The Heart's Melody | ✅

Chapter 20: Let's do it

The funeral was lovely. Almost everyone who knew Eric from Juilliard came and some even spoke up and had only wonderful things to say about him. Tris barely cried. She doubted there were any more tears left to do that. She surprised everyone when she too stood up and spoke kind words about Eric. Without going into details she told everyone gathered there what a great friend he was, how he helped her during a rough time, how he always guided her and inspired her. It wasn't uncommon, since he was a wonderful person to almost everyone he knew. Without making many friends he had many students gathered around him to guide and inspire them and everyone was incredibly sad to lose such a valued teacher and musician.

Two days before Christmas the four friends together with Matt and Cameron arrived in Aspen where they were received by their families. Tobias had told everyone about the death of one of their friends and asked everyone to not mention it unless any of the four youngsters did.

Tris was glad to be with her family. She missed them all terribly. Eric's death was still stinging, but it made her realize how fragile and short life can be. She promised herself to not waste time and tell people what she thought, what she felt and what she wanted. She was done hiding. She wasn't a scared child anymore, but a brave woman. She went through so much since she decided to be her own person that she could look into a mirror and be proud of the strong female who was looking back at her. She went through hell and back and she survived it. Yes, she had help and she was thankful for each and every one of them, but she came a long way and she knew she had it in her to survive anything life threw at her. Besides, she wasn't alone. She had her best friends, her parents, her brother and sister, her cousins, all of her friends and family, but more importantly she had Tobias. Together they could survive anything. The world itself could try to separate them and they would still find each other and fight alongside for their love. She felt blessed.

Later that night, when everyone was in their rooms, most of them probably asleep, Tris kept scribbling down something in her notebook. Tobias was still reading the book Matt recommended when he stopped and looked discreetly at the words she kept writing down. He almost chuckled and chocked all at the same time when he saw what she was doing. She was doodling Mr. and Mrs. Tobias Eaton over and over again. The gesture was both silly and exciting. He wouldn't expect a grown woman to do something so childish, but then again it was Tris. She loved to do these things because they made her feel comfortable. He wondered if she only did that for the sheer fun of it to see how it would look like or if she changed her mind regarding marriage. Tris sensed that he was staring at her and turned her head. He actually blushed slightly when she caught him snooping and Tris chuckled.

"See something you like?" she asked teasingly.

"As a matter of fact, I do," he answered with a wide grin.

"Really? What might that be?" she asked him, prolonging their game.

"Something my beautiful girlfriend kept writing over and over again," he said and tilted his head toward the notebook. Tris looked at the sheet of paper before her and barely held back a laugh. Barely.

"Oh. Since we're on the subject, what would you say if there would be a Mr. and Mrs. Tobias Eaton?" she asked and his eyes widened. He hoped she would be ready one day, but knowing her he never expected her to bring it up so soon.

"I'd say I like the idea. Whenever the future Mrs. Tobias Eaton is ready I'll definitely be ready," he said with an excited smile.

"Ground rules," she said and sat up so quickly her notebook fell down to the floor. Tobias chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"What kind of rules?" he asked amused.

"When we get married," she said kneeling next to him on the bed and facing him, "we'll decide what, when, how etc. Our moms aren't permitted to take over and turn this into a circus," she said and he nodded. He would agree to anything she asked for as long as she married him. But as he thought of what she said he couldn't help but wonder what made her change her mind. Not a month ago she told him how she overheard their dads in the kitchen and that she wasn't ready yet.