"Eve, they're going to be fine that you decided to marry me."
"I don't know Gabe... They are kind of traditional." She said nervously, sitting across from me at the coffee house in town. Beth was sleeping in her arms as Eve slowly sipped her coffee. These two ladies were the most important people in my life.
***
The first time I met Eve was her very first shift at the hospital. I'd been a paramedic for almost a year at this time and it was an awkward situation. She didn't know anyone and I assumed that she knew who I was like all of the other nurses did. As you can imagine she didn't and I made a fool of myself trying to pretend like I'd seen her around before.
She agreed to go out on a date with me, even though she didn't know me and I made a huge fool of myself. Then next time I saw her after our date was at the firehouse. We'd slept together on the first date and between extra shifts and family stuff I didn't get the chance to call her back.
When she walked in I grinned and went to talk to her until she hugged the fire chief and I realized how much they looked alike and I practically crapped myself.
Maybe that was when I realized that her father would never ever approve of me. I don't even remember how I managed to talk Eve into a second date... And then our third date I accidentally knocked her up.
The night she told me was one of the scariest nights of my life. She asked me to pick her up from her Dads house and we went to an abandoned parking lot. As soon as she started crying I knew that something was wrong but I had no idea that she was pregnant.
I did my best to comfort her and tell her that I wasn't going anywhere. Two years later we were in love and in a strong relationship.
***
"Eve you are in charge of your own life. Nothing between us will change and I'll never stop loving you." She sighed and took my hand,
"I know Gabe.. I know. But they're going to hate me... For ignoring their wishes."
"Baby please. I know they won't hate you." I reached over the table to stroke her face gently. Her Dads walked in and both ordered a coffee before sitting down on either side of the table. Almost immediately her Dads noticed that she was wearing her engagement ring.
"I see you're wearing the engagement ring," Her Dad, Alexander said.
"Yes... I... I had a rough day at work yesterday and... This woman lost her husband and her son. I just... Gabriel is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with and that will never change. I don't understand what your problem is with him and I'm at the point that I'm starting not to care. Gabriel has been nothing but good to Beth and I and he's been trying to prove himself to you for a year and a half now and he almost got himself killed in that call where Collin got hurt, trying to prove that he's a good man to you Dad. You keep shutting him down and if you can't support me and my decision to marry the man of my dreams then maybe... Maybe I'll have to chose Gabriel over you both."
Alexander sighed and looked at his significant other, Lucas. I was so proud of Evie for finally sticking up for herself and I reached under the table to take her hand in my own. Alexander sighed and shook his head,
"Honestly Evelyn... We don't like that Gabriel knocked you up, and in the process of knocking you up not only was he high he was also tipsy, if not drunk. We also don't like that you both don't have a place of your own yet and still depend on his parents for everything. Gabriel is immature and hasn't grown up in the years that I've known him. Evie, honey, if you think that Gabriel will change once you marry him I pity you. Gabriel isn't going to change. Not if you marry him and not if you leave him. I'm sorry Evelyn but if you chose to marry Gabriel... You're choosing him over us."
"Dad..." She said, tears running down her face, "How could you ask me to chose the father to my child, the man I love most, or you? How in the world is that fair?"
"Evie I told you where we stand. I do not want you marrying Gabriel. If you chose to follow through and marry Gabriel then you will no longer be in contact with us. Is this what you want?"
Evie sniffled quietly, looking down at our daughter and then at me. I saw how scared and how sad her eyes looked and my heart dropped into my stomach. I knew that she would pick her dads... And I couldn't blame her. They were her family. I loved her more than anything or anyone (pardon my daughter) and the thought of losing her... Well I could sort of understand what Daniel was going through. As much as I wanted to beg her to stay with me, I couldn't. She deserved the most happiness that she could get out of life and if that meant leaving me and giving me weekends with Beth... Then so be it. It would break my heart only seeing Beth every other weekend and hardly ever seeing Eve but if she was happy then I'd do it.
Eve was the first girl I ever had feelings for. I fooled around with girls throughout high school and a couple during my year at college to become a paramedic, but none of them were ever as serious as Eve. I know it sounds stupid but when I laid eyes on her I knew she was the one. The only one. My Dad had sat us kids around one night when Mom had gone out with Aunt Jackie and explained true love in the best way he could and I guess at the time Daniel was smug because he'd already found his one "true love". Bailey was all smiley because she believed her feelings towards Isaac were the ones that Dad was describing. And at the time I'd gone on one date with Evie and I knew my feelings were serious. Which is why I laid it all out to her on the second date. That's also probably why I had a third date with her, because our second date had been a pretty bad one.
Eve sniffled again, her hand trembling in mine while she looked briefly between Beth and I. She looked over at her Dad's and when I saw how much emotion was behind her eyes I was ready to say goodbye.
"Well... I guess I'll see you around." She said strongly. I nodded understandingly and started to get up until she gripped my hand tighter. "If you cannot support my family and my wishes... Then I don't want you in my life anyways. I'll send a wedding invitation... Just like I will to Mom. It's your decision if you want to be a part of what will be one of the happiest days of my life. If not... That won't change anything."
She stood up and went to the counter to pay for the coffee's and I looked at them,
"With the utmost respect, sir, I think you just made the dumbest decision of your life. I may not be the guy you imagined for Eve, but I haven't hurt her like Craig did and I never forced her into anything. I've been there for her since day one and I'll never stop. So if you decide that she's not worth your time because of me, you're an idiot." With that I stood up and followed my fiancée out to our SUV.
I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter of "Through Their Eyes"! Next up will be Logan and Lydia, probably dealing with more of her parent drama!
Also! If there is something or some situation you see these characters under going don't be afraid to make a request and I'll do the best that I can to write the characters in that situation!
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Through Their Eyes
RomanceAnother Swanson Farms Novel! Follow the characters of Swanson Farms 2 as they go through their own struggles of parent hood, marriage, and the struggles following Bailey and her life. This will be a collection of "one shots" featuring the favourit...