Shennan had walked around a bit that night and when she came back, everyone had gone to bed. So creeping silently into the room she shared with Stefani she quickly got her nightclothes and went into the bathroom to change and brush her teeth and hair.
When she went back into her room, she saw Mykah sleeping in her bed. She smiled and gently pushed him over so that she would have room. Lying down careful not to wake him up she fell asleep almost instantly when her head hit her pillow.
"Okay, everyone the wedding is tomorrow." Mr. Launders announced at the breakfast table a week later.
Shennan was only half listening. She didn't know if she could go through with this. She didn't know if she wanted to go through with it.
"Well?" Ms. Hurst asked her.
She quickly snapped back to reality. "Excuse me what?" She asked.
Ms. Hurst smiled. "I asked you if you would be my maid of honor. Will you?" She asked again.
"Yeah." She said weakly. "I'd love to. But what's Stefani going to do?" She asked turning to her sister.
"Oh, I was maid of honor at her last." She said shrugging.
"Oh, okay." Shennan replied, mimicking her sister's shrug.
Mr. Launders clapped his hands. "Great it's settled. Shennan you will be the maid of honor, and Ryan you will be my best man." He said as him and Ms. Hurst left the room.
Shennan let out a sigh. "Where's it going to be at?" She asked curiously.
Stefani laughed. "You really weren't paying attention, were you?" She asked. "It's going to be in the backyard. The Hanson's are coming over too. Our parents are going to get married then leave on their honeymoon." She explained.
"Oh, okay." She said nodding as she got up and left too.
"I swear that if this doesn't end soon, I'm just gonna tell them to leave, and we'll all pretend that they took all of their vows." Shennan vowed quietly to Stefani, who was standing next to her.
She covered her mouth and suppressed a giggle. "It's not all that bad." She whispered back.
Shennan had been standing for over an hour as the priest was saying the prayers and the blessings. Her parents were smiling happily as they waited for the ending. "Just say that they can kiss and get it over with." She replied a bit harshly to herself.
Finally the wedding had ended and they were gathered around a picnic table waiting for the cake, then the newly weds would leave. Please hurry. She silently begged to herself.
After they had left the Hanson's had offered for them to stay at their house if they had liked. They all refused, saying they wanted to be parent free as long as they could.
Shennan walked to and around the park that night. Going over and over what her father had said. What everyone had said lately actually.
Thinking about it, she knew she had to accept her new lifestyle and the fact that she had changed. Now all she had to do was accept her new mother.
"Am I really wanting to do that? Can I accept her again?" She asked herself out loud as she sat on the rim of the fountain. "Will I accept her?"
"Accept who?"
She jumped, startled from the sudden invasion of another voice. She looked around. No one was there.
Shakily sitting back down, You're going crazy. She told herself.
Digging her hand into her pocket, she fished out a silver dollar. Turning it over in her hand, she brought it to her lips and kissed it.
Then closing her eyes, she started to wish, Please, help me to see what is there and to accept what it is. She tossed the shiny coin into the clear blue water.
Watching as it landed, she could only hope that this wish would come true. So that she could ease her spinning mind. To silence the never-ending questions that disturbed her sleep.
"I thought you didn't believe in wishes." The same voice asked.
Again, she jumped, from the intrusion the voice had made. Looking around for the second time, she saw someone leaning against the tree.
"Who are you?" She asked, cursing herself for not bringing someone with her. Like they're actually answer to that, Shennan! She mentally scolded herself for being so stupid.
"You said you didn't believe in wishes. And yet, you just made one. Tell me, are you a hypocrite? Or do you just change your mind a lot?" The voice asked.
"Show yourself." Shennan demanded sharply.
He laughed. Yes, it was a he. "Do you not like to answer questions?" He asked as he still laughed.
She would have stepped closer, but she was afraid to. "I didn't believe in wishes. But I think that a person has a right to change their mind. Don't you?" She asked.
The guy laughed again. "I do believe that people have the right to change their minds, yes. So tell me, who is it that you won't accept?"
"Why so many questions?" She asked.
"Why so little answers?" He asked in return.
Shennan groaned, "Don't ask a question to my question." She said irritably.
"Maybe you should follow your own advice." The voice said laughing again.
She smiled a little at that. "It's none of your business. But I will tell you anyway. My father and mother got divorce a while ago. My father had taken me, as my mother took my sister. I just met my mother about two weeks ago, and my father re-married her." She explained.
"What's so wrong about that?" It's obvious your mother and father were still love each other." He said kindly.
"That's what I'm afraid of. They've already divorced once, and tore my sister and I apart. What stops them from doing it a second time?" Shennan asked sitting on the rim of the fountain again.
"What stops them from loving each other forever this time?"
She shrugged. "I don't know." She mumbled looking at her hands in her lap. "Thanks for talking to me... Isaac." She said smiling to herself.
Isaac walked away from the tree. He smiled at her. "How'd you know that it was me?" He asked sitting next to her.
She just shrugged again. "A wild guess. And the fact that I knew your voice." She said smiling again.
Isaac tossed his head back and laughed. "I guess that was a dead give away." He said as he continued to laugh.
"Not at first." Shennan said shaking her head. "But after you started asking so many questions I kind of figured it out on my own."
"Well, did you get any helpful information?" He asked seriously.
"Maybe." She said smiling.
"Must you always be difficult?" Isaac asked letting out a sigh of frustration.
Shennan started laughing. "Yes. Does it bother you?" She asked.
Isaac looked at her. "Not at all. It used to, but now it doesn't seem to. Sometimes." He added.
Looking back at him, she thought of her wish. "Do you believe in wishes?" She whispered to him.
"Yes." Isaac whispered back seriously. "Don't you?"
She searched his eyes for any emotions he may have for her. Then they all hit her. All at once too. It was like this ocean full of emotions. She struggled at first, because she didn't know what she was getting into.
Then Isaac placed his hand gently on her cheek. "Ssh, don't fight." He whispered. "Kiss me." He instructed softly.
Looking up at him, trying to let herself be drawn in, she placed her lips to his. She kissed him tentatively at first, and then she started to let herself respond to him. It seemed only natural for his lips to be on hers.
Realizing what she was getting herself into, Shennan stood up quickly and broke the kiss.
He stared up at her, confused and hurt.
She couldn't stand the look on his face, knowing she had caused such pain. She started stumbling with an apology, "I'm sorry." She muttered quietly.
Placing her hand over her mouth, she ran. Fast and far. Needing to get away from him, and what she had done.
Isaac hung his head, and sighed loudly to himself. Getting up as well, he rolled up his sleeve, and took a penny out of the fountain. "I'm taking my wish back!" He shouted loudly to the heavens.
