Marriage is a lifetime commitment." Zoey explained.
Shawn, Zoey and Blake walked into the Student Union to see Angela and her father sitting on the couch. Zoey looked around to see the rest of the group looking at the father-daughter in shock. This can't be good.
"Hey!" Blake greeted Sergeant Moore happily. "There's the man who put me and Angela back together!"
"Blake" Sergeant Moore greeted, shaking his hand.
"How are you?" Blake asked.
Sergeant Moore nodded. "Good."
"I've been taking care of your daughter, sir." Blake informed.
"I know you would." Sergeant Moore said.
"Hi, baby." Blake greeted as he approached Angela, wrapping an arm around her waist and pressed a kiss on her cheek. "What's goin' on?"
Sergeant Moore glanced between the couple. "I'm sure you two have a lot to talk bout. I'll be back at the hotel."
"We should have dinner later, sir." Blake suggested.
"Yeah, I'd like that." Sergeant Moore replied. He turned around and walked out of the Student Union.
Zoey quietly strolled over to her best friends who sat at the table near the coffee shop.
"What's going on?" Zoey asked.
"Angela's dad invited her to go to Europe with him. Blake has no idea." Topanga explained..
"Oh, no." Zoey muttered.
Blake crossed his arms. "Come on, how bad can it be?"
"My father wants me to go with him to Europe." Angela replied.
Blake raised his eyebrows. "That's it?"
Angela sighed. "Yeah, but....."
"Go to Europe with your father, where's bad there?" Blake wondered.
"For a year." Angela announced.
A frown instantly appeared on Blake's face. "There's bad."
••••
Later that day, Blake was at the apartment making a sandwich on the kitchen island while Zoey was pacing around the area, trying to figure how to fix this.
Zoey shook her head. "No, no, no, no."
"Wow. Europe." Blake said in disbelief. "I can just see here now - sitting in an outdoor café, reading poetry, sipping an expresso."
"You know what else they got beside cafes in Europe. Blake? They got men... men named 'Paolo'... 'Enrique'.... 'Milos'... and they sit there, crawling around in their dirty Ferrari's looking for that fresh American meat!" Zoey told her brother.
"I trust Angela." Blake said simply.
"My little croissant, jump into my Peugeot, and we will drive on the wrong side of the road!" Zoey exclaimed in French accent. She then changed her voice, imitating Angela. "But I love Blake!" She changed back into the French accent. "Phooey on Blake! If I was your man, I would never let you go! Blake cannot possibly satisfy you!"
"Okay, okay, shut up!" Blake yelled as he walked over to the couch, holding his sandwich.
Zoey sighed. "You know, I love that you can just lie to yourself, while your life is just fallin' apart. Really, I... I just find it adorable."
"I want Angela to be happy." Blake said.
"You're a liar!" Zoey exclaimed, sitting next to her brother. "A year away will kill your relationship!"
"How often do you get to spend time with our father?" Blake wondered.
Zoey glared at her brother. He had now idea that their father had shown up to the wedding unexpectedly before he was forced to leave due to her outburst about him not being there for her.
Zoey pursed her lips. "That's nice, Blake. Are you gonna 'nice' yourself out of the girl you love?"
Blake hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "No. I'm not gonna let her go."
"Good." Zoey said.
"I'm gonna tell her to stay." Blake responded.
"Nicht! You can't do that." Zoey told her brother.
"Why not?" Blake wondered as he got up from the couch.
"Because you can't make this decision for her. It's a decision she's gonna make on her own." Zoey explained.
Blake furrowed his eyebrows. "Isn't that risky?"
"Well, you said she loves you." Zoey said.
"She does." Blake confirmed.
"Okay, then there's no risk. Listen to me, take it from experience. Women have got to go through a process. With women it's all about the process.... and shoes." Zoey explained.
"So if I let her go through this process, she'll make the decision to stay all by herself?" Blake asked.
Zoey nodded. "Yeah, and she'll love you even more, and she'll stay right here, never going anywhere and always in that living room."
Blake huffed. "Geez, Zoey... marriage does change you."
••••
Blake had come back to the apartment and informed Zoey that Angela was going to Europe. He explained that the two sat down, and she said that she wouldn't go if he told her not to. But she wants to be with her father.
Zoey groaned. "Are you an idiot? She wants you to fight for her, Blake!"
"No, there's no fight. The process... it's over. She's going." Blake said.
"She's testing you." Zoey told her brother. "She wants you to show much you love her."
"She knows how much I love her." Blake responded.
"Yeah, but apparently not enough to keep her from going. I mean, you failed the rest, Blake. You forgot to pay attention to what she wants. You failed. You failed because you have absolutely no idea what's going on with your women." Zoey said sharply.
"Why would Angela say that she want's to go if she doesn't?" Blake questioned.
"Because how can she turn down her old man unless someone tells her to? Her father's a strong guy, Blake. He told her to go, but she was waiting for an even stronger person to tell her not to." Zoey replied.
Blake sighed. "You're right. I didn't fight. I let her go. You told me to do nothing!"
"No, I told you to do nothing if she decided to stay." Zoey corrected him. "If she decided not to go what idiot wouldn't do something? I can't believe I have to tell you that!"
"Okay, don't yell at me." Blake insisted.
"Did you once ask her to stay?" Zoey asked.
"No." Blake answered with a frown.
"Okay, Blake, then what choice does she have but to go?" Zoey wondered.
"None." Blake muttered.
Zoey sighed. "It's you versus her dad. I realized that you like the guy, Blake, but, you're fighting for the woman you love."
••••
The next day, Shawn, Zoey, Eric Cory, Rachel and Jack were all gathered on the couch and chairs in the Student Union, waiting for Angela so they can say goodbye before she leaves.
Once Angela and Blake walked into the Student Union, the group instantly cheered for her.
Rachel stood up and quickly pulled Angela into an embrace. "Oh, I can't believe you're leaving. My room is going to be big without my roomie."
"I'll be back sooner than you think." Angela reassured as they pulled apart.
"Yeah, but I won't be here. I'm graduating." Rachel pointed.
Angela frowned before the two girls pulled each other into another hug. It took them a moment before they pulled apart.
"You're gonna have a great time in Europe." Jack said, approaching Angela with a smile. "I'm sure of it."
Angela sighed. "I wish you guys were coming with me."
"Yeah, I wish, too, but it's funny, because I can't really afford to go anywhere anymore." Jack said dramatically before he sat back down on one of the chairs.
Eric stood up and held his arms out. "Angela!"
"Eric!" Angela exclaimed.
"Angela! Come on. Come on!" Eric insisted, wrapping his arms around Angela's shoulders and pulled her into him. "Let it out, girl. Let it out."
"Eric, we're touching." Angela pointed out.
"Oo-ooh, child, things are gonna get easier. Oo-ooh, child, things will get brighter." Eric sung. When they pulled apart, he grabbed a bunch of posters of himself. "I want you to me a favor... I want you to hand these out to all the European girls you see, okay? And tell them if they want me to be their American boyfriend, my number's right there on the bottom of the picture. Now, I've only got five-hundred, so don't be handin' them out to any hairy chicks, all right?"
"I'll do my best." Angela said as she grabbed the bunch of photos.
"I'm gonna miss you. You were always my favourite." Eric told her.
"Really?" Angela asked in surprise.
Eric shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know."
Angela rolled her eyes and handed the bunch of pictures to someone else before walking over to the couch where Shawn, Zoey and Cory sat.
"Cory, is she gonna make it?" Angela wondered, referring to Topanga.
Cory nodded. "Yeah, she'll be here. She's been busy lately. Doing... I don't know ... something."
"Cory?" Angela asked.
Cory smiled. "Yeah."
"Thanks." Angela told him.
"For what?" Cory wondered.,
"For being my friend." Angela explained.
"Where is she?!" Topanga demanded as she rushed into the Student Union. "Where is she?!"
"Topanga!" Angela exclaimed, running over to her friend and hugged her.
"I was so afraid I wasn't gonna make it." Topanga said before they two pulled apart. "I'm gonna miss you so much."
Angela frowned. "What am I going to do without my best friend?"
"You're gonna do great." Topanga reassured. "Send me shoes."
Zoey rose from her spot as Angela turned around to face her. The two girls gave each other small smiles when they met each other in the middle, wrapping their arms around each other.
"I'm gonna miss you, Zo." Angela muttered.
"I'm gonna miss you so much." Zoey responded, pulling away from her. "I'm very grateful that I met you, Angela. I never thought anyone could make Blake as happy as you make him. I'm gonna miss you."
Sergeant Moore then walked into the Student Union. "You ready, baby? The cab's waiting."
Angela walked over to Blake and grabbed onto his hands. "Let's not say 'goodbye'. Let's just say 'I love you'."
"I love you, Angela." Blake told her, tears brimming his eyes. "I always will." The couple pulled each other into a tight hug before they pulled apart. Blake turned to Sergeant Moore. "Take care of her, sir."
Sergeant Moore smiled. "You're a good man, Blake. Thank you for giving me and my daughter this chance."
"I know how important this is." Blake replied. Sergeant Moore and Angela turned and walked out of the Student Union. Blake frowned. "Goodbye, Angela."
Zoey sighed and stood beside her brother. "Don't spin our of control, okay?"
"Cory, I got that Brown Elliot internship." Topanga announced.
Shawn, Zoey, Cory and Blake turned to face Topanga in confusion. Brown-Elliot was the most prestigious law firm in New York.
"Huh?" Cory asked, not paying attention.
"Yeah, they offered me a scholarship to NYU law school, and they told me that once I graduate and pass the bar, they would like me to work on their firm." Topanga explained.
Cory stared at his wife in shock. "What are you... Who... Where is this coming from you? What... What are... What have you been doing?"
"Cory, we have to move to New York." Topanga announced.
Shawn quickly placed his hands on Cory's shoulder. "Don't spin out of control."
"We- Why- Why- Why did- Why did no one tell me?!" Cory demanded, his entire body shook uncontrollably as he spun around to everyone. "What did no tell me about this?! Someone's gotta tell me! Someone's always gotta tell Cory!" He then dramatically fell onto his knees. "Why, God?! Why?! Why?!
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PUBLISHED: May 20, 2019
WORDS: 2065