I stared at my phone screen, my heart thudding a little faster than I wanted to admit. Hey, meet me at the library. I have something to tell you.
It wasn’t anything dramatic, but knowing Sarah, she’d analyze every letter of that text before getting here. I glanced across the table at Logan, who was pretending to read a book but had been on the same page for the last ten minutes. His fingers tapped rhythmically against the spine, betraying his own nerves.
“You think they’ll freak out?” I asked, tucking my phone away.
He smirked, finally looking up. “Sarah? Absolutely. Jake? He’ll act like it’s no big deal, but you know he’s already coming up with jokes in his head.”
I let out a small laugh, shaking my head just as my phone buzzed. On our way.
A few minutes later, Sarah, Jake and Alyssa walked into the library, scanning the rows of tables until they spotted us. Sarah made a beeline for me, sliding into the chair next to mine, while Jake took a more leisurely approach, dropping his bag onto the table like he had all the time in the world.
Sarah crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. “Alright, spill. What’s the news? And why do you look like you’re about to pass out?”
Jake leaned back in his chair, glancing at Logan before looking back at me. “Yeah, should I be concerned?”
I exhaled and met Logan’s gaze for a brief second before turning back to them. “We’re getting married.”
Silence.
Then—
Sarah’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. “Wait. WHAT?”
Jake blinked. “Huh.”
Sarah whipped her head toward him. “That’s it? Huh?” She turned back to me, her mouth slightly open. “Are you serious?”
I nodded, bracing myself for whatever was coming next.
And then, just like that, Sarah exploded.
“Oh my God! Are you kidding me?!” She practically tackled me in her chair, throwing her arms around me in a tight hug. “This is insane. This is amazing. I knew it was coming, but still—holy crap, Emma!”
Logan chuckled, amused. “Well, at least we got one good reaction.”
Sarah pulled back, blinking rapidly like she was processing it all over again. “Okay, I need details.”
I laughed. “I’ll tell you everything later, I swear.”
Jake exhaled dramatically, shaking his head. “Guess I should start working on my speech.”
I shot him a glare. “It better not be a roast.”
“No promises.”
She squeezed my hand one more time. “I’m really happy for you, Em. You deserve this.”
I felt like I wasn’t just getting through life—I was actually living it.
Later that afternoon, I walked into the clinic, feeling more at peace than I had in months. The familiar scent of antiseptic and coffee greeted me as I made my way to Dr. Foster’s office.
She was buried in paperwork when I knocked on the doorframe, but when she looked up and saw me, a small smile crossed her face. “Emma. What’s going on?”
I stepped inside, suddenly feeling a little nervous. “I just… I wanted to tell you something.”
She set her pen down, leaning back slightly in her chair. “Let me guess. Logan finally got his act together?”
I laughed softly. “Something like that.” I hesitated, then smiled. “We’re engaged.”
Dr. Foster’s expression shifted from mild curiosity to warm approval. “Congratulations, Emma. That’s big news.”
“Yeah, it is,” I admitted. “And honestly, I wanted to tell you because… well, you’ve been such a big part of my life these last few months. I came here completely lost, and now… I feel like I know where I’m going.”
She studied me for a moment, her sharp gaze softening. “You’ve changed a lot since you started here.”
“I needed something real, something that wasn’t just about… the past.”
Dr. Foster nodded knowingly. “And now you’re looking ahead.”
She leaned forward slightly. “And that’s why I’d be happy to write you a recommendation. Your work here has been incredible. I’d be proud to support you.”
I froze, my breath catching in my throat. “You mean that?”
She raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t.”
For a moment, I could only stare at her, overwhelmed with gratitude.
Then, finally, I exhaled, my shoulders relaxing.
This was it.
Everything was finally falling into place.