Page 111 of Hunt for the Roses
When I pull up to my mom’s house, I turn to my mom and pull her in for a tight hug. “I really appreciate you being there for me.”
We hold each other for a few seconds longer than usual, and then my mom pulls away and touches the side of my face. “Everything is going to work out the way it’s supposed to. I promise.” I throw her a small smile, and once I make sure my mom is back in her house, I stare out at the road before me.
Life has a funny way of throwing you signs. I was looking for answers this last week, and I was looking for answers to questions I didn’t necessarily know to ask.
But I know that this was my sign.
This was my answer.
Aria is my answer.
As much as I want to run to Aria and tell her everything I’ve now learned, I know there is something that has to be taken care of first.
When I come to that conclusion, I start my car and drive to my next destination.
* * *
As I pull up in Ronnie’s driveway, my stomach twists into a tight knot. I’m not exactly sure what I want to say to him, but all I know is this is what I need to do before anything can progress with Aria. If Aria and I are going to be together, I need to make sure her family understands the weight of our relationship.
I need their acceptance.
I still have two hands on my steering wheel as I hang my head down and blow out a breath. After a few moments, I manage the courage to open my door and step out, and with each step toward Ronnie’s front porch, anxiety simmers within me. I don’t know how he’ll react, what he’ll say, or what he’ll do. For all I know, Ronnie can throw ten more punches at me, but it doesn’t matter.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.
I’ll take every punch and kick from him if it means Aria and I can be together.
That much I am sure of.
I inhale a deep breath as I ring the doorbell and I wait a few moments until the door opens.
It’s Cheryl.
I hesitate for a moment trying to collect my thoughts. “Hi, Cheryl, is Ronnie home?”
Just as I ask for Ronnie, he comes walking in the foyer behind Cheryl, and we lock eyes.
“I got this,” Ronnie says to Cheryl.
Cheryl gives Ronnie a tight-lipped smile, then turns back to me. “Nice to see you, Dane,” Cheryl says with a smile as she walks away to let us be.
I lift my chin to her. “You as well.” When it’s just me and Ronnie left in the doorway, I rub my neck nervously. “I’m not expecting to come inside or anything, I just wanted to talk if that’s okay.”
“Sure,” Ronnie says as he steps out on his front porch, closing the door behind him.
I throw my hand out. “Look, I know what you think of me. That this was some sexual conquest, and I took advantage of your sister. If I had a sister, I probably would’ve reacted the same way.”
Ronnie shoves his hands in his jeans pockets as he stares at me intently, waiting for me to continue explaining myself.
I sigh as I look off to the side. “When you gave me the responsibility to look after Ari, I wasn’t too thrilled. I was nervous and felt like it was too big a burden for me to bear.” I chuckle as I say, “I actually dreaded it to be quite honest.” Then I turn my head back to face him. “But I’m truly grateful you gave me that responsibility, because it brought me to her. Your sister is the most beautiful person I’ve ever known. She’s kind, funny, smart, easy-going, witty, I mean the list goes on. She’s as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.” I let out a breath as I drop my head for a moment, then I look back up at Ronnie. “I’m in love with Aria. I love her with everything that I am, and I want to be with her. But I can’t be with her knowing I’m causing her world to be flipped upside down. I can’t be with her knowing her family won’t be supportive. Because if you guys aren’t supporting her, she’s not happy, and if she’s not happy, there’s no way I can be happy. I don’t want Aria selfishly. I want her to be with me knowing she has her family behind her.”
Ronnie just stares at me for a few moments, digesting everything I just said. “What if my family or I can’t support this? What then?”
I swallow a nervous gulp as I look off to the side, and take time to let that notion sink in. I feel my heart rip open, but I turn to him to respond anyway. “Then I would live an unfulfilled life. Because I’d be living without her.”
Ronnie inhales a deep breath as he places his hands on his hips. “I went to visit Aria the other day. She wasn’t in the best of shape. In fact, she cried in my arms.”
I look away from Ronnie as I purse my lips, trying to control my emotions. “I tried talking with her, but she won’t talk to me,” I whisper.
