Kings and Queens of Promise

“Pierre really freaked out?” Violet asked as we sat in the back of my truck.

“Yeah, he was trying to beat the crap out of Jared until the doctor pulled him off,” I sighed. “Then the doctor took a blood test and turns out the baby’s Pierre’s. He thinks our ‘abnormalities’ are what made the baby have blue eyes.”

“Strange, but blue eyes totally suit her,” Violet grinned.

“That they do,” I smiled, looking down at the baby asleep in my arms. After a silence, I leaned forward and tapped Brian’s shoulder. “Are you sad?”

“To be leaving? Hell no,” he said. As we pulled up to the mansion, he blinked. “Well...”

“I’m gonna miss it,” I said. Today was our last day and there was a huge party going on inside. No alcohol, no strippers, just all our friends who had shared the fun times in the mansion.

“You know what today is, Em?” he asked me.

“Um...November 31?”

“Today, a year ago, you moved in here,” he grinned as he opened my door for me. On the other side of the truck, Jared was opening Violet’s door.

“Wow, it’s really been a year?” I breathed.

“Yup. Did you know what you were getting into?”

“Well, I didn’t know I would be engaged within a year, then call off that engagement. I didn’t know I’d have wings within a year, or fall in love, or have a child. So, I’d have to say no.”

“I’m glad you stuck around,” he said, hugging me before going to Violet.

“You ready?” Jared asked as he took my hand.

“Sure,” I said, smiling. He led me inside where everyone cheered a greeting.

“Baby!” I heard Jimmy shout before I was glomped by the giant man.

“Jimmy! Jimmy, don’t crush my baby!” I choked out through my laughter.

“Can I hold her? Please, please, please?”

“You can’t even hold a dog without it hating you,” Brian pointed out.

“Dude, fuck you.”

“Of course you can hold her,” I told Jimmy. “Just be careful with her.”

“I will,” he said, carefully taking my baby.

“He’s so cute!” Val said as she stood on her toes to look at the baby.

“He really is!” David exclaimed in a girly voice. I smacked him and he laughed at me.

“Emerson!” screamed Frank. I jerked around, but wasn’t fast enough to avoid being tackled. “Your belly isn’t all hard anymore,” he pouted, poking my stomach.

“Stop that!” I pouted, swatting his hands away. Beside him, Zacky was laughing.

“Quick, quick, you have to come see the flowers!” he exclaimed, dragging me out back. “Everyone, come on!” I laughed, grabbing Violet’s hand so that she was dragged with me and Frank. He pulled us right outside and I let out a gasp.

The garden was full of fluttering butterflies, going this way and that, hovering over the sea of gorgeous flowers. It was a beautiful day and the weather was still nice and warm. Life had never seemed so perfect.

Everyone was gathered around us, looking with awe at the butterfly garden. A devilish grin lit up my face when I saw Pierre and Jack talking by the pool. I ran up to them and shoved them both as hard as I could, so they went tumbling into the pool.

“Hey!” they both shouted, spitting out chlorine water.

“Hi!” I smiled, waving down at them.

“War!” shouted Jared’s voice behind me and then he barreled into me from behind. Instead of hitting the water, I extended my wings and, with one mighty flap, lifted into the air. Jared’s arms tightened around my neck and I laughed. When his grip loosened, I turned a back flip, throwing him into the water.

“No one can take me!” I exclaimed.

“Oh, yeah!” Matt challenged. He lunged at me and I wasn’t fast enough to avoid him. He got his arms around my waist and I could barely stay airborne thanks to his weight. I watched Brian grab Violet, throwing her over his shoulder as he jumped into the pool. To the side, Val and Lacey and Leana and Kim sit down in the pool chairs, Val cradling Ellie in her arms and Kim adoring Bastian. Then I heard a fierce war cry and looked down in time to see Jimmy leap onto Matt’s back. The weight sent me dropping right into the water.

I came up sputtering, being immediately pulled into Jared’s arms.

“What was that about ‘no one can take me’?” he laughed.

“Shut up and kiss me,” I replied, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my lips against his.

“No PDA!” Johnny shouted, throwing a squirming puppy onto us.

“Merry!” I giggled as my arms came around the happy pup. As Jared held me and I held Merry I looked around at all our friends, splashing in the pool or watching from the patio. It was a perfect picturesque moment. As we all sloshed out of the pool, I grabbed my camera and yelled at everyone to stand in front of the house. They all stood squished together among the butterfly garden. “Jack, wanna help me out?”

Jack grinned and demonstrated his new power as a second Jack grew from his side and was soon standing among everyone else. He came to my side and took the camera. Then I went to the group, giving the real Jack a high five. I leaped onto Jimmy’s back, so I was the tallest one in the picture and my wings didn’t block anyone.

We smiled and ‘cheese’d, each as happy as a king -or queen with the brightest future ahead.

It was a perfect picture. A perfect memory. We were the kings and queens of the mansion with countless adventures before us.

We were the Kings and Queens of Promise.