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“Yes,” I choke out against his lips. “Yes. I will marry you.”

I try to lift my legs around him, but I can’t because—

“What about me,” Justin breaks our kiss, pouting like a four-year-old. “Why don’t I get a proposal?”

I try to ignore him and keep kissing Remi, but it isn’t easy when Remi can’t stop smiling.

“You helped plan the wedding, man!”

Justin pouts anyway, sticking out his lower lip. Remi reaches out and yanks him to us, and we part automatically to make room for Justin in our arms.

“Fine,” Remi says with a roll of his eyes. “Will you marry me?”

J wiggles his eyebrows and leans down to whisper in my ear.

“Told you he thinks I’m pretty,” he says, and I can’t help it. With tears still dripping off my chin, I burst into laughter and then promptly pee my pants.

“I hate you both,” I laugh. “I gotta pee.”

I leave them kissing and laughing in the middle of the tent we’ll be married in tomorrow while I hunt down a bathroom.

EPILOGUE

Then There Were Three

Written by Cassandra Lewis

Sat November 6th, 2027

It’schaos when I arrive at the Lancaster-Williams home. It would be, though. There are three adults and four children living in the spacious apartment. While big, somehow, it doesn’t seem quite big enough when a three-year-old blonde-haired little boy cuts me off while chasing his harassed older sister.

“Sorry about that,” Julia, the woman of the house, says with a doting smile and a baby over her shoulder. “It’s crazy, but we like it.”

That should be the Lancaster-Williams catch-phrase. After all, it’s been the foundation for the life they’ve built. Her very rounded belly proves it’s only going to get worse.

Mr. Lancaster-Williams who insists I call him Remi, “Not to sound trite, but Mr. Lancaster is my father,” and Deborah Adams, his business partner in A Place of A Different Color, are already sitting on the patio where we’ll be meeting today.

It’s an honor to be here in the inner sanctum. Remi doesn’t give interviews all that often, and, to the best of my knowledge, there’s never been a picture taken inside their residence. There won’t be today either. My camera stayed at home.

“Sorry about this,” Remi says, standing up to take my hand and using his chin to point to the giggles and screams coming from inside. “The kids were supposed to be gone today, but the baby had a little fever, and Julia always freaks out whenever one of the kids run hot. It doesn’t matter how often J and I tell her that kids always run hot. She’s a worrier.”

J, being Justin Lancaster-Williams, Julia and Remi’s husband.

I think Remi meant to sound irritated about the over-protective nature of his wife. To me, though, he only sounds fond.

In theory, I’m here to talk about A Place of A Different Color, the non-profit Remi and Deb started seven years ago. A Place of A Different color offers grants and financial counseling to minorities and members of the LGBTQA+ community, of which Remi is both.

In reality, though, I’m desperate to learn as much about the man as I can.

His story is legendary.

“Tell me,” I say the minute we’ve sat down with coffee and water bottles and muffins scattered around us. Julia is quite the baker and a somewhat obsessive hostess. “Tell me everything.”

Remi and Deb both laugh, shooting each other nervous glances.

“You’ll need to be more specific,” Deb says.

I do have a list of questions prepared. I’m not that sloppy. I was just hoping to hear his life story first.