Happy 2024, everyone. I hope the new year has been good for you so far.
Many thanks to my sweet friend, Yotsubadancesintherain5 (on AO3), for helping me overcome a block I had in this chapter. Her Christmas gift, If You Love Someone, centers around Shawn fixing breakfast for Jon and Audrey and it inspired Shawn's dinner scene in this chapter.
The camera Shawn brings with him is the one mentioned in chapter 32 of the Return and in Christmas to Last a Lifetime.
If Jon had not been running on adrenaline and caffeine, he would most likely have fallen asleep like Audrey leaving Shawn to do the driving which wouldn't have been a terrible idea if he'd had any experience driving a truck.
But he didn't.
Because his birthday was in February, Shawn wasn't eligible to take Driver's Ed until the fall, so Jon started teaching him to drive the Harley.
Now, like it or not, the driving was on him until Audrey woke up.
He made a mental note not to do that with the next kid: car first, then the bike.
It was now a quarter to six and they were on their way to Lancaster via a stop for breakfast at the Sun Happy Diner on North 22nd Street. This was the place he'd taken them to before going to Franklin Mills mall to fulfill part of Shawn's Christmas list.
Shawn, who was wide awake, leaned over the front seat getting as close to Jon as his seat belt would allow.
"So," the teen drew out the word in a way Jon knew meant he was in puckish mood. "This is family day."
Jon glanced at him in the review mirror suspiciously. "Yeah."
"So I think we need to get titles straight."
Jon squinted at the road in front of him. "Meanin' what?"
Shawn put his tongue in his cheek for a moment then said, "Meanin' how you're referrin' to Audrey."
"What?" It was too early for this line of conversation.
With an exasperated puff of breath at his bangs, he explained, "If people ask who she is-how are you gonna refer to her?"
Jon didn't like the question. He knew there was something behind it. "I dunno, Shawn. Audrey, I guess."
The disdainful snort that came from the teenager told him this was unacceptable.
"So I'm your kid and she's your Audrey?" He rolled his eyes. "Pathetic, man."
Jon pressed his lips into a thin line and glanced at the subject of the conversation, who was curled into a ball with her head resting on her purse against the window. She appeared to be asleep.
Jon hoped she was and couldn't hear any of this.
"Are you at least gonna call her your girlfriend?" Shawn prodded.
This garnered a grimace from Jon as it was one of those things he'd never discussed with her.
"Shawn, Aud and I don't need titles like that, okay." He shifted uncomfortably against his seat belt that suddenly felt too tight. "We aren't datin' so those titles don't apply anyway."
"Well, you better apply somethin' for this weekend," the teen snorted. "Otherwise people are gonna think she's your sister." A wicked smile flickered over his face. Making sure he had Jon's attention in the rearview mirror he added, "Or worse, your daughter!"
Jon very nearly pulled the truck over at that. "You wanna walk to the diner, Smart Guy?"
Shawn gave him an impassive look and shook his hair out of his face. "Look, unless you wanna explain our story every single time someone asks, you better decide on what Audrey is to you and what to call her."
"Why should I?" he asked gruffly.
Shawn ignored the question in favor of his own. "How come you told Melanie Aud's your girlfriend and now you're all weird about it?"
Jon grumbled something rude under his breath. Shawn smirked and continued to press the subject.
"Look," he snapped as quietly as he could. He did not want Audrey waking up in the middle of this nonsense. "She wasn't my girlfriend before, and she isn't now. But she is mine. I'm not her boyfriend, but I am hers. That's all that matters."
Shawn gave him a disgusted look.
"We're there for each other. We have each other's backs," Jon went on, growing more defensive. "Does it really matter what we call each other?"
The teen stared at him with his mouth slightly open. "Can you hear yourself, Jon? Other than soundin' crazy, you sound like you're rehearsin' a speech to break up."
"We're gettin' engaged, Shawn," he said flatly.
His eyes narrowed. "When?"
"When I propose."
"When is that gonna be?"
It took all of Jon's willpower not to turn around to face the kid. "Why are you actin' like this?"
Shawn slapped his palms against the back of the front seat. "I'm tryin' to do you a favor. You gotta call her somethin', Jon. So what's it gonna be?"
Jon gripped the steering wheel tighter. "I told you- we don't need titles. We belong to each other."
Shawn scoffed out loud at this and gave a roll of his eyes so exaggerated Jon could only see the whites in the rearview mirror.
"That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard!" Shawn hissed. "What'd you do- buy each other at Walmart?"
Jon glared at the road.
"Was there a sale?" he asked mischievously knowing that Jon was growing increasingly agitated. "I bet there was on you. What was it- half off?"
"Fine," Jon snapped quietly. "If I call her my girlfriend will, you drop it?"
"Girlfriend, meh." The teen wrinkled his nose in disdain. "That kind of cheapens your relationship don't you think? I have girlfriends. I certainly don't wanna marry any of them. You are gonna marry Aud."
As the adult in the situation Jon knew he should disengage but there were times like this when Shawn managed to bring out his inner teen who insisted in arguing back. "So what am I supposed to call her if Audrey and my girlfriend are both unacceptable to you?"
"Phat."
Jon slammed on the brakes harder than he intended to as he pulled up to the stoplight. With his foot on the brake, he put his arm on the back of the seat and turned around to stare incredulously at the teen. "You want me to call her what?"
"Phat."
"That's what I thought you said," he muttered, wondering if he was dreaming and hoped this bizarre conversation wasn't actually occurring. "Are you crazy? Why would you suggest I call her fat?!"
"What?" Shawn frowned, not understanding why Jon was acting like this was so outlandish. For an English teacher, he didn't seem to grasp certain parts of the language. "Phat's a good thing. Like cool or interesting. Like excellent but more extreme. And when you call a girl phat it takes it even further."
Jon looked at him warily in the mirror. Not understanding the current slang reminded him that if it wasn't for his Harley, leather jacket, and earring he'd be just another uncool, out-of-touch teacher to the kids he taught.
Also this word did not seem like it was related at all to the issue of what Audrey was to him.
"How?" he asked, even though he knew he wasn't going to like the answer.
"Phat has several meanings and you can use it to describe music, movies, people, or actions," Shawn said sounding quite a bit like Jon when he was explaining a new vocabulary word. "But when you use it to describe a woman it can mean one of two things: 'pretty hot and temptin' or 'pretty hips and thighs'."
Jon raised his eyebrows as he glanced at Audrey and considered how both meanings aptly applied to her. Then he sighed and closed his eyes briefly just before the light turned green. "No way am I callin' her somethin' she and others could misinterpret."
At that moment, a bright silver C4 Corvette pulled up alongside them as traffic inched forward, distracting the teen completely.
"What could they misinterpret?" Shawn asked absently as he all but drooled over the sleek body of the sports car.
"Are you kiddin' me?" Jon retorted in exasperation. "I am not callin' her phat, Shawn."
Shawn pulled his nose away from the window as the sports car sped off.
"No one told you to call her fat, Jon," he replied, having already forgotten the conversation he started.
"You just did."
He squinted at his teacher. "What are we talkin' about?"
"Are you kiddin' me?!"
Audrey stirred at this, and Jon shot Shawn a dirty look in the rearview mirror.
"Anyway," the teen said dismissively. He was now concerned Jon had not had enough coffee for the trip and he wondered if he was okay to drive. "Just call her your fiancée'. That's the most accurate."
"If I call her that people will wanna know why she isn't wearin' a ring," Jon grumbled, wondering if Shawn was always going to find things to needle him about or if he'd eventually grow out it.
"Me too," Shawn remarked grumpily then proceeded to bother Jon about proposing until they arrived at their destination.
The Sun Happy Diner looked a little more cheerful on the outside than the first time they went to the restaurant, perhaps because the weather was more pleasant and not as cold.
As they walked across the parking lot, Audrey took hold of Shawn's shoulder and pulled him close to her.
"Phat, huh?" she whispered wryly in his ear.
Shawn rolled his eyes. "Forgot I was talkin' to an old guy who's never heard of Phat Farm, Mama."
Audrey chuckled, gave him an affectionate squeeze, and let go of him.
Jon, who had overheard them, was still not comfortable being teased about his age in front of Audrey.
"That old guy is your ride outta here, Smart Guy," Jon remarked gripping Shawn by the back of the neck. "Might wanna shut up now."
There was no anger or annoyance in Jon's voice. A little embarrassment and a lot of sarcasm, but that was their language and how they communicated affection.
Shawn looked at Audrey and grinned.
The atmosphere of the Sun Happy Diner was very different to what it was in December.
Instead of being warmed by families huddled inside planning their Christmas's away from the cold, it was filled with people begrudgingly getting ready for the workday making it seem as cool inside as it was outside.
In spite of that, the trio found it cozy and comforting all the same.
"Hey there, handsome!" a familiar cheery voice rang out over the din of people chattering and dishes clanking shortly after the family sat down.
Jon turned to see Marge rushing over to them while ignoring the cook's call for her to "pick up" the order she was supposed to get.
Shawn, who since their last visit religiously watched Alice on Nick at Night, grinned at her and said, "You should tell that guy to 'kiss your grits'."
Marge's raspy laughter was loud and boisterous. "Oh, I've been hoping you and your parents would come back, honey." She ruffled Shawn's hair with great affection.
Shawn beamed, pleased that she remembered him.
"How've you been, Marge?" Audrey asked taking the menus from her.
"Oh, same old, same old. Can't complain though," she said with a laugh. With a jerk of her thumb towards the kitchen, she added with a sarcastic snap, "Except when he yells at me."
Right on cue the cook screamed for her again. Another waitress passed by, patted her arm and rolled her eyes with a smile, indicating she would get the order for her.
Marge shouted her gratitude then turned back to the little family. "What about you three? What's new?"
Shawn practically threw his menu at Jon. There were few things that he reveled in more than an adult who liked him.
"We're officially becomin' a family," he told her excitedly.
Marge looked stunned. She stared at the three of them for a long moment, then laughed. "Oh, honey! You almost got me there." She ruffled his hair again. "What are you up to really?"
Shawn was confused and a little hurt by her dismissive reaction.
"It's true," Jon told her. "Nothin' official yet, but that's where we're headed. Aud and I are gettin' married this summer and adoptin' Shawn as soon as we can."
"I am surprised you two aren't married," she said, still trying to wrap her head around this new information. "But then you young people have different views on that kind of thing these days. But you aren't his parents?"
"Not yet," Audrey said.
"But he looks so much like you." She stared at Jon. "You're not his daddy?"
Jon shook his head regretfully.
"And you're not his mama?" she pointed to Audrey.
Audrey gave her a sheepish smile.
"Oh, but…" Marge pulled out a chair from the table and plopped down on it. "See, my boys look just like their daddy but they're closest me and he," she looked at Shawn, "acts just like they do around you."
Shawn was terribly curious about why Marge was so convinced they were a biological family that she needed to sit down when she found they weren't. He wasn't surprised she thought Audrey was his mother; she'd been mistaken for his mother from the beginning even though she looked so young. It was that she thought he looked like Jon that had him so interested.
"Well, yeah, honey, you've got those dimples when you smile." Marge looked back and forth between Jon and Shawn. "They aren't quite a pronounced as his, maybe you favor your mama in that way, but… she isn't your mama so you can't favor her." She blinked several times then went on, "You have the same expressions, same mannerisms. The brow and the…" Her voice trailed off.
Shawn sat back. He wasn't sure he really looked much like Jon but if he resembled him enough that someone who didn't know them thought so…
A strange, conflicted feeling swirled within him.
He couldn't remember anyone telling him he looked like either Chet or Virna. If he was with one, people would say he must look like the other. Rarely were they out together so people could see them all at once even when they were no one ever said he looked like either of them.
It was strangely reassuring that strangers could see a resemblance between him and his soon-to-be parents. It meant that when he was adopted, strangers would be less likely to pry.
He hated people prying into his family business whether they were strangers, acquaintances, friends, or social workers. The last thing he wanted was to be adopted and look like he was.
It wasn't that Shawn thought there was anything wrong with being adopted or with family not looking like each other as that could happen in biological families; it was just that, for him, he was tired of the questions, the looks, the stress of having to explain himself, Chet, Virna, Jon, and Audrey. And forget trying to explain all the half-siblings he had. He just wanted to relax and not be constantly questioned by nosy adults or kids who couldn't accept "these are my parents" and move on.
That Marge thought he looked like Jon meant more to him than he could admit.
"Meant to be…" Audrey's words came echoing back to him.
His thoughts veered sharply to what his sister might look like when she was born and if she would favor Jon or Audrey or neither.
Shawn twitched his nose.
For her sake, he hoped she favored their mother.
The thought made him smile, but a lingering doubt and restlessness held tight beneath the warmth.
After breakfast and hugs from Marge and promises to return to see her soon along with an invitation to his legal guardianship signing, the trio hit the road again.
There were several planned stops along the way and a few unplanned.
Stopping by the Brawn Mayr Theater for Shawn was planned. Golf for Jon was not, but with a lot of time before their cabin would be ready there was no rush to get to Lancaster.
The golf outing caused Shawn to reconsider what he wanted to give Jon for Father's Day as well as taught him that he and Audrey has something else in common: a dislike of golf.
Shawn soured on the whole sport when he learned he could not race the golf cart.
"I already asked," Audrey said with a pout. "Jon said it was against the course's policy."
"I don't get it," the teen said watching Jon tee off. "Why is he so into golf to begin with?"
"Most hockey players are," Audrey shrugged. "And he's a typical hockey player."
Shawn made a face "Borin' off ice you mean?"
Audrey pushed out her bottom lip and declined to comment.
After the driving range they headed to Lancaster, but Jon stopped shortly before the city in a place called Kitchen Kettle Village.
Shawn knew about the place thanks to the brochures Eli had picked up for them when he went to Harrisburg for an interview with a news station, but the pamphlets did not indicate there would be so much to do.
With 40 specialty shops there were plenty of places for Audrey to stop and buy souvenirs for everyone she'd ever met. And plenty of opportunities for Jon to roll his eyes and complain about her spending habits.
By the time they were done shopping, Shawn and Jon practically had a new wardrobe, while Cory and Topanga would need to clear out space in their closets to make way for the new shirts they were going to get on Monday. During the shopping spree, Jon and Audrey had been mistaken for a long-married couple several times much to Shawn's delight though he played the role of the much-embarrassed teenage son dutifully.
As for his own souvenirs, Shawn was enamored with a place called Insect Creations, but Audrey refused to buy him a tarantula paperweight nor would she let Jon, invoking Mother's Day weekend as the reason.
In their exploration of the village, the little family stopped to watch Amish women make fresh jam and jelly. Shawn left with his arms full of carefully jarred fruits and a smile on his face that said he was in heaven. Jon had already made several trips to the truck, and they hadn't been there for an hour yet.
Audrey discovered there were buggy rides and she happily recalled Jon getting her the carriage ride to the Nutcracker in December. He downplayed how much her approval of that romantic gesture meant to him, but Shawn could see the pride all over his face.
Afterwards the trio stopped for handmade ice cream Uncle Leroy's and watched them make fudge in the store front window as they ate. Shawn asked a thousand questions and ingratiated himself with the owner so much he was sent out with multiple free samples of fudge and a bag of candy too.
Audrey took in every detail she could with Shawn's camera that she was promptly handed when he became engrossed in the scavenger hunt the place had.
Eventually they made it to Lancaster and were on schedule to arrive at the cabin on time until Shawn, who swore he did not need to use the restroom before they left Kitchen Kettle Village, insisted he had to go and could not wait.
Jon pulled over at Good's Store which was a department store-sized general store. It had everything from name-brand clothing and shoes to hardware and items produced by the local Amish and Mennonite craftsmen and artisans.
Shawn, despite loud persistent complaints in the truck about needing to use the restroom right now, managed to hold it while he browsed the aisles much to Jon's annoyance.
While the store catered to the outdoors crowd, something the trio were very much not a part of, it also held plenty of household goods that impressed Audrey. Jon could tell she was already making a list of things they'd need to furnish their new place and foresaw another trip to Good's in their future.
By the time Shawn decided he actually had to use the restroom Audrey needed to as well. This left Jon alone while they made the trek to the bathroom where Shawn went in almost immediately, but Audrey had to join an exceptionally long line for the women's room.
While waiting, Jon wandered through the clothing racks, absently flipping through jackets and shirts. A short time later Shawn joined him, but Audrey's line had barely moved.
Shawn, surprisingly, wasn't interested in the multitude of oversized plaid shirts around them. Instead he managed to get himself into a conversation with an old hunter about the best way to bring down a buck. Jon didn't know whether to be impressed that Shawn could fake his way through the conversation so well or worried that the old man believed anything he said.
While Shawn was debating best shot placements on a deer, Jon found himself in the women's clothing department. He was about to turn around and head back to Shawn when his attention was caught by a bright red high cut swimsuit like the ones worn on Baywatch.
Audrey doesn't have a suit, he remembered with a slight smile.
Suddenly, Jon was very interested in this section of the store.
He rifled through the various swim wear, envisioning Audrey in all of it. Finally it occurred to him that he had no idea what she liked or, more importantly, would be comfortable in.
But she needed a suit. They were going to a waterpark after all.
While he favored the bikinis worn by the girls on MTV's Beach House, he knew Audrey would not be comfortable in one in public and they were also going to a family theme park for young kids, not the Jersey Shore. Begrudgingly he put the suit back and resumed searching.
At one point he thought he found the one- a pearlescent two-piece. He had to struggle to reach it as it was shoved in the back behind a bunch of one-piece suits with weird ruching and ruffled skirts. He was terribly disappointed when he finally got it into the light.
It wasn't even a bikini; it was an off-white one-piece.
No doubt Audrey would make this boring garment look like haute couture, but Jon couldn't stomach the idea of putting her into something so plain. He shoved it back where he found it and continued to look for something that matched her personality.
Eventually he found a bikini that looked like it would provide her with more coverage on top and, while the bottom was a high cut brief, a slightly ruffled skirt provided plenty of coverage. The colors were trendy bright blues and purples with white trim.
Very much Audrey.
Glancing at the line to the restroom, he saw Audrey finally going in. Pleased with himself and his surprise gift, he headed to the front to pay before she got out of the restroom, casting a lingering look at the string bikini as he went.
They made it to the Old Mill Stream Campground just after two. The cabin Jon had reserved was made of honey colored wood with a quaint green porch decorated with peonies and primroses. Tulips lined the ground surrounding the porch. The grounds around the cabin were lush and green.
Audrey was thrilled with the cabin. Jon was surprised it looked as good as advertised. Shawn worried it would be too small for three people.
Since check in wasn't until three, the trio familiarized themselves with the campgrounds.
Not far from them was a combination office and store with camping supplies, wood, and propane. The campgrounds also had three bathhouses and a sanitation station, two laundromats, two pavilions, a game room and a playground.
Shawn quickly disappeared into the game room while the adults wandered the grounds nearby.
Audrey took Jon's hand and wrapped her free arm around his.
"This is amazing," she sighed happily. "I'm very impressed with what you two can accomplish together."
Jon smiled but he was skeptical. He was concerned that the cabin might be too small for them given that they really needed three bedrooms instead of two. "Maybe you should hold that thought until you see the inside of the cabin and the rest of what we have planned."
She smiled and shook her head. "Family vacations aren't supposed to go as planned. And it doesn't matter. It's the thought that counts and that we're together." She gave him a slightly concerned look. "I hope this wasn't expensive."
"Nah," Jon smiled. "I called in a few favors and got this place and tickets to the park for nothin'."
Audrey raised her brow in surprise. "Please tell me you didn't call in favors from your family."
Jon shook his head with a small smile. "Nope."
"Who then? Old friends?"
He grinned, then laughed. "You would not believe the how far the Feeny reach is. He happens to have been the much-loved 6th grader teacher of the guy who runs the campgrounds. When he found out George was my boss, I got my pick of cabins on the house."
Audrey's mouth fell open slightly before she too started laughing. "That is impressive and just a little scary."
The campgrounds were on a narrow river with several benches to sit and relax on the walking path. Across the way was an Amish farmer was working his field with his large Belgian workhorses.
Jon slipped his hand out of hers and wrapped her in an embrace. "You have turned my life upside down; you know that right?"
Audrey looked up at him curiously.
There was a distant look in his eyes as he watched the horses. "I was doin' just fine on my own. Livin' the life I wanted. Not a care in the world, no responsibilities. Then Shawn showed up at my door in the spring. You showed up in my classroom in the autumn."
He shook his head. "You know, if you hadn't shown up Shawn and I probably woulda ended up roommates or brothers or somethin'. I would be draggin' my feet about signin' this paperwork. But you, you came along and turned us into a family."
Audrey turned her attention to the geese and ducks that were along the riverbank. "For a guy who got his life upended you don't exactly sound upset."
He smiled fondly at her. "I'm not. This life is better than I ever thought it could be. I dunno, I guess I was basin' family life on what I saw growin' up and I knew I didn't want that. But I can kinda relate to why Shawn feels that Cory's got the life he always wanted because Alan's got the life I never knew I wanted."
She nodded and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Our life probably isn't going to be just like theirs, you know."
"Nah, I know." He hugged her closer. "We'll be a lot more like your parents than Cory's." His eyes darkened as he thought about the Andrews. "You just remember you promised I wouldn't lose you the way Richie lost Lizzy."
She buried her face against his chest. "I remember."
Jon rested his chin on top of her head. After a while they headed to the game room to drag Shawn out so they could finally relax at the cabin.
The cabin was small yet was able to sleep four as it was equipped with a queen bed and a futon. Per Jon's request, a roll away bed was waiting in the bedroom.
"This isn't necessary," Shawn said as he inspected the bed. He assumed the rollaway was for him. "The futon sleeps two. We coulda bunked together."
Jon leaned against the closet door and made a face. "Been there, done that, been kicked all night. No thanks."
Shawn shrugged. He bounced off the bed and headed for the living room. When he reached the door he put his hand on Jon's shoulder and, with the Joker grin spreading across his face, said, "I'm proud of you."
"Why?"
The teen glanced at Audrey. "You're stayin' in the same room with her."
Jon stared impassively at him. "Not walkin' into anything you're settin' up, Hunter. Go get your gear unpacked."
Shawn snickered and did as he was told.
Audrey, who had overheard them, grinned.
Jon pushed himself away from the door and walked over to her. "I hope me stayin' in here is alright with you." He shot a look at the door. "He snores all night, too."
"You know I'm fine with it, Jon. You've always been respectful of my boundaries." She stood on her toes to kiss him. "And Shawn is close by anyway."
"Yeah." Jon put his hand on the wall. "I hope this place has some soundproofin' or we'll have a hard time sleepin' for an entirely different reason. I'm not kiddin' when I say he snores."
"I know," Audrey said pressing her chin into his shoulder. "I've heard him both in class and at my place. At least Cory isn't here to make it full surround sound."
Jon chuckled, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into a kiss.
The original plan had been to unpack then head down to the general store to pick up the groceries Jon and Shawn had ordered ahead of time. Instead all three ended up asleep, huddled on the small couch.
Shawn was the first one to wake up. He did so only because his tailbone hitting the wooden floor made it impossible to keep sleeping.
Rubbing his rear as he stood up, he looked at the couch expecting either Jon or Audrey to wake up.
Neither did.
Audrey's legs were over Jon's lap. He hugged her knees to his chest as she curled forward with her arms wrapped around him and her head against his shoulder. His head rested against hers and his feet were propped up on the small coffee table in front of them.
Shawn chuckled at the sight. Their positions looked more uncomfortable than the little space he had been folded up into.
As he watched them a tight ball of anxiety in his stomach pushed its way up to his heart.
He squirmed uncomfortably.
His future parents.
His parents.
These two people wanted him enough to rearrange their lives and the beginning of their marriage for him while two people were giving up on him so they could have their lives back to what they were before kids and each other.
He couldn't not rid himself of these thoughts that constantly played in his head.
Suddenly the small cabin was too tiny, and Shawn felt claustrophobic as cognitive dissonance overtook him. He looked at the door then glanced at the clock; it was close to five.
Right on cue his stomach rumbled, and he remembered they had not picked up the groceries.
Neither Jon nor Audrey showed signs of waking so Shawn took one of the cabin keys and turned to leave. Just as he closed the front door behind him, something tugged at the edge of his consciousness.
If they wake up before I get back they won't know where I am, and they'll be worried. Shawn frowned. He'd never worried about the consequences of sneaking out like this before.
Quietly he slipped back inside and found a pad of paper and a pen in the desk drawer in the bedroom. He scribbled a note, realized it was illegible, and rewrote it. Then he slipped the note under Jon's foot and headed back out.
The General Store was incredibly busy, as this was the time many campers finished setting up and were ready to eat. Standing in the crowded line, Shawn was surprised that everyone was so friendly and chatty. It reminded him of a block party, except that no one knew anyone who didn't come with them.
He found himself in the middle of conversations with strangers who felt like old friends within minutes. Naturally, these friendly strangers wanted to know why a teen was out alone. He explained but left out the titles he bugged Jon about choosing so everyone took his references to Jon and Audrey to mean they were married. Some thought Jon and Audrey had been married for at least 15 years and that Shawn, being a kid, just had his dates mixed up. Others thought Audrey was his stepmother who married someone much older than she was.
Shawn only corrected them about Audrey being his stepmother.
Eventually he made it out with his groceries and several invitations to meals and offers from others to stay with them should he and his parents ever be in their area. He also left with the food in a red wagon one of the store owners loaned him as there was too much for him to carry.
It felt like a very Cory thing to do.
Shawn shook his head in amusement and started for the cabin.
When he returned, Jon and Audrey were still asleep.
He studied them for a while, then an idea came to him. He decided to make himself useful as Jon would say.
As quietly as he could, he brought the groceries inside, leaving the wagon at the bottom of the porch stairs. He put everything away then stood in the middle of the kitchen, thinking.
Unsure of what dinner plans were as he and Jon had only planned the full day's menu for Sunday, Shawn decided on something simple to make and clean up: soup, sandwiches, and salad.
Knowing what he wanted to fix, he did what he'd seen Audrey do many times since September: put all the ingredients neatly out on the counter first, then go to work.
Chicken noodle soup was a family favorite and something he knew Audrey would eat. While she wouldn't eat quite a can, he and Jon would eat more than one, so he opened five cans to make sure there was enough for everyone.
While waiting for the soup to heat up in a pot on the stove, he set the table.
"Want any help?" a deep voice asked softly.
Shawn looked up through his bangs to see Jon watching him from the couch.
He thought his teacher looked proud of him, but he wasn't sure; it could have just been a trick of the lights.
Focusing on his napkin folding, he shrugged. "You wanna put the plates on the table?"
Jon nodded and gently positioned Audrey on the couch, replacing his arm with a pillow.
The plates were full of food.
Jon was impressed with turkey club sandwiches complete with little toothpicks holding them together. Chips chosen according to personal preferences made it easy to tell who the plate belonged to. There were pickles, potato salad, and in small bowls, a regular salad he knew was to complete Audrey's requirement of a green vegetable at dinner.
He smiled, incredibly proud of the teen. Shawn had come a long way since September.
As Shawn dipped out Campbell's soup into bowls, he asked Jon to wake Audrey.
Jon did as he was asked.
Audrey was visibly impressed by Shawn's dinner.
Per Shawn's request, she allowed Jon to guide her to the table where the teen poured her a glass of Diet Pepsi.
Regular for himself and Jon.
Audrey kissed his cheek and told him she was proud of him.
Shawn ducked his head, pleased with himself.
For a while, they ate in pleasant silence just enjoying each other's company.
"So, Mama," Shawn finally said between bites of potato salad on a chip, "Did you ever go to theme parks other than Six Flags as a kid?"
Wiping her mouth with the corner of her napkin she nodded.
"Did you ever go to Action Park?"
Her face lit up in a bright grin. "Oh, yeah. One of Daddy's best friends was from Jersey and went all the time with his teen sons."
"No way!" Shawn excitedly shoved himself back from the table balancing his chair on its back legs. "Is it as dangerous as they say it is?"
Audrey nodded again. She fully expected to be asked if they would take him and Cory to the notorious park.
"Lucky! Did you get to go on the Cannonball Loop?"
"No, if you were under a hundred pounds you wouldn't make it around the loop since there wasn't enough water pressure to push you through," she replied looking annoyed. "I had a friend almost knocked unconscious when he fell from the top of the loop. Thankfully, his brother was in the pool and got him when he came out of the slide."
"Whoa!" Shawn let out an impressed breath. "Eric said they used crash test dummies in that thing, and they were dismembered."
"Yep."
"Wait, that actually happened?!"
"And they still opened the ride and let kids on it."
Shawn leaned forward with great curiosity. "So, like, did you get to ride it ever?"
She pushed her bottom lip out in a pout. "Daddy heard the crash test dummy story and saw my cousin come out of the Loop with a broken nose, so I never had the chance."
"Bummer."
"Definitely." She stabbed a piece of potato with her fork. "Wasn't allowed to swim in the Grave Pool either."
"Grave Pool?" Shawn tipped his head to the side. "Never heard of that one."
"It's what they called the tidal wave pool."
"Why?"
"More than one drowning. Daddy didn't care how strong a swimmer I was he wouldn't even let me dip my feet in."
"Man," Shawn said, frowning. "I'm surprised Pops was so old-fashioned. I thought he'd be fun at a place like that."
"Nothin' wrong with bein' old fashioned," Jon interjected under his breath.
Audrey didn't hear him. "I wish! Daddy all but had me on a leash there. The last time I went I was twelve and I went with cousins who told Daddy we were going to Six Flags."
"No." Shawn was fascinated by this and briefly wondered if he could get Audrey to sneak him there since he knew Jon would not let him go.
"Yes," she winked at him. "Everything was a hot, adrenaline filled blur. I don't remember much except it seemed like all the workers were teens who had no training, didn't care, ignored height and weight restrictions on rides, and drank all day."
"Cool!" Shawn cried.
Jon leaned back in his chair and rolled his eyes.
Shawn saw this and called him on it. "You don't like thrill rides, but you gotta problem with waterparks now too?"
He narrowed his eyes at the teen then slowly shook his head. "Never I said I did."
"Then what's with the eye roll?"
"This cool business," Jon replied. "They call it Traction Park for a reason."
Shawn gave Jon a quizzical look. "You went to Action Park?"
Jon nodded and took a slow sip of his soda. "Last time was in '86. Motorworld was my favorite part of the park."
Audrey leaned forward on her elbows very interested in this story.
Jon also Shawn's full attention now. "Motorworld? What's that?"
"Basically a big swamp with fish, snakes, and snappin' turtles."
"Cool!"
"Huh," Jon said flicking the can with his finger. "Easy for you to say. You never got bitten by a turtle. Those things are mean." He smiled at the memory of a time he hadn't thought about in years. "There were a lot of really fun rides though."
"Like what?"
Audrey sat back and let Jon take over telling Shawn about the super speedboats that were often piloted by inebriated captains, the bumper boats that leaked gasoline, the kayaks on tracks that allegedly electrocuted more than one guest, the Space Shot tower drop, and Sling Shot that was similar to what Shawn and Audrey rode on at Six Flags.
It was clear that at one point in his life, Jon was quite a thrill seeker.
"For the right amount of cash, staff would rig the go-karts to go much faster than they ever should have gone- 50 miles per hour. Same for the Lola cars which are open cockpit race cars."
Shawn was practically drooling over his stories, so he reminded the teen why it was called Traction Park. "I saw head on collisions every time we went. A friend of mine was hospitalized for a week after a high-speed crash. That's when I started to lose interest in the park."
"That sucks," Shawn said looking as though he was souring on the park too. "What did you in though?"
Jon looked at Audrey. "You know what I'm gonna say?"
She nodded with a shudder. "Alpine Slide."
"Got my fill of thrill rides to last a lifetime after that last trip."
They both fell silent.
Shawn stared at them. He gave them three seconds to continue before giving an exasperated, "What happened?"
"Murphy's Law." Jon leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. "The Alpine Slide is one of the only non-water rides there. You sit on a low plastic seat with wheels and a bar for steerin'. Then you get pushed down a long downhill racetrack. No helmets and the brakes don't work. No warnin's that you could lose a finger if you put your hand in the wrong place."
Shawn leaned forward eagerly, silently urging Jon to go on.
"There was a fast lane and a slow lane. We called 'em 'injured' and 'dead'. Without workin' brakes there is no way to stop from slammin' into the person in front of you and the person behind you can't stop either. I swear I got a concussion on that ride the last time. I was so lightheaded and felt sick for a good hour after, but I was there with my buddies who were hit much harder, so we keep goin'."
"That sounds so cool," Shawn said in admiration. He was starting to see Jon in a new light.
Jon rolled his eyes. "Aud may not have gone on the Cannonball, but I did. I knew kids got hurt on the thing, but I didn't think I would at 25."
"So it wasn't that bad?"
"No, worse. You get on this thing with no instructions on what to do. Halfway down the ride you're shot into a pitch-black tube, then hit a rollercoaster loop. The thing is, you aren't on anythin' it's just you and hopefully enough gravity to propel you through this thing." Jon paused and put his hands on his head as though he had a headache.
"When you come outta of it you shoot off a cliff face two stories above the water with absolutely no warning. You have just enough time to think and panic. Then maybe get a scream out before hittin' the surface of the slimy green water with a painful slap."
Shawn refrained from saying cool again as Jon looked pained. "That's pretty sick," he said instead.
Jon, understanding what he meant by "sick" snorted. "The last ride ended it for me. We went on these short, fast water slides that shot you into a lake. There was no timin' on these things: kids would fly out at random times, landin' on each other or on some sharp rock. Of course, I get on the worst slide. This thing immediately makes an abrupt 90-degree turn. Not a slow, smooth 90-degree turn. Nope. I got slammed into a wall and thrown in a different direction, then ended up in a gross pond full of cryin' kids and water snakes."
Not used to having such a captive audience, Jon continued with stories of lesser "accidents" that occurred on his last visit to the park, then concluded with, "Spent the next two-day pukin' and feelin' like I was gonna fall off the edge of the planet when I lifted my head. Lost all interest in thrill rides after that. I'm not sayin' I'll never do it again; I just don't have any desire to."
"Wow," Shawn said with awe and respect. "Man, you are way more adventurous than Mama and me put together!"
At the look of unabashed admiration for Jon on Shawn's face, Audrey covered her mouth with her hand to hide her pleased smile lest it embarrass them and ruin the moment.
She also quite admire Jon for his daring.
"That place is headed for closure, I'm tellin' you," Jon said pointing his fork at Shawn before continuing to eat his potato salad. "No way that place makes it another year."
"Yeah it sounds really bad." Shawn hung his head in thoughtful repose. When he looked up there was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Can we go before it does?"
"Did you not hear anythin' I just said?" Jon asked exasperated.
"Yeah, I did." He glanced at Audrey. "So can we? This summer?"
Jon put his fork down, crossed his arms, and rested them on the table. "I am not givin' up my six-week European honeymoon for the chance to spend six months in a hospital rooml. No way. And before you suggest it, I'll make sure to tell Mr. Matthews you're forbidden from goin'."
Before Shawn could respond, Audrey interjected with a surprised, "Six-week European honeymoon? I thought it was just England for a month to see my family. Jon, is there something you want to tell me?"
Shawn smirked. "Yeah, Dad, is there?"
Jon sat back dumbfounded at the direction the conversation had taken. "Well, no, I just mean, if everything works out and I can plan, you know, a little somethin'…"
Shawn rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, Mama, I'll get him straightened out."