Page 61 of Thanks for Coming Along
"Good morning, lovebirds," Conor announced, his voice carrying through the room as he strolled to Ronan's breakfast food spread. Erin followed, offering Ronan a warm, appreciative smile as she patted his arm lovingly. "Thank you for making breakfast, my love," she said, her eyes sparkling affectionately.
"Hey! I helped, too!" Sadie pouted as she poured orange juice into a glass.
"Yeah, you helped yourself to all the crispy bacon pieces," Ronan muttered under his breath.
"Once a tattletale, always a tattletale," Sadie said as she pounced on Ronan's back. "I remember you ratted on me in elementary school about the gum stuck on the couch. Don't think I forgot!"
"Back up, gremlin!" Ronan laughed as Sadie mussed up his hair over his shoulders.
"Children, behave! We have company!" Erin chimed in, her tone tender as she joined in the laughter. There was a twinkle in her eye as she watched them.
After a bit more bickering, everyone gathered around the table, filling their plates with scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and fluffy pancakes. Eden had used breakfast to coax out the embarrassing, juicy details of Ronan's childhood. The stories flowed, each more entertaining than the last, leaving everyone at the table in stitches.
Sadie launched into the story of the time Ronan got stuck on a water slide at a waterpark, forcing the staff to shut it down to rescue him. She exaggerated every detail, mimicking Ronan's panicked expressions and flailing arms as he realized he was wedged in.
Eden clutched her stomach, tears streaming down her cheeks, while Erin, who had been trying to keep a straight face, finally lost it and burst out laughing. Conor was laughing so hard that orange juice shot out of his nose, which only made everyone howl even louder.
Ronan, who had been trying to maintain his dignity, finally gave in. He doubled over, laughing just as hard as everyone else.
When the laughter finally subsided, Conor, Sadie, and Ronan got up to clear the breakfast dishes. Erin stayed at the table with Eden, pulling out a stack of old photo albums. Together, they flipped through pages of Ronan and Sadie’s childhood.
Ronan’s love for filmmaking had been a part of him from the start. In nearly every photo, there he was, clutching a camera like it was an extension of himself. Sadie, meanwhile, seemed to have tried just about every hobby under the sun. There were pictures of her in colorful dance costumes, kicking a soccer ball, striking a pose in rhythmic gymnastics, and Eden’s personal favorite—Sadie balancing on a unicycle.
Flipping through the pages, Eden stumbled upon the answer to a question she’d asked Ronan just last night. He’d turned the corner into "hot" territory at eighteen, trading in his gangly limbs for solid muscle almost overnight. But it wasn’t just his looks that stood out.
What really caught Eden’s attention was the shift in Ronan’s energy captured in the photos. As a little kid, his joy radiated from the pictures, his grin so wide it was impossible not to smile back at him. But as the years passed, something changed. By his early teens, there was a quiet heaviness in his eyes, as if he’d started carrying a weight no one else could see.
"We used to call him the youngest old man," Erin said with a soft laugh, her voice tinged with nostalgia as she held up a photo. In it, Ronan looked far too serious for his age, while Sadie grinned at the camera, bursting with youthful energy. "My mom passed away when they were little. Ronan was especially close to her, and losing her so suddenly hit him hard. He was only twelve, but it was like he took on the weight of the world."
Erin’s voice grew quieter as her gaze drifted. "It changed him. He started laughing less, became more reserved. It was like his childhood got cut short. He didn’t just grow up—he took on the role of protector, especially for Sadie. I think he was scared of losing her too." She paused, her eyes glistening. "Ronan feels things so deeply. He’s always been that way."
Eden listened closely, her chest tightening as she imagined the burden Ronan had carried at such a young age. She understood the feeling all too well, that uninvited maturity forced by circumstances no child should face. Reaching over, she gave Erin’s hand a reassuring squeeze. Erin smiled sadly in return.
"Be gentle with him," Erin said softly, her eyes full of understanding. "Ronan’s biggest obstacle is himself. He sometimes can't get out of his own way. He has never allowed himself to be truly happy, never made that jump." She sighed, brushing away a tear.
Their moment was cut short by the unmistakable sound of bickering voices from down the hall, the argument getting louder by the second. Erin shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Sounds like Sadie’s stirring the pot again."
Ronan and Sadie burst into the dining room. Conor casually strolled by them and settled into the dining chair beside Erin. Sadie elbowed Ronan as they entered the doorway. In response, Ronan swiftly pulled her into a headlock, his arm wrapping around her in a gentle but firm hold while his free hand playfully ruffled her hair. Caught in her brother's clutches, Sadie released a series of high-pitched screeches that could rival a startled bird, her arms flailing in the air in an attempt to break free. Eden squeezed her lips together to hold in her laughter, it was as if they had reverted back to their childhood selves in the house they grew up in.
Ronan's family was so open and warm—it was obvious they were quick to laugh, not yell, and hugs came easier than harsh words. Being around them felt easy. But just as Eden started to relax, her mind slammed the brakes, flashing warning signs she couldn’t ignore.
She couldn’t help but think of her own childhood, where love wasn’t unconditional but something you had to earn—and could lose just as easily. Things could seem fine one moment and be taken away the next, leaving her always braced for the worst.
That creeping doubt settled over her, like a wave that wouldn’t stop rolling in. It felt like an undertow, tugging at her even when she tried to stand firm. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the ground beneath her might suddenly give way, that any moment, she’d be swept out to sea, far from the safety of the shore.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a notification on her phone—an email from Sloane titled "Eden Percy's Documentary Premiere." Her stomach dropped, and she suddenly felt as if she were on the verge of vomiting.
She opened the email; the premiere for the documentary was scheduled for the end of October, just over a week away. The realization hit her like a sudden jolt. It was ending, and now there was a concrete date for when it was over. No longer just a threat. It was happening.
This is too good to be true.Her mind screamed to run while she could still salvage her sanity. Was she really going to get fooled three times? First, her parents, then Liam, and now Ronan. He will eventually leave like everyone else did. She didn't think she could recover from that heartbreak. Getting herself back after Liam had almost destroyed her. Losing Ronan and now his amazing family might just kill her or break her beyond the point of repair. Eden abruptly pushed back from the dining table, the wooden legs scraping the floor with a loud squeak.
"I need to get back," Eden announced as she stood up, her head swirling with so many thoughts that it felt like it might burst.
"It was so nice meeting you all. Thank you for having me in your beautiful home." Eden smiled as she walked over to Conor, wrapping her arms around him tightly.
Eden’s next hug was for Erin. As she leaned in, she whispered softly, “I’m so glad you’re okay.” Erin responded with a gentle rub on her back, the fresh scent of her shampoo lingering in the air. There was something about Erin’s hug—soft, warm, and reassuring—that felt so much like a mother’s embrace. It caught Eden off guard, and her throat tightened as tears threatened to spill.
Her mom had been gone for over eleven years, and even before her passing, she hadn’t been the affectionate type. This hug felt like a glimpse of the love Eden had always craved but never truly had. She took a deep breath, blinking quickly to keep the tears at bay.
