Epilogue
"God Damnit Sammy, you told me the lid was on!" Dame shouted from across the kitchen, his morning voice putting a smile on my face. Jensen's adorable high-pitched giggle told me Damien had spilled his coffee all over himself.
"Sorry hun, I thought it was," I defended, getting off the couch and pulling Jane off my lap and onto my hip as I made my way towards his mumbling grievances about my "incompetence."
He was on his hands and knees on the yellow tiled floor of our kitchen, the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up as he helplessly tried to wipe up the coffee with a tissue. A tissue. Jensen was still giggling down at him and Jane joined in once she saw him.
"Okay kids, laugh it up, real funny! No one come down and help either, that's good." Damien chastised, a smirk still on his face. A smirk that I knew all too well.
"No Daddy we think you can do it all by yourself!" Jensen said between his giggles, making Jane and I burst out laughing.
Damien snorted, officially disgruntled as he added another tissue to the pile that had accumulated on his coffee spill.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," I told him, placing the two year old on the floor before grabbing a roll of paper towels and plopping down cross-legged next to my husband.
After efficiently cleaning the spill with only two of my towels, I got up, grabbing all the trash and tossing it in the bin. Before I could turn back around, Damien's hands were latched around my waist and his head had burrowed itself in the crook of my neck, sending all sorts of tingles down my body. I leaned into him, placing my hands over his hands.
"I love you more than the moon loves the stars, Sammy," he whispered into my ear, making sure his lips brushed over my earlobe. I subconsciously let out a deep breath, then pulled his arms tighter around me.
"You too, Damien," was all I had the power to say back. After all these years, I knew it was stupid and trivial and that nothing like it would happen again, but after Dame shattered my heart into a thousand pieces in high school, I was a little reluctant to say those three words as often as he did. Of course he knew I loved him, but when you say it out loud it makes it more real; more painful if anything were to make that love stop. But Damien didn't care. He knew exactly how I felt and why I didn't love to say it. We were on the same page and that's all that mattered.
"Ewwww Dad and Daddy are smooching!" Jensen screeched, causing me to break away from the kiss Damien had just placed on my lips.
"Oh be quiet Jense, you'll be smooching someone like this one day too," I told him, parting reluctantly away from my husband's grip to wipe the syrup away from our son's chin.
"Yeah but you kiss boys I'm going to kiss girls. Okay?"
Damien and I exchanged a smile. "That's fine Jen. We love you no matter who you kiss," Dame told him, ruffling his hair. "But for now the only people you're smooching is us!!!" He announced before launching into a full-blown kiss attack on Jensen's face while Jen squealed and giggled, trying his hardest to escape. I scooped up Jane and tossed her on my back into a piggyback ride, zooming through the kitchen and into the family room.
"Dad stop!" Jane called suddenly. I obeyed. "I want to count how many presents are under the twee!"
I chuckled and let her down; watching as she crawled underneath the 10 foot Christmas tree Damien insisted we buy. It actually looked really sweet with the kids' handmade decorations and strings of cooked macaroni on it. Why Jensen wanted noodles on the tree, I do not know.
"Seventeen dad! And Santa hasn't even come!"
I groaned as she climbed back into my lap stepping on my balls a little harder than necessary. She didn't get the hint and kept bouncing up and down on my lap, blonde ringlets slapping me in the face.
"You should get on the phone with your uncles and tell them how grateful you are that they sent you and Jen all those presents!"
She nodded her head furiously. "Unky Caspy and aunt Mason sent me SEVEN!!! Jen only got six!!!"
I burst out laughing at the mention of "aunt" Mason. "First Janie, Mason is a boy, therefore he is your uncle too. Second, it never matters how much someone buys for you, it only matters that they thought of you in the first place! So get on the phone right now with him!"
"Ohtay!"
"It's dialing," I told her, handing off my cell phone. She brought it up to her ear and consequently stuck her finger in her nose. I chuckled and pulled it out. Hey, she's only two.
"Sam? What's up, I'm about to board a plane. Is it an emergency?" Caspian's masculine, deep British voice answered, sending a warm feeling of home into my heart. Damn I missed my pack.
"Unky Caspy!!!!!!" She squealed, equally as excited to speak to him.
"Janie, my lovebug! How are you princess?"
"I'm great because you and aunt mason sent me all the presents in the world!"
I stifled a giggle while somewhere in the background of Casp's call someone was saying, "did she just call me aunt Mason?!"
Casp chuckled. "Oh I'm so happy you got them! I hope you haven't opened any, there are still two days until Christmas!"
"No I swears! Dad just told me to call and thanks you even though I don't know what any of them are yet."
Casp laughed again. "Good, I'm glad you are listening to your father. Aunty Mase wants to talk to you princess, I'll see you soon love, thanks for calling."
"Otay! Bye Caspy!"
"Bye love. Hold on," there was some shuffling around before Mason's signature excited voice boomed through the speakerphone.
"Is that our little Janie?!"
Janie squealed with delight. Casp spoiled her, but Mason was the one who would spend hours playing Barbie dream house with her.
"Yes!!!! Masey come over and play! Isss almost Christmas! I miss you and funky Unky Casp!"
"Aww sweetie, we wish we could come see you guys, but your funky Unky has business in China, so we won't be able to see you until a little later, okay?"
"AWWWW, no!!!"
"We promise to come as soon as we can and then we can play Barbie's for forever, I promise. We love you!"
~~
"God I miss them," Mason said to me as he shoved his suitcase into the overhead bin, handing me my phone back. I followed suit, then climbed into the pair of seats he had already occupied. As soon as I sat down, he had grabbed my hand. He didn't even realize he was doing it. His fingers wound around my own as he scrolled through his twitter feed with his other hand. That's what made it all the better, though. I smiled, and dropped my head onto his shoulder.
"Me too, love."
Mason dropped his head on top of my own gently. "Someday soon for us, Casp?" he asked me in that innocent child voice that made me feel so guilty. I sighed, pulling away from him. I didn't want to fight about this now.
"Mase not now, please. You know the answer."
I was being tough, but I had to. I never said no to Mason, but this... this thing would change our lives.
"Can I get you gentlemen anything?" the stewardess asked, bending over and flashing her low cut neckline at MY boyfriend, interrupting the conversation I was dreading.
I gave her a tight smile. "No, we're all set though. But thank you. Thank you so much for your generosity."
I guess she picked up on my sarcasm because she moved right along to the next row of handsome business men, looking to see who felt like cheating on his wife.
"This is why we take the private jet Mason, did you see that woman? She was practically stripping herself in front of you. She was already bent over, all you had to do was shove it in her," I blurted, my tone a bit too loud for the proximity of the plane.
Mason giggled furiously, pressing his face into the side of my neck to control himself, grabbing my forearm.
"If you keep up that tone, I'm the one who's going to be bending over," he whispered into my ear, painfully aware of my arousal. I retracted my claws and dug them into his thigh, earning a little whimper from Mase. He kept giggling though; full aware of the effect he had on me. And vice versa.
"I can't wait until we get married," Mase said dreamily, staring out the window at the asphalt runway. I grabbed his hand, letting my fingers brush over the gold band I placed there a year ago.
"Soon love, I promise," I told him nuzzling into his shoulder as his fingers traced the window.
"If we could freaking agree on where, we wouldn't be having this problem," he mumbled aggressively, turning to glare at me.
Yeah, so I didn't want to get married in a church. So what? God never did shit for me, why should I grace him with my presence in a damn church on MY wedding day. Yes, Mason was the most important person in the world to me, and yes I wanted him to be happy, but I also wanted the day to be special. A church makes me think of my shitty childhood and funerals, not the love of my life.
"Fine we'll do the fucking church," I told him, looking to satisfy him for the flight. No way in hell he was dropping this subject until I agreed to something, even if I didn't necessarily mean it.
"God no Casp, you'd rather die than do that and I know it. Let's just go to the city hall by our flat in Boston or something."
I groaned. "God I hate that place, lets do it by the apartment in New York."
Mason snorted. "You didn't hate it when you were fucking me on the bare wooden floor the first day we moved in."
I stifled a laugh and smacked him across the bicep. "That is definitely true, however, we've done that in nearly every place we've owned. Boston is not special. And no city hall please, that's so low-budget-nineties-movie. Why not here in LA?"
Mason crossed his arms across his chest and glanced at me with a smart-ass look on his face. Around us, the pilot was telling us to fasten our seatbelts. We would be in China in 14 hours.
"Alright then grumpy ass. Tell me your ideal wedding, and don't spare the details."
I sat back in my seat, pondering the request.
"Alright. I'd say the only guests would be the pack and their families. We each get one best man. You decide the color scheme because you have better taste. I don't see you for an entire day before the wedding. I want tulips, they're my favorite. And no church, no prime minister, no pope. One of our friends officiates and that's it. We kiss, we go on a honeymoon-"
"We have kids?"
I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face. As soon as we start making progress.
"Didn't I just tell you that now is not the best time for that? Lets discuss this issue when we aren't on a 14 hour flight, please."
"If now isn't a good time, when is? We have houses in nine different parts of the world Casp, and you just put a down payment on number ten. At the rate we're going, you'll never slow down. The CIA doesn't care if you want kids, Casp. They're not going to give you time off like you think. This Rutter Empire is only growing larger, but not in the way we want it to. I thought quitting the NFL would give you the hint that buying me a place in Cabo won't fix the fact that I'm still childless. If you want us to have a happy marriage Casp, maybe think about the shit that you're doing instead of just doing it."
I stared at him, wide-eyed. He had never spoken to me like that.
"I'm going to go to sleep... give you time to think."
And then he turned away from me and slammed his window shut.
"It's not just the Rutter Empire," I paused. "It's the Rutter-Steele empire." I said with a mumble, but I doubt he even heard me.
So after no response, I pulled out the newspaper I had bought at the airport before we boarded. The front cover brought a smile to my face once again.
"Amateur" Director Terrance Tyler Sweeps Golden Globes, Four Awards for His Film "A Cry For A Wolf"
~~
"And after that you have an interview with USA Today. The host's name is Cheryl, I inboxed you a copy of the questions she's asking. I think you'll do fine. Linda, a little less blush he's not a woman. Ohhkay, I think that's all. Oh! And you need a date to the Met Gala. When Victoria Beckham invites you to the Met Gala, you go to the Met Gala. But you don't go alone. So chop, chop! I'm sure there are thousands of lovely ladies out there who watched the globes and know that the face behind A Cry for A Wolf is just as beautiful as the film itself. God, I tear up just thinking about it. LINDA! I said enough with the blush!"
Taylor's voice didn't even faze me anymore. The high-pitched squeals and long ramblings are a staple when it comes to publicists. I've had my fair share, but she is undoubtedly the best. And Linda, who was working on my hair and makeup, wasn't too shabby either. I had a lot of good people on my side, and damn did I deserve that.
"Thank you, hun, I promise to cater to your every whim." I told Tay as she kissed me on the cheek to say goodbye.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel as if it should be the other way around. And DON'T forget about that date, Terr!"
And then she was off in a storm of rose perfume and the sound of her stilettos on the concrete makeup room floor.
I had a shoot for a spread that Forbes magazine was doing on me. It was called Rags to Riches or some shit like that. "How a teenage boy's screenplay ended up as the top grossing film of the year."
I wrote the movie when I was still in high school, edited it when I went to NYU, then worked my ass off to get someone to produce it. Then somehow, I ended up as the director of my own movie. It was honestly a dream.
But a dream I was living alone.
Zeke hadn't gone to college. He lived in the pack house and trained as a solider because they needed him there. They didn't need me. The real world needed me, apparently, as Taylor would say.
The funny thing is the movie is about Zeke. The even funnier thing is that Zeke is played by Jennifer Lawrence.
It was a story about our life, the life of the boys and the pack and all our shit. But homos don't win globes. So I changed Zeke to Zelda and made millions. A small price to pay for the life I've always dreamed of.
I hadn't heard from him in a while, though. We used to talk on the phone every night, than the calls became less and less frequent. They had no depth and we had grown apart. He sent me a text after the globes. A text.
Congrats Terr, you earned it.
No mention of my acceptance speeches, in which I thanked him directly, no word of if he's even seen the movie. He just doesn't even know me anymore, and that's the hardest part. But he's happy in Montana. He told me he has a boyfriend. I told him that I was happy for him, but I really wasn't. I was happy he wasn't dwelling on the past, but at the same time I secretly hoped and dreamed of him surprising me, sitting front row at the premiere, or even just knocking on my apartment door. But all I got was a text.
Christmas at the Powers' was going to be so weird.
"Mail for you Mr. Tyler," someone said, spewing a load of crap onto the vanity in front of me. I eyed the post, but everything seemed pretty much junk. Except a shinny gold envelope with a Christmas tree stamp that caught my eye.
The return address was someplace in Montana.
The nerves in my stomach grew as my fingers shook opening the thick envelope. The balloon of hope inside of me shattered when I realized it wasn't from Z, but I smiled nonetheless.
It was from Troye and Dallas. It was their Christmas card. On the front it was a picture of the five of them. Troye, Dallas, and their three boys. Dallas had Kai on his shoulders, Troye had John on his hip, and one-year-old Asher was in Dallas' arms while a 90-pound Mastiff sat at their feet. Troye was looking at Dallas like there was nothing else better in the world.
I flipped the card open. The generic "Have a wonderful Christmas and happy new year, love the Chamberlains" message was typed, but Dallas had scrawled something on the bottom.
Terr-
We are so, so proud of you and all the work you've done. We've all seen the movie. Three times. Baby Ash needs to meet his godfather, we hope you'll come home for Christmas. Sam and Damien are hosting.
Zeke misses you. I can see it in his eyes.
Please come home.
We love you,
Dal, Troye, and the pups.
~~
"All I'm saying is, we can't just go empty handed. Yes, Damien said they have everything under control, but at least grab a bottle of wine for gods sake Dallas!"
I stifled a laugh at his high-pitched shout that hasn't changed since high school. "Yes your majesty," I replied, fake bowing to him. "Your wish is my command."
"Oh shut it, you giant dic-"
"HEY KAI!" I shouted above Troye's voice just as our sleepy headed first son walked into the kitchen. I glared at Troye who was bright red. We were terrible about the whole "not cursing in front of your kids" thing.
"Dada when are we leaving? I want to go soon so it can be Christmas even faster!"
I chuckled, then bent down and scooped him into my arms. "Ten minutes Kai, then we're going. Aren't you excited to see all your cousins and uncles?"
He nodded excitedly before I set him down.
"Okay hun, go get changed out of your nap clothes, daddy left your nice corduroys on your bed okay? If you need help just tell us," Troye told him, plastic wrapping a tray of cookies he bought at the bakery down the street.
Kai took off and ran upstairs like his life depended on it, our Mastiff Bailey following after him, leaving the two of us in the kitchen again. I stepped behind Troye and pulled him into my chest, savoring his smell.
"If I tell you I love you does that mean I don't have to change the diaper?" I muttered in his ear, trying my hardest to sound seductive while saying the word "diaper."
Troye giggled. "I'll do it, you big baby. Go get the bottle of wine for Dame, I'll make sure John and Kai get changed. Oh and don't forget the presents," he told me, and in one swift motion he was out of my grip and had placed a kiss on my cheek before following after our 8 year old.
I found a nice bottle of red from the fridge and grabbed a gold paint marker from Troye's desk. After tying a ribbon on it I wrote:
Sam and Dame-
Hope you both have a beautiful Christmas. Thank you for...
~~
"...for your friendship and hospitality. Love you both, Troye and Dallas," I read aloud, then looked up from the bottle Dallas had just handed me. I smiled. "Awww Alpha, you do have a heart!" I teased, pulling him in for a headlock like old times.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Troye told me to do it."
I laughed, taking in Dallas' red v-neck sweater and jeans. Completing the outfit was a Louis Vuitton diaper bag slung across his shoulder (courtesy of Caspian). He was such a dad.
"I knew it," I said, shaking my head. I felt hands around my waist and suddenly Damien was at my back, placing a kiss on my head.
"Thanks you two," Damien said, nodding to Dallas and Troye who had just appeared at Dallas' side-baby in arms. "And merry Christmas. Now, who wants a margarita?"
I watched as they all cheered, following my husband to the bar off the dinning room. Troye and Dallas were the first to arrive, and John, Kai, Jensen, and Janie were on the floor of the living room playing with toy cars. It seemed like weeks ago that I was sitting on that same couch with Jane, talking to Casp. But in reality, it was only a few days ago.
I couldn't help but feel a giddy excitement waiting for the rest of the pack to arrive. This was the first time we would all be in the same place since graduation. Well almost all of us. If only Casp didn't have the business trip in China, him and Mason would be here too, making the reunion complete.
And not even a second later was the doorbell ringing.
"I'll get it!!" I shouted to whoever was listening, jumping over Legos and sprinting for the door. I peered through the windows on either side of the door and smiled broadly. It was Zeke.
"Z, man, merry Christmas," I told him, opening up the front door and pulling him in for a tight hug. He reciprocated and I saw him smile for the first time in a long time. We lived around the corner from each other, but I felt like I hardly ever saw him.
Zeke stripped off his pea coat, exposing the bulging muscles he had acquired that were desperately trying to be freed from his loosely tucked-in button down and low hanging pants. A few of his shirt buttons were undone, exposing the many tattoos that dusted across his chest. It'd be really hot if I weren't married.
Zeke cleared his throat, and gripped my shoulder tentatively. "Is... is he here yet?"
I sighed, dreading the awkwardness between him and Terrance. I just wanted this to be normal for once. We were almost all together for the first time in ten years; I didn't need any of this damn drama.
"No, he said he'd be running late. Don't worry about it Z, we're here for the holidays and to see everyone. No drama. Not this year."
Z nodded, but didn't say anything before pushing past me and heading directly for the bar. I ran a hand through my hair, regretting I had even said anything. Now Z wasn't going to even open his mouth, but its not like that's anything new.
I sighed and ran my hands over my face just as Damien popped his head out from the dinning room to come meet me. He place his hands on my hips and smiled, bring a similar look to my own face.
"What's got you down, wolfy? Can I go grab you a beer?"
I closed my eyes, shaking my head.
"Nothing," I said, opening up my eyes to peer isn't his red fiery ones. "I just love you so, so much."
Damien's eyes widened and he stepped back a bit. The words seemed foreign coming from my mouth, but so so good. But then he smiled and leaned over to kiss my lips gently.
"Let me go grab you that beer."
I smiled. He was perfect.
But before I could head over to the bar with him, I heard the front door burst open again.
"Shit Casp!"
"Fuck, did I just hit you with the door? Damn this bloody suitcase."
I whipped around so fast, I nearly collided with them.
"CASP? MASE?" I shouted, taking a step back, not believing my eyes.
In front of me were two of my best friends with endless designer suitcases, ties loosened from around their necks, and dark circles under their eyes most likely caused from one flight or another.
They exchanged a smiley glance, then turned back to me. "SURPRISE!"
I didn't even care that they had their hands full, I launched myself at the pair, tackling them into a bear hug. They chuckled, pulling me into their chests.
"Holy shit! They're here!" I heard Dallas' deep voice bellow from behind me, causing me to break the hug and step back so everyone could get a little Rutter loving.
"Someone get these boys some margaritas!" Troye shouted. Mason laughed, picking him up and spinning him around before pulling him into an embrace. The two had gotten a lot closer recently.
"Maybe something stiffer," Casp groaned, rubbing his eyes, a protective hand on Mason's shoulder.
"What are you guys doing here?! What happened to China?!" I yelled frantically, too excited for my own good.
Damien handed the boys some drinks as we migrated into the living room.
"China could wait. You guys, and Christmas, couldn't."
"UNKY CASPY!!!"
And then four little runts were latched onto the two of them, one on each leg, as everyone, even Zeke, smiled and laughed.
We were settled in a little while later, everyone on their third or fourth drink while we chatted about everyone's lives. However, the hot topic of discussion was Terrance's movie.
"Damn, I can't believe fucking Chris Pine was the actor who played you, Mason. He's too hot for you," Dallas said shaking his head.
Mason scoffed. "And Tyler Hoechlin isn't too hot to play you? I'd say the only person Terrance got right was himself. And that's because he was the one casted him."
"Yeah and he's probably doing him too. It's Louis Tomlinson for god sakes; he's been openly gay for a few years now. And Terrance will pounce on anything with a pulse, naturally." Caspian said, earning a few laughs from around the crowd. Zeke stayed silent.
"My favorite part of the movie was Troye's famous lunchroom scene. Damn that was hilarious," Damien said fondly, running his hand down my thigh, smiling over at me.
"I'll have you know, what happened right after was far better," Troye said with a smirk from Dallas' lap.
"Yeah, but no one wants to see Dallas have his way with you in the stall of a boys bathroom," Mase chimed in, laughter flowing in all around him.
"My favorite was graduation."
The room went silent. Every head in the room had turned towards Zeke.
"You... You've seen it?" Troye was the first one to ask the question on everyone's mind.
Zeke snorted. "Only a million times. I saw it in theaters five times, but the attendants were starting to think I had problems. So I bought a pirated copy until the real thing came out. Now I have it in Blu-ray and regular DVD."
We were stunned, to say the least.
Mason smiled. "Good for you Z."
"Yeah man, you're awesome," Dallas told him, winding his fingers through his husband's.
"Wait, wait, wait, did anybody else catch that the actor who played Chase was bloody Asian!" Caspian suddenly remembered, sending the room into hysterics.
Chase, our very white pack member, was played by a very Asian man in the movie. It was probably Terrance's idea of a joke.
"Wait a sec..." Dallas asked, placing his beer on the table. "Did anyone invite Chase and Bryce?"
"Yeah, yeah I did," Dame chimed in from my right. "They had a business trip together and weren't going to be home in time to make it tonight."
Mason snorted. All eyes turned to him. "What's so funny?"
Mase shook his head, smiling giddily. "Business trip? That is what they told you?"
Damien nodded as Mason broke out into giggles again.
'They're in Bora Bora fucking each other on the beach, you dumbasses!"
Troye shouted something about watching his language, but everyone else was absolutely stunned.
"Chase. And... Bryce?!!?" I shouted at him, leaning forward in my seat. Mason nodded excitedly, while Caspian rolled his eyes.
"Yeah they've been going at it like dogs ever since neither of them found their mate at 18," he announced to the group. "Business trip my ass."
The room was full of chatter of the newfound discovery, everyone recalling stories of the two that could have given away their secret if we all weren't too thick to notice.
The talking continued until we heard the door open for the last time that evening. Everyone went silent.
No one got up; we just stared at Zeke's petrified face. I don't think the fact that him and Terrance were going to be in the same room for the first time in ten years really hit anyone, until the director actually stepped in front of us.
"Merry Christmas, everyone."
There were snow flurries in his quaffed hair and the suit he was wearing screamed Hollywood, but we didn't care. No one spoke as he removed his suit jacket, tossing it across an empty chair.
I let out the breath of air I had been holding in and smiled. "Welcome home, Terr."
He dropped his tensed shoulders and grinned broadly at me in response.
Suddenly Zeke wasn't sitting anymore, and I prayed he wasn't about to storm out.
But he did just the opposite. After standing up and exchanging a mutual 20 second long eye-fuck with Terrance, Zeke quietly stepped across the box of Legos and pulled Terrance into his arms.
Terr collapsed into him, squeezing Zeke back with as much vigor as his long time friend. I thought I saw Terrance's face shine with tears, but I couldn't be sure.
"You came home," was what Zeke whispered into Terrance's neck, who whimpered in response.
"Yeah babe, I'm home."
Zeke squeezed him harder.
After a few minutes of their embrace, the two pulled apart, both of them trying to wipe their eyes and avoid the others' stare. Terrance cleared his throat, then looked on to the rest of us.
"And what about you two, eh? Have you tied the knot without telling me?" he asked, gesturing to Casp and Mase across the room.
Casp let out an exasperated sigh, while Mason put on a face.
"We can't agree on a ceremony. Therefore, there hasn't been one," Mase said, a grumbled undertone to his words.
"Why can't you agree?" Troye asked them.
"Mase wants a church, I hate religion. I want an intimate ceremony-"
"I want kids!" Mason cut in, earning a chuckle from all the parents.
Caspian only rolled his eyes. "As you all can see, we've reached a crossroads."
Terrance furrowed his eyebrows for a second, then stared bright-eyed at the two.
"Why don't you just get married right now?"
Caspian laughed out loud. "Excuse me?"
"I'm an officiate. Two of my college friends were atheists and wanted one of their buddies to marry them, so I did it. I can legally bind you guys in matrimony."
Mason looked flabbergasted. "But we don't even have the rings!"
Caspian blushed. "That's not necessarily true."
All of our eyes landed on Casp. He shrugged sheepishly.
"We don't stay in the same place for very long and I worry about losing them. They were bloody expensive and I prefer to keep them with me at all times. So, I, uh, I have them," Casp said, reaching into the inside of his suit jacket pocket pulling out two small velvet boxes.
Mason beamed at him, nuzzling his neck and kissing his cheek while Casp's face turned bright red from the public display. Some things never change.
Casp swallowed, then turned to look at his fiancé. "So it's settled then, love?"
Mason grinned. "I've always wanted a Christmas wedding. It's definitely settled."
A round of applause rang out throughout the room as the two stood up and took a bow for no apparent reason.
"Oh my god. I've been waiting for this my whole life," Troye stated, eyes wide with determination. "I'm going to make this the best wedding you've ever seen in your fucking lives."
The room was full of laughter again, but Troye was dead serious. He lived for this stuff. So we let him get to work.
A half hour later, our living room was transformed and Troye had certainly stuck to his word.
The lights were out, lit candles encompassed the room giving it a dim glow. The roses Damien had gotten me last week were now all over the floor, courtesy of Janie, leading to the makeshift alter underneath the doorway to the dinning room. The kids were giggling excitedly while Troye fussed over Caspian's hair and suit as he stood next to Terrance, waiting for his groom.
As soon as Troye decided he was finished, all eyes were at the base of the room where Mason had just arrived. Everyone lined the pathway he would take to reach his soon-to-be husband, smiling on at the pair. Slowly, Mason started walking towards Casp, both of them beaming at each other. Once he arrived, Kai had approached as the make shift ring-bearer, handing them the two the boxes that held their future together.
"I think you guys have your own vows, correct?" Terrance asked. Mason nodded excitedly, but Caspian's face went sheet white.
"Vows?" he asked. "Aren't those given to us?"
Mason rolled his eyes. "I'll go first so you get the idea."
Quickly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like an American Airlines napkin with pencil jottings on it. He cleared his throat and glanced at Casp, and then began.
"I'm writing this on an airplane napkin while you're drooling on my shoulder, but I could care less because I love you. I've loved you since the first day I met you, even if I didn't know what it was right then," Mase paused, looking up at him.
"You've been my best friend, my brother, my one and only. I couldn't ask for anyone like you Casp," Mase paused, rolling up the napkin and shoving it in his pocket, smiling. "That's all I could fit on the napkin." Everyone chuckled, but Casp smiled, lacing his fingers with Mason's. "But I vow to love you more and more every day. I vow to stay by your side wherever, whenever, and through whatever. I vow to be your husband, your mate, and your family until the day I die, even if we never do have kids. I love you Caspian Rutter. Always have, always will."
The room was silent for a few seconds, everyone looking on at the pair very teary-eyed. Caspian cleared his throat and wiped at his eyes.
"Well obviously I didn't prepare anything, and it will be hard following that...but I'll give it a try."
Mason nodded with a smile, indicating he should go on.
"I couldn't imagine a life without you, Mason. You are the only person in the world that I have ever loved, and nothing could ever change that. You are my soul mate and the man I owe everything to. Without you, I would be nothing. You're the reason I get up every day and push myself to work harder. You are my motivation for everything and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I vow to be the best husband I can possibly be. I vow to always make you breakfast in bed and watch reruns of Friends on Sundays. I vow to give you everything and anything you could ever want... including children. Which is why I've taken the liberty of booking us an appointment at the adoption agency tomorrow,"
Casp paused for Mason to squeal and for everyone else to let out a resounding "awwww!!!"
"And," Casp interrupted, hushing the crowd. "I vow to love you until the end of time."
"And now Casp, you may kiss the groom," Terrance said softly, trying not to disturb the indescribable look of love passing between them.
"Hell yeah I will," Casp announced, allowing chuckles to fill the room as Caspian's hands gripped Mason's cheeks and Mason's arm wound around his husbands' waist.
I let my head fall on my own husband's shoulder as he pulled me into him and placed a kiss on my head. We would be celebrating our eighth year of marriage next week. Dallas and Troye are going on ten.
The two broke apart grinning from ear-to-ear, looking out around us. My heart warmed at the sight of their smiles and Zeke and Terrance's interlocked fingers. Dallas was holding baby Asher while Troye marveled at the two, the rest of the four runts passed out on the couch by now.
This was, and always will be, home.
~~
Wow.
I am just speechless right now guys. I am so so sad to be finishing this sereis, but also so so glad it happened! And its all thanks to all you guys who have put a genuine smile on my face from al your crazy comments! I love you all until the end of time. Honestly could not ask for better fans. YOU ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL LOVIES!!!!
BUT do not lose hope, I am currently writing a new series!!!! It will debut soon and i hope to see you all there!!!
For the REAL final time, let me know what you guys think. Its been a pleasure writing for you all :)
xoxoxo
KB