The Inevitable Fanfiction

Epilogue to Made of Honour – Ending With Honour

There are certain things science and logic will never be able to explain. Sometimes the worst of people get the best out of life, while the kindest suffer throughout. I am neither extreme – I have done many things I am proud of, and some things I would have done differently if I could. However, right now, right here, I don’t regret a thing. I honour and appreciate each and every thing I own and every person in my life.
I survey my surroundings; it’s a crowd of about twenty, all bustling about my living room. They are laughing amongst themselves, and I quite like the look of the two different families that have been joined as one for a few years now. We have been through a lot together. There were introductions done, but that must have been almost thirteen years ago. Then there were those transition periods, then pain, and now here we are. Look how far we have come.
Nicholas, Kate and Jimmy clink their glasses together. Lorraine is in town and is sitting with my mother, eyeing their grandchildren. Alex and Austin mix with my nephews and nieces, entertaining the younger ones. Little Zach, who is not so little anymore, has hold of Georgia’s pigtail, and they run around the room playing something make-believe, I’m sure. Sinitta was kind enough to let the kids come over tonight, though she has another agenda to attend to.
Randy and Ryan enter the room before making their way to me. They each pat my back in congratulations and we shake hands. It is a great occasion after all. My staff attendant gets them a drink each as we eye the party. A few years ago maybe, I would have been the life of it – mingling with sociable people I forget the names of. Now though, I am with family and there are no pretences. I never realised how fun it was to stay in the background and watch happiness just be.
I also love watching Paula; I don’t think that will ever change. I catch her eye from the corner of the room, as she comes back from the kitchen. She has a large dish of mash potato, which my mother has taught her to make perfectly. She’s taken a liking to cooking lately, I think. Even more so than before. It must be because of all the free time we have now. Ever since Idol ended, she has starred in few shows – my own being the exception. I have no complaints. Paula smiles at me, laying the plate on the table before joining me on the couch. Randy has wandered off, so we spend time catching up with Ryan, who we rarely see nowadays. He and his girlfriend and apparently, expecting a baby. Never would I have imagined the day my little brother, my annoying little mosquito, become a father.
“Congratulations, little buddy,” I smile and hug him.
“Yeah, congratulations, Ry!” says Paula excitedly. She kisses his cheek.
“Thanks guys.” He is embarrassed, almost blushing. He steers the topic away quickly.
When he finds Paula’s glowing face directed towards him too much to take, he finds some others to speak to. She is unbelievably happy for him, I’m sure. I think back to a few years ago, where she might not have been that ecstatic, not genuinely anyway. Not fully: not without a child of her own. And right on cue does Julia come to sit on my lap.
“Dad, where are my presents?” She moans. I kiss her head, chuckling.
“Darling, this is not your party. It’s not your turn to get presents.” She pouts, shying away from my fingers tickling her waist.
“Tell you what, baby,” Paula starts, sweetly. “Tomorrow, we’ll buy you that doll you wanted.”
Julia likes this, and kisses her mother. “Thank-you, mumma.”
“Mummy’s girl,” I mutter. She giggles in her childish manner.
“I love you too, daddy!” She chimes.
Just a few years ago, should someone have told me I would be here with Paula and our daughter, I would have laughed. Now, I feel wiser, more grown up as I look at my life partner and little girl. We adopted Julia when she was three years old and now she is going on eight. It had taken a while to get used to but now I even remember how many teeth she has lost. Other than her appearance – light brown hair and green eyes, she seems to be a replica of Paula with my British accent. She tries to be just like Paula, dressing and dancing similarly in her own cute way. Yes, I never wanted to be an old man with a young kid, but as I look at my family now, I couldn’t imagine life without either of them.
The party plays on for most of the night, and I am more than happy to be a spectator. By 11 pm, Julia and Zac are sound asleep on mum’s lap. Paula offers to tuck Zac and Maggie into the guest room as I get our daughter. It’s been a great time but honestly, I cannot wait to retire and have Paula to myself. With a kiss goodbye to both mum and Lorraine, I show them out before retreating to the kitchen. Paula is clearing up, scraping plates into the bin and loading them into the sink, humming to herself. There is a note of sleepiness in her face as her eyelids droop, causing her to take a moment before recognising my presence.
“Hello beautiful,” I smile.
She giggles girlishly, washing and drying her hands quickly as I walk up to her. “Finally. I thought they’d never leave,” she says, sliding her hands up my arms.
“Now Paula, be nice. We haven’t had everyone together like this in a long time,” I tease.
“I know. I’m just tired.”
My arms wrap around her waist; my lips quick to capture hers. “Too tired for this?” I ask, pulling away.
This time she laughs naughtily, kissing me once more. And like most cases, our baby kisses turn heated and soon enough I have her on top of the kitchen counter, legs tight around me.
“I want you now, Simon,” she gasps into my ear as I fondle her under her shirt.
“Bedroom,” I mumble.
We clumsily leave the kitchen and climb the stairs, lips never leaving each others’ more than necessary. We manage to make it just outside our bedroom, when she grabs me by the pants, making me want her all the more. I moan softly, prepared to rip her clothes off right there and then.
“Simon – the kids...” She whispers, fiddling with the doorknob. I groan in frustration, but nevertheless oblige.
An hour later, I am holding her loosely by the waist; our sweaty bodies spooned against each other. Paula is close to sleeping now, and she is lingering awake only to savour this moment. She smiles up sleepily at me, glowing extravagantly.
“Night, Simon. Love you.” She burrows into my chest once I kiss her lips.
“I love you too, Paula.”
“Happy anniversary.” She smiles before succumbing into sleep.
There are certain things science and logic will never be able to explain. Sometimes the worst of people get the best out of life, while the kindest suffer throughout. I am neither extreme – I have done many things I am proud of, and some things I would have done differently if I could. However, right now, right here, I don’t regret a thing. I honour and appreciate each and every thing I own and every person in my life. Which leads me to amend something I have been saying for years because…maybe sometimes, you don’t have to do the honourable thing to be made of honour.