I do not own the Middle
Ten years. Sue couldn't believe it had been that long since graduation. Okay really it had only been eight but for Sean and Axl it had been ten and time for their reunion. She never thought she'd be going to this reunion. She had never imagined a lot of things.
Actually, that wasn't quite true, at one point she imagined going but going on the arm of someone else, she was extremely happy her life had turned out the way it had though. She was a wife, a career woman and soon to be a mother. She rested her hand on the slight swell of her stomach.
"Hey Babe you ready to go? We're going to meet Axl and Lexie for dinner before we head over to the old High school." She turned and smiled at the man standing in front of her. Sean Donahue she never thought she'd be able to call him her husband. That she would be Mrs. Donahue. It still felt so weird when someone called her that. Mrs. Donahue no that would always be her MIL.
"Yes I am ready can you just hand me my wrap?" she nodded towards the white wrap on the coat rack behind him.
"Of course." He grabbed it and walked towards her dropping it around her shoulders and gently kissing her lips. "You look amazing,"
"Thanks." She beamed. "We better get going we don't want to get between Axl and his food that never ends well."
Sean laughed twinning their fingers together.
Twenty minuets later they walked into the packed restrauant and spotted Axl and Lexie. They weaved their way through the crowd as Sean pulled out Sue's chair and then sat down himself.
"Though you two would never make it." Axl said looking at his sister and brother in law.
"Yes Axl sorry we made you wait for your food. Sue rolled her eyes.
"Can't believe you are coming to my High school reunion. No one is going to believe this." Axl scoffed.
"Axl I bet you know one will even remember me or remember that we are related they didn't remember me in High school why should they remember me now." Sue shook her head.
"Well I remember you and that's all that matters." Sean said leaning over and kissing her cheek and earning an ick sound from Axl.
"Axl." Lexie sighed shaking her head.
The conversation around the table continued until it was time to pay and leave for the reunion.
They pulled in front of Orson High School and just looked at it.
"It seems like just yesterday that we were here as students." Sean said.
"And at the same time it feels like a million years ago." Sue said. Thinking of all the times she'd tried to get Sean's attention during those High School years.
"Ready,"
"Yeah." Sue got out of the car and Sean came around to join her. "Ready or not here we go." She breathed she waved to Axl as she stepped through the doors and walked back into her childhood. They walked across the entrance way to the plastic table sat up with all the name tags. Sue wasn't sure who was sitting behind it but she wasn't surprised when Sean said "HI Chelsea long time no see."
"Oh Hi Sean, the bubbly blond looked up at him. "It's good to see you. Here is your name tag and your wives." She handed over the two-name tags giving Sue a look she did not like.
"Ex girlfriend?" Sue asked trying to place the girl.
"No I never dated her she was a cheerleader though." Sean said leading her into the gym and meeting up with many of his old friends. It wasn't long before Axl and Lexie had joined them again.
"Sorry it wouldn't have taken so long if the blonde bimbo at the table outside hadn't been salivating all over Axl." Lexie said.
"Oh I know I thought she was trying to kill me with her eyes." Sue giggled.
Sean and Axl were in their element and Sue and Lexie talked together. Sue barely got a look from her old schoolmates, she knew that would happen though. She stood proudly by Sean's side as he told everyone about their lives about how he was a pediatrician now. How Sue was in Hotel management and how they were expecting their first baby. They danced a few dances and everything was going smoothly until a few hours into the event.
That's when it all went downhill that's when he walked in. she hadn't seen him enter. She didn't know he was there not until she heard his voice.
"Hey Sean, I haven't seen you in forever what are you up to man." She froze. He had graduated with them of course he would be here. She had been naive to think he wouldn't but in all honesty she hadn't been sure he would know one she knew had seen him since she'd given him his ring back.
She noticed Sean swallow and Axl stiffen. She squeezed Sean's hand gently. "Hey Ax man." Darrin clapped Axl on the shoulder and who is this pretty lady next to you?"
Axl jumped towards Lexie blocking Darrin's view of Sue. "This is my wife Lexie Brooks Heck. Lexie this is my old friend Darrin."
"Oh." Lexie's eyes got huge having heard the story many times over the years. "Nice to meet you Darrin."
"You too my fair lady so how did you meet the Ax man?"
"We went to college together". It wasn't a lie yet not exactly the truth.
"So did you end up graduating from east indy?" Derrin asked.
"Yes I have a business degree I actually have helped the quarry expand in the last few years." Axl could feel himself sweating as his sister stood at his back.
"Good, good and how about you Sean, how have you been?"
"Good I am a doctor now."
"Are you married any kids?'
Sean paused. "Yes I am married we are expecting our first child. "
"Oh where is your wife I'd love to meet her." He looked around
"Well you see the thing is…" Sean trailed off.
"The thing is you already know her." Sue stepped out from behind Axl. "Hello Darrin It's been awhile how are you."
Darrin looked at her like he'd never seen her before and in a way he hadn't. he'd never seen her grown up, a wife, soon to be a mother. She knew he was seeing all that he had lost and for a moment she felt a slight pang of guilt.
"Sue." That one syllable fell from his lips. His eyes lingered on her noticeable bump. "So you and… Sean."
"Yes," she nodded settling her hand over her stomach.
"How, When?" she could hear the hurt in his voice.
"It was my junior year of College and Sean's first year of Medical school. It happened it snuck up on us." She didn't know what else to say.
"And you what do you think about this?" Darrin turned towards Axl."
"I think they gross me out a lot but they are actually perfect for each other so who am I to stand in the way of their happiness. Plus Lexie is Sue's best friend so."
"You never minded standing in the way of our happiness." Said snidely.
Axl sighed and shook his head being sure to position himself between his sister and her ex boyfriend. "Darrin we were all kids. Stupid kids who had no clue what we were doing with our lives or where we were going."
"I knew where I was going." Darrin said. Sue bit her lip she wanted to say so much she wanted to apologize but also to lash out at the man who had wanted her to give up all her dreams for him before she'd even graduated High school before she'd even had a chance to live. She felt bad but at the same time she didn't. She knew she had done the right thing.
"Derrin." She side stepped Axl so she was looking at her ex. "We were young. We were dumb we thought we had it all figured out but lets face it we always wanted different things. You saw the short term and I had the long game played out. You wanted right now and I wanted to grow and have a future away from Orson to find myself. "
"Oh I see you found yourself alright right into Sean's arms."
"You are right I did. I don't regret it either. I was older I knew what I wanted. I knew Sean could give it to me but really it wasn't about what Sean could or could not give me or timing it was that me and Sean are soulmates. We have always been soulmates even when we ourselves didn't realize it. I loved you Darrin but it was the love of a young girl. The love I Have for Sean is the love of a life time I am sorry." She turned towards Sean. "Can we go home now I'm really tired."
"Yes of course." Sean made sure she had her wrap and purse and grasped her hand gently. "Lets go home Suzy Q."
"We will see you guys later." Axl said waving to his best friend and kissing his sister on the cheek. "You did good sis." Sue weakly smiled at him feeling drained.
They left the school and the past and they felt like a weight had been lifted from them neither looked back at a stunned and hurt Darrin. They were not sure they'd ever see the other man again.