The Forgotten Jedi - Rey Skywalker // Book V in A Spark of Hope

Chapter Fifty- Caden.

I did it.

I proposed to Rose.

Sure. It only took a year and six months after buying the ring to actually ask. And sure, when I bought the ring I thought my dad would be there to see me get married. He was the first person I told. I remember the conversation like it just happened.

("You bought a ring? Why?"

"I'm thinking of proposing to Rose."

"Don't you think it's too soon?"

"Maybe. That's why I'm going to wait awhile. Maybe on our one year anniversary."

"Well, it doesn't matter when you ask her, I'm sure she'll say yes.")

He died two weeks later.

I proposed three months ago and today we started planning the wedding.

"I think we should wait to get married, y'know, until the FinnRey babies are born." Rose tells me. "I want them to be in the wedding with Stella."

"Aww," I say. "That'll be adorable."

"Who's going to be your best-man? Do you still want Poe?"

"That's what I planned, yeah. Who's your maid of honor?"

"Okay. My maid of honor is Rey." Rose says. "Which leaves Ben, Nathan and Finn as your groomsmen and Jessika and Lyra as bridesmaids."

"Nathan?"

Realization must sink in, because her face falls. It's quick, though, because a second later her face is neutral. "I didn't mean that. Why would I say that? Nathan's dead and well, that's what he deserves, isn't it? Dying alone thinking everyone hated him?"

"Sweetie," I say. "It's okay to be sad. Nathan wasn't a bad person."

"He got a child killed."

"But he tried saving him," I say. "Nathan was trying to protect his wife and children, which meant making hard decisions. He probably didn't think those monsters would go as far as killing a child, but then they did, and he felt so guilty he didn't even want to live. It's okay to be sad, Rose. Everyone thinks he's the monster that he wasn't, and really? That isn't fair."

Rose nods.

"Now, do you wanna talk? About Nathan?"

She nods again.

"Okay, I'll listen."

"I'm angry." She says. "I mean, I'm really, really angry."

"Normal reaction to loss," I say. "Why are you angry?"

"I'm angry because Nathan betrayed us," Rose answers. "I'm angry that we didn't notice something was wrong until it was too late late. I'm angry that he died. He was Nathan, my big brother, he wasn't allowed to die. When we were kids, we made promises that neither one of us would die until we were at least two hundred and one."

"Two hundred and one?"

"We wanted to be the longest-living humans in the galaxy."

"Okay... but why the one? Why not two hundred?"

"I don't know," Rose shrugs. "Like I said, we were kids."

I nod. "Hey, we've been sitting here, talking for like, an hour and none of our friends have joined us yet. Are they dead?"

"I hope not." Rose says. "Ah, they aren't. Finn and Rey are coming over."

"Rosie! Cade!" Rey greets.