Prior Rings

Chapter 25: Tobias - His Family

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and to my wonderful beta reader, Rosalie! I'm sorry this chapter took a little longer to post than I wanted - my computer died, and I'm having to work from a temporary one until we can figure out something more permanent. At least I had my files backed up, so I didn't lose anything I'd written, but it's been difficult to access email to get Rosalie's comments. Sigh.

Chapter 25: Tobias – His Family

A very large part of me thinks it's too soon to bring Tris to this dinner. She hasn't even been back for a full week, and I'm having her spend time with my mother? After everything that Evelyn did to her in the past?

But if I want others to accept that I've grown and changed in the last year, I have to extend the same credit to my mother. She's worked as hard as I have, and I do know that she regrets how she treated Tris the first time around.

Besides, I feel like I owe it to Margaret. My sister has been waiting for hundreds of days, as she firmly reminded me last week, to see Tris again. She wants to get to know the woman who saved her from Eric, and then showed Amanda Ritter's video to the whole city…. And it's hard to deny a ten-year-old the chance to be around her personal hero.

So, I try to hide my nerves as Tris and I walk to Candor, our hands laced together in the brisk afternoon air. We could take the bus, I know, but I've spent so many hours treading the pavement in this city that it's instinctive to go on foot at this point. And Tris doesn't seem to mind. If anything, I think she prefers it – she was probably cooped up more than she liked in Philadelphia.

"Are you sure I won't be intruding by coming to this?" she asks, sounding as uncertain as I feel. It's an opportunity to delay the "reunion" a few weeks if I want, but I already know I won't take it. The Dauntless in me would rather just face this head-on.

"You're definitely welcome there," I tell her. Smiling a little, I add, "Though I can't promise it won't be awkward at first. It is my mother, after all."

Tris laughs – a cute little burst of anxiety mixed with amusement.

"All right," she responds after a moment. "But you have to come to lunch with Caleb and Anna sometime in return."

I nod, thinking about that. The last time I saw Anna was when I returned her ring, some four months ago. That was a rough day. It was almost like losing Tris all over again to part with that band, but it was the right thing to do.

"That seems like a fair exchange," I finally agree.

A smile curves Tris' mouth. "I don't know about fair," she comments, her tone turning playful. "They both like you a lot more than I think Evelyn likes me."

My eyebrow arches skeptically at her. Given everything that's happened, I find it unlikely that Caleb is my fan. But Tris insists, "They do. Really."

Her expression turns serious again as a memory seems to intrude, and I watch her bite her lip. Her voice is quiet when she continues. "Caleb once told me that you helped him become a better person." That's a startling revelation, and I'm silent while I absorb the thought.

She clears her throat. "And Anna told me that you cared more about me than I thought. And that I should talk to you." A small smile forms on her face as she adds, "And give you a chance."

Warmth spreads through me at the words. After what I did to Tris, I didn't expect to ever receive her family's approval. And given my own childhood, I didn't expect to care whether or not I did. But in this moment, I realize that I do.