Life, Love & A Little Coffee

Epilogue

It was the end of summer and it all went by too fast for Ada's liking. Planning a wedding with her mother, even a simple one, had kept her occupied; too busy to pay mind to the whispers and judgement of the townspeople.

News of her relationship with Tom spread not long after her graduation party, but it wasn't as bad as she'd expected. Tom dealt with far more than she did, but he took it in stride until the small remarks and stares subsided.

As her father had promised, Tom worked the summer in the shop, taking over most of the shifts her father and grandmother had once occupied. On the weekends he played with her father's band and at night he would work on freelance editing jobs. Tom kept busy, yet always made time to spend with her.

After speaking to her, Tom decided that he would wait a year, then apply to teaching jobs at all the surrounding high schools. Far enough for them to have a new start, but close enough to where she could still go home whenever her family needed her. He was even taking courses online to get his master's degree so he could also teach college.

Until that time came, Ada would move in with him in two weeks. Most of her things were already there, only leaving a few essentials and childhood memories back at home. She expected her mother to cry or her father to pitch a fit when they told them, but they agreed on the condition Peter could stay with them on their honeymoon and during the other times they traveled.

Her mom decided she wanted to see the world, and her father seemed ready and willing to give her anything her heart desired. Their lives seemed to all fall into place and today was the day her parents would, after twenty-five years, become husband and wife.

Stevie had asked her to take the Huntington's test with her, but Ada declined. The way she saw it, the only thing it would do would force her to live life how she wanted, no apologies and no regrets. She no longer felt the weight of it because no matter what the answer was, she had the life she wanted.

Tom had made it very clear that if she decided to take it and it turned out positive, he wasn't going anywhere. She could freak out and break up with him to spare him some pain, but he told her that no amount of fear would chase him away. He would still stand by her and suffer the pain with her either way, but would only suffer more if she kept him at arm's length.

So they would go into the future not knowing what was to become of it, leaving their lives to chance like the rest of the world, because nothing was certain either way. Life made no promises, so all Ada could do was live it.

Tom walked in wearing a white button-up shirt and tan pants. He was standing up as a groomsman. But her parents were keeping things simple. No tuxes, no expensive wedding dresses or extravagant centerpieces. Just a quiet, relaxed ceremony in their backyard.

Today would be the day where they made the promises they'd already stayed true to for half their lives.

"Every time I see you feels like the first time," Tom spoke as he stepped further in to her now sparsely furnished bedroom.

And she felt every bit the same. Any time he walked into the room she was in, he still took her breath away and her heart skipped a beat. Every time they slept together was filled with passion, and every time she woke up next to him felt like bliss.

Ada smiled at him and clasped the necklace he'd given her around her neck. "Aren't you supposed to be making sure my dad stays away from my mom before the ceremony?"

Tom rubbed his shaved face and came around behind her so he could wrap his arms around her body as she finished with the last touches of her makeup. "Like I could make that happen. Pretty sure your mom's going to have to get ready all over again."