An Ordinary Fairy Tale

by C. B. Stagg

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Becky standing back, snapping pictures with her phone, so I joined her. “She still looks so sick, Casey. Are you sure she can handle all of this?” Becky’s concerns were born of love for both of us, and while I understood where she was coming from, I was confident I knew exactly what Vaughn needed.

  Jase was coming back in from walking Kris to her car, Donna was getting drinks for everyone, and of course there was Julian, still curled up in Vaughn’s lap, sharing her blanket as she stroked his head like a little kitten.

  “Look at all the love in here. Can’t you feel it? This is what will heal her.”

  She nodded, teary, and I knew she believed it too.

  I was just turning to help Donna in the kitchen when Vaughn called out for me. I headed her direction and knelt down beside her.

  “Julian, could you please repeat the question you just asked me?” Her happiness was contagious, and she was spreading it through everyone in the room. She already looked healthier.

  Julian nodded his head yes, as he turned to me. “I j-just asked her where her p-p-pretty sparkly r-ring was. You know, the one y-you t-told me about last n-night? The one you were g-gonna give her w-w-when you, you know, asked-d her?”

  The room fell silent until Becky started cackling like a damn hyena at the zoo.

  Already down on my knee, I looked to Jase and, like a sniper, he fired the small box right into my hand. I cleared my throat and grabbed Vaughn’s hand, kissing her knuckles before having the most important conversation of my life.

  “Vaughn.”

  I took some intentionally deep breaths, willing my body to store oxygen I knew I’d need.

  “I’ve spent twenty-seven years wandering through life searching, but for what I didn’t know—until I met you. Never in a thousand years would I have thought a redheaded, freckle-faced college senior would wander onto my field and, in the blink of an eye, change the game for me.” My smile faded as I thought about what I needed to say next.

  “Then I lost you again, and I lost myself. That’s when I knew what love was.”

  I was crying. She was crying. Everyone in the room was crying. All except Julian. He was playing Crossy Road on Vaughn’s phone.

  “At the hospital, when you told me you didn’t want me anymore, I didn’t believe you. Not for one second. Your words said one thing, but your heart betrayed you. You were never going to convince me that you hadn’t fallen madly in love with me because with every beat of my heart, I was falling further and further in love with you. Vaughn, I need you more than I need air. You are my sun, my moon, and my stars. And without you, I am floating in nothingness. I’ve been yours since the moment I laid eyes on you.”

  I dropped her hand and pulled the ring from the box, holding it out to her. “I can move mountains with you by my side. But without you?” I shrugged. “Now I’m asking you to be mine today, tomorrow, and forever. Please say you’ll be my wife.”

  I held her eyes captive with mine and just as she opened her mouth to answer, Julian looked at us and exclaimed, “Oh, there’s that p-pretty, s-s-sparkly ring! What are you waitin’ for? Put it-t-t on h-her!”

  Everyone in the room exhaled in unison before cracking up. Everyone except Vaughn. Instead, she held out her left hand, and in a demanding tone, stated, “Well, you heard the boy! Put it on her!”

  The giggles were drowned out by applause and congratulations as I pulled my future bride into my arms and held her close to my heart, right where she belonged. The relief flooding through me the second she let me put that ring on her finger told me that the confidence I thought I felt was an illusion. I hadn’t been sure she’d say yes, but she did.

  “Casey,” she whispered into my ear as we held each other close. I knew her words were meant for only me. “I’ve always been yours, and I love you with every piece of my bruised and battered heart. The hole in my soul was mended the day I found you. You became a part of me, and you brought me back to life. There’s no going back from here. You said it once, but I’ll say it again. There is no you and me. There’s only us and we. I can’t wait to be your wife.”

  Pulling away from Vaughn, I felt Julian tug on my sleeve. ”H-hey, hey, I j-j-just h-have a f-few m-more questions.”

  “What’s that, little man?”

  “Well, d-did you t-tell her you got this house? J-just for her?” Wow, he was just full of surprises.

  “Vaughn, I bought this house from Jase. He and Becky live next door, and Julian lives next door to them. All your stuff is here, as you can probably see.” I studied her for any signs of anger, but she just looked all around, taking in the details, shock registering across her beautiful face.

  “And n-now that she’s wearing that r-r-ring, c-can I start c-calling her M-Mommy?”

  Yikes, that came out of nowhere.

  I turned to face her directly. “Vaughn, I’ve started the application process for us to become foster parents. It’ll take time, but I intend for us to adopt Julian. I have a lawyer, as well as Donna and Hank’s blessing and, if all goes well, he’ll be ours by the time fall soccer starts.” She was still shocked, but she did pull Julian closer to her and I took that as a good sign.

  “I’m not d-d-done yet!” he said to me, then started to stand up. “W-When c-can I show her m-my room? I’ve b-b-been waiting here f-forever!” The exasperation in his voice would have been humorous at any moment, other than that one.

  I looked at Vaughn as she processed everything Julian had just revealed. I just knew she’d be mad that I’d made so many assumptions, so many decisions, without consulting her. She had every right to be furious with me. I realized how stupid and reckless I’d been to think I could manipulate her life like this and come out on top.

  With bile creeping up into my throat and an apology forming on my lips, I read Vaughn’s expression and hesitated just in time to hear her tell Julian, “You know what, baby boy? You calling me Mommy will be the biggest honor of my life, and as soon as I kiss your daddy, I’ll let you show me your room, my room, and every other room in our new home.”

  In the span of just a few months, I will have managed to snag a wife who cradles my delicate heart in the palm of her hands, as I do hers… fathered a child who just needed love from another broken soul to shake himself out of the darkness… and gained a life that I didn’t think I ever wanted but now realize will heal us all and make us a true family. Every day I’m falling more and more in love with my life. I don’t know how this journey will end, but a few things I know with absolute certainty.

  Love at first sight is a real thing.

  Broken hearts don't always stay broken.

  And sometimes, in the middle of an ordinary life, love hands us a fairy tale.

  Epilogue-Casey

  LAST NIGHT, VAUGHN JENNINGS made all my dreams come true when she agreed to be my wife. She’d also been ecstatic to know I’d applied to be a foster parent. If all went according to plan, Julian would be living in our home, and we’d be on the road to adopting him and making him ours forever in no time.

  But there was still so much left to do, so as soon as the sun rose, I bundled up and headed next door to visit with Jase. Now that the Vaughn thing was settled, I needed a game plan, plus Jase had always been an early riser so I knew I’d be welcome.

  "Jase! I know you're up, man!"

  The wind chill had to be in the negatives.

  "Dude, let me in! Don't make me use my key!"

  The longer I stood on his porch and knocked, the harder my body shook and shivered.

  “Dude, what the hell?” Jason yelled as he yanked the door open. He looked as if he’d had a rough night, but I didn’t care.

  “Jesus, man! Let me in! It’s colder than your heart out here!” He just stood in the doorway, looking at me like I had two heads, so I pushed my way through. And surprise, surprise. I was just in time to see Becky slinking out of what I knew to be HIS room, headed for hers wearing nothing. Literally nothing.

  My eyes w
idened as I looked back at my oldest friend, who resembled a jack rabbit caught in headlights. Pointing, I stated, “That, my boy,” I shook the shock from my mind as I regained my focus, “That's going to need to be addressed. Like, immediately!”

  Now that I had categorical proof that he and Becky were way more than friends, I wasn’t about to stick a pin in it. I wanted answers.

  He ushered me in and started making coffee, taking his damn sweet time, while I thought back over the years, trying to figure out when their shenanigans might have started. Jase finally made his way back to the table, sloth-like, and set down three cups of coffee.

  “So, you planning to coax your girlfriend out of the proverbial closet? I’m going to need her to be a part of this.”

  He lowered his head, shaking it ever so slightly as he held his palms toward the sky. I think it was his version of waving the white flag, but the lopsided smirk on his face proved that my knowing about their affair was a weight off his shoulders. "Hang on." Then he opened and closed his front door, which confused me at first.

  “Hey, Bec? Sweetie?” His syrupy, sweet tone was such a direct contrast to what I knew of their relationship. “I have coffee.” It would be the promise of caffeine to make that girl out herself. When she turned the corner and spotted me still sitting there, she froze for the briefest of seconds, before rolling her eyes and prancing into the kitchen. Thankfully, she’d wrapped up in her old fuzzy robe.

  “Funny, I thought I heard you leave.” Then she shrugged and planted a big wet one right on Jase’s mouth.

  “Ohhhh, my eyes! MY EYES!” I covered my face with my arm while both of them cracked up at my display. “Seriously, though. What the hell, y'all? How long has this,” I motioned, pointing between the two of them, “been going on?”

  “What? Him and me?” Her high-pitched voice gave the perfect air of insignificance as if it was no big thing. ”How long has it been now? Nine?"

  "Ten?" Jase piped in.

  "No, I think... eleven, maybe?" Jase nodded in agreement.

  “Wow," I laughed. "I’d started to suspect something about a year ago, so I guess I was right.” Just as I sat back, fingers laced behind my head in triumph, Becky’s famous cackle flew from her mouth.

  “Oh, no, baby.” She continued to snicker, but I was starting to feel the calm before the storm. Crossing her arms over her robed chest, she stated “I think you misunderstand. This thing between Jase and me?” She mimicked the motion I’d used just seconds before. “It started the summer after our junior year… in high school.”

  I allowed myself a second to process the fact that my entire life had practically been a lie. Once that second was over, I stood, pulling Becky and Jase close to me into a three-way hug. Then I went to the kitchen and poured us all more coffee, easily making myself comfortable in the house I’d lived in for years, before reaching for the doorknob.

  “Where are you going?” Becky waited for me to answer her question.

  “I’m just going to run next door. To my house. To wake my fiancée who, by the way, called this several months ago.”

  “And then what?” Jase asked.

  “Then,” I answered over my shoulder, “you two are going to start at the beginning.”

  Want to find out what happens next with Vaughn & Casey?

  Please continue reading for an excerpt from

  “If Wishes Were Horses”

  A Fairy Tale Life book 2

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  Acknowledgements

  FOR AS LONG AS I CAN remember, my dreams have always been much bigger than me. That all changed in 1999, when God revealed to me the missing piece of my soul. From the moment we met, you have been moving mountains to make my dreams come true—so to Stacey Stagg, I thank you. Our story may not be conventional, nor is it the most romantic tale ever told, but we’ve fought hard for this crazy love we’ve found and I know for a fact that I am my best me with you by my side. I love you more than I ever thought possible, even after seventeen years of insanity.

  And speaking of dreams coming true—Andrew, Ryan, Grace, and Lucas… You are the very best parts of your dad and me and we love you more than all the stars in the sky. Thanks for being amazing, independent kids, and for allowing me the time to create this story.

  Christie Scambray, I’m sure you had no idea what you were in for, signing on to help me, not only as editor, but as psychologist, cheerleader, confidant, thesaurus, and about a million other roles when you agreed to enter this exciting world of writing with me, but I’m sure glad you did. Sucker! Casey & Vaughn would never have found their voices without your guiding hand and I will always be grateful.

  A huge shout-out to the following ladies for reading and giving honest, and sometimes hard to hear, feedback during my writing process—Shannon, Elizabeth, Jennie, Carrie, Kim, Melissa, and Christie. The conversations weren’t always easy, but the value of your opinions is immeasurable. And to Becky… Thank you for allowing Casey, Vaughn, as well as others whose stories have yet to emerge, come alive in your brain. Without an idea partner like you, I’d suffocate within the creative process. Thanks for not letting me die!

  In 1977, I was born into an Aggie family thanks to my grandfather, Emmett Trant Jr, TAMU ℅ 45. He’s the reason that I bleed maroon and had a huge hand in who I am today, as a person and as a parent. I lost him in the process of writing this manuscript, but I will feel his spirit each time I write a book set in the community we both cherish and based around the university he loved so dearly.

  But there’s a spirit can ne’er be told…

  About the Author

  CHARLY STAGG IS WIFE to one lucky guy, mother to four incredible kids, and teacher to hundreds of children in her community. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Charly holds a degree in Elementary Education and taught first, second, and third grades for more than ten years before getting her dream job as an elementary art teacher. She is a lover of reading, soccer, camping, Aggie football, The Beegees, and all things creative. Her writing process includes typing in bed, while snuggling with her doggies and listening to Ed Sheeran with an endless supply of Sonic drinks and ice cream on hand. Charly and her husband live in College Station, Texas with their four children: Andrew, Ryan, Grace, and Lucas, and two dogs, Daisy and Pepper.

  If Wishes Were Horses (A Fairy Tale Life book 2)

  AVALIBLE NOW

  March, 1999

  “ARE THERE ANY MORE kids in the house?”

  Only silence followed.

  For the last thirty minutes, I’d watched red and blue lights flash through the window and into the closet where I hid like a criminal. The police stomped in and out of rooms, searching all through the dilapidated house, while their thunderous footsteps shook the wooden floor I’d been crouching on most of the night.

  I heard the butt of a gun hit someone with a grunt, breaking the silence and at that moment, I’d have given my left eye to sprout wings and fly away from the deplorable position in which I’d found myself. Because nothing, in my sixteen years of life, could have prepared me for the events of that night.

  “I said,” the scrape of chair legs on the wooden floor sang out like the cry of an injured bird, “are there any more kids in the house?” The muffled reply was unintelligible, but it was clear the question had been answered.

  It seemed I’d gone unnoticed. Again.

  I spent my nights in the back corner of the coat closet, down a forgotten hallway in the ancient home. Out of sight, out of mind was the safest place for me. Luckily, I’d already retreated to my hiding place when the front door was bashed in.

  I’d been living with Toby and Myra since my mom’s overdose a year ago. Toby was the only friend of my mother’s I’d ever met, so when I came home from school to find her cold body on our kitchen floor one day, I used her phone to call him. He’d come immediately. He made it known he wasn’t happy about it, but at least he’d come. And he brought friends.

  “Of course she would leave
me with her little bitch… ”

  “She yours?” one of the hulking guys beside him asked as he grunted and grabbed his crotch.

  “Naw, man, it wasn’t like that with Minnie, least not back when this one was made. And you best not be making jokes like that around Myra. She’ll have my balls and yours.”

  The other men were expertly stuffing my mom’s lifeless body into a hanging bag that looked to be part of a luggage set from 1974, clearly well-practiced in this type of ‘packing.’

  “Damn, I don’t need another mouth to feed. What the hell I’m gonna do with her?” He knew I could hear him. He just didn’t care.

  “Look at her, boss,” one of the men said, pointing to where I huddled in the corner by the broken refrigerator. “She may be nuthin’ now, but clean her up, give her some food, and things will round out nicely. She could end up making you some legit cash, a pretty little thing like her.” His smoker’s laugh morphed into a cough.

  Toby turned his attention to me, coming to get a better look. With his nose inches from mine, he brushed some of my unruly, wiry hair out of my face and asked, “How ‘bout that. You are a pretty little thing. How old are you? Ten? Eleven?”

  Once, when my mom hadn’t responded to one of his commands quickly enough, he’d slapped her out of her chair, then stepped on her hands when she tried to get back up. I learned that day if Toby asked a question, it was wise to answer.

  “I’m fifteen.” The statement came out more like a breath, and I hoped to God he’d heard me.

  A few minutes later, after being allowed to pack what I could fit in the backpack I used for school, I was physically carried out to an old brown van and taken to the home Toby shared with Myra, a woman I’d only ever heard about. And from what I’d heard, I had no desire ever to meet.