The Concept |r. blaney|

five: hotel room ✔️

The middle-aged woman sitting before Cadence had her legs crossed, one hand holding a brownie bite while the other had a napkin in hand. Cadence wasn't interested in the snack she'd spent all night baking, and instead was gazing off at the various photos and quotes plastered on the pastel blue walls.

"Well," She began, nudging her black rimmed glasses up her nose. "Are you looking for any romantic intent within this friendship?"

"No," Cadence responded sternly; although her cheeks had shifted to a darker shade of pink beneath faint blush. "I don't."

"And do you feel Ryan thinks differently?" Her eyes moves to her therapists eyes with an almost bored expression.

"Were you listening when I told you what he tweeted?" She asked, sighing heavily and sinking low in the fluffy white couch. Her eyes wandered to the other side of the room, looking over the plants that's grown more than three times the size when she'd begun her weekly meetings so long ago.

"I was, of course I was." She nodded, setting the napkin aside as she popped the lid onto the brownie bites. "However, I also can tell when you're feeling conflicted. You only ever bring me sweets when you've been beating yourself up." While it was true, Cadence didn't like the recognition of her bad habits. "What are your thoughts when you're alone? Pertaining to your stress, what is it that's keeping you up late baking?"

Cadence sighed, eyes moving to her hands. She was fumbling with a thread on her black skirt, brows drawn together for her oceanic eyes to lock with chipping polish. Her heartbeat increased as she tried to form words for the ache in her chest. "I feel upset." She began, inhaling shakily. "I feel like I'm betraying him. I feel scared. Like I'm hurting him. I feel guilty."

"Guilt." Her therapist spoke softly, removing her glasses and setting them on her lap. Cadence didn't look up to the blonde woman, but she had known her well enough to know she was watching her closely, trying to formulate a response. "Why is it that you're feeling guilt? You said Ryan was just a friend."

"He is." She clarified, sweeping a loose curl behind her ear as she glanced up to Dr. Harriet Lenore. "But..."

"Cadence," Harriet sighed, leaning forward on her knees. The brunette begrudgingly looked up. "Gustav is gone."

"And I hardly took my ring off," she laughed sadly, hand moving over her chest. Over the rock on a band that once signified their love. "And I'm already... dancing with another guy and taking walks in the park with him. I already was thinking about flying out to him and hanging out with him!" She groaned in exasperation before getting to her feet. She wandered to the book shelf, looking over the unfamiliar titles mindlessly. "I'm letting him down."

"Well, let me ask you this, Cadence." Harriet began. She got to her feet as well, turning to her client with the softest expression known to man. "Do you feel this way when you're with Ryan? Do you feel sadness? Guilt? Fear?"

"No." She spoke quietly before laughing. Her glossy lips turned upwards. "Actually, yeah. Fear, I do feel scared."

"Gustav wanted you to feel that, Cadence. He wanted you to live life to the fullest, to feel the richest kinds of emotion. Including fear. Ryan is a friend. Tell him so. Be honest. Let him know that you hardly have taken your ring off, that you're still grieving. There's no harm in feeling fear with someone who's brought you happiness. There's no reason to turn your back on someone who's making you want to leave your home and go out." She smiled softly, leaning against her chair as Cadence pursed her lips. "If you're asking me if I think this trip is a good idea, I'd say that it's the best thing for you. Be safe, be cautious. But don't give up on something because you're fearful."

—

She sipped her coffee as she watched Julia look through ancient fragrances in a corner of the antique shop. After her meeting with Harriet, Julia had asked to hang out. Figuring she was potentially going to be out of town for the weekend, she agreed even though she just wanted to go to bed. Even though it was one in the afternoon.

"Hmm, I bet this is what Mona smelled like," Julia hummed, lifting the bottle to Cadence's nose.

"Mona?"

"Mona Lisa? Leonardo DiCaprio?" Cadence smiled, shaking her head.

"Da Vinci, but good try."

"I was just trying to get you to laugh." Julia set the bottle back. "If you drift off anymore, I'll assume you're in REM sleep." She moved away from the perfumes and began to look around. "Hard session?"

"It was okay." Cadence shrugged a shoulder as they passed the racing stuff. Her eyes wandered over everything before she came to a stop with her friend by the purses. "Oh, um... remember the guy I hung out with? At the bar?"

"I remember." She nodded, scowling at a snake skin purse and physically shifting away. "Wait," she spun around excitedly with a beaming grin. "Did you finally text him!"

"I did. And called, face timed, and we hung out. Here." She caught up her friend, inhaling sharply. "And I might go hang out with him this weekend. He professionally drives cars, like, as an athlete, which is scary." She pulled out her phone, logging onto Instagram and pulling up his page before showing it to he best friend. Julia took it and widened her eyes.

"Hello gorgeous," she laughed, jaw dropping as she lifted a picture of him to show Cadence. He was sweaty, curly brown hair pushed back as he looked away from the camera. His fire suit was unzipped, showing the skin tight shirt beneath.

"Shut up," she took her phone back and gazed down at the photo for a moment before locking her phone and putting it into her bag. "Look, I need you to be my best friend and tell me what I should do."

"You should call him right now, tell him you're packing, and bringing a friend, and let's go!" Cadence raised her brows, eyes wandering to the race section. "C'mon, KK. It'll be so much fun! I'll get Quincy to come too, that way we won't be alone. Perfectly safe, perfect opportunity to go have a good time. Besides... I wanna meet him. Really meet him."

Cadence pursed her lips and sighed heavily. Then she took out her phone.

Cadence
So my friend and her bf also wanna come... is that okay?

Ryan Blaney
That's more than okay... as long as thats a yes?

Cadence
Yes, it's a yes

Ryan Blaney
Send me ur email, I'll send the tickets for the plane, race, and pit. There's a hotel room already booked.. i had high hopes 😊