My Spy 6: Private Eye

Confessions

The next morning I was an anxiety-riddled mess. My stomach was stuck up in my throat, my hands wouldn't stop shaking and I became paranoid the butterflies swarming around inside would attack and disturb the biddy baby. Ryan could immediately sense my tension and wouldn't let me leave his truck before I would talk to him. 

"I just don't know how my mother will react to certain things anymore," I tell him as he cuts the ignition. 

"So you're just not going to tell her anything anymore in fear that she won't give you the response you're hoping for?" Ryan asks me with a shake of his head. 

"You weren't there, but the morning after the New Years' party, she basically looked at me with such disgust that it didn't matter what the events were that led me to her living room with a swollen eye and a police report."

He turns in his seat before saying, "All she knew was a fight had broken out and Austin and I were to blame. Let's go fill in some of those details and she might regret judging you so harshly."

"I'm just always a mess in her eyes and I think this will validate her opinion," I say, as a frog surprisingly comes along to get stuck in my throat. Ryan shakes his head before kicking his door open. I go to push my door open but Ryan stops me from sliding off my seat. He cups my face in his hands and says, "Stop letting her opinion on what happened that night diminish your feelings on what actually happened Sawyer. You were a part of a traumatic event, stop letting her make you feel like it was your fault. Especially if she doesn't even have all the facts."

I nod, "I think just telling this to my mother and seeing Sebastian all in one day is just making me feel things I wasn't expecting."

"We don't have to do either. This is your decision and shenanigans," Ryan says before pursing his lips. I don't think he wants to meet with Sebastian either, but I think it's too important to ignore. He drops his hands and grabs mine to help me down. They stayed clasped as we cross into my mother's house and we find her in the war room. I watch as Ryan looks around at the wedding planning that's been barfed all over the dining room and his eyes linger on my mother's vision board. My mother catches it too. 

"Ryan! So glad you stopped by to see the progress! What do you think?" My mother asks gleefully while placing her hands on her dainty hips. I can see she's elated at the progress she's made and he hesitantly replies, "This is going to be fancy."

"Well, it is a Sweeney wedding my dear." My mother states the obvious and I squeeze Ryan's hand to remind him that we aren't here to confirm the linen colors. 

"What do you still need from the Harts?" Ryan asks, glancing around the space. I know my mother isn't expecting help, financially or vocally from the Harts. She is expecting them to just show up and enjoy being guests.

She grabs a binder and fingers the tabs until she finds the right slot. She flips it open as she says, "I need your guest list and addresses. Also, I know it's customary for the groom's family to plan the rehearsal dinner, but since your family isn't familiar with Hollis we would be happy to take care of that as well." She takes out sheets from the binder and hands them to Ryan. There are a bunch of forms for names and addresses for him to fill in. He glances to them and then back to my mother, "Okay, I can get these for you but we'll still take care of the rehearsal. This is my wedding too and I would like to be involved." I hear the slight challenge in his voice and I am beyond grateful when my mother relents some control. 

"Okay then. I told Sawyer that I'm welcome to suggestions, so don't ya even think I am steamrolling this now," she says with a quick glance to me. She sets the binder down and spins around toward the vision board. She's about to pluck it off the stand when I stop her.