Prom Queen

"I thanked her then waited for Ken to open the door and escort me outside. Needless to say, my heart was beating like crazy all the way to school."

"What was it like pulling into the parking lot that first time as Peyton?" Sarah had asked.

"Exciting. Scary. Thrilling."

"Ken opened my door then offered me his arm and walked me to the office. I wasn't sure what we were doing, but he insisted we talk to the principal and let her know what we were doing."

"Oh, good idea. Enlist her support just in case. Yeah, you never know who might not take too kindly to such a sudden and...unusual change. Did you have any problems like that?"

"No, not really. I mean, there were a lot of looks and even more double takes. Those were followed by quite a bit of pointing, whispering, and a lot of giggling for the first few days. What was really wonderful was how Ken introduced me to all his girlfriends who were very accepting. He did the same thing with any guy he knew and called out anyone who made a negative comment."

"Comment?" Sarah asked.

"There weren't many, but a couple of guys said snide things, and Ken immediately stood up for me and backed them into a corner."

Peyton laughed then added, "Literally. I mean, he was poking one of them in the chest, and that guy put his hands up and said, 'Back off already! I'm sorry, okay—dude?"

"Ken was your protector."

"Yes. Yes he was."

She smiled at Sarah then said, "But you are my everything."

Her lover smiled back then said, "I love you so much, sweetheart," before Peyton finished the story.

"Things just kept getting better and better as the weeks went by, and when homecoming came around, I was shocked and thrilled to be named homecoming queen. And, of course, Ken was our school's king."

"I am so proud of you, honey, and I love you with all my heart," Sarah replied as she reached into her purse.

She looked at Peyton, smiled, then said, "And I have something to ask you."

Being a feminine woman, Sarah didn't get down on one knee, but she did take her lover's hand as she told her how much she meant to her and how she often thought she would never find her special someone.

"Until I found you, Peyton."

Sarah got very serious then said, "Nothing would make me happier than for you to be wife, sweetheart. So...will you marry me?"

Tears of joy welled up in Peyton's eyes as she held out her hand and said, "Yes. Yes, of course I will marry you!"

jDamon had enlisted in the Army and was planning on making a career out of it. He was in Afghanistan and couldn't get home for the wedding. But with Sarah's permission, 'Ken' was there to serve as Peyton's 'best man', something that made everyone laugh until they saw 'him' in a tux, and that's when the laughter stopped.

Colette, who'd never given up hope, had had to abandon ship where Mackenzie was concerned, but she eventually found a special someone of her own, and the two of them had married the year before. It was no surprise to anyone that her wife looked very much like Mackenzie Davis who was dating another very pretty, very...special girl of her own.

And to Peyton's joy, her mother, who really did love having another daughter, agreed to serve as Maid of Honor for the wedding. There'd been many happy times for her, but when she saw her little girl in white on her wedding day, she couldn't remember ever being so happy.

Well, there was one the possible exception, and that was the first time she sent her new daughter to school in the pretty pink sweater.