You're Not In This Alone

Around lunch time I leave the guitar store and take the short walk over to the gallery, stopping on the way to buy me and pa lunch and when I finally get there I'm slightly out of breath from all the walking. When I go inside I brush past everyone and head straight to pa's office, finding him on the phone and I close the door behind me and take a seat on the couch. "Hey baby, we missed you last night" he says when he finally gets off the phone and comes around to sit beside me. "Yeah I'm sure you did." "Rubes" pa says softly and I lean over into his side. "Sorry I'm just having a bad afternoon." "Talk to me baby girl" he says and I sigh before telling him about how bad I feel and how I just want to be normal again. "I'm sorry baby, I wish there was something I could do." "I'm scared too" I tell him and he looks at me and waits for me to continue. "I'm scared that the due date is so soon and then we'll be able to test and know for sure if she's Ryan's and I keep having these nightmares that she's not and he runs." "Ruby baby that boy is totally gone for you, he proposed for fuck sake. He's not going anywhere." "That's another thing, things are....different now. Since I said no he's a little distant compared to how he used to be and I get it that I hurt his feelings but he should understand why I said no." "Ruby maybe he proposed for different reasons than you think." "Please, I'm seventeen and he's twenty one, he only proposed because I'm pregnant and I'm not getting pity engaged..." I'm cut off by the door opening and Ryan is standing there, a look of disappointment on his face. "It wasn't pity Ruby, I do love you." I close my eyes, feeling them well with tears before I open them again and I choke out "I'm sorry." Pa stands from the couch and says "I'll be back in a minute" leaving the office and closing the door behind him. "Ruby I..." "I'm sorry Ry, I know I'm fucking this whole thing up but I'm scared." "Baby talk to me, what are you scared about?" He asks softly as he comes to kneel infront of me. "I'm scared she won't be yours and you'll walk away and I'm scared this whole thing is only pity and that I'm holding you back from what you really want and I'm scared of being a mom at seventeen and I'm scared of what I'm meant to do with my life now and how I'm meant to provide for a baby." "Ruby, I love you, with all my heart and I don't want anyone else, only you regardless of the baby or not. If she turns out to not be mine biologically then that doesn't make her any less mine, it won't make me want to be any less involved in her life and I know we're young but we'll make it work babe and we have your dad's and my mom to help us out. Having a baby doesn't mean you can't have a future, you can still be anything you want to be baby and I'll be there supporting you and helping you every step of the way, you can do amazing things Ruby and I'll be there to share it with you, always." I feel tears streaming down my face and Ryan's hands come up to cup my cheeks as he stares into my eyes and he says "I love you Ruby, completely and unconditionally." "I love you too Ry" I choke out as I lean forward as much as I can and Ryan meets me the rest of the way, pulling me into a hug. He holds me while I cry into his neck and once I've settled down he leans back and sits back on his feet. "Ruby baby, I love you so much and you know I plan on spending the rest of my life with you, will you marry me?" He asks as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the very impressive ring again. "Ry" I choke out, feeling my eyes well with tears again. "It's not pity and it's not because of the baby, I love you and I want you to be mine forever." "Yes" I choke out and he smiles wide as he takes my left hand and slides the ring into place, the fit a little tight and I giggle as I say "I'm a little swollen everywhere right now." Ryan laughs too and leans up to kiss me again and as we pull apart pa comes back in and says "I heard laughter as I was walking past so I assume it was safe to come back in." I turn my head to smile over at him and I say "Daddy I..." "You finally said yes huh?" He asks as he nods towards my hand on Ryan's arm. I nod and smile up at him and he says "I'm so happy for you guys, told you she'd come around." "What?" "I asked his permission before I asked you the first time and when you said no he told me to be patient with you" Ryan tells me and I stare at pa open mouthed. "You knew?" I exclaim and he smiles and nods, walking over and pulling me into a hug before he shakes Ryan's hand. "Congratulations guys."

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