~*~ Chapter 90 - Epilogue ~*~
REDDING, CA – AIRPORT – JUL. 28th, 2002 – SUNDAY
After saying their goodbyes to the Angel family and going to the Addams to also say goodbye, Ashley and Kirstin took a cab all the way to the airport.
“So…” Kirstin said after getting all her baggage from the cab’s trunk “This is it, then? Venice.” she smiled and kept walking until they were inside the terminal.
“Yep, baby. Are you excited?” Ashley placed his arm on her shoulder and held her closer to him.
“Yes. Very much.” she smiled big and kissed him on the lips.
“Let’s go get our tickets and dispatch our luggage, then we can go get something to eat.
“Ok. Great.”
It was around 11:30 a.m. when they were set to eat. Their plane would only take off at 1:15 p.m. so they had a lot of time to have lunch.
“Where you wanna eat?” Ashley asked, looking around the food court.
“Have no idea. Not really hungry, but I guess I have to eat, right? It’s gonna be a long trip.”
“It is. But why aren’t you hungry?”
“Don’t know… maybe I’m way too excited.”
“Are you really? Because I was starting to get worried, because you don’t seem excited.” Ashley looked at her.
“It’s because I’m so excited that I’m freezing inside, that’s all.” she smiled warmly to Ashley and he knew she was telling the truth. He was also pretty excited about this honeymoon trip and couldn’t wait to get to Venice “Have you ever been to Venice with the band before?”
“Nope. We have been to Italy, but we didn’t have time on our schedule to visit Venice or any other city besides Rome, so…”
“Do you think we could also go to Rome? And maybe Milan? Oh, and then the Vatican?”
“Chill, sweetie!” Ashley chuckled “I guess we’ll only find that out once we’re there. If we have the time, of course we’ll visit all those cities you want to.”
“Good.” Kirstin smiled and wrapped both her arms around his waist, tightly.
“So, let’s talk about food again, because I’m starving!” Ashley said and Kirstin laughed.
“Ok… I guess I can have McD’s really. I’m not really that hungry.”
“Ok, so McD’s it is!”
Hugging, they trailed to McDonald’s.
Kirstin’s order was ready first, so she went to get a table while Ashley waited for his order to be ready.
She found a table near a window and watched as so many airplanes took off. She smiled.
When she turned around to see how Ashley was doing with his order, she saw that he was already close to their table. As soon as he placed his tray on it, five teenage girls with an older woman got closer to him.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, but my daughter and my nieces are huge fans of yours and they were wondering if it would be ok to take pictures with you.” the older woman asked politely.
“Oh…” Ashley was taken by surprise, but that didn’t make him any less nice “Of course.” he smiled big and one of the girls, the smallest, and probably the daughter of the older woman, because they were so much alike, got closer to him and wrapped her arm around his waist as he placed his on her shoulder.
“Thank you, Ash. I love you so much.” The girl said almost in tears as Ashley hugged her.
“Oh, thank you. I love you too.” Ashley smiled as they separated from the hug.
Kirstin watched everything from afar. This was not the first time, and definitely not the last time, that she was dealing with Ashley’s fans. The amazing thing for her, a so jealous girl, was that she was not at all jealous of his fans. She totally understood his job and that was so comforting for her.
As the second girl approached Ashley to take her picture with him, two of the girls that were waiting got closer to Kirstin.
“Hi.” They said through a timid tone of voice.
“Hey.” Kirstin said with a smile on her face.
“I heard rumors that you guys were getting married and…” one girl looked at the other as asking her to continue. And so she did.
“Now we see you have these engagement ring and wedding band on. Did you guys really get married?”
“Oh, about that…” Kirstin bit her bottom lip.
“We got married last night.” Ashley answered, interfering in their conversation, as he noticed Kirstin didn’t really know if she should say it or not.
“Really?” all five girls asked in unison.
“Yep.” Ashley smiled “Now I’m definitely taken.” One girl looked at the other without knowing how to react.
“I saw some pictures of you in some magazines with Ashley.” the first girl that took the photo started “But you look a lot prettier in person.”
“Oh…” Kirstin blushed a little. She was expecting any kind of reaction, apart from a nice one like that was “Thank you.” she smiled weakly, not knowing how to react.
“She is, isn’t she?” Ashley said.
“Yes.” All five girls said in unison again.
“And she seems really nice.” another one of the girls added.
“Thank you.”
“Would you mind taking a picture with us after we get ours with Ashley?”
“Hm… I guess that’s ok.” Kirstin said and waited until all five of them had taken their pictures with Ashley to take her picture with all five girls together.
“Thank you so much.” the older woman said “You two were very nice.”
“You’re welcome.” Ashley answered, as Kirstin sat back on her chair.
“Bye.” Kirstin said as the six of them took off.
“You were really good, Mrs. Angel.”
“Oh, God, I was not! I was terrible! I didn’t know what to say… I was so nervous. I didn’t know if it was ok for me to say about the wedding and…”
“Sh…” Ashley placed his index finger on her lips “You don’t have to hide our wedding. Actually, you cannot hide it. I forbid you.”
“Silly.” Kirstin got a peck from Ashley and they started to have lunch.
It was around 12:30 when they were at the newsstand. Kirstin was trying to find a magazine to read on the flight and so was Ashley.
“Found yours?” Ashley grabbed her from behind.
Kirstin took a deep breath, inhaling Ashley’s perfume. She was so happy to be finally married and to be going on her honeymoon trip that she couldn’t even read the words on the cover of the magazines.
“I’ll take this one.” she got a US weekly without even knowing if that was actually what she wanted.
“Good, because we have to get on board soon.”
“Ok. I just have to go to the bathroom before.”
“Me too. Let’s pay for these and go.”
Kirstin was standing in the bathroom, taking a look at her reflection in the mirror. So, she was married. To the man of her dreams. She couldn’t ask for anything else. She was so happy. She thought she’d never have him forever, and now she knew she did. She smiled big before splashing some water on her face.
Ashley took a better look at himself in the mirror. He definitely seemed happy. The constant smile on his face couldn’t hide it. Honeymooning with the girl he always wanted for himself. He washed his hands, fixed his hair a little and then got out of the bathroom.
As soon as Ashley got out of the bathroom, Kirstin was already waiting for him outside. She offered her hand out to him and he took it, without even thinking twice.
“First class! You didn’t tell me we were flying first class!” Kirstin hit him playfully in the arm when the stewardess vanished.
“How did you think we were flying? We’re on our honeymoon, for Christ’s Sake! I wouldn’t put us on coach! It wouldn’t be fair to you, my princess. You surely deserve first class.” he kissed her on the cheek.
“That’s so cool! Look” We have our own TV right here in front of us! And these seats!” she got more comfortable on her seat “They are so comfortable I could have one of these at home!” Ashley chuckled.
“Look at you. You seem like a little girl flying on an airplane for the first time.” Ashley smiled.
“But I am a little girl flying first class for the first time. So don’t make fun of me.”
“Oh, never!” Ashley chuckled again and got another playfully hit on the belly this time from Kirstin.
“Silly. Love you.” she said and kissed him passionately on the mouth.
When they broke apart, they both took a deep breath. That one kiss was really something. Maybe the comfy chairs were responsible for that.
“Listen, I have to tell you something before the plane take off.”
“Oh, yeah? Should I be worried about it?” Kirstin really didn’t know.
“Of course not!” Ashley smiled and that comforted her.
“Good.” she breathed more “Then what is it?”
“You know that tattoo that you have?” Kirstin nodded. Ashley was talking about the little tattoo Kirstin had that was about 1 and a half inches and was a heart with a chain around it with a lock. It was on the right side on her lower back
“Yeah… And that you hate so very much?” Kirstin smirked.
“Yeah, that one.” Ashley got serious, and Kirstin gulped.
“What about it?”
“So, you do remember that I hate it, right?”
“You mentioned it once or twice, I think…”
“And do you remember what I mentioned I would do so I wouldn’t hate it anymore?”
“Hm…” Kirstin frowned “Not really. Was it a long time ago?” Kirstin really didn’t remember.
“I don’t remember when it was, but I remember that I told you what I’d do.”
“I can’t remember sweetie, sorry.”
“No, that’s ok.” Ashley placed a lock of hair behind her ear “So… When you were sleeping the other day, I took a better look at it.”
“And…?” Kirstin was starting to get worried.
“And I got the details I needed to do this.” Ashley pulled his shirt up a bit and his pants down a little.
“You didn’t!” Kirstin exclaimed, shocked.
“Well, don’t you see that I indeed did it?”
“But…” Kirstin was still looking at Ashley’s tattoo, that was located near his crotch, and rubbing it with her fingers to see if it was really real “You hate needles. And I don’t think I’ve ever heard you saying you liked tattoos before and…”
“I do hate needles. And I don’t hate tattoos, I just never imagined me with one.”
“So why did you do it?” Kirstin took her fingers off the tattoo and Ashley placed his clothes back where they were.
“Because of you.”
“But I never asked you to do it, Ash!” Kirstin was feeling guilty somehow.
“No, you never did, indeed.”
“Then tell me why you did it already!”
“Because I hated your tattoo and that was the only way I could not hate it anymore.”
“What are you saying?” Kirstin asked, frowning.
“This key I tattoo fits your lock.”
“What?” Kirstin was definitely confused.
“This key right here. I drew the hole of your tattoo on a piece of paper while you were sleeping and went to a tattoo saloon and the guy draw the key with the exact format so that it would unlock your lock.”
“What are you talking about?” Kirstin was getting the idea, but wanted to hear it come from Ashley’s mouth.
“I did it so I would be the only one to have the key to your heart.”
“Ashley, but you didn’t have to go through all this! You know you have the key to my heart already. Actually, you always did.”
“I know, but I couldn’t rest until I ended this. I hated making love to you and seeing your heart locked like that.
“But I did it long before us.”
“I know, but still. I hated it. You gotta understand me, it doesn’t matter what you say, I’d always hate that tattoo unless I did something about it. And so I did. Now, every time I hug you from behind or we’re making love, and you’re on your behind, of course.” Ashley smiled, Kirstin did too, but blushed a little “My key will touch your lock and I’ll know I’m getting you’re heart free for me.”
“Ash, that’s so… I don’t know if I should say romantic, because you did a crazy thing, but…” Kirstin placed both her hands on his face and kissed him hungrily. When they pulled apart, she continued “I thought it was the most romantic thing you’ve ever done for me.”
“Really?” Ashley smirked.
“Of course. Especially considering you’re a chicken and hate needles.”
“Oh, shut up!” Ashley shut her up with another kiss.
‘Attention everyone on board. This is Capitan Marlow and this is the flight 7854 to Rome, Italy. Please, fasten you’re seat belts. We’re about to start the flight. Thank you.'
Kirstin and Ashley separated from their kiss and fastened their seat belts. When they sensed the plane was starting down the runway, Ashley held Kirstin’s hand on his. Their hearts were beating faster by the second. They turned to look at each other, a big smile painted on both faces. They knew what that flight meant. It meant that officially, their days as a married couple were about to start as soon as the plain hit the sky.
Soon, the plain was taking off, and they kept their eye contact. Their smiles couldn’t be bigger. The time was right. They were about to embark on a journey. A journey both of them had thought never possible months ago. But a journey that now, neither of them could wait to begin.
* Thanx Hannah and Thea for reviewing and correcting the grammar errors *
~*~ Chapter 89 ~*~
~*~ "Life With Him" Questionary ~*~
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