Blessings and expectations

CHAPTER 141

VIOLET

The journey back to New York wasn’t as tense as I expected it to be. Two months had passed since we left, but everything still looked the same—except for the tiny details you only notice when you’ve been away too long. The faint graffiti on the corner store that wasn’t there before, the new coffee shop squeezed between two old bookstores, and the way the air felt just a bit sharper than I remembered.

As soon as I stepped into my room, I barely had time to take a breath before the door flew open.

“Welcome back, bestie!” Ashley squealed, throwing her arms around me in a suffocating hug.

“Ash… breathing is kind of important, you know,” I choked out, trying to wiggle free.

“Oh, please,” she scoffed, pulling back just enough to look me over. “You’re fine. Anyway, you don’t get to complain. I missed you so much!”

I rolled my eyes, walking into my room with her trailing behind me like a hyper puppy. “You saw me in Florence just a few weeks ago, remember?”

Ashley flopped onto my bed with a dramatic huff. “Ugh, don’t even start with that. You weren’t you in Florence. You were…” She waved her hands vaguely in the air. “...Nurse Violet or whatever. With Ryan stuck on a sick bed, you were all ‘serious mode’ the whole time.”

“I was not—”

“Oh, you absolutely were,” she cut me off, sitting up and pointing a finger at me. “You didn’t crack a single joke. You didn’t gossip. You didn’t even roll your eyes at me when I tried to cheer you up. It was depressing, honestly.”

I crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow. “I had a lot going on, Ash. You know, Ryan almost died. Excuse me for not being my usual entertaining self.”

Ashley gave me a look, her lips curving into a sly smile. “You mean our Ryan? The Ryan who’s been looking at you like you’re the only girl in the world lately?”

I felt heat creep up my cheeks and immediately turned to busy myself with unpacking. “Stop it.”

“What? I’m just saying! The man literally got shot and still managed to make heart-eyes at you every chance he got. If that’s not romance, I don’t know what is.”

“Ashley.”

“Fine, fine,” she relented, lying back on the bed with a grin. “But seriously, I missed you. Like, the real you. Not Florence-you.”

I sighed, shaking my head but smiling despite myself. “I missed you too, Ash. Even when you’re insufferable.”

“Aw, bestie! You’re so sweet!” she cooed, tossing a pillow at me.

After unpacking and stuffing the last of my sweaters into the drawer, Ashley stayed for a while longer, sprawling out on my bed like she owned it.

She spent a good twenty minutes gushing about Kyle and their ridiculously cute romance. “He surprised me with flowers last week,” she said, her voice dreamy. “Not just any flowers—my favorites. He remembered from one random conversation months ago! Isn’t that just… perfect boyfriend material?”

I hummed, half-listening as she went on about how they were so in sync, finishing each other’s sentences and sharing their plans for the future. She painted a picture of them that sounded straight out of a rom-com—pure, sweet, and just a little nauseating.

“Okay, okay,” I finally cut in when she started debating the exact shade of blue that matched Kyle’s eyes. “I get it. You’re in love, and it’s adorable. But some of us have unpacking to finish.”

Ashley pouted but eventually got the hint. “Fine. I’ll leave you to your dull, romance-free existence.” She winked before skipping to the door. “But don’t think this is the last you’ve heard of Kyle and me. You’re my bestie, which means you’re stuck hearing about all my happily-ever-after plans!”

“Lucky me,” I muttered as she shut the door behind her.

The silence that followed was almost deafening. I sank onto the edge of my bed, staring at the neatly arranged drawers and the empty space Ashley had just left.

I was bracing myself for the inevitable. I’d known it was coming since the moment I stepped through the front door. And, sure enough, it happened just minutes after Ashley left.

There was a knock on the door.

Soft, tentative, but unmistakably my mom’s.

“Meet us downstairs, Violet,” came my mom’s voice, calm but with that underlying tone that brooked no argument.

I swallowed, the lump in my throat forming instantly. Of course, they’d want a family discussion now. My stomach twisted as I tried to brace myself for whatever awaited me downstairs.

Dragging myself off the bed, I took a moment to glance in the mirror. My face looked pale, my eyes betraying the unease I felt inside. “You’ve got this,” I muttered under my breath, though the words didn’t carry much weight.

The walk downstairs felt like it stretched forever. With each step, my heart pounded harder, the familiar weight of my mom’s expectations settling over me like a too-tight cloak.

When I reached the living room, they were already seated—Mom perched elegantly on the sofa, Max sat beside her, while Ryan leaned casually against the armrest

“Sit,” Mom instructed, gesturing to the chair across from her.

I did as she asked, my palms damp against my thighs. Ryan shot me a quick glance, the barest hint of reassurance in his gaze.

Max cleared his throat, drawing all eyes to him. “We’ve been talking,” he began, his tone deep and calm. “About everything that’s happened over the past few months, especially what happened in Florence.”

I felt a pang in my chest at the mention of Florence. 

“First,” Mom interjected. “We want to say how grateful we are that you’re okay, Ryan. Seeing you like that—" Her voice wavered slightly before she composed herself. “It was a nightmare for all of us.”

Ryan nodded, “It wasn’t exactly a walk in the park for me either,” he said, attempting to lighten the mood, but the room remained solemn.

Max took a step closer, his gaze firmly on Ryan. “What you went through, what both of you went through… It made us realize something important.” He glanced at me before continuing. “You two aren’t just playing around, are you? This isn’t some fleeting infatuation.”

“No, it’s not,” Ryan said firmly. “What happened in Florence—nearly losing everything—it made things crystal clear for me. Violet isn’t just someone I care about. She’s the reason I’m still here.”

My cheeks warmed at his words, and I looked down, overwhelmed by the intensity in his voice.

Mom reached for Max’s hand, and for the first time in a long while, I saw a flicker of genuine emotion in her eyes. “We’ve seen how much you mean to each other,” she said. “When Violet called us, frantic and barely holding it together, we knew then how deeply she cared for you, Ryan.”

“She barely left your side,” Max added with a small smile. “Every update, every decision—she was there, fighting for you.”

I bit my lip, my throat tightening as I remembered those agonizing days in the hospital. “I couldn’t lose him,” I admitted softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

“And I couldn’t leave her,” Ryan said, his voice filled with quiet conviction. “Even when I was lying there, half-conscious, all I could think about was getting back to her. That’s when I knew—when I really knew—that she’s it for me.”

Mom’s lips pressed into a thin line, but it wasn’t disapproval this time. It was something closer to acceptance, albeit reluctant.

Max stepped forward, his expression warm and paternal. “Love like that doesn’t come around often,” he said. “And when it does, you hold onto it, no matter what anyone else thinks. We may not have understood it at first, but seeing you both now… we get it.”

I blinked, surprised by his words. “You do?”

“We do,” Mom confirmed, though her tone carried a note of caution. “But understanding doesn’t mean we won’t have expectations.”

“Here we go,” Ryan muttered under his breath, earning a sharp look from Max.

“Don’t interrupt, son,” Max cautioned.  He turned back to me. “What we’re saying is, we won’t stand in your way. But this isn’t just about the two of you. It’s about family, about responsibility, about respect. If you’re serious about this, you’ll need to show us that you can handle it.”

“We will,” Ryan said immediately, his voice steady. “You have my word.”

“And mine,” I added, meeting my mom’s gaze directly.

Mom sighed, leaning back against the couch. “Then we’ll support you. But remember, the world isn’t always kind to situations like this. You’ll need to be prepared for that.”

Ryan reached over, his fingers brushing against mine in a subtle but comforting gesture. “We’re ready,” he said, his eyes locked on mine.

For a moment, the room was quiet, the weight of everything that had been said settling over us like a heavy blanket. Then Max clapped his hands together, breaking the silence.

“Well,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I think that’s enough seriousness for one evening. Dinner is at seven, and I expect you both to be there.”

“Of course,” I said, a small smile breaking through the tension in my chest.

Mom and Max stood, heading toward the door. Just before they left the room, Max turned back to us. “And for what it’s worth,” he said, his voice softer now, “we’re proud of both of you. You’ve been through more than most people your age, and you’ve come out stronger for it. Don’t forget that.”

As the door closed behind them, Ryan let out a low whistle. Well, That was fun.”

I let out a shaky laugh, the tension slowly draining from my shoulders. “Is it bad that I expected worse?”

“No,” he replied, his eyes softening as they met mine. “But hey, at least we’ve got their blessing now. That’s something, right?”

“Yeah,” I said, pulling him into a hug.