The Past and the Future: After the Adoptions

I'm Hearing Wedding Bells!

Clementine's POV

Penney turned around at the dude that just came into the store. He was a few inches taller than me, with dark skin and curly brown hair, and something about him looked oddly familiar.

Then it hit me. That was my ex-boyfriend from middle and high school, Cedar Matthews.

"Cedar?" I said, giggling a little.

"Clea?" Cedar said, then he ran up to the counter. I ran towards him and we crushed each other in a hug, I haven't seen him in so long.

"I missed you!" Cedar squealed. "How are you, how's life?"

"I missed you too, Cece." I said. "I missed you so much. And...life is good. I mean, I have my own business, it's small but it gets me through."

"How was Brazil?" Cedar asked.

"Well, truth be told, I missed the place. But it's funny, it didn't feel as homey as New York City. NYC will always feel like home to me, more than Rio ever did. Anyway, I reconnected with some old friends from elementary school, I'm surprised they still remembered who I was. And-"

"She's pregnant." Penney said, cutting me off.

"Dude! I was gonna tell him that!" I laughed. "But yeah, I'm Penney's surrogate."

Cedar giggled and said, "That's so sweet. When's the baby coming?"

"End of January, give or take." I said. "Anyway, how's your life?"

Cedar smiled and then sat up on the counter next to Penney. "Well, I went to college, I have a literature degree and I'm trying to get a job as an English teacher."

"Fitting. You always loved books." I laughed. "And you're really good with kids. They all seem to love you. Penney's also a teacher if you need some advice or anything."

"Yeah. Well, I got an apartment, I work at a little pizza joint to pay the bills- come in one day and I'll give you two a free slice and some soda- and I live like five blocks from here if you ever want to come visit."

"Aww, Cedar. You're too sweet." Penney said, winking at me. "We really did all miss you."

"I missed you guys too. Well, I won't keep you, I know you guys are busy with the store and all that." Cedar said, grabbing his messenger bag that was on the floor.

"No one has come in besides you in the two and a half hours I've been in the store. Stay for a little while longer." I said. "Same goes for you too, Penney."

"Clem, I wish I could stay, but I have papers to grade."

"I could help!"

"Clem, you literally failed math freshman year. I don't trust you grading my students' papers as far as I could throw a truck." Penney said, laughing. "No, but seriously, I better get out of here. If I procrastinate on this grading much longer these kids are gonna start to complain to me."

"Alright then." I said, giggling. "And come on, Pen, please take something before you go? You haven't had Brazilian food in years, and I know you always love my pastries."

"Fine." Penney said, taking a pastry from the case. "Also, Clem..."

"Yeah?" I said, then Penney walked over to me and started whispering in my ear.

"Make your move." Penney said, giggling. "I'll be over at your place at 10, you better tell me how it went."

"Oh, slow your roll, Steingold. You and I know damn well I'm not going to do that, we broke up five years ago!" I said, suddenly feeling weird.

But not a hormonal weird. It was like a...falling in love kind of weird.

Suddenly, I remembered being ten years old and falling in love with Cedar for the first time. I was young, I was stupid, and I was still grieving Emilia. Sometimes I look back and wonder how things would've played out if Cedar and I had met and fallen in love when we were a little older. We were the youngest couple in the school at the time, things started falling apart soon after with me getting sick and stuff, and it just was all in all, slightly awkward. On both of our parts.

But now that I'm in my 20s...

"Hey Cedar?" I said, walking up to him after I made sure Penney had left and we were in the clear.

"Yeah?" Cedar asked.

"Um...I was wondering if you'd like- oh God, I don't know how to word this, sorry-"

"A pastry?" Cedar said, confused.

"No! Wait, yeah, take one if you want. Um...would you like to go out with me?" I said sheepishly.

"Oh. Oh, Clea..."

"Yeah?" I asked, suddenly feeling more regret than I've ever felt in my life.

"I'd love that!"