Hetty and Ryan: Overcome

Bracelet

Ryan jiggled his left leg and tapped his foot compulsively the entire drive to Mount Si that Friday morning. He listened on loop to the last playlist he had ever created for Hetty, before heading off to college. With each song, he fantasized about their moments together.

Furtively brushing their fingertips together under the table in Mr. Adams' film class. Their first kiss, so wrought with postponed pleasure he almost exploded into his pants at the first sweet contact with her lips. Hetty's hips circling his, grinding desperately together, separated only by a thin layer of underwear. Massaging her heavenly body in coconut oil poolside in Maui, the intoxicating aroma mercilessly swallowing them up.

As Ryan neared their lodgings in Mount Si, he attempted to calm his thoughts, as well as his body's physical reaction to them.

He didn't know what this weekend had in store, but he was in no mood to spoil it with realistic expectations. All he could think about was being in Hetty's presence for two full days. His heart had been broken about a dozen times since he had begun working with her this fall, and the biggest heartbreak was still ahead of him. It would be either when she married Cooper and gave birth to his baby, or when Ryan left his job at Walnut Grove. For the time being, he would shove these facts deep down beneath his gut.

* * *

Ryan felt almost dizzy as he approached the front desk to check in and receive his key. Glancing into the lobby, which was packed with people, he spotted Hetty like a glittering piece of sea glass in a bucket of grey sand. He paused, amused, realizing she had been staring at him. With her bottom lip tucked into her teeth, no less.

He approached her with a glowing smirk. "Hello, dear friend. I think I've caught you staring at me."

Hetty blushed furiously. "I was not!"

"I think you were."

"You're not being very friendly right now," she accused playfully. 

Ryan put his hand to his stomach in mock-indignation. "Am too!" Hetty shook her head, breaking into a grin. She looked somehow brighter than he had seen her in recent weeks. Lighter.

"How was the drive?" asked Hetty.

"Good," Ryan replied, chuckling coyly. He felt his face turn a shade pinker as he held back laughter at his own private joke.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing." Ryan recalled the memories that had consumed his thoughts for the past two hours' drive. "We should have ridden together. What a waste. Of gasoline." He smiled furtively at her.

"That would have been fun," Hetty replied, shining her eyes into his. What the hell is going on? thought Ryan.

One of the district administrators had arrived to the lobby and addressed everyone, welcoming them to the retreat and outlining the schedule for the day.

"I'm going to put my stuff in my room. I'll see you down at the workshop?" said Ryan after they had picked up their paper schedules.

"Sounds good. I'll see you there."

The cabin-style lodge glimmered with light, rich wood from floor to ceiling. There were massive windows everywhere, which revealed endless views of luscious pines and mountain-painted skies.

When Ryan returned downstairs to the "Cedar" room, he found Hetty seated at a table with Mariana and Rosalia.

In the first session, they did a series of teambuilding exercises. Each one seemed to involve some sort of physical contact with their group mates. Ryan was grateful for the excuse to touch Hetty, while simultaneously cursing the workshop instructors in his mind for torturing him. It was one hour into the damned retreat, and he was already worked up.