Page 131 of Size King

“I want to be with you,” says Megan. “I want to be your girlfriend, and I want to be there for you—and the kids. I won’t get scared off if one of them says the ‘m-word’ again.”

I laugh. “I’ll have a talk with them so they know not to call you that.”

“It’s okay if they say it again,” she says. “I won’t panic.”

We hold hands, not caring if anyone sees us. I finally feel I can breathe easily again.

“Why don’t you and the boys come over to my place this evening?” Megan offers. “I’ll cook dinner for all of us. It’ll be great. What do you say?”

I kiss her forehead. “I say we’ll see you tonight.”

I pickup Austin and Mason from Karen’s and bring us all straight to Megan’s place. She’s made us spaghetti with meatballs and freshly baked bread.

We eat together and have another nice evening of fellowship. The three of them once again do most of the talking, but that’s how I want it. I love watching them all get along so well. I can tell that she feels incredibly relaxed and really cares about my boys.

Neither Austin nor Mason call Megan ‘mommy’ or any of its synonyms. In fact, Austin even callsme‘mommy’ by mistake at one point, causing Megan and I to burst out laughing.

After dinner, we all decide to go for a walk together. The boys are being rambunctious, running around and roughhousing with each other. I hold onto Megan’s hand and squeeze it tight.

In that moment, I feel whole finally for the first time in a long time. Both Megan and I feel like something beautiful is blossoming here. I wonder if this can be the start of a new family, a chance to have what I’ve always wanted again. I’m not going to rush things, but I have a good feeling.

“What are you thinking of?” Megan asks me.

“I’m wondering when I’m going to wake up and realize I’m dreaming,” I tell her.

She stands on her tiptoes again and kisses me on the cheek. “I think you’re awake.”

I also feel a strange sense of tranquility that I haven’t felt in many years, too. I wonder if I might finally feel at peace. I’ve gotten closure with my wife’s passing, my shop is still up and running, my sons are growing and healthy, and the Crimson Wheels have successfully deported the Hell-Snakes out.

I look up and see a beautiful sunset over the gorgeous Nevada sky. I sigh and relish it all, wondering what is coming up next for Megan and me.

Epilogue

Megan

Six Months Later. When I wake up that morning, it occurs to me that Dustin and I have been together for six months. It is jarring to me. I can’t believe how fast the time has gone by.

I look over in bed, watching Dustin while he sleeps. He is breathing heavily and looks like he is deep asleep. I run my fingers delicately along his back, wondering what he is dreaming about.

I moved in with the Walkers a little over two months ago. For a while, I didn’t even work at the bike shop. After I took a few days to move myself in, I ended up being Austin’s go-to babysitter whenever Dustin would go to work and Mason would get dropped off at elementary school.

Dustin had said to me over dinner last week that I’ve helped him with the boys far beyond what he’d expected from any girlfriend. I have to admit, I’ve gone beyond even what I expected. When Dustin and I first started dating, I thought I might neglect the children somewhat in order to focus intently on Dustin.

But I’m in love with those boys just as much as I am in love with their father. I love all of them dearly and can’t picture life without them. They are my family now, and I want nothing else.

Later that night, the four of us all go out for dinner. It is a pleasant evening, but all of the boys are acting unusual: Mason and Austin are barely talking at all, and Dustin seems incredibly anxious about something. It doesn’t make much sense to me during our meal, but I don’t acknowledge it because I don’t want to seem paranoid.

Then, after we finish eating, we head back home. When we get back into the house, I notice that the boys are still acting funny and giving me weird little looks.

“What’s going on with you two?” I ask them. “What are you up to?”

“Nothing!” Austin says with a big smile.

I turn to Mason. “Got something you’d like to share, Mase?”

Mason simply smiles and looks behind me.

I turn around fast and see Dustin there, with his hands behind his back and looking more antsy than I’ve seen him in ages.