If We Had 5 More Minutes

The Town With Pep...

     A month had passed them by, and Cheryl and Toni had spent every passing second with one another. However things as of late had been stressful and strained, due to the wedding. Veronica volunteered to be their wedding planner, something Toni had originally been against since she planned her and Fangs’ wedding. However Veronica insisted on doing it anyway, assuring her she’d get everything right the second time around, and that this wedding would be perfect and beyond their expectations. Cheryl hates cake, she figured this much out. If she had to taste one more slice of wedding cake she’d spontaneously combust and burn the place down with her. So when Veronica came out holding another plate with the biggest smile on her face, Cheryl turned Toni with an even bigger and faker smile.

“Do something.” Cheryl whispered through gritted teeth. She and Toni both turned back to face Veronica, before turning back to face each other.

“I just remembered I promised Fangs to help set up the Whyte Worm for the rehearsal dinner.” Toni said as she clapped a hand over Cheryl’s shoulder. “But I'm sure whatever cake Cheryl decides on will be great.”

“Tt.” Cheryl whispered, but she had already scurried out the door. She’s a dead girl walking. Cheryl thought to herself as she braced herself for more cake.

    Toni barged through the doors of the Whyte worm, relieved to be away from the wedding planning, it started to suffocate her. She was beyond ecstatic to be getting married to Cheryl, but she didn’t think it would feel this difficult and stressful. The picture painted before her however, brought her comfort. Fp and Sweet Pea had arrived for the wedding, leather serpent jackets draper over their shoulders. Fp was holding Anthony up in the air, erupting a fit of laughter from her son. This was the first time Fp had seen her son. He was handed over to Sweet Pea and then passed around between some of the other serpents. They were smiling, laughing and reminiscing, like a family, like she always wanted for him. Almost. Joaquin wasn’t here with them, he didn’t make it. He died. Fangs almost died, twice, and then actually died. Then of course there was Toni herself, who died twice. The serpents would always be her primary family, but if she could have had a family with her parents, away from the violence and the danger. Toni sighed, she felt she had a decision to make, like change was going to happen. For some reason this felt like the end to a chapter in her life that she didn’t want to move on from, but knew she had to. Afterall, change was necessary for growth.

“Toni!” Toni broke from her thoughts, and looked up at Fp, smiling. “You gonna welcome me back home?” For now she would indulge, she would enjoy the company of the people she grew to call family.

    A couple hours had passed and dusk had fallen, the Whyte Worm slowly started to fill with more and more people. Eventually Toni spotted Cheryl walking in with Veronica, and the look she got let her know she was in trouble. Cheryl made her way towards Toni and she instinctively backed up a little.

“Tt, I can’t believe you would betray me like that.” Cheryl said with her arms crossed, but Toni played coy.

“What do you mean? Sweet Pea and Fangs needed me.”

“I needed you.” Cheryl said as she pulled Toni in for a chaste kiss.

“Then you have me.” Toni said as she wrapped her arms around her neck.

“Cheryl, Toni!” Sweet Pea shouted with one of his arms draped around Fang's shoulder as they were giggling. “Group photo, for old times sake.” Sweet Pea said, holding up the old serpent jackets from high school. Cheryl and Toni made their way towards the serpent mural painted on the brick wall. They slipped their jackets on and interlocked their hands as they got ready.