Children of a Whiskey Lullaby

Chapter 8

Olivia stood there dumbfounded. What could she say? She had spent so many years trying to shut people out in fear of having her heart broken again. She didn't want to hurt him but she didn't want to give an answer. "I... I... don't know." Olivia say Ryan's face fall, a sadder look now on his face. Olivia's eyes filled with tears as she ran. She ran as far as she could before she collapsed outside of town right on the edge of Cittu. "I'm so... so sorry!" She cried even though no one could hear her or so she thought.
"You shouldn't have to be sorry." Olivia turned around to see Coco with a sleeping Velvet in her arms.
"Why shouldn't I be!? I hurt him just so I wouldn't be hurt!"
"You know why he came to me last night?" Olivia shook her head now wondering what Coco was talking about. "He came to ask everything about you. He wanted to know why you were so closed up around him. He wanted to get to know the real Olivia Cameron. He wanted to know where and how to propose and I told him to go to your parents grave and I'd text him after you left the cafe."
Olivia looked at Coco with a dumbfounded look in her eyes. "He came to ask you for information and you gave it to him!"
Coco just smiled at her, "Yeah I gave him what he asked for cause I know you like a sister and this is exactly how you acted when you fell in love with Jackson." Coco's words stung, Olivia had tried to suppress the memories of her high school boyfriend who had broken up with her the day of her mothers death. "You wanna know what he told me about you? He said you reminded him of himself, your afraid of rejection. Now... Do you know what your answer is?"
Coco gave Olivia a ride back to her parents grave and gave her an encouraging smile. Ryan was still there sitting in front of her parents. "I'm sorry I ran. I was just afraid. I've only ever loved someone once before and they hurt me. You've shown me I don't need to be afraid anymore. So my answer is yes Ryan I will marry you!"
He then moved so fast Olivia had no time to react and was so shocked when he kissed her softly. She reacted soon after and returned the kiss as Ryan slipped the ring on her finger and moved her hands to his neck while he moved his hands to her waist. They stayed in each others embrace till the sun set. "So my fiancé what's on the agenda for tomorrow?" Ryan asked emphasizing on fiancé.
"Shouldn't we tell your daughter about us first?"
"We kinda can't tell Lea. Blake and Yara were taking her to the airport yesterday so she could go spend a year with my mother and sister before she has to start school next year." Ryan said really fast as if it was common knowledge.
"So your daughter won't know until after we're married? That seems kinda unfair to her, can't we call her and tell her the news." Olivia asked astounded he wasn't going to tell his own daughter they were getting married.
"No because when I thought it through I knew my mom and sister were going to come home with her so I could tell them all at once."
Olivia took in all the information then decided, "We should go ahead home and tell everyone." Ryan agreed without another word and walked with her to the motorcycle. "You drive!" She tossed him the keys and headed off to her house. They got there and RWBY's cars were parked in front.
"Looks like everyone's here." Ryan announced very excited like he was about to tell his parents about losing his first tooth.
"Calm down Ryan, we don't want to give a way the surprise."
"I can't help it I've never been this excited in my life!" He exclaimed grinning from ear to ear. His blue eyes seemed brighter than ever. They walked up the steps and Olivia opened the door, and it opened to everyone on their phones calling people who may know where Ryan could be.
"Yes he's got brown hair and blue eyes, how old, he's twenty-five. Hello? Ugh they hung up on me again!" Yara looked at Reese who was still on her phone. "Any luck sis?"
"No I've been on hold with these people for an hour." Reese explained hanging up her phone.
"Hey guys look who I found!" Olivia said walking inside with Ryan.
"Ryan!" Reese, Yara, and Winter ran over to him and engulfed him in a hug. Winston and Blake chuckled at them, which caused the girls to pull them into the hug as well.
Then Yara decided on rapidly firing questions, "Where have you been? What have you been doing? Why didn't you answer your phone?"
"Wow Yara I was just busy."
"Busy doing what exactly?" Blake said with a smirk that said he knew something.
"Well I was meeting someone." Ryan said glancing at Olivia.
"Ohh do I hear wedding bells in the future with this mystery woman?" Winter said teasingly.
"Yes you do but she's no mystery woman."
Everyone gasped then Winston interjected, "This isn't one of your jokes is it Ryan?"
"It's no joke Winston." Ryan nodded and Olivia took that as her sign to put the ring back on her finger. "I'd actually like to introduce you to my my fiancé. You all know Olivia?" Ryan said sarcastically wrapping his arm around Olivia.
Everyone just stood there mouths gaping open stunned by what had just been announced. "You're kidding right?" Carlos responded to the news the first one to speak for what felt like forever.
"Carlos it's the truth Ryan and I are getting married." Olivia said the hurt emanating from her voice.
"I just thought you'd never find anybody you've always been so hard headed ever since moms death. You know what I should be happy for you but I'm not! We've only just gotten to know these guys and you're now engaged to him. It's just unbelievable after all these years." He walked up the stairs Lisa closely following him with a sleeping Casey in her arms.
"What was that about?" Olivia looked at her twins sister for answers.
"Isn't it obvious?" Sophie began, "He's been afraid of the day you'd actually settle down because he's afraid you'll want to go live somewhere else...."
She stopped wanting to say more but Lola finished for her, "Without us."