Epilogue #2
Rebel didn’t seem to notice that nobody had answered her.
She had more to say about her sister’s situation.
“I didn’t think she had it in her. I was sure she’d leave the building before she did that.
The money be damned, I’m sure she doesn’t even care about that.
But her pride is a completely different story.
Do you think she asked the woman out? Or maybe she paid her to go along with her.
They didn’t talk very long. And from what I could see, it wasn’t going well. I can’t believe it was a redhead.”
Pulling her gaze away from the blue ones that seemed to be searching her soul, Stephanie turned to Rebel. “Where is she anyway? Ellis, I mean, not the redhead.”
“Shoot, I can’t see her. Wait here, and I’ll go find her. Maybe she’s in the bathroom. The redhead is still here, so she couldn’t have gone far.” Rebel grabbed her glass off the table as she rushed away from them.
Turning back to her girlfriend, she said, “Did you see the kiss?”
“That isn’t all that important.” Court waved off her apology, as if that hadn’t been the entire reason they were at the bar in the first place.
“Court, I’m sorry I ruined this moment for you. You and Rebel were looking forward to this all day.” She was feeling worse and worse about saying it when she did.
Court leaned back in the booth and tucked her loose curl behind her ear. “I don’t want to get married, Stephanie. I never have. Renting some overpriced place and spending weeks decorating it just to spend ten minutes there leaves me cold.”
“You usually only get a few hours to decorate.” She corrected and didn’t even know why. It didn’t matter. It wasn’t happening for them. But she had been there every step of the way for Laura’s wedding, so she knew a lot of the ins and outs of venue renting.
“How’s that possible? Would we have to feed everyone? I don’t want to feed someone I barely know a high-priced dry chicken. And then I would have to eat high-priced dry chicken with them, and I really am not a chicken fan.” She ran a hand through her hair, as she always did when she was nervous.
“We don’t have to get married, Court, it just popped out.”
“Whose side would Calvin and Marlene sit on? Or would they just sit in the middle? Would we have to walk around them?” She ran two fingers around her glass like they were brides around their parents.
But at least when the fingers got to the other side they touched, which meant she saw them as still together in the end.
Taking the fingers in her hands, she stopped the movement.
“It’s too soon, I’m sorry I brought it up.
Besides, if we do get married one day, I don’t want a big wedding.
Just family and friends in a park maybe, something intimate and not all day and into the night.
Just a little ceremony to make it legal. ”
Court’s eyes lit up. “We live near a park.”
“It doesn’t have to be a park. It could be anywhere.” Letting her fingers go, Stephanie looked for Rebel or Ellis, one of them would get Court’s mind off a wedding that wasn’t going to happen. But she saw nothing.
“We could do it in the backyard, it’s big, and it would limit the people who can come.
I mean, a park can hold an unlimited number of people, but our backyard, not so much.
What do you think of hiring a food truck?
I could get behind a food truck.” Court seemed singularly focused on a wedding. One she didn’t even want.
“When we’re ready, that would be perfect.” Stephanie assured her as Rebel came back to the table, disappointment in her eyes. That she hadn’t been able to find her sister was obvious.
“She isn’t here. I checked everywhere. We should go to her condo and see if she’s there.”
Court let go of her hand and turned to her friend. “Leave her be. She might have to process what happened. Ellis is big on processing. And despite what she’s been saying all day, this was big.”
“It is, but I think she wants to process with her sister.” Rebel said as if she was asking for permission, bouncing from one foot to the other.
Court shook her head. “No, she doesn’t. I think Stephanie and I’ll head out. She’s tired, and I want to look for plans for an arch.”
Crossing her arms, she glared at them for half a heartbeat before just nodding. It seemed she wasn’t going to argue it anymore. Instead, she asked, “What’s an arch?”
“A curved structure that you can walk under.” Court made an example with her hands over her head.
Rebel rolled her eyes. “I know what an arch is, but why would you build one?”
“For my backyard. Stephanie thinks it needs one.” She wrapped her arm around Stephanie, pulling her closer.
“You and that house, you’re never going to be done with it if you keep making up new projects.” The woman finished off her drink before turning to them one more time. “See you tomorrow at Eomma’s?”
“We’ll be there.” Stephanie replied, so Court didn’t have to ask her in front of her friend and possibly get teased about it.
“Now, it's time to track down a redhead who kissed my sister and see what her intentions are with her. As her sister, I need to know these things.”
“I think she left.” Court said, looking around the bar.
“I’m sure she’s still here. Have you ever seen her before?” Rebel scanned the bar, but being on the short side, wasn’t seeing much since the place had filled in the last hour.
“No, she must just be one of those newbies that walk in this place and change your life.” Wrapping her arm around Stephanie, she kissed her neck.
Rebel stopped moving and glared at her for a heartbeat, then rolled her eyes again. “I can’t take you two and your smootchy smootchy. I’m off.”
Court took Stephanie's hand and headed for the door. Now that they were further away, they had a car here. Something that neither were used to. But it was nice to walk the short distance to the car, then the blocks to one of their apartments.
Settling into the leather seats of the BMW, Stephanie asked, “What’s the arch for?”
Court turned on the car and let it idle as she made sure Stephanie’s heated seat was turned on.
It was those little things that made her love her more and more every day.
Even after all these weeks and months together, she was still showing her in every way how much she means to her.
Nobody she’d dated before had been even close to this considerate.
“You said you wanted an arch for the wedding. I thought I would try my hand at making it. That would be more special than buying one, wouldn’t it?” Court asked.
“I didn’t say that, and besides, the wedding, if you want one, isn’t for a long time.”
“Why put off the inevitable, Stephanie?”
“Because you said you weren’t ready. You just said ten minutes ago you weren’t ready.”
Court pulled into traffic and headed for home, her eyes not leaving the road. “I thought about it and changed my mind. I want you to be my wife.”
Her heart skipped a beat at the words. Had she really changed her mind, or was it something else that made her agree to marriage? “You’re sure. You’re not just doing this because I want it, and you’re going to regret it.”
Stopping at a red light, Court turned to her.
“Stephanie, I don’t want anything to do with a wedding, but I want everyone to know you are more than a part of my life.
You are my life. I know I have to go through one to get to the other.
I want the other. Besides, if we don’t get married, how can we go on a honeymoon?
I really want to take you on a honeymoon. ”
“I don’t think my parents are ready for us to get married just yet.
Not that I need approval from them.” Stephanie knew for a fact that her mom wouldn’t be pleased.
Not that she wouldn’t still marry Court whenever she wanted to, but she’d like to be able to enjoy her wedding day and not hear comments from her mom about it.
“Not to mention Rebel and Ellis think we are going too fast as it is.”
As Court turned into their driveway, Stephanie felt at home. It was what Court had felt all those weeks ago when they had broken into the house. Though it had taken her time for that feeling to grow, it was there now. She loved their little slice of happiness they had created.
Butting her lip, she asked tentatively, “If we’re not going to get married right away, why not just keep this to ourselves for a while?”
Court turned the car off and shifted so they were facing each other. “Or forever, and one day through a big party that’s actually a wedding. A trick on everyone. I know your family will like it. We already have the officiant, and she lives two doors down.”
“I like the idea of that, no stress or spending all of our time planning something big. I really didn’t know when I would have the time.
” She admitted that, though they were hiring, they were still a long way away from giving her wedding planning time.
She just hoped she’d have help during the house project time. “We’re secretly engaged now?”
“Yes, we are.” Court leaned over and kissed her, it was just as toe-curling as their first kiss. “Now let’s go inside and celebrate. I know just the way.”
“Sex?” she asked, because that’s what she was thinking about as well.
Court winking slyly, “I was thinking a shower and sleep, but if you insist. You know I can’t deny you anything.”
Stephanie only giggled as she grabbed the door handle.
Either way, she was going to spend the night with the woman she loved.
And that woman loved her back enough that she’d overcome all her fears to be with her.
She vowed never to let a day go by where Court wasn’t the most important thing in her life.
The End