But the story is mine
And I wish I could say that it ended just fine
We all wanna know how it ends
Oh, happily ever after
Wouldn't you know?
Wouldn't you know?
Oh, skip to the ending
Who'd like to know?
I'd like to know...
Time to find him, I suppose, Roxanne thought. She sighed to herself. Time to put on a big, fake smile and pretend that she was alright with all of this. She had successfully convinced Lucy and Kevin, after all.
At least, she hoped she did. She really didn't want anyone to detect she was lying through her teeth. Especially not him, if she could help it.
Speaking of him, Roxanne found Chandler when she poked her head out on the Camdens' front porch. He was sitting on it, looking upset and lost in his thoughts.
I did this to him, she thought as guilt filled her heart. She shook it off very quickly, or at least as quickly as she could force herself to. She then put on a fake happy face.
Time to break his heart even more, she thought with sadness despite her smile. It's for the best, it's really for the best. He doesn't need me complicating his life. It will hurt him now, but he'll thank me for this later, she assured herself.
At least she hoped so. She really, really hoped.
She came out the front door. His head turned slightly to see who was behind him. When he saw that it was Roxanne, Chandler's face grew sadder than it already was.
It hurt just to look at her. His heart was in a million pieces. He really thought they had a future. She said she loved him, that she wanted to marry him.
Why was she so cold to the idea all of a sudden? Were her feelings for him a based on a lie?
He didn't want to believe it, but part of him had a sinking feeling they indeed were. That she had been stringing him along, like a cat with a mouse it had cornered and captured, from the start.
Her carefree smile haunted him as she swayed toward him, seemingly oblivious to the turmoil in the air around her. How could she look so happy when his emotions were in such agony?
She should feel something. Their relationship, though less than a year long, was intense with the passion and need they felt for each other. They were unstoppable. They were there for each other, deeply and totally in love.
At least I thought we were. The bitter thought echoed throughout his mind, a sad reminder of current events.
This all felt so wrong.
She was ready to consider marriage after two just weeks of dating, overjoyed when he announced his intentions to commit to her after she had been hurt on the job. She was ready to marry him on Valentine's Day, only halting his proposal to her as to not hurt Lucy's feelings. She was ready to marry him up until a few weeks ago. He was even looking into a ring for her when she suddenly voiced her doubts to him. It's like a switched had flipped off in her head, making her feel like she needed to reject him for some reason.
Like something was holding her back...
But what could be holding her back? He loved her unconditionally, he thought she knew that. He thought he'd proved it when he had made to love to her. They had shared so much passion.
He couldn't believe it would just die like that. There had to be something else going on.
He wanted answers. He wanted an explanation as to why their love seemingly died overnight. He wanted to know why their plans for the future were now apparently worn down to dust, like the love they shared suddenly meant nothing.
He needed to hear it from her. He needed the truth.
By this time, she had sat down next to him. She had grabbed his arm, caressing it gently. The feeling was sending shivers down his spine and overwhelming his senses.
He shook it off as fast as possible, though, wanting and needing to complete his quest for closure. Focus Chandler, focus, he scolded himself in his thoughts.
He looked at her. That seemingly carefree smile was still etched upon her face.
He took a deep breath, and spoke to her, "Are we doing the right thing? Taking a break?"
"I think maybe we are," She replied with a carefree giggle that astonished him.
He was stumped. Earlier, she she was calling him wanting, nearly begging, to talk to him. Now, here she was laughing his attempts to talk to her openly and honestly with her off.
It made no sense. Something wasn't right at all.
She broke the silence with a line that confused him even further, "I'm sorry if I mislead you..."
Skepticism filled his face, showing his confusion even more, "What does that mean?"
"I can't marry you," She replied breezily.
I can't marry you. Those words pierced his heart. Hearing them broke him in a way he'd never been broken before, not even when he had found out his father was dying.
Roxanne continued, seemingly oblivious to his pain, "I can't be a preacher's wife. I'm not a preacher's wife type."
Though she said it with assumed confidence and conviction, her words somehow seemed artificial to him. Like she really wanted to say the opposite of what was coming out of her mouth. She's lying to me, his mind concluded. But, why would she lie to me? Why would she hurt me like this?
Chandler needed the truth. Even if it killed him, he needed to know why she was trying to deceive and hurt him, pushing him away from her.
After a long silence, he spoke, "I don't believe you, Roxanne."
Roxanne's face faulted and turned to visible shock for a moment. She tried as fast as possible to switch back to her fake smile, hoping he wouldn't take notice to her abrupt change in expression.
But he did. His face turned completely towards hers, eyes filled with knowing that she was indeed fibbing. Roxanne fought off the urge to cry, quickly doubling down with another fake giggle.
"No, I'm not. I can't marry a minister, I can't be a minister's wife. It's not for me," Roxanne said, hoping her voice didn't crack as she spoke.
But sadly for her, it did crack. Very noticeably, too. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes against her will. Damn it! Her mind was cursing her.
Chandler moved his hand to her face, "Why are lying to me and acting like this, Roxanne? Please tell me the truth."
She shoved his hand away from her, "I'm not lying. I never wanted to get married. It was just fun to play pretend."
"Then why did you say you wanted to marry me on Valentine's Day? That was months ago. Would you really carry on a charade like that for months, supporting me through me dad's illness and death, if you didn't truly love me and want to marry me? If I meant nothing to you?" Chandler asked, moving his hand back to her face to cup her cheek.
Her eyes widened in shock and fear. She hadn't expected him to react this way, to see through her lies. She expected him to be too heartbroken to notice her hesitations, if she showed any, and take what she said as the truth. Then he would leave her alone on that porch, furious that he's been lied to all along.
But he wasn't buying it! Panic filled her heart as his face shifted to concern for her. Their eyes met, his filled with love for her, not anger as she had hopped.
His hand caressed her cheek gently. She went to shove it away with her own hand, but he halted her by gripping her hand when it moved to him.
"Let go of me, Chandler! I'm telling the truth!" She snapped, attempting to loosen her hand from his grasp.
But, he held her hand tighter. His other hand moved to her shoulder, gripping it firmly but lovingly. His forehead touched hers and he brushed their faces together. Unable to control it, tears formed in her eyes again.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you go, Roxanne. Not like this, not this way. Please, tell me the truth," He commanded in a gentle voice.
"I told you the truth. I don't want to be your wife. I can't marry you," She said in reply, hoping he'd grow tired of her denial and just give up.
But it didn't stop him, it only made him more determined. He also didn't let go, his grip on her shoulder and clasping of her hand only tightened, though he was careful not to hurt her.
"I told you already, I don't believe that. You're hiding something from me, something that's making you feel that you need to lie to me. Please don't lie. Tell me the truth. I need to know what's really holding you back," Chandler whispered as he nuzzled her nose with his.
The tears started rolling down her eyes. Her head lowered, as if in shame. She tried to turn her face away from his, but he released his grip on her shoulder to cup her face with both of his hands. His eyes searched hers, trying to find the truth in them.
All he saw was love...and also fear.
Roxanne started shaking, no, trembling in response. Tears filled her eyes even more, falling down like waterfalls as they hit his hands. His lips kissed her eyelids, trying to stop her teardrops.
She finally spoke, "You're right, I am lying to you. I do want to marry you. I love you so much, Chandler, but I just can't say yes to you."
"But why, Roxanne? What's holding you back?" He asked softly.
"I can't tell you! You'll hate me!" She exclaimed through what were now sobs.
He embraced her. Her head rested upon his strong shoulder as he moved his hands to caress her back. Her tears soaked his shirt as he soothed her.
"That's not possible, Roxanne. I love you, always, and I'm so relived to hear it wasn't all a lie. Please, tell me the whole truth. Whatever it may be, we'll get through it together," He told her, placing a kiss on top of her head.
Roxanne sighed into his shirt. She moved her head towards him, though she was still in his embrace as she did so. She didn't want to let go, she couldn't deny it anymore. She wanted him close to her always.
Tears still fell and her body still shook as she faced him. No going back now, I guess, she thought with a sigh.
"I'm..." She whispered the first part, but abruptly stopped before the full admission came out.
"You're...?" He coaxed her to finish her thought, his voice patient and tender as he spoke to her.
Tell him the truth. No going back. Just do it...
"I'm pregnant, Chandler!" Roxanne exclaimed, blushing deeply but also breathing an internal sigh of relief
His eyes widened in surprise. Not the admission he had expected to hear. But, still, relief washed over him as the truth made his heart swell with a new-found joy.
The woman he loved more than anything in the world was carrying his child. Unexpected, sure, but overjoying news to him. A smile formed on his lips.
"Roxanne..." He whispered, his voice oozing with love for her.
"Oh, Chandler..." Roxanne said gently in reply.
He kissed her passionately in response, his lips crashing into hers. A sweet feeling of relief and pure love washed over them both as their warms wrapped each other, each one caressing the other lovingly.
They kissed for a long time, finally parting for air after what seemed like an eternity. Chandler rubbed his forehead against Roxanne's again and took her hand.
"I love you so much," He told her, his fingers entwining with hers as he spoke.
"I love you, too. And if the offer still stands, yes, I will marry you," Roxanne replied, happiness filling her heart at the outcome of her confession.
He kissed her again. His kisses grew more intense with each one, his lips moving to her neck eventually. His hands moved to her shoulder, pushing away her sleeve and bra strap. His lips moved to her shoulder blade, soon enough turning to a playful nibble. A love bite eventually formed, a physical manifestation of their love of one another.
He pulled his lips away from her shoulder, grinning at her, "Mmm – I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too," She replied as she guided his mouth back to hers.
They shared another kiss as the sun set. The rising of the moon signaled not just the start of the night, but a new beginning for them both. Everything will work out if you just give it a chance, they both concluded as their hearts beat in unison under the stars.
That night on the Camdens' porch sealed their love and commitment to each other. Nothing could stop them now. They would walk towards the future together, hand in hand, no matter what was thrown their way. No matter what the world brought to them, love would conquer all.
Forever...
Author of the moment
Can you tell me?
Do I end up, do I end up happy?
We all have a story to tell...