A perfect fit, p.27
A Perfect Fit, page 27
“Parker,” she said, taking her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Ella,” she said, leaning in to whisper in her ear in that scandalous tone Ella loved so much. “Did you still want that Screaming Orgasm?”
Epilogue: One year later
"Parker, pass the eggplant, please,” Carter said as everyone sat down at the table where Parker, and to a lesser extent, Ella, laid out a spread of several different types of curry. Ella didn’t think it was possible for her food to get any better, but it had. Parker always wanted to try out a new dish on Ella, and her hips were showing how much she appreciated the delicious food.
“Guys, this is so good,” Kat said. She and AJ were home from college for fall break. AJ had gotten a full ride for volleyball, and Kat had her tuition covered by academic scholarships. They were also sharing a dorm room, which Ella was sure would have been detrimental to their relationship, but they were still together and seemed to be more in love every time she saw them.
Parker looked up at her and winked as she handed Ella some of the spinach and cheese curry that was her favorite. She rewarded her girlfriend with a quick kiss on the lips.
Alex and his wife Rebecca sat on the other end of the table. They had gotten married in a beautiful ceremony early in the spring. Not long after that, Alex called Ella to tell her the good news.
“Hey, pass everything down here. Yes, that, too. Please pass it all this way. I know I’m eating for two, but I feel like I’m eating for an army,” Rebecca said, rubbing her baby bump.
“She’s not kidding, folks. Please send the food this way,” Alex said, moving his arms like an air traffic controller helping a plane to land. “If you don’t, she’s likely to start on my forearm.” Rebecca gave him ‘the look,’ and he lowered his eyes and began to behave himself.
“You guys are such nerds,” AJ said, but she couldn’t stop smiling. She was very excited at the prospect of having a new baby brother or sister to fawn over. Kat bent over to kiss her cheek, but she hadn’t wiped her mouth beforehand. Now, AJ sported a large swath of sauce over one cheek and looked completely affronted. Kat grinned as she chewed, and AJ wiped her cheek with her napkin.
Carter and Denise dug into the chicken Tikka Masala and were making the most provocative moaning sounds.
“Get a room,” AJ and Kat said at once, and everyone laughed. Ella felt a squeeze on her thigh and looked back over at Parker.
“Are you happy? You look happy.”
Ella nodded. “I never thought I could be this happy. I love you so much,” she said.
Parker smiled but kept looking over at Kat across the table. They were communicating back and forth with their eyes. Ella looked between them trying to decipher the code. When Parker finally nodded at her sister, Kat tapped her fork on her water glass to get everyone’s attention. Ella looked at Parker with furrowed brows. Parker would only divulge a wink.
“I’d like to make a toast,” Kat said, getting up from the table. Everyone quieted down and looked at Kat expectantly. Everyone except Parker who smiled knowingly.
“What’s going on?” Ella leaned over to whisper to Parker.
“You’re going to be even happier in a minute,” she said, signaling that Ella should pay attention.
“First of all, I’d like to say thank you to my parents who are the most amazing people. I wouldn’t be the same person without you. I love you.” Denise and Carter smiled and raised their glasses.
“We love you, too, honey,” Denise said.
“I’d also like to thank my sister and her girlfriend. You guys have been there for us so much over the last year. AJ and I don’t know what we’d do without you,” she said. Parker just nodded. Ella blew her a kiss. “Mr. and Mrs. Gardner and Baby Peanut, you guys have been such a source of strength for us to reflect upon. We are learning a lot about family from you guys.” Rebecca, who was full to the brim with the pregnancy hormones, was already crying. Alex was at the ready with a travel pack of tissues.
“That brings me to you,” she said, turning toward AJ who was midbite. She looked up at Kat expectantly. “Look at our family. Look at all these examples of love we have around us,” she said, motioning around the table. “I promise you that I want to continue to grow with you. I want to take all these lessons we have learned from everyone at this table and apply them to our lives every day,” she said, tears streaming down her face.
AJ stood up to hug her. “Of course we will, honey. Where is this coming from?”
“I promise you that as long as I am on this earth, I want to be part of you and I want you to be a part of me,” she said, pulling out a ring box. Ella gasped, and Parker’s smile grew even wider. Rebecca now boohooed, and Alex pulled out a handkerchief as the flimsy tissues weren’t going to cut it anymore. AJ’s face was a mask of utter surprise. Kat kissed her softly on the cheek and got down on one knee.
“You once told a room full of strangers that you loved me. Well, Anna Jean Gardner, I am telling a room full of people who love us, our family, that I love you. I want to be with you for as long as you’ll have me. Will you wear my promise ring?”
Carter and Denise now joined in with sniffling of their own, while Rebecca was probably going to need some electrolytes and a nap after this was over.
“Oh, my—baby, of course! I would love to wear your ring! Did you buy this for me?” AJ said, her voice breaking as Kat slipped the white gold band on her finger. The small diamond sparkled in the light. She pulled Kat up into her arms and they cried into each other’s shoulders, mouthing words of love and murmurs of assurance. The room erupted in applause and the tapping of glasses in response. Ella looked over at Parker and her smug smile.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Kat asked me not to. But I promise that’s the extent of anything I’ll ever keep from you again,” she said and leaned in for another quick kiss.
Ella looked over at AJ, who smiled and held up her hand with the ring. Ella smiled broadly at her daughter before lifting her eyebrows in question. AJ nodded vehemently. Now it was Parker’s turn to look between them to try to decrypt their signals. She wouldn’t have to wait long.
“It damn well better be,” Ella said, pulling the ring box out of her jacket pocket.
About the Author
Kellan lives in the deep south with her wife and a cadre of kids and pets. She enjoys the finer things in life like quality dark roast coffees, ice-cold lagers, and world peace (in that order).
You can often find her listening to an audiobook while heavy metal blasts on Spotify and a scary movie plays on TV (hello ADHD), or just trying to catch some downtime (napping) from her crazy, busy, wonderful life.
@KellanMcKnight
Kellan McKnight
kellan.mcknight.author@gmail.com
Kellan McKnight, A Perfect Fit
