Two of a kind part 3
By Auntie Pasta
Guess what everybody! I found the ending! It was hiding among the dust bunnies under my bed where I never look. If I hadn't gone under there to find my lost mind, I'd have never found it. The dust bunnies would have eaten it all up.
All standard disclaimers apply.
The day had been pretty routine and Shelby had enjoyed Gary's parents. "Now I know where he gets his weirdness," she had joked during lunch eliciting laughter from all but Gary who had just given her a funny look.
Now, however, they were back at Gary's place, pulling out his hideaway and going over the day. Shelby's cellular rang, interrupting their conversation.
"Hello, Kayla," Shelby answered in their ago old joke.
"How'd you know it was me?"
"Well, Gary and his folks are over by the couch and none of them looks to be using a phone," Shelby replied.
"You met his parents," Kayla said.
"That I did."
"Give me details, girl," Kayla demanded. "What do they think of you?"
"I don't think they thought too much of me when I came out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel," Shelby said.
"If roles were reversed," Kayla said. "And I'd found him in your place in nothing but a towel, I'd feel the same way."
"No you wouldn't," Shelby replied. "You'd just be glad I'm having a sex life."
"Which I am."
"And which I don't really need to be happy," Shelby continued. "Now. If you'll excuse me, I'll go get ready for bed."
"You sleeping with him again tonight?"
"Just sleeping," Shelby said in answer. "His parents are on the hideaway."
"Ouch," Kayla said. "Have fun. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Shelby replied and hung up the phone.
**************************************
"... And today will be a nice day for Chicagoans...," the radio began before Gary's arm reached out from under the blankets to shut it off. The arm creeped back in and the blankets were still. A thump meow outside the door caused them to stir a little but the second thump meow caused them to be flung aside.
Gary was the first one to the door followed by Shelby and his parents. All breathed a sigh of relief to find two copies of the Sunday Chicago Sun-Times on the doorstep.
"Thank God," Shelby breathed as Gary reached down and picked both up, handing one to her.
A quick perusal and they found that their fist save was at 8 across town. No time for breakfast, and Gary and his father took this one because Gary was more familiar with the city.
Lois cooked breakfast while Shelby got dressed. The cat jumped up on the bed, meowed and knocked the paper off of where Shelby had tossed it. It opened somewhere in the middle. Shelby picked it up and started with a suddenness that startled Lois.
"What's wrong?"
Shelby was practically laughing with joy. "Take a look at this," she said as she showed it to her friend.
Lois looked and a smile spread across her face. "This is wonderful!" she exclaimed.
**********************************************
"Not funny," Gary said as he stood in his apartment, dripping wet. They'd stopped to help a woman get her car out of her muddy driveway and Gary had slipped, falling face down in the mud.
"That's a good look for you," Shelby giggled.
Lois smiled and shook her head. "Go get a shower," she ordered. "Your father and I will be downstairs if you need us." She pulled at Bernie's sleeve.
"What if I don't want to go downstairs?" Bernie said.
"If you don't go downstairs this instant," Lois said. "I'll grab you by the ear and drag you down."
"Coming, dear," Bernie said and followed Lois from the room.
Gary shook his head and headed to the shower feeling slightly suspicious of his mother and Shelby. They had been awfully jovial since he and his father had gotten back.
Finished with his shower, Gary slipped a thick terry robe over his shoulders and joined Shelby back in the main room. He found her fidgeting with her copy of tomorrow's paper. "You want to tell me what's going on?"
Shelby smiled. "I think I'd rather show you," she said and spread the paper out on the coffee table in front of him.
It was the society page. There on the page was a picture of him and Shelby. Over the article next to it was a headline that read, Bar owner to marry Denver Native.
"Is this a fake?" he asked with surprise.
"Nope," Shelby said. "This is how I found it this morning."
"This is no joke?"
Shelby shook her head. "No joke."
"Then this means...,"
"I don't have to go back to Denver," Shelby finished.
Gary stood like a flash and held Shelby in a bear hug. All of a sudden, he released her. "Ring. Got to go buy a ring," he said and headed out the door.
"Are you sure you want to go now?" Shelby stopped him.
"Why not?"
She stifled a laugh. "I kind of think you should get some shoes on first."
Gary looked down. It was then that he remembered that he was wearing nothing but a robe. "And maybe some clothes," Shelby went on.
Gary turned and headed back into the bathroom. "You're right," he said. Just short of the bathroom, he stopped, turned and joined Shelby by the couch. He stood toe to toe with her, searching her sparkling blue eyes with gray-green ones. "I love you," he said.
Shelby smiled. "I love you too."
******************************************************
Shelby breathed a nervous sigh as she sat on the chair in the tiny chapel. It had only been a little over a week since she had found the Chicago Sun-Times on her Denver doorstep and here she was in the windy city, marrying a man she barely knew. At least she barely knew him by way of time. She felt like she had know Gary Hobson her whole life and felt no regrets. Kayla took her hand from her seat next to her sister and squeezed.
"You happy?" Kayla asked.
"Happier than I have ever been in my whole life," Shelby replied.
Lois gripped her hand from the other side. "I know that Gary is too," she said.
Shelby shook her head and sat back. "So do I," Shelby said. "But he's late."
"Chuck's plane landed late," Lois said. "They'll be here."
Shelby glanced up at the waiting justice-of-the-peace that was to marry them. He stood patiently, and even smiled at Shelby when she looked at him. It was then that the door opened and Gary rushed in, followed by his father, Chuck and Chuck's wife. Shelby stood and smiled as Gary gave her a peck on her lips and took her arm. "Sorry I'm late," he said.
"I'd have waited forever," Shelby answered.
They turned to the justice and he began the ceremony. "We are gathered here to join this man and this woman in the bonds of matrimony..."
Lois began to cry.
Epilogue
One Year later
"One more and the head will be out," the doctor said as a very tired Shelby sighed.
"One more," she murmured and gripped her husband's hand tighter.
Gary winced and ignored the pain in his hand. She had squeezed more than a little bit on his hand. A flash flashed nearby and he ignored that, too.
Shelby took a deep breath and pushed as hard as she could. Gary whispered in her ear how well she was doing and how much he loved her. Shelby let the breath out in a gasp.
"Head's out," the doctor said. "You're doing great."
"I don't feel like I'm doing great," Shelby said.
Gary smiled and kissed her gently on the lips. "I should have never let you talk me into this," she muttered.
"I seem to remember you being part of this, too," Gary replied as Shelby took a deep breath and pushed again.
"1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... 9... ten," Gary counted. "One more. 1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... 9... ten. Good girl." Shelby released the breath she had been holding and took another. Gary counted again, only to have it punctuated by the cries of a newborn baby.
Shelby gasped as the doctor held the baby up for her to see. "It's a girl," he said.
Tears streamed down her face as she lay back to rest. Another smiling doctor took the crying baby and placed her on a warm bed. Gary watched, his hand still tightly in his wife's grip. She released his hand. And motioned him over to where his mother was taking her granddaughter's first photographs.
"You want to cut the cord?" the hovering pediatrician asked.
He handed Gary a pair of medical scissors. "It won't hurt her?"
"Not a bit," the doctor replied.
Gary snipped and stepped aside, still holding the scissors. He marveled at how beautiful the tiny baby was.
"Mr. Hobson?" came a questioning voice nearby.
Gary looked up and turned. He nodded to where the nurse gestured and snipped where a second pediatrician told him to snip the cord from his five-minute-old son.
On the window sill, far away from any action, sat the orange tabby. The newspaper under him was opened to a page with birth announcements. The last on the list said a boy, Kevin, and a girl, Kelly, to Gary and Shelby Hobson.
The End