Ch 1
It was a nice autumn afternoon in New York City. It was Sunday, so most people were on their way home from church. It was busy as usual, but running smoothly like always. People hustling and bustling by with their hands shoved in their coat pockets, some wearing gloves, carrying some sort of coffee in their hands for their bosses or for themselves at work. Headphones were shoved into ears, trying to block out the busy sound of the city.
Most people knew where they were going, except for one individual. A man, a young fellow, was standing in the middle of the sidewalk. His long brown hair was tied up into a thick ponytail that hung over his shoulder. A small pink nose was sitting upon his face, looking rather cold. He looked up at the monstrous structures, trying to see if he could find the shop he was looking for. A woman shoved his body out of the way with her brute strength. "Watch where you're going!" she hissed.
The man apologetically smiled. 'Now,' he thought to himself. 'Where am I going to find,' He digs a note out of his pocket and looks at the name and address scribbled on the paper. 'Ranchers Café?' He looked out into the street and tried waving down a taxi. None stopped. He pulled his dark green coat into his body some more, hoping to achieve more warmth. Noticing other people actually shouting 'taxi', made him think. He stood on the very edge of the side walk and shouted with all his might, "TAXII!" A few people turned and looked at him in awe, being able to shout like that. One taxi driver heard his cry and came to an abrupt stop. The man ran up to it, jumping in the car and slamming the door shut. The taxi driver was a woman with a buff physique. She held her head down, but still had her eyes on the man.
"Well are you going to tell me where to go or not boy?" Her voice was nasally and rough. He nodded his head and pulled out the slip of paper with the address on it.
"Here," he said. "0158 Saint Richard."
The woman raised her eyebrows. "What's your name kid?" she asked.
He scooted over towards the door, to give him some space from the woman. "Shawn. Shawn Hunter." He said.
"Well, Shawn Hunter, I don't think you're going to need me." The woman pulled a cigarette out of her front pocket. She lit it and blew some smoke into Shawn's face. He cringed while waving the smoke away from his face. She looked at him and sternly said, "Get out." He tried to protest but the woman shooed him out of the taxi. He stood out of the car and roughly slammed the cab door.
"So rude," he said to himself. The woman drove off with dust flying. Shawn pulled his coat in closer to his body, holding his bag to his chest, sneering at the woman who just kicked him out. He was getting tired of the outside cold. Looking up at the giant building behind him, he ran into the building without thinking.
Walking into the building sent a warm rush over his body. "Oh my gosh, that feels good," he said to himself softly. He looked around the giant lobby. It was a completely white room with burgundy sofa. A giant chandelier hung over his head. The pieces of glass were clinking together from the gust of wind outside. Shawn slowly walked up to the front desk. The man who was sitting behind the desk looked up from reading his paper and noticed Shawn.
"Can I help you?" he had a fake rehearsed sound when he said that.
Shawn nodded his head and said, "Yes, I am looking for this address. I've never been to New York before so I don't know where everything is." He smiled, trying to give a good first impression.
The man behind the desk looked at him sternly drilling holes into Shawn's body with his stare. "Well," he started to say, "you want to go out the door, and to the very end of the street. Once you get there, you will see a stand for selling handbags. Go around the stand and you'll see The Ranchers Café."
Shawn nodded his head, agreeing with what the man said. "Thank you," he said. Shawn took back the slip of paper and left the building.
The cold air made Shawn shiver. People rushing by made it even colder. He walked down to the end of the street, looking for the stand with handbags all over the table. Instead of handbags, there was a stand with gloves and thermoses. An old Asian woman was standing behind the counter, sitting on a stool, counting money. Shawn pulled his coat in closer and made his way over to the stand. "Excuse me," he started to say.
The woman behind the table waved her hand, like she was shooing him away. "I don't have time for you, white boy, go away." She shifted in her seat, getting a few inches away from Shawn in the process.
"Look, ma'am, can you tell me where The Ranchers Café is?" The woman pointed behind her. "Thanks anyway." Shawn nodded his head while saying this, and walked down the sidewalk, passing the woman. He rolled his eyes thinking to himself how rude the woman was. He turned the corner, running into a man dressed in cowboy attire, carrying a giant bag of coffee beans. They collided and the bag went flying. The cowboy fell over, letting go of his large bag of coffee beans. Shawn stumbled back but didn't fall over. He catches the large bag of coffee beans before it is able to hit the ground. He trips over air and lands on his butt. The coffee beans were safe. "Are you okay," he asked the man that fell over.
The man stood up and grunted. "Yeah, I'm just glad those beans right there didn't burst open." Shawn smiled and handed the coffee beans back over to the older man. The man took the bag back before setting it gently on the ground. He then held his hand out to Shawn. "The name's Joseph," He said.
Shawn took his hand and shook it. "My name's Shawn." Before he forgot, Shawn pulled out the slip of paper from his pocket and showed it to Joseph. "Do you know where this is?" he asked.
Joseph studied the address before pointing up at a sign above their heads. "Rancher's café is right here, son," he said with a smile. Shawn said thank you and ran inside. 'That was a very nice young man,' Joseph thought to himself.
Shawn looked at the coffee shop door, and saw a 'closed' sign. 'Well great,' he thought to himself. He leaned on the door, not expecting it to open, but it nudged far enough in for Shawn to see that he could get in. Shawn pulled the door open and strutted inside. The smell of freshly brewed coffee whipped into his lungs. The place was a tiny café shop with country decoration all over the place. He could hear soft country music playing softly over the room. A small bar with a wall of glass behind it was separating the coffee shop from the kitchen. A deep burgundy red curtain was covering the glass wall, but it was thin fabric so he could see shadows of the pots and pans hanging from the ceiling. No one was in sight though. "Hello," he said. After saying that, he heard the clanking of dishes and pots coming from behind the bar. He cleared his throat and spoke louder. "I'm looking for a Cory Matthews!" More clanking of dishes followed his sentence.
"Hey boss!" someone shouted, "I think there's a guy out there who wants to see you!" Shawn could pick out shadows moving behind the wall of glass. A door from the back of the shop opened sending a bright light into the rest of the room.
An average sized man stepped out of the back of the shop, holding a pink dish towel. "What is it," he said sternly.
Shawn cleared his throat. 'He doesn't recognize me,' he thought to himself. "Hi Cory," Shawn said out loud. The man looked up from his hands and looked at Shawn in the eyes.
"Shawn?" the man said. Shawn smiled.
"Hey Cor," said Shawn. The man let the pink towel slip out of his grip, landing on the ground with a soft thud. The two guys stood, looking at each other for a full minute. Cory rolled his shoulders back and bent down to pick up the towel.
"Hi Shawn," He said. It was very calm and conceited-like. "You finally decide to show up huh?" Cory disappeared into the back of the shop before Shawn could process what just happened. Shawn's jaw dropped and he marched himself into the back of the shop.
"What do you mean I finally decide to show up!?" Shawn slammed the door in, almost breaking the glass. Cory turned around and faced him with an expressionless face.
He threw the towel onto the counter top dramatically and said, "I said what I said, you finally decide to show up. That's all." Cory's co-worker slipped out of the back door, deciding to leave them alone. Cory gave a fake smile to Shawn, who didn't accept it. "Look, Shawn, buddy, I'm not angry. I just wished that you would've at least kept some sort of contact with Topanga, Eric, and I." They both stare at each other, not saying anything. Shawn threw his hands up and left the kitchen. Cory rolled his eyes and followed him out.
"Cory, if I made any sort of contact with you, I wouldn't have stopped. I probably would've called you every day, 24/7, not ever letting you alone." Shawn threw the door open and stepped out into the freezing cold. He shivered and quickly ran back inside of the shop. "God, it's cold!" he said. Cory held the door open for him while he came back inside. He grabbed Shawn by the jacket and spun him around to face him. Shawn's hair hit Cory in the face turning around. They both stopped, and burst out into laughter. Cory brushed imaginary hair out of his face and pushed Shawn playfully on the shoulder. "We can't stay mad at each other, can we," Shawn said.
Cory ran a hand through his hair and slapped Shawn playfully on the back. "No Shawn we can't. By the way, what brought you here to New York anyway?"
Shawn smiled and pointed at Cory. "You did," he said. Cory took a seat at the nearest table.
He pulled Shawn down with him. "How could I have brought you to New York?"
Shawn shrugged his shoulders and said, "Well, I looked up your location. I heard you had your own shop, but I didn't expect you to have a coffee shop." He crossed his legs, and threw his hair over his shoulder. He set his bag carefully on the ground beside him. Cory chuckled at Shawn. "How is Topanga doing," Shawn asks.
Cory threw his hands up with a frown. "I really have no clue. She's always so busy. The only time I actually see her is if she comes in here for coffee, or she comes home to get paperwork."
Shawn smiles and pulls his coat off. Cory shoots up and takes his coat for him, hanging it by the door on a hook. "Thank you my good man," Shawn says with a laugh. Cory bows.
"WELL LOOK AT WHAT THE CAT DRUG IN! IT'S SHAWN HUNTER!" They both look to the door, but see no one. "Over here!" the person shouted. They both whirl around to see Eric. Shawn burst into laughter and stood up to hug Eric. Instead, Eric ran over to Cory and Shawn, making his shoes squeak on the floor.
"I just mopped an hour ago Eric, now I gotta do it again." Cory slumped in his seat with irritation. Shawn laughs at him, remembering how Cory gets OCD about the smallest things.
"Oh come on bro," said Eric, "it's enough that I work for you I'll just do them in the morning." Eric looked Shawn up and down, trying to find some sort of flaw. He then noticed Shawn's hair. "Good lord your hair! You look like a hippie." Eric snatched up Shawn's hair and ran his fingers through the ponytail.
Shawn chuckled and said, "I should say the same to you. You're hair grew back."
Eric ran a hand through his locks and said, "I know, isn't it beautiful?" Averting his attention back to Shawn's own hair, he said, "It seems a kid like you wouldn't have the time to take care of a weave like that."
"Well, lately I have been too busy to get a haircut," said Shawn. "I forgot to tell you Cory, but I guess I can tell you now." Cory cocked his head to the side. Shawn took in a deep breath. "…..I've created my own company."
Cory smiled. "Well I'm proud of you Shawnee. What kind of company is it?" Shawn pulled a business card out of his pocket and handed it to Cory.
"It's a photography company. For school pictures, sport shots, family Christmas photos, anything." He sits on top of the small table, but Cory gives him a look that says , 'Get your butt off that table.' Shawn smiles and gets himself more comfortable on the table.
Eric snatches the card from Cory's fingers with a flick of a wrist. "White Tiger Photography Line?" he says. Shawn nods his head yes. "Well, I think we should go and get something to eat. Possibly saying that we're glad to have Shawn here, right Cory?"
Cory shakes his head no and states, "I can't. Topanga is going to come home early today. We planned to take Nathan out to dinner with us." Shawn raises an eyebrow in confusion.
"Who's Nathan ?" Shawn asks. Cory's jaw dropped.
"I can't believe I forgot to tell you about Nathan . Nathan 's my son." Cory grabbed Shawn's shoulder in disbelief. 'I can't believe I forgot to tell him about Nathan .' Shawn's jaw dropped also. "I can't believe I didn't tell you sooner. I'm so sorry."
"You have a kid?" Shawn asks. Cory shook his head yes. "You can't have a kid. You're not old enough to have a kid." Cory chuckled at what Shawn was saying. "You're making me feel old."
"Oh stop it," said Cory. "He's not as old as you think he is. He's only 3 years old." Shawn slumped in his seat. Between him and Cory, Shawn couldn't believe Cory had a kid before him.
"Does Topanga know?" Shawn asked. Cory frowned at his stupid question.
"Does Topanga know, of course Topanga knows! She's the one who gave birth to the little sucker." He leaned over to Shawn while putting a hand on his shoulder. "Shawn, I don't understand why you're overreacting to this."
Shawn grabbed Cory's hand and replied with, "I'm overreacting because you're a father." Cory furrowed his brows in confusion while pulling his hand away from Shawn.
"Well, I'm going to leave you two love birds alone. Cory I'll see you at the house okay?" Eric left the shop quietly after saying that. Shawn and Cory both stare at each other for a full minute without saying a word. Shawn's blue eyes stared deep into Cory's brown eyes, studying his soul with anticipation.
"Look, I can drop the subject if you want to okay?" Shawn stood up to go get his coat while saying this. Cory shot up out of his seat and grabbed Shawn's coat before Shawn could say anything. "Give me my coat," Shawn protested.
"No. I will not give you your coat." Cory puffed up like a balloon. Shawn was now getting irritated. He tried to snatch the coat out of Cory's grip, but Cory slung the coat in a different direction.
"Hey, stop, my phone's in there," Shawn said. Cory stuck his tongue out at Shawn. Shawn weakly smiled. "Please stop it Cor." He got hold of the end of his coat, so he tugged on it, trying to pull it out of Cory's grip. Cory's grip just grew stronger. Shawn gave up and let go of the coat. It sent Cory falling back onto his butt. He landed with a thud. They both stand there in silence for a split second before they burst into laughter.
"Ow, that hurt," said Cory who was standing up from his fall. He rubbed his hip, like an old man, trying to get sympathy from Shawn.
"Oh you poor baby," Shawn said sarcastically. They both laugh. Shawn picked up his coat from the ground and slipped it on. He bent over while picking up his bag and slipping it across his torso. He headed for the door.
"Are you leaving?" Cory asked. Shawn shook his head 'yes'.
"I gotta go find a place to stay," Shawn said with a turn to the door. Before he opened the door, he turned around to face Cory. "Do you know of any vacant office buildings?"
Cory thought a moment before replying with, "Actually, there's a vacant store right above this shop. In the back of the store, there is an elevator that leads up to the room." Shawn looked at the back of the shop where the restrooms were, noticing where the elevator doors were. "Please don't leave just yet," Cory pleaded. Shawn popped his hip to the side and thought for a few seconds.
"Fine Cory, I'll stay for tonight," he said. Cory did a little happy dance slash jump in the air.
"Yay, yay! We have an empty room for you at our place so you can stay as long as you want! We'll cook you breakfast, I'll feed you lunch, I'll feed you dinner," Cory rambled on and on about the things he'd do for Shawn.
"Cory, Cory, hold on. How will Topanga feel about me staying at your house?" Shawn grabbed Cory by the shoulders and shook him to stop rambling on.
"What?" asked Cory.
Shawn rolled his eyes and repeated himself. "How, will, Topanga, feel, about, me, staying, at, your, house?"
Cory smiled mischievously and said, "She'll just adore you." He threw his apron off onto the floor dramatically and grabbed his coat off the rack. "Come on, I'll show your our apartment," he said to Shawn. Shawn rolled his eyes before shrugging his shoulders. He fixes his coat and walks out the door. Cory follows behind him after locking the front door. Cory pointed up to the building down the street where you were able to see giant apartment complexes. "If you look up at the building with the giant German flag hanging from it, right underneath the flag is our home."
Shawn looked at the German flag, then down right below it. He spotted the supposed to be Cory and Topanga's home. "Why is there a German flag?" Shawn asked.
Cory replied with, "The owners of the complex are German. They love to show off their culture during the cold seasons." Shawn shook his head 'yes' in agreement. Cory nudged his shoulder and said, "Before we go, we need to go pick up Nathan at the church day care."
"Alright," said Shawn. They wave down a taxi and hop in. "Where is the church?" asked Shawn.
Cory shrugged his shoulders while saying, "I don't know. I have the address on my phone." He pulled his phone out and flipped through the notes. He leaned up to the taxi driver and said, "Umm 1589 Georgia Road please."
"You got it honey." The taxi driver said. Shawn's attention quickly shot to the driver of the taxi. He looked in the little mirror, and saw that it was the same woman who kicked him out earlier. They make accidental eye contact. He sucks his breath in, hoping that she wouldn't notice him. "Well well well, if it isn't the infamous Shawn Hunter." He lets loose of the breath he was holding in, since he was discovered.
Cory looks over at Shawn, then at the driver. "You know each other?" he asks. The woman shakes her head yes without saying anything, but gives a wink to Shawn. Shawn slightly blushes. Cory notices that Shawn's cheeks were a little red. 'Maybe it's just the cold,' he thought to himself with a smile.
They arrive at this little tiny church right outside of New York. It was a dirty yellow color with a white steeple. The steps leading up to the front doors were worn out and rotting. The gravel surrounding the church gave a more old feeling to it as well. Shawn steps out of the taxi, admiring the church. It had a certain, delicate look to it. He couldn't resist. He wiped out his camera from his bag and bent down on one knee. He angled his arm, adjusted the lenses, held the button down gently, snap! He took a picture of the church with ease. Cory pays the taxi driver and looks at Shawn who was getting ready to take another picture. He playfully rolls his eyes at Shawn.
"Are they any good?" Cory asks. Shawn jumped a little, not expecting Cory to be right behind him.
"Is what any good?" Shawn asks.
Cory points to his camera while saying, "Are the pictures any good?" Shawn opens his mouth and nods his head, as if he understood what Cory asked.
"Yes, the pictures are very good." Shawn says. He stands up and walks over to the side of the church. He takes another shot, where the sun was streaming through the stain glass windows of the church, and the left over rain from the day before glistened off the medal piping outside the church. "Gosh this church is beautiful," Shawn says while shoving his camera carefully back into his bag.
"I know," Cory says in reply. "This is where our mom and dad eloped." Shawn looked over at Cory, who was admiring the church also. He almost had a hurt look in his eye.
Shawn shoves Cory a little to get him out of the trance. "Come on," he says. "Let's go get Nathan from day care." Cory looks at him and nods his head.
They walk up the steps to the church and step in. The church was even more beautiful on the inside. Stain glass windows surrounded the church walls. Shawn looked up at the pulpit, and saw the organ. It took his breath away. The keyboard was a small little horizontal strip of black and white lines, while most of what you saw was giant thick pipes reaching up to the ceiling. There were trumpet shaped ones at the very top, as if they were pointing to the heavens. Smaller, skinnier pipes were at the bottom closest to the keyboard. Shawn couldn't get his camera out fast enough. He finally pulled out his camera and took thousands of pictures. Cory rolled his eyes at Shawn. "Why does everyone do that?"
Shawn looks over at him and says, "What?"
Cory waves his arms around the room while saying, "They always take pictures of this place."
Shawn's eyes grew wide. "This place is beautiful; of course people should take pictures."
"Hey, Shawn, I'm going to go get Nathan so I'll be right back." Cory patted Shawn's back while disappearing to the back of the church. When Cory shut the door, a small cloud of dust surrounded the framing of the door. The sun caught the dust particles, lighting them up like tiny little lights floating everywhere. Shawn took a seat at the very front of the church, wanting to get a closer look at the pulpit.
"I never knew a church could look this beautiful," Shawn said to himself. He leaned back into the pew, while taking a big, deep breath. He started to hear little kids talking and screaming. It was coming from the door that Cory disappeared into. 'What would've it been like if me and Angela…' he said to himself. He didn't finish the sentence since it might bring back unwanted memories. Shawn shook his head 'no' after thinking about Angela. He pulled the band out of his hair and shook his head back and forth, trying to buy the time. He made a messy bun and slipped the band back over his hair. 'It's taking Cory a long time, isn't it?' he thought to himself. A few seconds after he said that, the door opened as Cory and a small blond headed boy come out.
"Shawn, this is Nathan. Nathan, this is Shawn, "Cory said to the boy. The boy cowered behind Cory's leg. Shawn chuckled a little bit before Cory pried Nathan off while scooping him up in one swift motion. Nathan squirmed and complained.
"Daddy, stop it!" Nathan shouted. He flew his arms around and grabbed onto Cory's curly hair.
"Hey, you stop it," Cory said while setting him down. Nathan looked at Shawn while cowering behind Cory's leg. "Nathan, this is Shawn, your second uncle." Cory scooped up Nathan to his hip while making his way over to Shawn. Nathan looked Shawn up and down before handing out a hand to him.
"Nice to meet you," he said shyly. Shawn was taken back at the boys politeness.
"Well nice to meet you to Mr. Nathan," said Shawn. Nathan weakly smiled and launched himself onto Shawn's neck.
"I knew it! I knew it! You're not as stupid as Uncle Eric," Nathan screamed. Shawn looked at Cory before busting into laughter.
They walk back out to the taxi and hop into the car. "Took you long enough. I almost left," said the taxi driver. Nathan stuck his tongue out at the driver, as if he was scolding her. She herself stuck her long tongue out back at Nathan. Nathan gleamed with satisfaction while they took off back home.
"Dad, when is mom getting home?" Nathan asked while stretching his body across Shawn's lap.
Cory shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't know Nathan. Mom might get home late again." Nathan slumped down while turning his head into Shawn's chest. Cory pointed at Nathan and said to Shawn, "Do you want me to take him for you?"
Shawn thought for a second and replied with, "No, it's fine. He looks pretty comfortable." He looked down at the kid who was now slowly falling asleep. 'Why can't I have one?' Shawn thought sarcastically to himself.
Nathan was asleep by the time they got back into New York City. He had his torso spread across Shawn while his legs were propped up against Cory's shoulder. Shawn tried to lay Nathan into Cory's lap, but Nathan would protest if his body moved. Nathan groaned and wined if Shawn moved his arms a specific way and he would kick into Cory's shoulder if Shawn tried to turn his body around.
"Why is he so grouchy," asked Shawn to Cory.
Cory shook his head and said, "He gets it from Topanga, not me." Shawn opened his mouth while shaking his head, agreeing with what Cory said. Cory looked down at Nathan while brushing some blond hairs from the boy's face. Shawn grabbed hold of his own hair and felt it.
"Should I get a haircut?" Shawn asked. Cory looked at Shawn who was holding out his hair. Cory reached over while grabbing the end of Shawn's ponytail. He felt it and nodded his head.
"You should get a haircut," Cory said. "It could get caught in something." Shawn laughed, but not loud enough to wake Nathan.
"How did this happen?" Shawn asks. Cory raises an eyebrow in confusion. Shawn pointed down at Nathan while looking at Cory.
Cory raised his eyebrows, understanding what he asked. "Well, Shawn, when a woman loves a man, and vice versa,"
Shawn glared at Cory while saying, "I know that part. What I'm asking is why did you and Topanga decide to go through it?"
Cory pushed some hair out of Nathan while saying, "Well, Topanga and I thought long and hard about it, and decided that we were financially ready, so we made him." They both look at him and notice that he was arousing from his nap.
Nathan groaned and stretched out. "Are we home yet?" he asks tiredly.
Cory rubs Nathans thigh and says, "No, not yet. We're passing by Time Square right now." Nathan moans while looking out the window. He immediately wakes up from the giant neon sings shinning into his face. He touches the window, almost as if he was trying to touch the signs. Shawn noticed him touching the glass, so he rolled down the window for Nathan to get a layer closer to the signs.
Shawn pointed up to the sign that was advertising Broadway shows. The show that was posted was one of his favorite musicals, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. "Have you ever seen a Broadway show before, Nathan?"
Nathan turned to face him while shaking his head yes enthusiastically. "I saw Wicked last year. It was fun!" Shawn smiled back at him while averting his attention back to the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang billboard.
"When I was your age, I remember your dad and grandparents took me to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It was the best show ever." Shawn watched Nathan smile up at the billboard. He looked over at Cory who was smiling at them both.
"Would you like to go see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang sometime soon?" Cory asked.
Nathan turned around and asked, "Can I dad? Really, can I?" Cory shook his head yes while scruffing his hair up. Nathan smiled while playfully pushing Cory's hand away from him.
"How old are you Nathan," Shawn asked. Nathan held up his hand. "You're 5?" he asked.
"Yea," Nathan said. He smiled at Shawn while falling back onto Shawn's chest.
"Don't fall asleep yet Nathan, were almost home." Nathan wined and looked up at Shawn. He gave Shawn the puppy dog eyes, as if he was begging Shawn to let him fall asleep for a little while.
Shawn laughed at Nathan and asked Cory, "Just let him take another nap, okay?" Cory glared at Shawn for defending Nathan.
"Alright, just don't fall completely asleep before we get home," Cory said. Nathan smiled and fell back onto Shawn.
"Isn't he just the cutest thing you've ever seen?" Shawn asked Cory sarcastically.
Cory replied with a sarcastic remark. "Just adorable."
