Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 1:12 am
A/N-This is the first part of the Epilogue. I think it's the right time to end this fic of mine and I have enjoyed writing it. Thanks to all my readers, whether or not you have left FB. Part 2 will be posted either on Christmas eve or Christmas Day. Flashbacks will be in Italics.
~EPILOGUE ~ I
Now just because the Evans’ and their extended family had accepted the fact that Alex was an angel, it didn’t automatically make it easier for them to digest that bit of information. Max especially had the hardest time believing it but he made the effort for his sister, after noticing how she had blossomed over the past year. Michael surprisingly, struck up a wonderful friendship with Alex, much to the delight of their better halves.
“I am so glad that Michael and Alex have become so close.” Maria remarked one afternoon as she stood in Isabel’s kitchen, wiping the plates after lunch
Isabel glanced over her shoulder at her husband and her brother, both of who were standing out on the balcony, deep in conversation, completely unaware that they were the subject of their wives’ conversation.
“Yeah I think Alex asking him to be best man at the wedding really clinched the deal, so to speak. I mean they got along from the very first day they met but Alex asking Michael to step up for him really made a difference.” Isabel sort of got a dreamy look in her eyes as she recalled her wedding day, even after nearly a year and a half of being married and Maria couldn’t help but smile and carried on wiping the dishes quietly
The wedding was set exactly nine months after Christmas. Isabel wanted it to be a small, quiet affair, with just her immediate family along with the Parkers and Valentis. Of course a couple of angels turned up, namely Gabriel and Lucius, to support their brother on the happiest day of his life. Unfortunately none but Alex and Isabel knew of their presence but that was all that mattered. With two angels there to bless them, Isabel couldn’t have asked for more.
The Evans’ backyard was chosen as the venue and Isabel hired a landscape artist to decorate her parent’s back garden to suit her tastes, not that Diane and Philip minded much, they always had faith in Isabel’s choices when it came to decorating. Since it was going to be a small gathering, the chairs for the guests fitted in nicely to the small space, without being crushed together.
From the moment he came to know that the wedding was being held in the back garden Michael had set to work, sawing, carving and polishing, the wedding gift that is.
“Izzy’s going to love it Spaceboy.” Maria said admiring her husband’s work one day when she wandered in to his workshop behind their house, to give him a glass of juice,
“I hope she does…and Alex too.” he replied after gulping down the cool liquid
The day of the wedding, at the crack of dawn, Michael along with a few of his colleagues managed to get the altar, from his workshop in to the Evans’ yard, setting it up in front of the chairs, which had been set out the night previous at Isabel’s insistence meaning which they had to be wiped since they were with dew.
“OH MY GOD!!!!! MICHAEL!!!” Isabel screeched from her bedroom window as she saw her wedding gift being brought in to the backyard. She was staying with her parents and Alex was in her apartment, following the customary rule of not seeing each other for twenty-four hours before the ceremony.
Michael heard her bounding down the stairs and a moment later she flew out of the backdoor, ‘ooh-ing’ and ‘aah-ing’ over the altar.
“Michael this is beautiful…I can’t believe you made this for me.”
“And Alex.” Michael added amused and thoroughly delighted that she loved it
“Yes of course Alex, I know he’ll love it.”
“Thank you Michael!” she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly for a few seconds and when she pulled away there were tears in her eyes “This is the best gift.”
Michael smiled and kissed her forehead, “You deserve it.” he said quietly and then added, “I have to go now, but I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“See you.”
“All set Angelman?” Michael asked Alex with a big clap on the back as they entered the Evans’ household,
“As ready as I will ever be Mike. I have been waiting for this day for months and…where did that come from?” he asked turning to look at Michael as they stepped on to the back porch
“From my workshop. That’s my gift to Isabel and you.”
“Michael, that’s the best gift I have ever received. Thanks man.”
Michael grinned when he heard Alex more or less say the same thing as Isabel, “It was my pleasure.”
Alex and Isabel had decided to keep their vows simple. They didn’t need any fancy or grand declarations of love, they already knew how they felt about each other and wanted to keep it private.
“I promise to love, cherish and protect you, in this life and the next.” Alex said softly, knowing that they would be together forever
“Alex…” there was a lump forming in Isabel’s throat “sometimes I still can’t believe how blessed I am to have you in my life. I promise to always be there for you, always and forever.”
“Earth to Isabel. Earth to Isabel.” Maria joked and snapped her fingers in front of Isabel’s face and Isabel blushed, “Sorry, I was day-dreaming. Can’t help it, it all seems to good to be true sometimes.”
They walked in to the living room and sat down on the sofa, “I mean two years ago we hadn’t even told you guys about Alex and we didn’t know whether he was coming or going and now everything seems to have fallen in to place. Even us managing to get that little shop downstairs to open up our own little bakery was a stroke of luck.”
“Yeah, I have to admit that was lucky.”
“And we’re going to be eternally grateful to Jeff for all the help he gave us while setting up the business. He and Nancy were really bricks during those first few months. There were times when I thought we’d made a huge mistake but Alex is such a huge optimist, he never let me give up and put up with my bad temper.”
Isabel and Alex has decided to go ahead and open up their own bakery, Isabel supervising all the baking and Alex dealing with the financial side of the business. They had taken a loan from Philip but were doing well and knew that they would be able to pay it all back in no time. ‘Slice of Heaven’ was the name they came up with and Isabel cakes, pies and cookies were a hit all over town. At first Isabel had been hesitant about going in business but with a little coaxing from Alex and Maria she decided to give it a shot. It also helped because Alex needed a job and what better way for an ex-angel to avoid questions concerning former employment than by opening your own business. Of course he was given all the necessary paper work by the higher ups so that he wouldn’t attract unwanted attention from government officials. He had also decided to take ‘Whitman’ as his surname.
“Speaking of which, I better get down there and see what those employees of mine are up to.” Isabel said, hoisting herself up “We really need a firmer sofa, I simply sink in to this one.”
“That’s our cue to leave then. Michael.”
“No there’s no need to Maria, Alex can stay up here with you, I just need to see what’s going on down there. It’s a Saturday, so relax, be glad you don’t have a business which does it’s best business at the weekends.” she said wit a grin as the men entered the room
“You called boss?” Michael strolled up to Maria, hands in his pockets
“Yeah I did, I think we should leave. Isabel needs to go downstairs to check on things.”
“No you will not.” Alex piped up “I’ll go. You sit here and relax.”
“No, I’m not tired.”
“Okay, why don’t we all go downstairs, that way there won’t be an argument.” Maria intervened and walked out, making sure the others followed
The shop was quiet, since it was just past three-thirty in the afternoon so Michael and Maria stuck around talking to Alex and Isabel while they arranged all the freshly baked items in the display trays as their workers brought them out from the kitchen.
The bell above the door tinkled signaling the arrival of a customer and the Guerins got up to leave, waving their goodbyes, “See you guys later.”
“I’d like two Black Forest pastries and two slices of Lemon Pie, please Isabel.”
“Here you go Kevin.” Isabel said as she handed him a box with his order “Winnie having one of her sweet cravings?”
“More like her hundredth in one day.” Kevin retorted with a wry grin and looked at Alex, “You have no idea how lucky you are man, to own a place like this. Easy access to all things sweet.”
“You’d think so but Isabel here decided to have cravings for all things sour aside from wanting everything to be bland, no spice at all. You should see the amount of pickled limes we have upstairs. Shall we swap wives?”
Both men laughed while Isabel swatted Alex upside the head and grinned good-naturedly.
“When is Winnie due?” Isabel asked
“Two more weeks. You?”
“I think right now.”
TBC
~EPILOGUE ~ I
Now just because the Evans’ and their extended family had accepted the fact that Alex was an angel, it didn’t automatically make it easier for them to digest that bit of information. Max especially had the hardest time believing it but he made the effort for his sister, after noticing how she had blossomed over the past year. Michael surprisingly, struck up a wonderful friendship with Alex, much to the delight of their better halves.
“I am so glad that Michael and Alex have become so close.” Maria remarked one afternoon as she stood in Isabel’s kitchen, wiping the plates after lunch
Isabel glanced over her shoulder at her husband and her brother, both of who were standing out on the balcony, deep in conversation, completely unaware that they were the subject of their wives’ conversation.
“Yeah I think Alex asking him to be best man at the wedding really clinched the deal, so to speak. I mean they got along from the very first day they met but Alex asking Michael to step up for him really made a difference.” Isabel sort of got a dreamy look in her eyes as she recalled her wedding day, even after nearly a year and a half of being married and Maria couldn’t help but smile and carried on wiping the dishes quietly
The wedding was set exactly nine months after Christmas. Isabel wanted it to be a small, quiet affair, with just her immediate family along with the Parkers and Valentis. Of course a couple of angels turned up, namely Gabriel and Lucius, to support their brother on the happiest day of his life. Unfortunately none but Alex and Isabel knew of their presence but that was all that mattered. With two angels there to bless them, Isabel couldn’t have asked for more.
The Evans’ backyard was chosen as the venue and Isabel hired a landscape artist to decorate her parent’s back garden to suit her tastes, not that Diane and Philip minded much, they always had faith in Isabel’s choices when it came to decorating. Since it was going to be a small gathering, the chairs for the guests fitted in nicely to the small space, without being crushed together.
From the moment he came to know that the wedding was being held in the back garden Michael had set to work, sawing, carving and polishing, the wedding gift that is.
“Izzy’s going to love it Spaceboy.” Maria said admiring her husband’s work one day when she wandered in to his workshop behind their house, to give him a glass of juice,
“I hope she does…and Alex too.” he replied after gulping down the cool liquid
The day of the wedding, at the crack of dawn, Michael along with a few of his colleagues managed to get the altar, from his workshop in to the Evans’ yard, setting it up in front of the chairs, which had been set out the night previous at Isabel’s insistence meaning which they had to be wiped since they were with dew.
“OH MY GOD!!!!! MICHAEL!!!” Isabel screeched from her bedroom window as she saw her wedding gift being brought in to the backyard. She was staying with her parents and Alex was in her apartment, following the customary rule of not seeing each other for twenty-four hours before the ceremony.
Michael heard her bounding down the stairs and a moment later she flew out of the backdoor, ‘ooh-ing’ and ‘aah-ing’ over the altar.
“Michael this is beautiful…I can’t believe you made this for me.”
“And Alex.” Michael added amused and thoroughly delighted that she loved it
“Yes of course Alex, I know he’ll love it.”
“Thank you Michael!” she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly for a few seconds and when she pulled away there were tears in her eyes “This is the best gift.”
Michael smiled and kissed her forehead, “You deserve it.” he said quietly and then added, “I have to go now, but I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“See you.”
“All set Angelman?” Michael asked Alex with a big clap on the back as they entered the Evans’ household,
“As ready as I will ever be Mike. I have been waiting for this day for months and…where did that come from?” he asked turning to look at Michael as they stepped on to the back porch
“From my workshop. That’s my gift to Isabel and you.”
“Michael, that’s the best gift I have ever received. Thanks man.”
Michael grinned when he heard Alex more or less say the same thing as Isabel, “It was my pleasure.”
Alex and Isabel had decided to keep their vows simple. They didn’t need any fancy or grand declarations of love, they already knew how they felt about each other and wanted to keep it private.
“I promise to love, cherish and protect you, in this life and the next.” Alex said softly, knowing that they would be together forever
“Alex…” there was a lump forming in Isabel’s throat “sometimes I still can’t believe how blessed I am to have you in my life. I promise to always be there for you, always and forever.”
“Earth to Isabel. Earth to Isabel.” Maria joked and snapped her fingers in front of Isabel’s face and Isabel blushed, “Sorry, I was day-dreaming. Can’t help it, it all seems to good to be true sometimes.”
They walked in to the living room and sat down on the sofa, “I mean two years ago we hadn’t even told you guys about Alex and we didn’t know whether he was coming or going and now everything seems to have fallen in to place. Even us managing to get that little shop downstairs to open up our own little bakery was a stroke of luck.”
“Yeah, I have to admit that was lucky.”
“And we’re going to be eternally grateful to Jeff for all the help he gave us while setting up the business. He and Nancy were really bricks during those first few months. There were times when I thought we’d made a huge mistake but Alex is such a huge optimist, he never let me give up and put up with my bad temper.”
Isabel and Alex has decided to go ahead and open up their own bakery, Isabel supervising all the baking and Alex dealing with the financial side of the business. They had taken a loan from Philip but were doing well and knew that they would be able to pay it all back in no time. ‘Slice of Heaven’ was the name they came up with and Isabel cakes, pies and cookies were a hit all over town. At first Isabel had been hesitant about going in business but with a little coaxing from Alex and Maria she decided to give it a shot. It also helped because Alex needed a job and what better way for an ex-angel to avoid questions concerning former employment than by opening your own business. Of course he was given all the necessary paper work by the higher ups so that he wouldn’t attract unwanted attention from government officials. He had also decided to take ‘Whitman’ as his surname.
“Speaking of which, I better get down there and see what those employees of mine are up to.” Isabel said, hoisting herself up “We really need a firmer sofa, I simply sink in to this one.”
“That’s our cue to leave then. Michael.”
“No there’s no need to Maria, Alex can stay up here with you, I just need to see what’s going on down there. It’s a Saturday, so relax, be glad you don’t have a business which does it’s best business at the weekends.” she said wit a grin as the men entered the room
“You called boss?” Michael strolled up to Maria, hands in his pockets
“Yeah I did, I think we should leave. Isabel needs to go downstairs to check on things.”
“No you will not.” Alex piped up “I’ll go. You sit here and relax.”
“No, I’m not tired.”
“Okay, why don’t we all go downstairs, that way there won’t be an argument.” Maria intervened and walked out, making sure the others followed
The shop was quiet, since it was just past three-thirty in the afternoon so Michael and Maria stuck around talking to Alex and Isabel while they arranged all the freshly baked items in the display trays as their workers brought them out from the kitchen.
The bell above the door tinkled signaling the arrival of a customer and the Guerins got up to leave, waving their goodbyes, “See you guys later.”
“I’d like two Black Forest pastries and two slices of Lemon Pie, please Isabel.”
“Here you go Kevin.” Isabel said as she handed him a box with his order “Winnie having one of her sweet cravings?”
“More like her hundredth in one day.” Kevin retorted with a wry grin and looked at Alex, “You have no idea how lucky you are man, to own a place like this. Easy access to all things sweet.”
“You’d think so but Isabel here decided to have cravings for all things sour aside from wanting everything to be bland, no spice at all. You should see the amount of pickled limes we have upstairs. Shall we swap wives?”
Both men laughed while Isabel swatted Alex upside the head and grinned good-naturedly.
“When is Winnie due?” Isabel asked
“Two more weeks. You?”
“I think right now.”
TBC