Well everyone, this is it, the big finish. I hope you all have enjoyed
reading my little story, and I promise it will not be the last. I won't be
writing for a while I predict though, as I have some sewing and drawing
that I intend to dabble in. I am so glad that I was able to provide you
with entertainment and enjoyment through my words.
Samantha- I am soooo glad that you have decided to tune into my fic, I thank you for reading and reviewing. As you reviewed for the first time at so late a date however, it is hard for me to know what to tell you. This is the last chapter to my story, and it is a ten-year reunion epilogue. I guess I will just say that I hope you enjoy it, and that what happens to Topanga once she gets into college will ease your mind. I hate making people feel bad! Anyway, enjoy
Lilmisswriter: I am so glad that you liked it! I was a bit worried about how everyone would react to that chapter, it sounds a bit cheesy and I thought some people might think it one of those "that could never happen moments" (I know it can, something very similar happened to me). Anyway, I am so glad you felt it was right on target, and I hope you like the final chapter just as well.
WELCOME JOHN ADAMS HIGH CLASS OF 1998
The big sign over the school gymnasium welcomed all who entered through the doors into a bright and cheery atmosphere of fun, food, and catching up with old friends.
"It's going to be great to see everyone again. I swear it's been way to long." Cory Matthews said to his very pregnant wife Lauren as they walked through the front doors and approached the festive gathering. "What with Shawn and Angela always jet setting to one foreign location or another, and Topanga and Craig out in New York, it seems we never get together anymore.
"Well, it's harder now, with kids and jobs. I can't believe I had to show up to this looking like the broad side of a barn!" Lauren answered, running a hand over her fully rounded stomach. She was about 81/2 months along with the couple's first child, and was ready to be done with this particular pregnancy experience.
"You look beautiful, and don't you let anyone tell you otherwise!" Cory answered, kissing her softly on the cheek. "Besides, I know everyone is going to be thrilled that we're expecting."
"Easy for you to say." She mumbled good-naturedly as they entered the gym, and were immediately spotted by Shawn, who had been keeping half an eye on the door in anticipation of the arrival of his best friend. "Cor!" he hollered, loud enough to cause quite a few heads to turn "Over here!" Cory hurried over to Shawn, leaving Lauren to waddle-walk slowly behind him. Angela, being a woman and not quite so obtuse noticed her friend's condition and went over to guide her along. The gym was packed and it was not easy to get through, especially in Lauren's delicate condition.
"A baby huh?" She asked "congratulations!"
"How could you tell?" Lauren joked. "Thanks Angela. I would get mad at my oh so loving husband, but we all know how it is when he and Shawn get together."
"It's worse than ever now that they get to see each other so little."
"Tell me about it. All he could talk about on the way here was Shawn, Shawn, Shawn, and of course Craig. I was ready to throttle him! Tell me, any plans to have a little one of your own soon?"
"Shawn and I are childless by choice right now, jobs like ours make it hard to consider starting a family. Yet we both love our work so much, neither of us can imagine leaving the field right now."
"Well you've both got plenty of time, and having a job you love is important too. Cory is so excited about the baby, he did the nursery all by himself, it is the cutest thing you've ever seen. You should stop by the house while you're in town. I'll give you the grand tour."
"Shawn and I would like that, I'll make a point of fitting it in. We actually have a few days off before we have to head back to work. Oh, I know what you were saying about Cory talking non-stop about Shawn and Craig. Let me tell you, it was the same with Shawn. Aren't they just so cute? Do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?"
"We decided not to find out. Ultrasounds are never 100% foolproof, I've seen just enough moms come to my unit that thought they were having one sex and ended up with the other that I convinced Cory to wait. Yes, they are so adorable when they get together. The two women laughed as they looked at their husbands talking a few feet away, oblivious to the rest of the world. "Have you seen Topanga and Craig yet?"
"Not yet, but I talked to her the other day when we stopped in Manhattan to visit the home office, and she said they might be a little late, Craig had an early morning lecture to do, so they were going to catch a late flight. His parents are going to watch the kids."
"I can only hope I have a little one half as sweet as either of the twins!"
"I was surprised that they decided to have kids so soon out of college. But I guess they were dying to start a family and felt they'd waited long enough for Topanga to finish graduate school."
"I know, she was so excited when she got pregnant, and I swear she got 10X more so when she found out it was twins! Hey, is that them? It is! Topanga, Craig, over here!"
Topanga spotted her two old friends waving to her from across the gym and hurried over to them, her tall bookish redheaded husband following close behind. He went over to join the guys who welcomed him warmly as Topanga greeted the girls "Lauren, Angela! It's so great to see you. Lauren you sly devil, why didn't you tell us you were expecting? That is so wonderful. Believe me, your not going to regret it. When are you going to have a baby Angela? You're the last one left now you know."
"Spoken just like a true mommy." Angela replied, wrapping her best friend in a warm embrace "Sorry, but you missed the conversation about my aspirations to motherhood, or current lack thereof. How is everyone?"
"We're all doing fine, the twins as you know turned two last month, thank you both for your wonderful gifts, they loved them. Craig just gained full- time status at the college, he is so excited! Now Lauren you didn't answer my question, why didn't you let us know you were pregnant?"
"Well," Lauren answered, giving Topanga the best semblance of a hug she could manage "I decided that with the reunion so close that I'd make it a surprise. You should be yelling at your husbands, not me. Cory of course couldn't keep it a secret, the men have known all along."
"And they didn't tell?" Both women said indignantly at once, and as one turned and batted their husbands playfully with their purses, causing the men to turn around, startled. "What was that for?" Shawn spoke up, and the other two nodded in agreement to his question.
"For not telling us our best friend was expecting!" Angela answered and Topanga chimed in "Yea, we've missed all the fun, judging by the look of her. How much longer have you got left?" she turned to Lauren
"I'm due in about 3 weeks." Lauren replied
"We're sorry!" the three men chimed in unison, sheepish grins on their faces.
"You better be!" Angela replied "Did you ever think that anyone could get as close to Shawn and Cory as they were to each other?" she asked the girls "I swear Topanga, your husband is just as bad as the two of them anymore!"
"Did they both drive you nuts all the way here talking about the other two guys?" Topanga asked
"YES!" both women cried in unison and laughed
"Can we help it if we like to talk to each other?" Cory asked
"Yea," Shawn chimed in "Besides, it doesn't look like the three of you are hurting for topics of conversation."
As the three couples continue to talk, laugh and reminisce, let us step aside for a moment, and discuss how they got to this point, and what they are currently doing with their lives.
It turned out that Topanga decided to stay at Pennbrook, the scholarship money and the chance to be near Angela were just enough to tip the scales. And after she met an adorable education major at freshmen orientation named Craig, she never regretted her decision. With Craig she discovered that even though a person can have more than one true love there is only one perfect fit. Craig was her perfect fit.
Topanga finding someone to love was all that was needed to gel things between the gang. Angela made an apology that was gladly accepted by Lauren on their first post-date meeting, and Craig to everyone's surprise fit in almost instantly with Cory and Shawn. Though he never got as tight with them as they were with each other he got pretty darn close, and that was definitely saying something. Even Topanga and Lauren settled their differences, after Topanga came to understand, through her own new relationship, the connection that Lauren and Cory shared.
College was a happy time for the young men and women; Shawn retained his job at the photo studio, and majored in photography besides. Angela majored in journalism, and they found upon graduation that their two career choices blended together perfectly. They were now a world-renowned photojournalism team, traveling to far off locations where Angela would write and Shawn would photograph the most recent and late breaking news stories. They were married in Hawaii soon after landing a permanent free- lance position with the New York Times.
Lauren majored in Nursing, while Cory started off undecided and then major- hopped through quite a few choices before settling on business. They married soon after graduation and bought a small house about halfway between their respective families (Lauren's mom coming around to Cory when she realized he wasn't going away). They both took jobs in Philly; Lauren working in the maternity unit at ironically enough Philly General while Cory was an executive at one of the bigger local corporations.
As for Topanga and Craig, it turned out that their stay at Pennbrook was short after all. Two years into her pre-law degree Topanga was offered an internship at a major New York law firm that she just couldn't pass up. She and Craig were married in a small ceremony before they left for New York. They both transferred to NYU, Craig was an English Education major, and was just as happy studying one place as another. After they graduated Craig moved on to a position as a high school English teacher while Topanga went on to Law School. Craig worked on his own graduate degree in his spare time; he had aspirations of becoming a college professor someday. The couple became pregnant soon after Topanga graduated, and Craig finished his graduate degree a few months after the twins were born. He had just been offered and gladly accepted a full-time professorship at his alma mater. Topanga worked for the firm of Doby, Dawson, Tingler, and Gray. She was hoping to become a junior partner sometime in the near future.
And we can't leave out Eric and Jack now can we? Eric went onto become a well-known child psychologist and Jack an accomplished novelist. The couple adopted a son about 3 years after graduation, a five-year-old little lad named Tim. Both men loved children and doted on their only son.
So all and all things worked out well. The couples saw each other as much as their schedules and locational differences would allow, and when they were apart kept in touch by E-mail and phone. The five men and women who had been involved always looked back fondly on the semester that had changed all their lives, the semester that all started with one harmless ski trip to a tiny town in Pennsylvania. For all the angst, heart-break and sadness that it had caused, they all agreed that in the end it had changed things for the better, and for that they would always be glad.
The End
Samantha- I am soooo glad that you have decided to tune into my fic, I thank you for reading and reviewing. As you reviewed for the first time at so late a date however, it is hard for me to know what to tell you. This is the last chapter to my story, and it is a ten-year reunion epilogue. I guess I will just say that I hope you enjoy it, and that what happens to Topanga once she gets into college will ease your mind. I hate making people feel bad! Anyway, enjoy
Lilmisswriter: I am so glad that you liked it! I was a bit worried about how everyone would react to that chapter, it sounds a bit cheesy and I thought some people might think it one of those "that could never happen moments" (I know it can, something very similar happened to me). Anyway, I am so glad you felt it was right on target, and I hope you like the final chapter just as well.
WELCOME JOHN ADAMS HIGH CLASS OF 1998
The big sign over the school gymnasium welcomed all who entered through the doors into a bright and cheery atmosphere of fun, food, and catching up with old friends.
"It's going to be great to see everyone again. I swear it's been way to long." Cory Matthews said to his very pregnant wife Lauren as they walked through the front doors and approached the festive gathering. "What with Shawn and Angela always jet setting to one foreign location or another, and Topanga and Craig out in New York, it seems we never get together anymore.
"Well, it's harder now, with kids and jobs. I can't believe I had to show up to this looking like the broad side of a barn!" Lauren answered, running a hand over her fully rounded stomach. She was about 81/2 months along with the couple's first child, and was ready to be done with this particular pregnancy experience.
"You look beautiful, and don't you let anyone tell you otherwise!" Cory answered, kissing her softly on the cheek. "Besides, I know everyone is going to be thrilled that we're expecting."
"Easy for you to say." She mumbled good-naturedly as they entered the gym, and were immediately spotted by Shawn, who had been keeping half an eye on the door in anticipation of the arrival of his best friend. "Cor!" he hollered, loud enough to cause quite a few heads to turn "Over here!" Cory hurried over to Shawn, leaving Lauren to waddle-walk slowly behind him. Angela, being a woman and not quite so obtuse noticed her friend's condition and went over to guide her along. The gym was packed and it was not easy to get through, especially in Lauren's delicate condition.
"A baby huh?" She asked "congratulations!"
"How could you tell?" Lauren joked. "Thanks Angela. I would get mad at my oh so loving husband, but we all know how it is when he and Shawn get together."
"It's worse than ever now that they get to see each other so little."
"Tell me about it. All he could talk about on the way here was Shawn, Shawn, Shawn, and of course Craig. I was ready to throttle him! Tell me, any plans to have a little one of your own soon?"
"Shawn and I are childless by choice right now, jobs like ours make it hard to consider starting a family. Yet we both love our work so much, neither of us can imagine leaving the field right now."
"Well you've both got plenty of time, and having a job you love is important too. Cory is so excited about the baby, he did the nursery all by himself, it is the cutest thing you've ever seen. You should stop by the house while you're in town. I'll give you the grand tour."
"Shawn and I would like that, I'll make a point of fitting it in. We actually have a few days off before we have to head back to work. Oh, I know what you were saying about Cory talking non-stop about Shawn and Craig. Let me tell you, it was the same with Shawn. Aren't they just so cute? Do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?"
"We decided not to find out. Ultrasounds are never 100% foolproof, I've seen just enough moms come to my unit that thought they were having one sex and ended up with the other that I convinced Cory to wait. Yes, they are so adorable when they get together. The two women laughed as they looked at their husbands talking a few feet away, oblivious to the rest of the world. "Have you seen Topanga and Craig yet?"
"Not yet, but I talked to her the other day when we stopped in Manhattan to visit the home office, and she said they might be a little late, Craig had an early morning lecture to do, so they were going to catch a late flight. His parents are going to watch the kids."
"I can only hope I have a little one half as sweet as either of the twins!"
"I was surprised that they decided to have kids so soon out of college. But I guess they were dying to start a family and felt they'd waited long enough for Topanga to finish graduate school."
"I know, she was so excited when she got pregnant, and I swear she got 10X more so when she found out it was twins! Hey, is that them? It is! Topanga, Craig, over here!"
Topanga spotted her two old friends waving to her from across the gym and hurried over to them, her tall bookish redheaded husband following close behind. He went over to join the guys who welcomed him warmly as Topanga greeted the girls "Lauren, Angela! It's so great to see you. Lauren you sly devil, why didn't you tell us you were expecting? That is so wonderful. Believe me, your not going to regret it. When are you going to have a baby Angela? You're the last one left now you know."
"Spoken just like a true mommy." Angela replied, wrapping her best friend in a warm embrace "Sorry, but you missed the conversation about my aspirations to motherhood, or current lack thereof. How is everyone?"
"We're all doing fine, the twins as you know turned two last month, thank you both for your wonderful gifts, they loved them. Craig just gained full- time status at the college, he is so excited! Now Lauren you didn't answer my question, why didn't you let us know you were pregnant?"
"Well," Lauren answered, giving Topanga the best semblance of a hug she could manage "I decided that with the reunion so close that I'd make it a surprise. You should be yelling at your husbands, not me. Cory of course couldn't keep it a secret, the men have known all along."
"And they didn't tell?" Both women said indignantly at once, and as one turned and batted their husbands playfully with their purses, causing the men to turn around, startled. "What was that for?" Shawn spoke up, and the other two nodded in agreement to his question.
"For not telling us our best friend was expecting!" Angela answered and Topanga chimed in "Yea, we've missed all the fun, judging by the look of her. How much longer have you got left?" she turned to Lauren
"I'm due in about 3 weeks." Lauren replied
"We're sorry!" the three men chimed in unison, sheepish grins on their faces.
"You better be!" Angela replied "Did you ever think that anyone could get as close to Shawn and Cory as they were to each other?" she asked the girls "I swear Topanga, your husband is just as bad as the two of them anymore!"
"Did they both drive you nuts all the way here talking about the other two guys?" Topanga asked
"YES!" both women cried in unison and laughed
"Can we help it if we like to talk to each other?" Cory asked
"Yea," Shawn chimed in "Besides, it doesn't look like the three of you are hurting for topics of conversation."
As the three couples continue to talk, laugh and reminisce, let us step aside for a moment, and discuss how they got to this point, and what they are currently doing with their lives.
It turned out that Topanga decided to stay at Pennbrook, the scholarship money and the chance to be near Angela were just enough to tip the scales. And after she met an adorable education major at freshmen orientation named Craig, she never regretted her decision. With Craig she discovered that even though a person can have more than one true love there is only one perfect fit. Craig was her perfect fit.
Topanga finding someone to love was all that was needed to gel things between the gang. Angela made an apology that was gladly accepted by Lauren on their first post-date meeting, and Craig to everyone's surprise fit in almost instantly with Cory and Shawn. Though he never got as tight with them as they were with each other he got pretty darn close, and that was definitely saying something. Even Topanga and Lauren settled their differences, after Topanga came to understand, through her own new relationship, the connection that Lauren and Cory shared.
College was a happy time for the young men and women; Shawn retained his job at the photo studio, and majored in photography besides. Angela majored in journalism, and they found upon graduation that their two career choices blended together perfectly. They were now a world-renowned photojournalism team, traveling to far off locations where Angela would write and Shawn would photograph the most recent and late breaking news stories. They were married in Hawaii soon after landing a permanent free- lance position with the New York Times.
Lauren majored in Nursing, while Cory started off undecided and then major- hopped through quite a few choices before settling on business. They married soon after graduation and bought a small house about halfway between their respective families (Lauren's mom coming around to Cory when she realized he wasn't going away). They both took jobs in Philly; Lauren working in the maternity unit at ironically enough Philly General while Cory was an executive at one of the bigger local corporations.
As for Topanga and Craig, it turned out that their stay at Pennbrook was short after all. Two years into her pre-law degree Topanga was offered an internship at a major New York law firm that she just couldn't pass up. She and Craig were married in a small ceremony before they left for New York. They both transferred to NYU, Craig was an English Education major, and was just as happy studying one place as another. After they graduated Craig moved on to a position as a high school English teacher while Topanga went on to Law School. Craig worked on his own graduate degree in his spare time; he had aspirations of becoming a college professor someday. The couple became pregnant soon after Topanga graduated, and Craig finished his graduate degree a few months after the twins were born. He had just been offered and gladly accepted a full-time professorship at his alma mater. Topanga worked for the firm of Doby, Dawson, Tingler, and Gray. She was hoping to become a junior partner sometime in the near future.
And we can't leave out Eric and Jack now can we? Eric went onto become a well-known child psychologist and Jack an accomplished novelist. The couple adopted a son about 3 years after graduation, a five-year-old little lad named Tim. Both men loved children and doted on their only son.
So all and all things worked out well. The couples saw each other as much as their schedules and locational differences would allow, and when they were apart kept in touch by E-mail and phone. The five men and women who had been involved always looked back fondly on the semester that had changed all their lives, the semester that all started with one harmless ski trip to a tiny town in Pennsylvania. For all the angst, heart-break and sadness that it had caused, they all agreed that in the end it had changed things for the better, and for that they would always be glad.
The End