by Aria Ford
“But you didn’t,” Dad said. “You didn’t.”
I shook my head. “No, I didn’t, and Ryan took the brunt of that choice. It kills me every day that I put him through that. You don’t know how much I hate myself for hurting him.”
“It’s not your fault,” Bradley said softly. “No matter what, they shouldn’t have kicked him out.”
“No,” I agreed. “They shouldn’t have.”
“You both judge us so harshly, but you don’t know,” Mom said. “You don’t know the kind of person he was!”
“I know him better than anyone,” I snapped. “I know exactly who he was back then, and I know him now. I know Ryan better than any of you. He and I … we—”
I stopped, suddenly aware of what I was about to say. Looking at Bradley’s face, I knew it was time to tell the truth about everything. They might not understand. They may never be okay with our relationship, but they needed to know.
“Ryan and I are together,” I said boldly. “He’s never been a brother to me, not really. Just like he was never a son to you. When we reconnected, something just clicked. We fell into a relationship so easily. We fit.”
“What?” Bradley asked. “Is this a joke?”
“No,” I said. “I love him. I’m in love with him.”
“You can’t be,” Mom began.
“I can, and I am,” I snapped. “Neither you nor Dad get to have an opinion about this. You kicked him out long before we could become brother and sister. We don’t have that bond, that connection. The connection we do have is so much more. It’s deep and it matters. He matters. If you can’t see that … if you can’t realize how wrong you’ve been, then there’s nothing left for me to say.”
I turned to leave and stopped in my tracks. Ryan was standing in the doorway, staring at me with wide eyes. I looked at him for a second before walking forward. He took my hand and led me outside. We didn’t stop walking until we reached his truck. Climbing inside, we took off down the road, neither of us speaking.
When Ryan finally turned to me, his eyes were dark with concern. He searched my face quickly before looking back at the road.
“I can’t believe you told them,” he said softly.
“Do you wish I hadn’t?” I asked.
“No.” He shook his head. “I wanted to tell them the second we walked into that house.”
“I didn’t,” I admitted. “I was so scared of what they might do.”
“What changed?” he asked.
“The way they spoke to you,” I said with anger. “I couldn’t sit there and listen to it anymore. They don’t know you, Ryan. They obviously never did. You’re amazing and kind and smart and gentle. I don’t care what mistakes you made in the past. That’s not who you are.”
“I know,” he said, smiling. “I’m just glad you see it.”
“I do,” I said with earnest. “It’s my fault they kicked you out. I never should have let you take the fall.”
“You didn’t have a choice,” he said firmly. “Jacqueline, you were a kid. God, you were only fourteen. I wasn’t going to let you go down for that. There was no way.”
“It wasn’t fair,” I argued. “I shouldn’t have.”
“Stop,” he said. “Just stop.”
We fell silent again, and Ryan reached for my hand. We locked our fingers together and both stared out the windshield, just working through all the emotions we felt.
“Did you mean what you said?” Ryan asked so softly that I barely heard him.
“What?” I asked.
“What you said in there,” he said. “To your parents and Brad. Did you mean it?”
I smiled and squeezed his hand.
“I love you,” I said. “Of course, I meant it.”
“I love you too,” he said, glancing at me with a grin.
I laughed. “I know. You told me last night.”
“What?” he asked with a frown.
“You were like half asleep,” I explained. “Or maybe completely asleep. I don’t know. You just whispered that you loved me and then started to snore.”
He laughed. “Well, that’s romantic.”
“It actually was,” I said. “I didn’t know what to say at the time. I wasn’t sure how I felt, but then tonight I just knew. When my parents were going off on you like that, I felt this sudden urge to protect you. That’s when I realized just how much I care for you, just how much I love you.”
Ryan sighed and brought our hands to his lips. He kissed my hand and smiled, looking happier than he’d been all night.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Ryan
Jacqueline and I spent the rest of the night talking. We finally admitted our love for each other and talked about our future. Soon the memories of our dinner with her parents faded to the back of our minds. I was just happy to be there with Jacqueline, holding her and listening to the sound of her breathing.
When I heard her say she loved me, my entire world changed. In that moment, I didn’t feel confused or unsure. My anger and pain caused by her parents disappeared. She was the only thing that mattered. Jacqueline.
When we woke up on Sunday morning, Jacqueline stayed in bed for a while. I felt better about things, but her mind was racing. After she confessed our relationship to her parents, they didn’t say anything. We left so fast that no one else had a chance to speak. We both expected them to call her, but they didn’t. Jacqueline was sure they would never speak to her again.
As I stood in the kitchen, making coffee and replaying my night with Jacqueline, there was a light tap on the front door. Before I could take a step, the door opened and Bradley poked his head inside. His eyes found me, and he opened the door wider, stepping inside and closing it behind him.
I couldn’t read his expression. In all the years we’d been friends, I was always able to read his mind. This time, I didn’t have a clue what he was thinking. He moved toward me with a determined expression, and I readied myself for a fight. I felt sure he would hit me, maybe worse.
My jaw tightened when he stopped right in front of me, and my fists were clenched at my side. The last thing I wanted to do was fight with Bradley, but I knew our friendship would never be the same. Now that he knew about me and his sister, I expected him to hate me.
“Can we talk?” he asked, turning and sinking into a chair at my kitchen table.
I nodded and walked over to join him. Sitting across from him, I watched his face closely. He rubbed his hand over it, shaking his head slowly back and forth. I could tell he was confused, more conflicted than he’d ever been before. At least, he didn’t seem angry. I counted myself lucky that all he wanted to do was talk.
“Listen,” I began softly. “I know I should have told you about Jacqueline. It was a mistake to keep it from you, but I didn’t intend for this to happen. Any of it. We just … we just sort of fell into this relationship.”
“I’m not mad,” Bradley said with a soft laugh. “You can relax, man, I’m not here to bust your balls.”
“You’re not?” I asked.
Just then Jacqueline walked out of the bedroom wearing a pair of pajama pants and my navy sweatshirt. She blushed when her eyes fell on Bradley’s face. Slowly, she walked over and sat beside us, her eyes still glued on her brother. I knew she was just as afraid of his reaction as I had been.
“Hey,” he said to her, smiling weakly.
“Hi,” she said back. “I, um, didn’t know you were here.”
“I just stopped by,” he said. “After last night, I wanted to talk to Ryan.”
“About me?” she asked nervously.
“About everything,” Bradley said.
Jacqueline nodded and waited for him to continue. His eyes moved from his face to mine and then back again. She looked nervous, so I took her hand in mine and squeezed it gently.
“I’m sorry we didn’t tell you,” Jacqueline whispered, looking up at her brother. “I wanted to. We both did.”
“Hey,” Bradley said. “I understand
, okay? This isn’t exactly an easy conversation to have.”
“We’re still sorry,” I said. I meant it. I never wanted Bradley to find out that way. With his parents in the room, in the middle of a fight. It wasn’t the way we were supposed to tell him.
“Are you okay with this?” Jacqueline asked nervously.
“I’m not going to say it isn’t weird,” Bradley said slowly. “Ryan’s my brother, and you’re my sister, but I get that the two of you don’t have that relationship. I mean, I know you only lived together for three years before Ryan left. Ryan and I were best friends, but you? You barely knew him.”
“That’s true,” I said with a nod.
“Part of me wishes you could see each other as siblings,” Bradley said, sighing. “I just … I always had this image in my mind of us being a family, you know? Now I guess that can’t happen.”
“Why not?” Jacqueline asked.
“What do you mean?” Bradley said.
“Well, we can still be a family,” Jacqueline said, laughing. “Bradley, you’re my brother. We’re blood. Forever. And you and Ryan have this unbreakable bond. You’re brothers. That won’t change. Just because he and I are dating, that doesn’t mean we aren’t still a family.”
“It’s weird,” Bradley said, grinning and shaking his head. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this.”
“Can you try?” I asked. “I love her. I really do.”
“I’m trying,” Bradley promised. “And I think in time it won’t feel as strange.”
Jacqueline smiled. “I think so too.”
“I’m glad you came by,” I said, patting Bradley’s shoulder. “I was afraid you were never going to speak to me again.”
“Nah,” Bradley said. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You fell in love. I can’t hate you for that.”
“Your parents probably do,” I said softly.
Jacqueline tensed beside me. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat and avoided my gaze. I knew she didn’t want to talk about her parents. She was terrified that they would never forgive her for lying about the truck and about our relationship. I tried to reassure her that everything would work out, but she didn’t believe me.
“What did they say?” she finally asked, turning her attention to Bradley. “After we left?”
“They’re mad,” Bradley said bluntly. “They probably will be for a long time, but I think they’ll be okay. You know, your little speech last night really made them think.”
“How?” Jacqueline asked.
“Well, they never really understood what they did to Ryan,” Bradley said, shooting me a sympathetic look. “They just reacted without thinking. After what you said last night, I think they realize their mistake. They aren’t over everything, and they probably won’t be for a long time, but I think they get it now. They get that it wasn’t all Ryan’s fault.”
Jacqueline nodded, and we all fell silent. There wasn’t much else to say. In his own way, Bradley had given us his permission. Things still felt tense between us, but I knew it would get better. Being around us would get easier for him. Eventually, everything would feel comfortable again.
I just wished I could say the same thing about their parents. The idea that I was causing a rift between Jacqueline and her family was hard to bear. No matter what they put me through, they were still her parents. I couldn’t be the reason she didn’t see or talk to them. I just couldn’t.
“Maybe …” I began, looking at Jacqueline. “Maybe we should take some space until everyone gets used to the idea of us being together.”
“No,” Jacqueline said firmly. “That’s crazy.”
“I just don’t want to keep you from your parents,” I said softly.
“You’re not,” Jacqueline insisted. “Ryan, I love you. That’s what matters.”
“I love you too,” I said.
“Listen, I’m gonna get out of here,” Bradley said.
“Sorry,” I said quickly, turning back to face him. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable or anything.”
“No,” he said, “You didn’t. Not at all. I can tell you guys need some time to talk, though. I’m happy for you. I really am. I’m just glad you both found someone who loves you. Jacqueline’s right. That’s what matters.”
“Thank you,” Jacqueline and I said together.
We stood up to say goodbye to Bradley. He hugged his sister first, wrapping her tightly in his embrace. He held onto her for a few seconds before he let go and turned to me. We looked at each other awkwardly for a few seconds, unsure of what to do. Finally, he stepped forward and pulled me to him. He slapped my back roughly, and we both laughed.
“Take care of her,” he said softly so that only I could hear him. “She’s really something special. Just make her happy, okay?”
We pulled away, and I nodded my silent promise.
EPILOGUE
Two years had passed since that fateful night at the Keeton’s home. Things between Jacqueline and I moved forward quickly and easily. We fell in love in just a matter of weeks, so after two years, I felt more connected to her than ever.
She was my best friend and my biggest supporter. No matter what happened in our lives, we stayed together, happy and in love. I couldn’t bear the thought of ever losing her. In time, I realized I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else.
When I started my career as a mechanic, Jacqueline supported me endlessly. She knew it wasn’t a glamorous job, but she didn’t care. The only thing that mattered to her was my happiness. As long as I enjoyed my job, she insisted I keep it. Even though her father wholeheartedly disagreed with my choice, he kept his opinions silent. Much to my surprise, he even put me in contact with a local auto shop that was looking for a few mechanics. I started work the day of the interview, and I hadn’t left since.
The Keetons and I were doing better. Our relationship would never be the way it was before everything happened, but we were moving forward. They forgave me for all the mistakes I made, and I forgave them for kicking me out.
It wasn’t easy. It took a long time and a lot of support from both Jacqueline and Bradley, but we did it. Eventually, we were able to be together without any tension or discomfort. Family dinners no longer ended in arguments, and most of the time, I truly felt like part of the family again. Mrs. Keeton even put a photo of me and Jacqueline on display in the dining room.
It was harder for Bradley to get used to me being with his sister than he thought. At first he didn’t like to be around us. It made him nervous and uncomfortable. Slowly, things began to return to normal. He saw just how happy Jacqueline and I were to be with each other, and that, more than anything, brought him around. Our friendship remained strong throughout everything.
Despite the tension, we never gave up on each other. Bradley would always be my brother. That much I knew. And now I hoped to make that official by marrying his sister.
The day finally arrived. I climbed in my truck and drove to Jacqueline’s clinic. The office was already closed, but I knew Jacqueline would still be there for at least another hour. She never left work right away, always wanting to finish up one last thing before the day ended. As I drove through town, I pictured her face to keep myself calm. I was nervous, but when I pulled into the parking lot, I knew this was right. Today was the first day of the rest of my life. After this, nothing would ever be the same.
My heart was pounding in my chest as I made my way through Jacqueline’s waiting room. I hurried to the back, knowing I would lose my nerve if I slowed down even a little bit. My feet carried me through the back hallway toward where her office sat. Heidi, the receptionist, was gone for the day, so it was just Jacqueline in the clinic. When I reached her office, I put my hand on the doorknob and froze. I took a few deep, steadying breaths before turning the knob and stepping inside.
“Hey, you,” Jacqueline said with surprise. She jumped out of her chair and moved around her desk to place a soft kiss on my lips. I kissed her back a
nd smiled. “What are you doing here?”
“I missed you,” I said. “I wanted to see you, and I couldn’t wait for tonight.”
She smiled. “That’s sweet.”
After two years, seeing her smile still took my breath away.
My hands were sweating, but I knew now was the perfect time. I couldn’t wait another second. The ring was burning a hole in my pocket.
“Listen,” I said softly, reaching down to hold her hands. “I’m not just here because I missed you. I did, but there’s something else.”
“Okay,” Jacqueline said slowly. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is amazing,” I said. “More than amazing actually.”
“Then what is it?” she asked nervously.
“Jacqueline,” I said softly. “I know this whole relationship started in kind of a weird way. Your family and I are so intertwined, and it was complicated in the beginning. But then you made everything simple in the best way. I didn’t know who I was until you came back into my life. The day I saw you standing on my front porch changed everything. You woke something buried deep inside me, something I thought I lost.”
I took a deep breath and slowly pulled the ring box from my pocket. Still holding Jacqueline’s hand in mine, I got down on one knee and smiled up at her. I opened the box and let the ring sparkle in the light of her office. Her eyes widened and filled quickly with tears.
“I’m only myself when I’m with you,” I said simply. “Jacqueline, you make me a better man. Without you, I don’t know what my life would be, and I never want to find out. I love you more than I ever knew possible. You’re everything to me: my love, my soulmate, my best friend. Now the only thing left is … my wife.”
Jacqueline’s eyes were brimming, and at my last word, the tears spilled over. She cried earnestly, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
“Jacqueline, will you marry me?”
I waited while Jacqueline wrapped her mind around everything. This was a huge surprise, just like I wanted. When she could finally speak, she nodded and pulled me to my feet.