Hey! So sorry I'm late updating. Caught up in summer assignments! Anyway, here is the climax of the story!
Enjoy!
"So Astrid, how is it going with Hiccup?" Her mother smiled at her from the other end of the table. This sparked some anger in Astrid, but she forced it down for her mother's sake. They were seated at a two person table at Astrid's favorite café. Her mother had become more relentless than usual with her devotion to Astrid since the discussion about the financially impossible trip to Amsterdam. It had been all of Astrid's favorite foods, movies, TV shows, and now she took her to her favorite café. When would it all end? It wouldn't. It started when Astrid was diagnosed when she was thirteen and wouldn't end until she lost the war with cancer. But then what would happen to her parents? What would they do with themselves once their main source of purpose was gone?
"We're just friends Mom." Astrid said tersely but still trying to sound gentle.
"Oh of course honey! I just have to say he's such a nice young man. You're not still upset about that trip are-"
Not wanting to have this conversation, Astrid stood up abruptly, knocking over her smoothie in the process. The pink liquid spilled onto her shirt. Her mother flew into action grabbing napkins and dabbing Astrid's shirt dry, but it still left a stain.
"I'm ready to go home, I'm feeling a little tired." Astrid said, knowing her mother would comply. Her mother smiled and nodded as they walked out to the car.
….
On the way home, Astrid's blue cell phone began to ring. Looking at the screen, she saw Hiccup's smile as his name showed up. She noticed her mother glancing over at her phone as well. Ignoring her, she answered.
"Hello?"
"Good afternoon Astrid Skye. Are you home?"
"No, I'm out with my mom."
"That was a trick question, I know you aren't home, because why else would I be sitting on your steps waiting for you?" Hiccup retorted sarcastically.
"Oh, well, I'm almost there." Astrid wondered what he was doing that was so important he had to wait at her house instead of calling her.
"I'll be here."
…
Astrid looked out the window of the car and sure enough, Hiccup was patiently waiting for her. Even from the driveway, the tulips in his hand stood out like an orange traffic cone, but in a good way. Astrid stepped out to meet him, her mother giddily following behind.
"For you Astrid Skye." He charmed handing her the flowers. Astrid took them in her hands and put her nose to them, drinking in their fresh scent of flora. "Would you like to go on a picnic with me?" He held up a large wicker basket, Astrid wondered how she had not noticed it before…
"Okay," Was all she could say. Then she remembered the stain on her shirt. "Just let me change real quick, come on in.
….
Astrid changed her smoothie stained shirt into a blue and green striped scoop neck, brushed her hair and teeth, and sprayed perfume into the air then stepped into the mist of fragrance and quickly back out again. She smiled at the bright orange tulips she placed in her bathroom.
Just before she was going to step into sight of everyone in the living room, she hid behind a wall to listen to her father talking with Hiccup, this could be interesting.
"I love all the artwork in your house." Hiccup said and Astrid knew he meant it. Hiccup was very talented at drawing and painting, he had showed her his notebook a few times.
"Thank you, Hiccup. So you met Astrid through support group?" Her father's voice questioned. It sounded more like an interrogation than friendly chatter to Astrid.
"I was lucky to be there the day she came."
"You are a survivor?" His voice seemed to intent on Hiccup.
"Indeed I am. I didn't cut this guy off the adrenaline rush of it! "
"How are you now?" Her father pressed on.
"I've been NEC for fourteen months!"
"That's wonderful! Treatment these days is truly remarkable." Astrid could sense something lingering behind his congrats.
"Listen, Hiccup, you have to understand that Astrid is still really sick. She always will be. She's the kind of girl that will try to keep up with you but-"
Astrid heard enough. It infuriated her that her father would tell Hiccup to coddle her and treat her as an invalid.
"I'm ready!" She chirped as she stepped into the room with a smile plastered on her face. When she looked at Hiccup she could tell he knew she had heard everything.
"So where are you two heading?" Her mother walked into the room, holding a parenting magazine, to hopefully only Astrid's notice.
"Shh, it's a secret." Hiccup said playfully holding a finger to his lips.
"Do you have your phone sweetheart?" Astrid held up her cell phone to pacify her mother. After giving both her parents hugs and them giving her kisses, she and Hiccup finally made it out of the front door.
…
"So, do you think your parents liked me?" Hiccup asked, his self-confidence wavering to the smallest fraction. They were walking on the sidewalk towards the town's park. Astrid had her hand on Hiccup's arm. Hiccup was tall and skinny, but he was built firmly.
"Please, my mom adores you. And Dad seemed fine, but who cares what they think? You don't need everyone to like you."
"I care what they think. They're your parents, and besides, what's wrong with being liked?
"There are more important things in this world besides the surrounding people's opinions." Astrid stated as a small tightness came to her chest as she walked besides Hiccup. Worry is useless, Astrid. Besides, you have a PET scan next month, who cares?
The side walk came to an open field. In the middle of the field, there was a sculpture of a skeleton of a person, with plenty of children playing on it. Hiccup took an orange blanket out of the basket and set it down on the femur of the skeleton. Reaching in the basket again, he brought out two sandwiches, consisting of cheese and tomato and handed one to Astrid as she sat down.
After a minute of chewing, Hiccup broke the silence.
"You are probably wondering why you are sitting here eating a bad sandwich with a guy wearing a jersey of a sport that he loathes."
"You read my mind."
"Astrid Skye," he began. Like the epitome of all young children before you, you spent your wish hastily without care or consider of the consequences. When your life flashed before your eyes, you were overcome with the fear of never getting the chance to spend your wish. So you spent it on something you did not truly want, the cold and artificial pleasures of a theme park."
"Hey I had a great time on that trip, I met Peter Pan and Donald Duck-" Astrid interrupted his speech.
"I am in the midst of a grand soliloquy and you interrupt me! And after I memorized it and everything!" Hiccup cried out dramatically.
"Okay sorry, please continue. You were at artificial pleasures." Astrid said taking another bite of her sandwich.
"Ah yes. The true heroes of the wish factories, are the ones that wait patiently for the one true wish to come into their desire. Maybe it'll come along, but maybe not. Then you realized your true wish was to visit the mysterious Gobber Van Houten in Amsterdam. And if you had saved your wish without haste, it would have paid off."
"But I didn't so…" Astrid couldn't tell where this was heading. It honestly sounded like he was lecturing her on her impatience she had as a thirteen year old girl.
"Yes…but I save mine." Hiccup said. "In exchange for the leg." He held up his left leg, his jeans covered his prosthetic so she couldn't see it. "I'm not going to give you my wish, Astrid Skye. But I have an interest in meeting this Gobber Van Houten as well. I don't believe that it would make much sense for me to meet the author of a book I wouldn't even know about with the girl who acknowledged me of its existence in the first place. So I talked to the genies, and they are all for it. We leave May third and return on the seventh." Hiccup ended his reveal with his charming smile, waiting for her reaction.
"Hiccup, seriously? Truly?" Astrid exclaimed. He nodded.
"Oh my gods! Hiccup that's amazing!" She yelled punching him in the stomach. "You're the best."
"Hey don't punch the guy who finances your international travel!" He answered, but had a smile on his face.