Episode 251: Talise & Sawyer, Together Forever (Talise)

Sawyer. 

Of all the people on the list, she felt the most guilt that Sawyer was on it. She had no idea what events had transpired to make them a couple, probably everyone older had died, but he was on the list.

Sawyer deserved the warning. 

She waited until he knocked. 

“You needed help with babies or something?” Sawyer asked as he came into the room.

His khakis were coated in food and slime. His shirt had similar stains, but was brown and blue and hid the stains better than the light pants. 

She couldn’t stop staring. Either Sawyer would grow out of his gross stage or there existed a her that loved gross.

“Um.”

Corban was sure.

“Can you sit down?” Talise asked. 

Sawyer sat in a chair near the door, because it was near him.

“So, you’re how old again?” Talise asked.

“Twelve,” Sawyer announced. He picked at a caked on piece of goo.

“So.” She was ruining his life. Twelve was too young. If she could talk to Ulysses, maybe he could spare him.

“There’s this reality,” Talise said. “which we will forever call the time we were the last two people alive, we had kids.”

Sawyer stopped picking at his pants and stared at her. “In the future. We had kids.”

“In another reality,” Talise corrected. “You were king, and they were heirs.”

“See?” Sawyer moved to the chair next to the ber. “I knew I put on a nice shirt for a reason.”

Talise laughed. The other day, at dinner, he’d asked her out. He’d worn a button up shirt.

“It was nice,” Talise agreed. She paused, then said, more serious, “You should think about if you want to have your parents or just me alone raise them. Or” She bit her lip. “You’re allowed to help, but you’re so young it might not be best for you.” It had to be said. They were his kids.

“Or them.” Sawyer stared at his shoes. “My frogs inconveniently forget to be alive sometimes, and kids are a lot bigger.”

“Yeah,” Talise agreed. Maybe she didn’t’ trust her kids with him, even if they were theirs. “They’re a lot bigger and more complex. And more needy. And more all-the-time. I just. I mean I’ll be there. It’s going to be a big thing.”

Sawyer grinned again. “There’s another option I bet you haven’t thought of.”

“I’m not marrying you, Sawyer, as s charming as you are.”

Sawyer laughed. “Anyway, I probably don’t have enough shirts.”

Talise laughed. “What’s the alternative?”

“To what?”

Talise stared at him. Maybe he just lacked focus in every way.

“You had an idea?” Talise said.

“Well… you said no.” Hid eyes lit up again. “But Niels did die today. And I would even give my frogs to Silas.”

Okay, she could see it. She could see a world where she liked Sawyer a little.

“That’s really sweet, Sawyer,” she meant it. He’d give up his frogs for her. She should have been more open, less harsh. “We’ll figure it out. I just. I’m sorry this is happening to you.”

“Yeah.” Sawyer sughed. He was too full of expression. “My. You know my mom’s going to be lame about this, so probably they’ll just be like brothers and sisters. Which sucks.”

“It sucks?” Talise asked. “You’re twelve.”

“So?” Sawyer shifted. “Yeah, I’d suck as a dad, but someday they’re going to find out I’m not their brother. And someday, my kids are going to find out they aren’t my first kids. And maybe I’m twelve but I still know how that’s probably going to work and it sucks.”

It did suck. She wanted to stop it for him.

“Maybe you can write them a letter?” Talise suggested. “Like. A someday thing. Spence and Rhyss are both getting kids out of this spell.”

“So…” Sawyer was silent. “Okay.”

Talise took his hand, even though it had touched whatever his pants had on them. “We will figure it out. It’s too bad you’re not older, but I’ll make sure, with or without you helping, that they’re happy. Loved.” No idea how to do it, but she would.

Sawyer stared at their hands, looked at her, and grinned. “It’s too bad I’m not older.”

Uh Oh. Whatever he did, Talise refused to admit she’d aided him or given him any ideas.

It was his life.

Out of all the guys, Sawyer had taught her that it wasn’t just how much her life was changing, or the kids. These guys… all of them… mattered.

They’d all have a piece of her heart.

She needed Niels. To make sure he knew that, that whatever happened she was his wife. Even if her world was growing.

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