**~**~**~**~** Epilogue**~**~**~**~**
Somewhere between then and now, the truth came out. My father did a mission for the CIA while they were in Washington. It was there that some miss information cost him his life.
The story of my junior year is odd to be thinking about right now. I should be thinking about how I look, how beautify my mother looks, or how handsome Michael looks, on this, their wedding day.
Francie stands in front of me, and I can see how bad these dresses are from the back. My mother thinks they're classy and nice. The other adults agree with her. As a college student, and my sisters, high schoolers, well, we disagree. I look at the people attending the wedding.
My mom's friend, and Francie's husband, and one of Michael's friends sits smiling. Will insisted that he sit in the middle, being a friend of both the groom and the bride. But everyone else insisted he sit on the brides side because he was friends with my mom first, and plus he was married to the maid of honor, Francie. I can see my grandparents. The ones with no actual relation. I see my mother's father (apparently her mother is in a high security prison) beaming at us. Jack is actually a pretty good guy. I can see my boyfriend Jon, and Charlie. Jon and I hooked up after we realized that we were in the same freshmen chemistry class at CU. Charlie brought her little eight year old brother along, and he squirmed as he tried to sit still. I see family and friends many I've never met.
Honestly, I never believed I would see this day. It took my mother two years before she realized that she loved Michael. Although we all know that my father will never be replaced, or forgotten, we stand here watching our mother remarry. It's hard seeing her profess her love to another man. But I've made my peace. After all Michael isn't just any man. He is, after all, related to me by blood. Since my mother and he started dating, I guess part of me wanted my parents to get married. We applaud as they kiss.
Jon and I went to the reception. Hand in hand we entered the ballroom. "Your mother found a good decorator." He teased me.
"Yeah, me." My mom knew I had an eye for decorating things, and asked me to decorate the reception hall. Jon had watched me stress over it for months. We walked gracefully over to the head table. The band had already set up, and was playing a lively, carefree tone.
"Shall we dance until your parents get here?" Jon asked.
"Why certainly." We stood up and walked to the dance floor where several other couples were also dancing to kill the time.
I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Michael standing there. "May I cut in?" He asks
"Sure" I answer. "Where's mom? Aren't you two supposed to enter together?"
"She had to go to the bathroom, which in that dress is harder than it sounds. We'll be introduced in about ten minutes, but for now, I have time for a dance with my daughter."
I blush. That was the first time I had ever heard him say that. "Can you forgive me?" He asks.
"For what?"
"I don't know what I did, but until now, no, even now, there's a little hostility."
"Michael, it was just bad timing that year. IT sort of carried through. I'm sorry for being such a jerk."
"Would it ever have been good timing?"
We laugh. "No, not really." The song ended. "Go, you and Mom need to make a grand entrance." I push Michael away, and meet up with Jon.
"You've made your peace with him I see."
"How could you tell?"
"I lip read." He answers. I look at him puzzled. "Jeff, my brother, you know, my twin, remember he's deaf. I picked up lip reading and sign language from him."
"Oh right."
It came time for the wedding party's dance, I grab Jon and we make our way to the dance floor where everyone waits for us. The band plays "Angel" one of my parent's favorites. Mid song, Jon whispers in my ear. "I love you Lacy."
I smile, and whisper it back. I realize that my life was getting back to perfect.
