Waiting for Never - Post Malone

Epilogue

10 years later...

Austin's chest vibrates as the crowd screams and stamps their feet to his music. This is the last show of the first leg of his world tour. It's the last of 27 shows and 2 months away from home. He should be ecstatic that he has again sold out all his venues. It happens with every tour he has done and his fan's reaction to him while he is on stage makes him know that this is where he belongs, on stage performing. It's in his blood.

But there is a space to his left, just out of view from the crowd. A space that could only be filled by Marli, a space that is empty now. It's been years but the space will forever be hers, no one could ever fill it. Right now all alone on this stage and the empty space gaping at him out of the corner of his eye makes him feel a little lost. He misses her so much, and would give anything to just catch a glimpse of her. But it's not possible.

Instead, he pushes through his show and is grateful that Jonas is ready and waiting with his plane to escort him home after the show. When he gets home to the Utah home it's late at night and the house is dark and quiet. Almost dead on his feet he tiptoes to his room and peels off his clothing. After a hot shower that leaves his skin red he quietly slips into bed dreaming of emeralds and soft kisses.

The following morning Austin blinks awake. From the alarm clock on the side table, he can see it's 6:30 am. Fucking early. He hears the familiar gurgling sound from behind him and rolls over. Two sets of bright blue eyes are looking at him. Their faces break into smiles and they start kicking their chubby little legs letting the fat wobble around. They are placed in a little makeshift nest on the bed and they wake every morning at 6:30 am on the dot.

"Boys we really need to talk about you changing your sleep patterns. You need to get your shit together, you guys are nearly a year old."

As if they understood nothing he just said they start laughing and kicking their legs more. Mops of curly brown hair and bright blue eyes, Brock and Ford, his 11month old twins. Austin gets up and scoops them up.

"Nappy change then food you scoundrels."

He has to step over Willadeene who is sleeping in the doorway, then thinks better and turns around. He nudges her softly she does not move but she does grunt."Still alive then? I don't know how. But still alive." He takes the boys to their room, cleans, and changes them. He then makes his way to the kitchen placing the boys in their high chairs. "Pancakes?" He asks them and they gurgle back. He takes it as a yes and starts making up the pancake batter.

Once done he starts cooking and has a nice stack of pancakes when he hears the front door slam shut. Then he feels the familiar slide of delicate hands snaking around his waist and then up and finally resting on his pecks. He brings the hand he is not using to flip the pancakes up to cover the left hand with his and plays with the delicate ring on her wedding ring finger. "lil mama," he says softly through his smile. She plants a kiss on his spine just below his shoulder blades and then giggles.

Fuck, that giggle, it gives him chills. He loves this woman with all his heart. He flips out the last of the pancakes, turns off the hob, and turns around in her arms. Cupping her face in his hands, her green eyes have always so hypnotizing they are such a deep green they look like emeralds. Their boys look like him, but he hopes they have inherited their mother's, beautiful kind heart. She doesn't like hearing it, says he did it himself, but she saved him. She stood by him when he did not deserve it and when he got her back 12 years ago he counted every fucking lucky star in the southern sky. He is one lucky bastard. "Hey, what are you thinking?" Her question snaps him out of his thoughts. "I'm thinking about how beautiful you are. About how much I want to kiss you." She smiles, and his heart stutters a bit "So kiss me then."

He thinks he will so he leans down and connects their lips they only get a couple of seconds in before there are huffing and gurgling sounds. Marli pulls back and looks at the twins. She smiles at them and says "Dad made pancakes" while wriggling out of Austin's arms and grabbing the plate of pancakes and plopping them down in the center of the island.
Austin leans against the kitchen counter and watches his family. Marli turns to the twins and flashes them a smile they start jumping around and gurgling even happier to be receiving her attention. He knows the feeling. "Hello, my boys. My favorite little men" Austin feels jealous. He shouldn't feel jealous of two 11-month-old babies.

They are lucky they have the twins. They have been married for 10 years this year. Marli had wanted babies as soon as they were married. But Austin was worried he would relapse. He had put Marli through hell, putting her through more while pregnant or when she had children to keep safe was just not an option. He refused to do that to her. Marli had of course listened patiently while Austin shared his fear. She had not moaned or told him he was being silly, she had been understanding and supported him 100% like she always did. And then three years ago on his sober marker, they had dared to venture into parenthood.

One of the twin's laughs brings him back from his thoughts and he starts making coffee for himself and her, it's not a ploy to win her attention back. When he is finished making their coffee he sits down at the opposite end of the island from Marli and the twins. She is busy rambling rubbish words to them as she breaks up bits of pancake for them to shovel into their mouths. After a while, she looks up and sees him watching her. He has two cups of coffee in front of him and she frowns. He flicks his head as an indication for her to come to him. She gives him a crooked grin and rolls her eyes but gets up and comes over. He swivels his chair so she can stand between his legs, wrapping his arms around her waist. She hooks one arm around his neck and pushes the cup of coffee away from her. He looks over at the twins and pulls his tongue at them. He won, those twins are losers.

"You are ridiculous, they are babies," she laughs. Austin turns to look at her. "Yes, and looser's cos you chose me," he says proudly. she shakes her head "I chose coffee," she teases. Austin pulls her in closer and tickles her neck with his lips, her giggling sending shivers up his spine again. "But you are not even drinking your coffee. How was your morning run?" he asks. "My run was good as always. Also, you know coffee makes me feel ill when I am pregnant," she says. Austin stops to rub her still flat belly, she is two months along and he hopes it's a little girl. She gives him a chase kiss and then pulls out of Austin's arms. "OK let's brush those mops and get ready for the day," she says taking the twins out of their high chairs and then whispers something in their ears while smiling and looking at Austin. He knows she is telling them that they are her favorite boys. It's a lie. She turns to walk out with the twins in her arms but then stops and looks back at Austin.

"Oh, Austin. I have decided the twins and I will go with you for the next leg of your tour. The boys are unsettled and I can't sleep when you are away. You being away for 4 months solid will do us no good," she says. Austin shakes his head. "I thought you said they need a stable routine," he counters. Marli walks over to Austin and slots herself between his legs again so she is close.

"I was wrong. Turns out, all we want is you, Austin Post...Just you."

End