Chapter 9 – Heart to heart
It had been a week since Kim and Ron's heartfelt conversation with her parents. In an effort to maintain peace with everyone, Kim had decided to stay at her family's apartment for the time being.
The afternoon was gray and quiet, rain gently pattering against the windows. Anne had the rare luxury of a day off after an exhausting night shift at the hospital. She was curled up on the couch, scrolling through her tablet with an air of concentration, the glow of the screen reflecting on her face.
From the kitchen, Kim walked in, balancing two steaming mugs of tea. "Here you go, Mom," she said, handing one to Anne before taking a seat beside her. She curled up on the couch, sipping her tea.
"What are you looking at?" Kim asked curiously, tilting her head to glance at the screen.
Anne smiled, still scrolling. "Oh, just looking for something to show you," she replied. "You know, I'm so grateful your dad digitalized all our family photos last year. We would've lost everything if he hadn't done it."
Kim nodded, a soft smile on her lips. "Yeah, it was a smart move."
Anne chuckled as she stopped on a picture. "Here, look at this one," she said, turning the screen toward Kim. It was an old photo of Kim as an eight-year-old at the beach, her red hair windswept.
"I love this one," Anne said warmly, her eyes full of affection as she studied the image. "You were always happiest at the beach."
Kim's smile widened as she looked at the picture. "I remember that day," she said softly, taking another sip of tea.
Anne's gaze drifted to Kim's hand as she reached for her cup again, and her eyes caught a glint of gold. She leaned closer, her brow furrowing slightly. "I haven't seen this before," she said gently, reaching out to touch the wedding band on Kim's finger.
"Oh!" Kim exclaimed, her cheeks flushing. "Well, I got this at the chapel…" She paused, flustered. "I just… wasn't wearing it before. You know, trying not to tense things up at the house." She offered a shy smile, glancing nervously at her mom.
Anne gently took Kim's hand in hers, radiating maternal affection. "It's beautiful," she said softly, her voice sincere as her fingers brushed over the simple wedding band. She looked up at Kim with a small, knowing smile. "You know, Kimmie, when you and Ron started dating, I just knew you two would be endgame, as the kids say." She chuckled at her attempt to use modern slang, the sound light and teasing.
Kim laughed, shaking her head.
Anne's grin widened as she scrolled further. Suddenly, her face lit up. "Oh! I found it!" She tapped on a picture, enlarging it on the screen.
Kim leaned in, curious—and her eyes widened in disbelief. On the screen was a picture of her and Ron at six years old in the Possibles' backyard. A group of teddy bears and dolls was lined up neatly on the grass, and there was little Ron, looking adorably confused in his striped shirt. Meanwhile, little Kim was wrapped in a white bedsheet, giggling.
"What is this?" Kim asked, raising an eyebrow.
Anne's laughter bubbled up as she explained. "That year, your aunt got married, and it was the first wedding you'd ever been to. You were completely obsessed with your aunt's dress—talked about it nonstop for weeks. You even started lining up your toys to play wedding."
Kim stared at the picture, her mouth slightly open in astonishment. "You're kidding…"
Anne's grin widened. "Oh, I'm not. And poor Ronnie here—he was always your chosen groom. He was such a good sport about it, though I don't think he had much of a choice!"
Kim shook her head, still processing. "I can't believe this…"
Anne's voice softened as she said, "Last year, after you and Ron started dating, I came across this picture and couldn't stop thinking about it. I decided to save it, thinking it would make a perfect wedding gift someday. I always knew you two would take this step—it was just a matter of time. I'll admit, though, I didn't think it would happen quite so soon."
Kim's cheeks flushed. "Mom…"
"It's ok. You were always so determined and sure of what you wanted. Your father and I are not mad. I mean... I think your father is a little mad," she giggled. "Everything is going to be alright. Just please, promise me you will find a balance between your relationship and everything else college life has in store."
Kim smiled and replied, "I promise."
"And pleeeease," Anne added with playful exasperation, "no more surprises. I don't want to hear the word grandchildren for at least the next ten years."
Kim's face flushed red as she gasped, "Mom!"
"Oh, and speaking of that," Anne said, raising an eyebrow, "you and I need to have a serious conversation."
After a very awkward conversation with her mom about… well… avoiding the word grandchildren, Kim sat on the bed in the room she was staying in.
"Ugh! Just when I thought things couldn't get more awkweird," she exclaimed in exasperation.
Her phone rang, and a familiar name lit up the screen.
"Hey, Ron!" Kim answered, her voice warm and cheerful.
"KP, guess what? We got it—the dorm! It's all set. I submitted our license, and it's official—we're going to be roommates… well, dormmates!" Ron's voice was practically bubbling with excitement.
Kim laughed, a happy sound that melted Ron's heart. "I'm glad it worked out. After everything we've done, it had to." she said, her giggle carrying a note of relief.
Ron's tone softened, a hint of vulnerability creeping in. "Yeah… but, KP, I really miss you. You've been staying with your parents since we got back, and it's been torture not having you around. I get why we're doing this, but still..."
Kim's heart ached at his honesty, and she felt the same pang of longing. "I miss you too, Ron. So much. But we'll see each other tonight, okay? Just us. Let's go out and spend some real time together."
"Perfect," Ron replied, a grin spreading across his face, even over the phone. "I'll plan something nice."
Kim smiled, picturing his enthusiasm. "I can't wait."
As the call ended, Kim set her phone down, feeling a mixture of excitement and warmth. Tonight couldn't come soon enough.