Epilogue
Gunnar
After a week of rain, we were finally having a day of sun, which was perfect because Vaughn and I had planned on going to the opening day of the farmer’s market in the city square.
It was one of my favorite places to go from spring through fall, and this would be the first time I got to share it with my daddy.
It was more of a craft market than a farmer’s market, despite the name, and seeing all the pieces artisans created always made my heart happy.
On the way, we stopped at my favorite coffee shop, and Daddy needed to visit the hardware store to get a part to fix a knob in the kitchen.
“Why don’t you stay in the car? I’ll be right out,” he said.
“Yeah, sounds good.” I didn’t mind going into the hardware store, but Hudson had been texting me about the seedlings, and I might as well finish that conversation and not have to worry about cutting him short to buy a screw or whatever it was that broke.
I didn’t know because when Daddy said he would take care of it, I knew he would.
Hudson and I went back and forth about the seedlings and, soon enough, Vaughn was back. I let Hudson know I’d be on standby if there were any seedling emergencies and put my phone in the console.
Despite how early we arrived, the farmer’s market was already packed. We had to park two blocks away to get a spot. I wasn’t glad for those two extra blocks, though, because I got to hold Daddy’s hand for that extra time.
Things had been going great for us over the past few months.
We saw each other every day and slept together multiple times a week.
We hadn’t taken any big steps toward our future, but we were on a nice, steady path, and I couldn’t envision a future without him.
I didn’t need all the details set in stone like some people did.
“Looking for anything in particular today?” I asked when we stopped at the bulletin board that had a map of the vendors.
“Not really. Just to spend the day with you and get some of the spring rolls from the food truck. They’re the best in the city.”
They were famous after being featured on a food channel challenge show. The closer we got to lunchtime, the longer the line would be. It was worth every second of waiting.
“Sounds good to me.”
Halfway down the first aisle, we stopped at the cutest little booth filled with homemade stuffies. They were absolutely adorable, but with a little monster mix-in, unlike my Alvin, who is perfect in every single way.
The teddy bear I picked up was green with a scar on it, mimicking the old Frankenstein images from the days of old school movie magic. Not all were as obvious as that one, though. Some had scars, others scales, yet others vampire teeth, and some just had a tail. Each one was cuter than the next.
“Do you think Alvin needs a friend?” Daddy stood behind me, making sure not to block my view as I took them all in.
“He might…yes. I mean yes.”
“Alvin is a stuffie?” the craftsman asked.
“A teddy bear.”
“Well, if you would like some help, I have a suggestion.”
I didn’t need help, but I was very curious. “I’d love to hear your suggestions.”
They ducked down, and, when they stood up again, in their hand was an octopus with cat ears. “Teddy bears love hugs,” they explained, “and he can have four hugs at once with this guy as his buddy. Plus, what’s cuter than a cat?”
“The logic is valid.” Vaughn rested his hand on my shoulder. “What do you think? Is he a good friend for Alvin?”
We ended up buying him. I loved being with a daddy who didn’t mind having these kinds of conversations with salespeople, a daddy who wasn’t embarrassed by who I was, to the point that me showing my love of cute things in public didn’t bother him at all through his actions.
Package secured, we wandered through the different aisles. We picked up some handmade soap, tea that looked more like honey that you added hot water to, caramel corn—because who doesn’t love caramel corn?—and a picture of a train just little enough that it made me smile.
“One more row,” Vaughn said with a shoulder bump. “It’s a good thing we have many other weeks we can come because I’m already sad it’s almost over.”
Hudson called again, but this time it was a phone call. “I better get this.” I showed Vaughn who it was, and he nodded.
I stepped out of the aisle to be able to hear him better and answered. Hudson’s question definitely could have waited till later. I appreciated his love of his new hobby, but I wasn’t exactly an expert.
“Gotta go find Vaughn. I left him alone on an aisle with lots of toys. I have no idea what I’m about to walk into,” I said.
Hudson chuckled. “The spoiled life is the best, isn’t it?”
“You know it.”
When I caught up to Vaughn, he had two more bags in his hand and was buying a set of homemade blocks.
“Everything we buy we have to carry,” I reminded him.
“I’m aware.”
After a quick stop for the spring rolls, which were better than I remembered, we went back to the car to deposit our purchases.
“Isn’t the first restaurant you took me to near here?” I asked.
“A few blocks. Want to grab lunch there?”
Of course, I did. We walked to the restaurant. The food was great, the privacy was great, and there was something special about revisiting the place with such happy memories.
“I got you something today,” he said, putting a box on the table in front of me.
“You bought me lots of things. Be careful. I could get used to this life.”
“That’s all part of my evil plan.” He tapped the box. “Open it.”
When I did, there was a key chain I recognized from one of the booths we passed today. It had a teddy bear on it and a key on the ring, if you could call it a key, given it was a blank that hadn’t been cut yet.
“I’m confused.” I held it up. “What’s this key for?”
“I don’t know, but I thought maybe we could find out together.”
I ran my thumb over the teddy bear. “Maybe explain it a little more. I feel like I might put these pieces together incorrectly.”
“Let’s buy a house together. The two of us.”
“A house? Moving in together?”
“Moving in together. I can’t imagine life without you. I want you to be the last person I see when I fall asleep and the first one I see when I wake up. Please tell me you feel the same.”
“I do,” I said, squeezing the key.
Buying a house and dealing with our current places took a solid four months, but we eventually moved into our perfect home with room for a nursery, an office with two desks for days we might want to work remotely, a kitchen with enough cabinets there could be one just for my little things, and a tubbie big enough for both of us.
Either of our places would have been fine and a whole lot easier. When I asked Vaughn about that one night, as we were drifting off to sleep, he said it was because he never wanted me to feel like I was living in the shadow of the past.
Not once had I ever felt that way. I never would. Because Vaughn loved me completely. I was his boy, and he was my daddy. He’d always treasure his past, and, as I learned more and more about Bron, I did as well. But never was that past a burden because that past led me to my daddy.
My daddy.
My true love.
My everything.
Best Christmas present ever.