Shoot Your Shot

Epilogue

"Because that's what it's supposed to be like? I don't know! I've never been married, Al." Than what help was she? "Oh! I know, I know, I'll be right back!" She quickly finished her drink and he watched as she raced out of the room, leaving him all alone. Closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths to try and push down the bile at the back of his throat. The only sounds he could hear were those penetrating the walls from everyone outside getting everything ready, and the soft ticking of the clock on the wall as time passed by. When the silence was finally broken, it was by two knocks on the door and nothing else. He smiled.

"Entra." He watched the panel open, expecting Molly, or Angel to come back. Instead, his father slipped into the room and closed the door. "I shoulda known she'd grab you first." He closed his eyes and listened as his father crossed the room and sat beside him.

"Well, you certainly don't look like you're "freaking out", like you're sister so lovingly said." He rolled his eyes.

"I'm nervous, I'm not freaking out. It's not like I'm gonna run or something."

"Mmmmhmmm...." When the response registered, he sat up and looked at the man.

"I am not gonna run on my own wedding day, Papa." The man shrugged.

"I know, I know. But nobody would blame you if you did. Marriage isn't for everyone." Oh, that was the last thing he wanted to hear from the man who'd been loyal to his wife for almost a hundred years. "However, I know it's terrifying."

"Terrifying." He repeated the word like it was ridiculous, but it was the most absurd thing he'd heard all day.

"It is! I know you're not used to being scared, Alejandro. You're used to being mad, or anxious, or happy and excited. You've never been one to handle being scared well. Even when you were little." Straightening on the couch, he seriously watched his father. "I remember when I married your mother. The whole thing was arranged and I had never met her before. I was terrified. Your grandfather was controlling every aspect of my life and that was just another thing he'd taken away from me." He shrugged and shook his head. "I had all these nonsense ideas that she might take one look at me and refuse, or that I would hate her. That I would be stuck in a marriage to a woman who I couldn't love. And I was wrong." He watched his father smile, his eyes distant. "So very wrong. Not only because your mother was the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen, even to this day, but because I got to know her afterward. And I fell so in love with her that we had you." His father poked him like he was a child, and he idly batted the man's hand away. The small interaction made them both smile. "And then we had the twins. And the years I spent with your mother were some of the best of my life, Al." The scorpion wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into a hug. "My point is, it's okay to be nervous on your wedding day. Unlike mine and your mother's wedding, you know him, and you love him already. So while the nerves are normal, they are definitely temporary."

He smiled and leaned against his father, letting himself relax just a bit. The door opened, and both of his siblings peaked inside. Once they were sure it was "safe" they slipped into the room and Arackniss found what took Angel so long. His brother had a plate in each hand piled high with various foods that he laid out on the table in front of them. "Okay, before you start yellin' at me about how it's too much and I shoulda just grabbed crackers or some shit, I couldn't find crackers and I wasn't sure what you wanted to replace them. So I just grabbed a little of everything." Looking down at the plates, he couldn't help but laugh. There was everything from fruit to meats and cheeses , and even sweets. Grabbing one of the plates, he ate the first thing of the day, a grape, and sighed.

"Hey." He watched as Molly and Angel carefully sat on the floor, both of them having to maneuver their dresses around to make it work. They all looked at him and waited expectantly. "I'm getting married!"