ruthellry

[ruthellry]

the story keeps a smile on her face, the gentle nodding as she let charlie recall all the details, keeping the beat going as she continued. the cook seemed to propel herself forward with each part of the story, motherhood and all encompassing part of her personality now. she wondered if the three notes sounded familiar, if there was a song that she could remember which matched the tune.

the advice is met with a cool, though she tries to envision herself with a baby in her arms at the same ease some of the other people in the township have been able to. it doesn't suit her much, but she's always willing to try. "it could be a drake trait." the punnett squares of biology could tell, half the data already prepared. "i'm not sure i've ever heard birdie sing." she supposed it didn't occur to charlie that roman could be the singer, and she wasn't going to correct the story to say that the la la las had been good. "seems like the kind of thing she'd keep hidden."

"Believe it or not, Roman tried to remember some lyrics last week and ended up just La-la-la-ing it, you know? Now he's just stuck on La-la-la-ing around the apartment, or the closest thing to it. Now it's the new go to song in our household. La-la-la." Not that she truly minded, because listening to Roman and and his son La-la-la-ing bac and forth to each other was maybe her favourite thing in the world.

"Next time you go over and talk to him, make sure to give him a La-la-la and I can promise you you're going to get the biggest baby laugh from that kid. Hey, maybe he'll end up being an amazing singer in the future. A gene I'm not sure he would have gotten from me. I couldn't carry a note if you put it in a bucket and carried it for me."

[ruthellry]

"you say you're from missouri one time." she stopped her work for the briefest moment, trying to recall if she actually had, or if the information was newly uncovered. it felt like something that had to come up, a new york transplant almost always had to say. then again her applications for everything said minnesota, her only giveaway was a driver's license.

she looks up at him, trying to discern the truth, finding his eyes decidedly not looking at the ceiling, or her stitching. she looks quickly back down, going back to finishing the stitches and wiping away the residue of blood and antiseptic. the only thing that she can think to distract from the pink that's risen to her cheeks is finishing the story she'd dropped.

"trick-or-treating accident." she'd gone alone, but it was halloween. there was no excuse to stay inside and watch movies when everyone else was roaming the streets on the hunt for a sugar rush. "i was going for some candy and slipped on porch steps." chin caught clean by the wooden planks, the family nice enough to drive her to the emergency room while she held a beach towel to her face. "and got the trick."

finally, her work is done, and she leans back to tidy up all of the supplies that would go in their own separate garbage bag to be disposed of in a hazard bin at school. "so, dinner?"

he can't imagine being able to find something that she'd pick herself. any choice of his would be a poor imitation of her own style, slightly off-kilter to the rest of the room. but maybe that in itself held a bit of charm. he'd find her a rug.

he'd seen the soft line in her skin but had never considered where it originated from. it'd just always been there. memories of a life that hadn't involved him. it'd always been better to focus on the now instead of the past and roman had plenty of excuses for why that was. ruth didn't need to get involved with roman or birdie or any of the shit that they did that would catch up with them sooner or later. she'd had a great life ahead of her. a happy life. he'd never wanted to derail that.

there was a pregnant pause before it became clear she had nothing further to add. he settles his gaze on her chest, watching the steady rise and fall.

"i noticed." he assured in his defense. "...i was thinking corn-shucking accident." he gives the explanation of her scar to save her from having to give a real one.

[ruthellry]

she presses her lips together, trying to contain the worry that his one phrase contained in just that line. the version of him sitting on this floor all night, spilling out all the stress and sadness that had been bottled up, didn't end in any way that she wanted to think through. but how does she articulate that care, with holding her own bottle up to his and drinking down the same third. her sleeve is tinged red from where she wipes her mouth, offering her version of comfort: "never more important than getting drunk with you."

there's a brief flicker where she thinks he is going to take the out, either too far gone to know, or too with it to want to actually talk. she remembers having to pry these conversations from him, getting the truth in secreted phrases and allusions until she could put together enough to show that she was to be trusted. it turns out neither option is on the table tonight, they're at just the moment where it becomes unavoidable to speak some truth.

"i know." she takes another drink, this time slower so that she can focus on the sickly sweet taste rather than her own feelings on the situation. it was immeasurably hard, it was the one thing that she couldn't know. the death of a loved one, tangibly there, no matter how much medical attention was administered. and she tried to love jeremiah, or the memory of him, for this reason— but she struggled still.

"it's not." there was nothing else that could be said about it. she was no great purveyor of universal truths, but some things were obvious enough. "it never claimed to be."

"Oh.. right," sober Ash had done well to make sure no one was around for his own destruction, at least Maisie, he couldn't control Ruth. But perhaps he gotten used to the fact that Ruth hasn't visited as much since Maisie came under his care. Completely fair and valid, this was his own burden to bare. She didn't need to be tied down to it simply for being his best friend. Guess he was being super lame now, he noticed the wine coolers and cards in her hands. "Sorry.." he was being a party pooper, huh? He could try and sober up, pull the pieces back together quickly, suppress it all and shove it back down, but if he did, he wasn't sure it could hold on for another year. "It's okay," Ash hiccupped before shaking his head lightly, "I would've been here all night, never too late. You got important things to do. Lives to save." Ending with a chuckle he finally met her gaze, as much as his vision was blurring and spinning, she was still, an anchor if nothing more.

He had prepared himself for her to walk out and not deal with this mess, a part of his brain telling him it would be so, but deep down, he knew that she would've stayed, and deep down he was thankful, but also regretted putting her in that position. He kept his back against the coffee table, facing the couch, slotting himself in the space in between, face in view of Ruth who sat the opposite way of him on the floor beside him. He clinked his bottle to hers, before chugging a third of it in one go. He suddenly felt like he was back in the hospital as Ruth tried to talk to him, get him into the outline of physical therapy. It was heartwarming, at the same time heartaching. As all that time and work to get out of that ditch, was for nothing to end up back in another one. "..about what?" Ash asked whether genuinely or trying to play dumb, in his intoxicated mind he wasn't quite sure. Probably both.

Ash exhaled silently, eyes focused back on the way his bottle rolled back and forth in his hand, something to focus on while he's let the emotional walls completely crumble and dissolve in the alcohol itself. "It's not fair." Perhaps it meant a multitude of things, things Ashton didn't want to accept but the main thing that twisted in his chest was that it's not fair, they're alive and the others were dead.

[ruthellry]

"he will!" she turned away the notion that she needed to drop everything and run to see him. the impulse might have been there, to ruin the reveal, get all the nerves over with and hope he found her to be just as pretty as all the days she'd worked to the point of exhaustion in a pair of scrubs. the reverse was usually the test. "i just lost track of time!"

now straying too far away was out of the cards. it was the same reasoning she had for missing just about every other important milestone in one's social life. she couldn't run to the wexley and back for anything— unless aggie requested it. "well we've practiced." but that usually ended with a lot more jumping around her apartment with excitement. "but the shoes ash, the shoes." her new excuse for everything the next two hours with the clock no longer an option.

"yes, you're the bride. and i'm the..." she gestured at the air, trying to come up with a word to describe what she could be to him. between two fatherless children, with a mother now here, she didn't have a word for how such an event might come to pass. "i'm the ruth." she settled happily, turning a smile towards the decorations that had all been set out for the ceremony so she could see them all together.

"we're doing pretty well." not to say that it had been easy. some days it was still nearly impossible to tell if she was headed in the right direction. hearing ash say as much was an immeasurable relief, the weight off her shoulders might have even been felt as they continued. she'd been patiently waiting for some sign of life more than her normal readings, and here it finally was. "you can take up any issues with that almost our next meeting, fellow counselor."

It was one word, but it said more than just that, a simple always that encapsulates everything between best friends. Ashton smiled inwardly, dropping his gaze, a silent thank you, because if he vocalized it, he knew they'll be stuck in this loop of thanking each other forever again.

"Well he should," unless she was going for some surprise or something with Aggie. "He'll be blown away." Anyone would've been, Ash included when he first saw her this morning, it was rare for anyone to really dress up nowadays. He chuckled at the tease, letting her wave it all off, that was enough of their usual banter for the morning, or the serious considerations of shoving her flats into his jacket pockets. He could tell she seriously thought about it before he laughed as she waved it off.

Ashton tightened his grip once she locked arms with him, and easy movement almost second nature to them, holding them both solid on their feet, curbing the threats of anyone falling over. "You guys haven't practiced?" He didn't know how much goes into a practice run of the wedding but Ash assumed that was a thing. "What, am I the bride now?" He chuckled, leading them slowly towards the aisle and podium, not as gracefully as Aggie would obviously, and he ignored the connotations of walking down an aisle with Ruth, simply giving her the time to get used to her heels, leaving things lull into a comfortable silence until he spoke again softly, "it's crazy.. having almost.. peace here." Like he's waiting for the other shoe to drop. Everything always seemed to go wrong, and Ash did his best mitigate it all beforehand.

[ruthellry]

folding into amelia's arms has always been second nature, somehow she was always able to turn herself even smaller so that she could fit under the crook just so. it was comfort, it was how a hug from a mother was supposed to feel, and she reveled in having it back, even for just this moment. she didn't need any of it, she'd spent years convincing herself of that case. but she wanted to hear it, and she felt all the better for her choices when she did.

she allowed herself to be led over to the drink station, holding this secret in her mind, never to be shared. "i hope so too." she didn't know what lasting meant in a world like this, how long she could expect— but they were both immune, they were both still here, that had to mean something.

"i'm sorry yours didn't" though she never asked for specifics, she would wait if there were some to be given. "but i am glad you made it here. really glad." she couldn't say just yet, how she hadn't been able to hold ash together, she'd spent so many nights worried. this wouldn't be a solution, but god— it would help. "we told maisie all about you."

"Look at that smile. That's what I have been waiting to see on you for some time, Doctor Ellery." Reaching over to pull Ruth into a little side hug, Amelia offered her a bright smile and a press of her lips to the her temple. "You do deserve this and I trust your taste in men." She had been in love with Ashton for years, after all.

"Come and grab a drink with me. We have so much catching up to do, but not tonight." Because chances were that there was a lot of bad, and really... tonight was about the good.

"Between you and I... I met someone while I was in Canada, too... Unfortunately it was just for a season, but sometimes that's enough to hold us over. I hope this one lasts for you. He's very handsome. Besides... look at you taking after me with the military men."

[ruthellry]

she was an active participant in watching the theater, setting up an opening night reception, or after-party for the cast when she could figure out the logistics. she left getting up on the stage to the professionals, or the passionate as aspen was demonstrating. ruth didn't correct any of the sentiments that were passed about her friend, mostly because she didn't know what went on behind stage doors.

sometimes it was easier to agree with aspen, when she could. and sometimes, she just had to dodge random karate swings as they came and answer the questions which were asked. "not always." she turned over the question, she tried to think of the best and most succinct answer she could give. "sometimes it's better to talk to the patients." she could think of a few examples where that'd worked out for the better, though she didn't try to keep aspen's attention for a longer story. "it helps them too, when you distract them from what's happening."

"I know. I'm so lucky. I mean I begged Aggie to let me be one and she agreed, but I know that's because she adores me. You know I even got a role in the musical, too." A small one, mostly because she didn't have to focus for much more than that, but a part nonetheless. She just wanted to be included in everything.

"Oh. My. Gawd. Of course it makes sense, are you kidding?! I mean I used to have so much stage fright when I did pageants back in the day, or cheer, or karate, or whatever you know, but the second you get in focus mode it's like ffffpt." Making a little noise as she sliced the air in front of her face with a bladed hand, the physical demonstration of her point.

"I bet, you know, as a doctor, right? That you have just like... the most intense like laser focus when you really lock in."

[ruthellry]

okay, okay. the signs find their way into conversation more now, years of passing late night secrets and practicing with other people who wanted to learn. she wasn't able to interpret like hannah, she didn't have the easy knack for it like some of the kids, but she always had practice on her side.

"it'll be short and sweet." getting right to the point before she had a chance to ramble on, or worse tear up and halt the festivities. she had the edges of what she wanted to say, and as with most emotion-laden tasks, she'd figure out the rest as they actually came to pass. it wasn't a clean method. but it was hers. "no crying needed."

their minds seemed to wander down similar paths, as though this were a crowd of strangers to impress and not the same group of people that had been with them for almost two years. "you're going to sound smart." she paused, contemplating her word choice, not wanting to give all of the credit to hannah. "look smart— you'll be just fine."

Mrs. Sanders.

Hearing someone else call her that had her absolutely beaming from ear to ear despite herself, doing a little bounce on her heels and spinning the band that now nestled in with her engagement ring. It still felt like a dream, but Ruth saying it out loud like that made it that much more amazingly real.

You had better do a toast. I would cry if you didn't and you don't want to make the bride cry on her wedding day.

Expression playfully smug as she over exaggerated her facial features with her signs, it all dissolved into silly giggles and she continued. I am nervous for mine. Hannah will make sure I sound smart when she interprets. Though the number of people at ASL lessons was growing every class, it was definitely still helpful, and it meant a lot to her that Hannah got to be up there with her.

[ruthellry]

Fleabag

[ruthellry]

who: @romanxdrake

where: irving medical center, outside of township borders

when: idk whenever

ruth wasn't particularly skilled at runs, or anything that involved the basics of survival. but, some of the supplies that were left over at the columbia medical college and beyond were only to be found by those who knew where to look. someone like a medical student who'd logged hundreds of hours in the operating rooms and trekking across floors.

so, she'd volunteered to take down a list of supplies that the hospital needed, and pack a backpack for a longer run. it made the most sense. june particularly required more medication than some of the other residents, so roman would be coming with too with his own list and knowledge. she was relieved, really, that it was someone she could trust— and for the most part she still believed that he trusted her too.

their set up was small, meant to keep the chances of attracting strangers low. it was a campsite that could only survive one night, and then all traces of it would be wiped off the face of the earth. for the next few hours, it was home. "it was good of charlie to pack all this," she looked down at the food they had to choose from, trying to pick a topic out of what little it felt they had to discuss these days. "did you ask for anything special?"

[ruthellry]

she took in the sight before her, piecing together the fact that it had not been the spirit of fun which had taken hold of the little girls. rather, a well-timed event so that ash could grieve, because he always would. she had escaped the memorials of may, as though her brain couldn't hold onto one more traumatic event. each person was silo'd off as a patient and while she'd failed to save them, there would be more and more. what had she ever been able to do for the roses anyways?

"i heard that maisie was staying with june and..." her reasoning was half-baked, she'd been considering a fun night of cards and drinks with her oldest friend. he'd made other plans for himself. she would adjust. "i'd have been over earlier, but i always lose track of time in that building." there could have been a clock on every wall, and she still would have found a way to stay an hour later than she'd promised herself.

there are two options, as she sees it. she can pour ash a glass of water, and go back to her apartment, leaving him be as it seemed half of his mind wanted. or she can open one of the drinks she's brought, and sit with him through whatever's gripped him on this particular night. her choice is made with a twist of the bottle cap on a strawberry daiquiri cooler. "it's not that late." she found her way over to the coffee table, dropping herself down to the floor so that she was leaned against the sofa as well.

"are we going to talk about it?"

Ashton had done his best to hold himself together with duct tape of responsibilities, but just like last year, whenever it crept towards this time of the years, he was self aware enough to know when it was no longer holding together. He needed a night to just break, or he'll start making mistakes again, with even more lives on the line. So on the day when it felt like the world had turned for the better yet also crash around him at the same time, he requested if Maisie to have a sleepover with June, perhaps to become a yearly thing. One day, just one fucking day he needed to be selfish, and give in to all his vices to grieve and numb the pain the day still brings.

It had been later in the night, hording bottles over the entire year of being sober, he was down by his fifth bottle of whatever, he didn't even know, or rather didn't even care, when his door clicked open to the welcome chirp of Ruth. Ash couldn't remember at that point, did they schedule something? Was this supposed to be a shared day? Ashton have never let anyone else seen him like this, he would've shut off anyone else that came by, but if it was Ruth, it was okay. She's already seen the worst of him, what's one more. Not that it's fair on her to have to deal with him. "Ruth?" His head lolled towards the door as he sat on the floor against the coffee table, taking longer than usual to react to her as he blinked, drunken mind processing the person that came by, "shouldn't you be sleeping? It's late." His words slurred as he tried to reason with her, hoping he came off as steady and sober as possible with his words. Do you think she'd believe he was okay? Ashton didn't have the answer to that as he polished off another bottle of whatever that was in his hands.

He debated between chasing her away and selfishly letting her stay. It was so fucking lonely. He shouldn't. It wasn't fair for her. Nor Oscar. "You should.." you should go, he couldn't bring himself to say does words, "sorry-- I.. you don't have to," to go? To stay? His hand heavily gestured vaguely for her to do whatever she wanted and interpret however she wanted, as his other reached to exchange his empty bottle for a full one. "..was it busy today?" He tried to steer the attention from his state to ask about her day instead.

[ruthellry]

"always." the sincerity of the word is tempered by her smile, the tilt of her head that catches humor far more than anything serious. they couldn't survive the next hour if they were going to get sentimental now. and she never needed to be asked to provide anything for him, whether it be to fix a button or flee a wedding, that could all go unsaid, focusing instead on the silliest of details: her shoes.

"no, i've been busy," the morning had gone to setting up and helping the bride, pulling together all of the last minute odds and ends for the wedding party, and remember to do her own hair and makeup. "everyone had so much to do and..." she supposed the first time he'd see her would be walking down the aisle, but who could consider the significance of that right now. the end of the sentence was waved away as she considered his offer again to hold her shoes. she could wait a couple more minutes, rather than grabbing the officiant the moment the ceremony was done.

she took his arm, looping her own through it and pulling him close as if there was a threat she might lose her balance on the uneven grass of the ceremony space. it was a threat— but not one that she was currently taking seriously. "i need the practice."

"You were always better at cramming than I was," he grinned, Ash may have been just as smart, but it takes longer for things to permanently sink in for things like a test, Ruth on the other hand, acer of all tests. Laughing at her agreement to the ridiculous back up plan if he completely flops at the speech later, he nodded with a thumb slowly brushing off his nose as a little signal shared between them, "I knew you'd be there for me, thank you." Ruth had always been there in all the years they've known each other and Ashton never failed to be appreciative of her constant presence in his life. Even the simple laughter now was enough to ease some of the tensions and worry for the upcoming ceremony.

Ashton chuckled taking a step back to admire the entire look together, nodding in approval, "you're so right, they definitely do. It's a perfect match." Not that anyone would ever come to him to ask for his fashion opinion, but he at least understood some form of color coordination. And probably nothing would really look bad on her with the glowing joy she exudes. "Oscar seen you yet?" Ash softly teased her, knowing the two had been going well, ignoring everything else but their happiness.

"Why not? I can put them in my pocket," Ashton huffed in jest, showing the inner pockets of his blue blazer jacket, perhaps a one good function of this suit. He glanced over to the food table sitting afar from them, nodding as he guessed the exact location of her flats. "Absolutely, you just say when, I'll be there for you, no one would even notice the quick change." He had already been looking for nooks and crannies for his own quick exits to take a breather from it all if it gets too overwhelming, knowing plenty of people will help keep an eye out of Maisie and all the kids.

Ash quietened down looking outward to the ceremony space, a beauty in nature they haven't seen in a long while. Hannah was right, it was prettier with flowers. They weren't only used for unfortunate events like he's used to. He turned back to Ruth offering his arm for her to take with a joke, "we got some time before it starts, wanna take a quick round the area? Inspect everything one last time, and look for your quick escapes."

[ruthellry]

who: @ashton-ryder

where: apt. #306

when: may? late may?

she'd made herself scarce when maisie had moved in, trying not to upend the world anymore than it already had been for the two of them. it was only in the brief moments when she was trying to tall asleep at night that she'd felt she failed ashton somewhere, dropped the ball. too selfish or too something by staying away.

so, when maisie had a sleepover planned with the roses, it was easy to insert her own plans. she let herself into the apartment, a case of wine coolers under her arms. the plan to spend the evening sitting on the couch and laughing like nothing in the world had changed. as though they weren't in charge of this whole town, trying to keep everyone alive.

"happy night off!" she greeted, as though she was perfectly on time and not derailed by a too much time in the hospital and a late run on the dinner rations. there was already drinks on the table, taking in the scene quickly, "oh— you started without me?"

[ruthellry]

"no, me either." she wasn't subtle about her life, she lived it loud and chaotic, finding placement for everything where it could be. having aggie as a roommate had taught her some semblance of privacy, but it wasn't something that was going to make a lasting impression— her friend's smile said as much. "i'll stay busy, mrs. sanders."

aggie's happiness felt like a comfort, only solidifying her confidence in her choice of date, of more. though she was inexperienced enough in the field to avoid labels, there was still the man she could find in the middle of all the festivities. "but, i can still make time for a toast if you want."

Oh yeah, because I have so much.

Laughing as she shook her head at her best friend, Aggie, too was very near to weepiness, despite her face aching smile. Stealing a glance over at Oscar, who Aggie had spied stealing a kiss from Ruth, she offered her a coy smile and a little elbow bump.

I don't think you're going to be lonely. Nothing made Aggie happier than knowing Ruth had someone to take care of her. Not because she needed a caretaker, but because she had a big, soft, sensitive heart and she deserved it being nurtured.

[ruthellry]

she smiles, as though charlie's made an amusing joke out of a truth she's known for years, always knew though he kept it tucked away. it'd always been true that ash cared, he put other people before himself plenty of times. she'd learned to do the same, to give more, from watching him— even if he would say it was the reverse.

"there's nothing i want more!" the idea of finally getting to have a few dance partners at a party was a novelty that hadn't worn off. she'd find the rhythm easy enough, whether it was with a two year old or out by herself. "that's the whole point of a party." though she doubted that it would be enough to take away from the mountains of food that they'd somehow managed to pull together for the evening.

"does adam have a favorite song yet?"

"Yeah, he is kind of a big softie, isn't he?" Especially more so in the last couple of years, and Charlie had taken mighty advantage of that to try and build him back up after everything that had happened to him. Now, seeing him up there tugging at his tuxedo and looking so uncomfortable in front of the crowd, he'd looked more himself than he had in so long that it'd nearly brought her to tears.

"I hope you both realize that you're going to be spending a decent time on the dance floor. Between the little ones, me, Roman, and now Amelia... I think you're gunna burn off whatever calories the meal we made is going to pack on."

[ruthellry]

[ ☂️ ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they crave touch or fear it ?

[ 🎐 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a sound, like a song or voice, that they associate with peace ?

[ 🕊️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen did they feel the safest ?

☂️ :ㅤ do they crave touch or fear it ?

she would be on the crave side of the spectrum. she loves companionship, and tries desperately to connect with people on any level she can. hugs, handshakes, high-fives, whatever it might be to show that she's in the group. ( i think she went into trauma surgery because she's touch starved. gets a lot of hugs from patients. )

🎐 : ㅤdo they have a sound, like a song or voice, that they associate with peace ?

🕊️ :ㅤ when did they feel the safest ?

answered.

[ruthellry]

[ 🕊️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen did they feel the safest ?

christmas day at the ryder house. she was on her third year of her phd and had a week off from the clinic. she'd woken up to the decorations in order, the presents all under the tree, cocoa waiting and music playing. it'd been the holiday she'd spent years trying to put together for herself. with all her misplaced tinsel and haphazardly titled trees, she'd been looking for this.

[ruthellry]

"i'll have it if you need a cue." the two of them have been working through the words in tandem almost every time they were alone. building the surprise only worked if it was a true surprise. at this point, it was almost a rhythm she could dance out, to have and to hold, mouthing the words to make sure they were going at the same pace. it didn't work standing next to each other, even if it probably would have helped the nerves that were rolling off of him. "just find me— you know i can ace a final."

or, they could go with option b. "deal." she agrees, knowing that ash won't actually take advantage of the offer, just like he knows she would throw herself down if need be. the two of them forever spinning in orbit of worst case scenario, and at the end of the hour they would be right back to just fine. "slip code red in there, i'll know." the idea makes her laugh, her own tension breaking at the idea of having to keep an ear out for the not so subtle phrase. it's the best she can do for humor on short notice.

"i know, i know!" she pretends to comb her hair back, to pinch more pink into her cheeks, as though any of that made a difference when compared to the extra few inches she had on the world now. "thank you," her routine stops to accept the compliment sincerely and at face value, "i think they work with the dress." not that either of them were fashion experts when it came to these choices.

"you can't hold them during the ceremony." as though the one thing that will prevent a picture-perfect wedding is the officiant turning to the side and revealing a pair of shoes. "i've got them under a chair by the food." she had been helping with some of the last minute set up, providing herself for the perfect moment to slip the outfit change into place. "you can help me make a quick exit."

"Right, that's it," Ash winced as the answer came to him as Ruth did it, mimicking her hand movements with his own, solidifying back in his brain. "Feels like we're cramming for exams again, did not miss those while we studied," he laughed alongside her, infectious little thing shared between them that helps ease of the nervousness that they felt. And they weren't either one of the bride nor groom, maybe they can suck away all the nervousness for their friends so that they can focus on having the best day of their life.

Ashton exhaled out, nodding along to Ruth's assurances, "yeah you're right, we do." Over the two years they continued picking up ASL from Aggie, Ash as if picking up a few new words every day when he passes by Aggie, somewhat getting close to fluent, now it's easy to understand Aggie when she signs, but signing from his own hands, takes him a second slower to figure out. "So you should do it with me then, just stand by my side after walking Aggie down," he joked with an easy grin, appreciating Ruth working it all out with him over weeks after he shared the idea with her.

"I'll give you a signal if I'm really struggling, and I'll catch you before you hit the ground," his gaze followed down to wear she showed her heels and eyebrows raised in surprise. "Dr Ruth Ellery in heels? No wonder something looked different about you today, I just couldn't put my finger on it." Now that it was obvious, Ash could see the height different from what he was so used to, just a shade taller than usual. "That's sweet though, and they do look good. ..want me to hold on to your emergency flats?" He just knows without a doubt that she probably has it stashed somewhere.