No Strings

Like every day when we get back, we all go to our rooms to shower the day off, but unlike every other time, Ben says he needs to handle some business and leaves me to shower alone.

Once I’m clean and in comfy pajamas, I head out to find Ben and Brody talking softly.

“Everything okay?” I ask, making them both look over at me startled.

“Yeah, go ahead and head out, and we’ll be right out,” Ben says.

“Okay, but hurry.” I open the French doors and head outside. “They always start promptly at nine o’clock.” I glance at my phone and see it’s almost time.

“We’ll be right out,” he says again.

It’s a cooler day in Florida, in the high seventies, which compared to New York right now is like heaven. I inhale the fresh air and am staring up at the sky, waiting for the first explosion to go off when the French door creaks open. I’m expecting them to join me against the railing, so I’m confused when I glance over and find both of them standing behind me.

“What are you guys doing? Get out here.”

But instead of moving, Ben extends his arm, popping open a tiny black box and exposing a... “Is that?” No, it can’t be...

“The past few months have been the best of my life,” Ben begins, forcing my gaze to snap from the gorgeous ring to him. “Between Brody moving in with me and meeting you, my life has changed significantly, and I can’t imagine ever going back to the way it was before. When we were in my office, you asked if I was moving, and I realized I never made it clear to you and Brody that I’m not going anywhere ever. I said I wasn’t, but you need to see it for yourself. You both are my life. And while a ring can’t force someone to stay, it symbolizes my commitment to you.”

He gets down on one knee, and my heart pounds against my rib cage as tears well up in my eyes. “Savannah Cartwright, will you do me the honor of wearing my ring and spending the rest of your life with me?”

“And me,” Brody adds with a shy shrug. “Well, until I move out and go to college.” Ben grunts, making Brody laugh. “It would be really fuck—freaking cool if you would be my stepmom.”

“So, what do you say?” Ben asks. “Marry me and get both of us?”

“Yes,” I whisper, tears of happiness sliding down my cheeks. “Yes, I will marry you.” I look at Brody. “And I would love nothing more than to be your stepmom.”

Ben pushes the ring onto my finger and then stands, wrapping me in his arms and kissing me while he twirls me around. When he sets me down, Brody scoops me up into a hug, making my tears fall even harder.

The first explosion of the fireworks go off, but I barely notice them, too focused on what’s in front of me—love, friendship, happiness... family.

“Your mom wants you to visit.”

“And I don’t want to.”

We’re on the plane ride home, and I’m lying with my head in Ben’s lap, half-asleep, listening to Ben and Brody talk.

“We have shared custody.”

“And I’m fifteen. I don’t want to go. I told her to let me know when Ted isn’t home, and then I’ll come by.”

“What did he do that made you hate him so much?” Ben asks, his tone is filled with concern.

Brody goes silent for a beat, then says, “He’s just an asshole.”

The plane shakes, hitting some turbulence, and my stomach does a flip-flop, making me tighten my body.

“You okay?” Ben asks.

“Yeah, I just felt...” Before I can finish my sentence, the plane shifts and dips, and I fly up, darting to the tiny bathroom. I make it there just in time to expel my entire breakfast and the coffee I consumed less than an hour ago.

I’m perched over the toilet when Ben arrives less than a minute later. He pulls my hair into a ponytail and rubs my back while I get it all out. Once I’m done, and my stomach is groaning in pain, he hands me a warm washcloth to wipe my mouth with.

“Thanks.” I stand and flush the toilet. Grabbing a disposable toothbrush they keep on hand, I brush my teeth and then gargle some mouthwash.

“There’s a storm so the rest of the trip might be rocky. Why don’t you go lie in bed?”

“Will you lie with me?” I waggle my brows.

“Of course.”

Thankfully, the rest of the flight is spent with us in bed cuddling and not with me cradling the toilet.

“This doesn’t make any sense.” I go through the numbers for the fourth time, already knowing what I’m going to find but wishing somehow, they would change. Unfortunately, numbers don’t change. They’re constant. Two plus two always equals four.