My first Melissa and Joey story.
Disclaimer: if the show was mine, it would not be over.
Summary: Ryder is not sick and Austin gets to propose.
Mel and Austin just left for the restaurant 5 minutes ago and Lennox is still pacing in the living room. She doesn't know what to do, she only knows that she definetely not want her aunt to marry Austin, not when only two hours ago Joe told her that he had feelings for her aunt.
Joe who is so right for Mel. Joe whom she loved kind of like a father since she's been leaving here. And she knows that if her aunt decides to marry someone else, Joe will leave. And after what happened with her parents that would destroy her and her brother and as much as her aunt refuses to admit it she will be devastated too.
Lennox was still deep in her thoughts when Ryder and Joe came out of the kitchen eating something Ryder apparently made himself. Ryder was so engrossed in his food he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary but Joe did.
"Hey Len, what's wrong?" he asked, frowning.
Lennox was wrigling her hands, she didn't know how to say it without hurting his feelings but he had to do something .
"spill it" he added.
"It's Austin, he just told me he's gonna propose to Aunt Mel, you have to go stop him!" she said all of that very fast, as if it would somehow help.
"What? Are you sure? "
"Well either he's gonna propose or he finally found a ring to rule them all. Three technically." She replied.
"Three?" Ryder asked. He finally seemed to register what was going on around him now that the food was gone.
"Yes" she practically yelled. "He came in here with three rings asking me which one would Aunt Mel like best. But enough chit chat you have to go stop it Joe"
"Ok, yeah, I'm- What am I gonna say?" Joe stammered.
"That you love her, you idiot!" Lennox exclamed.
"Right"
"Wait, you don't even know where they are" Lennox shouted before he crossed the threshold.
"Then tell me" he said raising his hands above his head.
"Emilio's"
"Southern Italian?!" he said scoffing and grumbling something about Austin having no taste. And with that Joe was gone.
Lennox was still stressed out but she started squealing. Joe was going to fix everything.
Joe was driving over the speed limit but he wanted to be there before Austin proposed. By chance, there was a parking spot just in front of the restaurant entry when he arrived. He rushed inside the room and try and spot them, but what he saw had his stomach churning. There, in front of him, was Austin down on one knee, a ring in his hand and a smile on his face.
Joe was rooted to the spot. He was too late. He couldn't believe it, all of this for nothing. After everything that happened between them. He needed to get out of there. Just as he was about to leave, his eyes met Mel's. And he decides it's too much for him. He gives her a small smile and turns around to go back where he came from.
When she sees him, Mel blanched.
"Joe" she whispered.
Austin cleared his throat "Hum, my name is Austin."
"No, I know that" she said still not looking at him, her eyes fixating on the door.
"Babe, are you alright?"
"Sure, could you give me a minute?" She said already up and walking towards the exit.
"Of course" he says but he's not sure she's even heard him because she's already halfway through the door. "This is not good" he says to himself.
tbc
thoughts?