The Unexpected
Ryan stood at the front of her martial arts class, demonstrating a defense technique to her students. They watched intently as she performed each move expertly. "Remember, it's all about using your opponent's energy against them. Anticipate their movements and react accordingly." She directed the room that was mixed with parents and children.
"Ms. Wilder, how can we tell if we're doing it right?" A young student's hand shot up in the air with the question.
"Trust your instincts, and practice. The more you train, the better you'll become at reading your opponent," Ryan encouraged, her eyes scanning the room, making sure each student understood what she was saying. She glanced at her Apple Watch to check the time. "Alright class, good job! Remember to sign the form with the sizes for your shirts and belts," she reminded them, as the timer in her class went off.
Ryan's martial arts training and self defense academy had started 3 years ago with a single studio room, and had now grown to a 4 class building with a number of instructors that taught different level classes. She herself switched between levels, because she loved meeting and connecting with people, from the kids looking to build confidence to the elderly that took classes to stay fit and feel safe.
Angelique's Cell: Hey Ry, I have big news! Stop by after your last class?
Ryan grabbed her phone and read the message from her girlfriend, Angelique, that had come in while she was teaching. Ryan and Angelique had been dating on and off for about a year. There were things that they couldn't quite get right with their relationship, mostly due to Angelique's lack of ability to commit and get out of her own way. They'd gotten back together 2 months ago, after their most recent break up, and were honestly still trying to find their groove. Ryan knew she cared about her, and she felt if they were able to get it right, they would be able to have something great. It just wasn’t as easy as she hoped, but Ryan didn’t want to give up on her.
Jitters, the coffee shop where Angelique worked, was only a few blocks away from Ryan's studio, so she decided to walk and enjoy the perfect spring weather that Gotham was offering that day. When Ryan walked in, she quickly spotted Angelique wiping down tables. When she looked over, her face lit up. Their relationship had been an emotional rollercoaster, but Angelique really wanted to try her best to be the woman that she knew Ryan deserved, and leave some of her not so healthy ways behind, but it was hard.
"Hey babe, how was your class?" Angelique asked after informing her manager that she was taking her break. She pulled off her apron, and leaned across the counter to give Ryan a quick kiss before sitting down.
"It was great! I’m so excited about graduation day.” She smiled, proudly. Each class had a graduation at the end of the 6 week session, before they moved on to the next level. “How's your day been?"
"It’s been great.” The sarcasm in her voice was hard to miss, but Ryan had become used to it by now. She knew she hated her job, but it was only supposed to hold her over until she found something better. Angelique’s problem was she liked to go from 0-100. She had the patience of a toddler, which meant she always tried to find corners to cut, and ended up finding new ways to get into trouble. She dug into her apron pocket, and pulled out a key. "I signed the lease on my new place this morning."
Ryan's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I thought you said you weren’t moving after all, because of how expensive it was.”
“I know, but I spoke with the landlord, and was able to negotiate and work something out. I even talked my way into a better place. I didn't get the one I showed you.”
That raised even more questions for Ryan. This was New York, there was no negotiating on rent. Even with her salary from her academy, she could barely afford the loft that she lived in. “Angelique… that doesn’t make sense,” she reasoned, with honesty. A part of her was starting to become a little agitated, because she had the sneaking suspicion that her girlfriend had defaulted back to her old tricks.
“I promise, it’s on the up and up, Ry,” Ange argued, because she could read Ryan’s eyes without her having to verbalize what she was thinking. “But can I tell you why I got the bigger place, though?” she asked.
Ryan didn’t respond, because she was still trying to put the pieces together, but Angelique took that as her go ahead. “I got the bigger two-bedroom. I thought the extra space might convince you to move in with me." A wide, hopeful, and albeit delusional smile spread across her face. "The extra room could be for your morning yoga or something." She spoke to the hesitation that she could hear in Ryan's silence.
“Ang, we just got back together. Don’t you think it’s a little too soon to be talking about moving in together?” she answered honestly, deflating the little bit of hope that sat in Angelique's eyes.
Angelique reached across the table, and took Ryan’s hand in hopes of softening her enough to just listen to her. “I know, you still have reservations, and this wouldn’t have to happen tomorrow, obviously, but you mentioned how hard it is affording your place, and wanting a bigger space so…I just want to give you that. I know how hard I’ve made our relationship. I’m trying to make it easier now, Ry.”
“But how, Ang. I still don’t understand how you can afford this?”
“You still don’t trust me?” Angelique let Ryan’s hand go, feeling her own frustration growing.
“It’s not like it isn’t a valid question. This was our problem before, you hiding things and just doing things without talking to me. I want this relationship to work, Ange, but...”
“I do too!” She retook Ryan’s hand, with a hint of desperation in her tone this time. “I swear, I’m doing right this time. I just need you to trust me, Ry. I’m not going to do anything to screw this up. I’m just trying to make you happy.”
The sincerity in her eyes made Ryan pause, but her gut told her there was more to the story than she was getting. She sighed, softly, feeling herself about to succumb to those doe eyes that sometimes managed to convince Ryan to go against the logic that she knew. Before she could, though, her phone buzzed. She tilted her arm slightly to read the text on her watch.
Mary's Cell: Omg Ryan! I need a huge favor.
"This is Mary.” Ryan gently pulled her hands from Angelique to pick up her phone. She was slightly thankful for interruption. "Hey, what's going on?" she asked, once Mary picked up the phone.
"I forgot my wedding book at my apartment, and I didn't realize it until I got to the venue. Since it's close to your studio, could you grab it, and bring it over? Please, Ry! Jordan is already here and I don’t want to waste more of her time having to leave to get it, and come back," Mary begged. Ryan could hear the desperation in her voice.
Ryan smiled softly at her panicked bestie. She had actually hooked Mary up with Jordan. Jordan was Mary's first big budget client, and Ryan hadn’t seen Jordan in a few weeks. This would give her a chance to see her. "Yeah, I'm at Jitters now, but I can grab it. Text me the address," Ryan agreed to her girlfriends dismay.
“Thank you!!!” Mary said. “I’m texting you now.”
“Okay, see you soon” Ryan hung up her phone. When she looked up, her eyes met an aggravated Angelique. "Mary needs me to pick up her wedding book and bring it to her."
Angelique sighed heavily, and crossed her arms, her eyes clouding with disappointment. "Of course she does. We were in the middle of a conversation, Ryan.”
"I know Ang, and we will finish. This wedding is a big deal for her. I promise, we can finish talking later," Ryan suggested.
Angelique's irritation was layered, not only with being annoyed that they were interrupted, but also because she was well aware that Jordan was the sister of Ryan's ex girlfriend Sophie. The shadow of Sophie is what tended to fuel some of Angelique's actions when it came to Ryan, knowing that she had this famous ex girlfriend always made her feel the need to prove a point that Ryan never asked her to.
"Fine," Angelique huffed, trying to mask her frustration as Ryan stood up. She grabbed Ryan's hand once more and stood up with her. "Please give it some real thought, Ry. I love you, and I swear I'm 100% in this time. I want us to build a life together, and we can’t do that until you start to trust me. I’m trying to do everything I can, I just need you to meet me halfway," she spoke, hoping to remind her how much she really did love her and wanted them to work.
“We’ll talk later,” Ryan responded simply, because there was just so much that needed to be addressed, but she did want them to work as well. She leaned in and gave Ang a soft peck. “I’ll call you when I get home?” Angelique nodded and watched as she gathered her things and left to head to meet with Mary.
***
When Ryan arrived at the venue, she was immediately captivated by its beauty. It looked like a palace fit for a queen, with intricate details and breathtaking artwork painted on the walls. She couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as she took it all in
"Ryan!" Mary called out, her voice filled with gratitude and relief. "Thank you so much!"
"Of course! This venue is nice as hell. The pictures you showed me really didn’t do it justice,” she marveled aloud.
"I know right! I’m so glad Jordan loved it the way I thought she would." Mary smiled. “I told her you were coming. She’s excited to see you,” she told her, as they walked along to the hall where the ceremony would take place.
“Ryan!!” Jordan’s excited voice met them before they saw her, because she spotted them first coming around a corner.
“Hey J!” Ryan hugged her. “You’re looking amazing! I see you’re keeping up with the workouts!” Ryan boasted.
When she and Sophie were together, Ryan and Jordan instantly hit it off. So when they broke up, Jordan was almost as devastated as they were, because she felt like she’d lost another sister. Sophie was traveling, so Jordan didn’t get to see her and talk to her as much, and Ryan needed her distance to deal with everything. When they ran into each other 6 months ago, it gave Ryan and Jordan an opportunity to reconnect, and when she found out that she was engaged and looking for a planner, naturally she connected Jordan with Mary.
She and Jordan initially had run into each other again when she came to her martial arts studio. She wanted to drop a few pounds and tone up to prepare for her wedding, and she and one of her bridesmaids decided to take one of the classes.
Ryan, of course, had been invited to the wedding. Jordan made sure that it was okay with Sophie, and although they both knew that they’d be seeing each other again soon, neither of them were prepared for that moment in the way they thought they were, or for it to come as soon as it would.
***
Sophie was Jordan’s Maid of Honor, so she had been helping with her duties while finishing up some traveling, but she’d surprised her sister by flying in early. Her mom told her where she was, so she was actually headed there to surprise her. While the driver carried her to what would be the wedding venue, she was talking with her girlfriend Kate, who was currently in Los Angeles. Kate was supposed to be flying in that same day as well, so she could meet and spend time with Sophie’s family before the wedding.
“I’m sorry Soph, but you know I can’t pass this up, but I should be wrapped in plenty of time in order to make it to the wedding,” Kate explained why she wouldn’t be making it after all.
Oddly enough, Sophie was a little relieved, since she had concerns about how well Kate would get along with her family, especially Jordan who had already formed her own opinions.
“No, I get it,” she responded. "Are you sure you're going to be done in enough time to make it to the actual wedding, though? I don’t want to tell Jordan you’ll be here, and then you not show up?"
“Yeah, she doesn’t need any more reasons to hate me.” Kate groaned.
“She doesn’t hate you, Kate. She just doesn’t know you,” Sophie reasoned with her. Kate could be a hard pill to swallow sometimes, but when you got to know her and she cared about you, you saw a different side of her.
“If you say so, but I promise I’ll be there,” she assured her.
Kate was never one to be jealous. That just wasn’t her personality. Her ego was too big for that but, for some reason, the thought of Ryan at Jordan’s wedding got under her skin. Sophie had told her that Jordan invited Ryan because she didn’t want it to be awkward when Kate saw her at the wedding, and then realized that they had dated. Kate made it seem like it wasn’t a big deal, but she’d also overheard conversations about Ryan between Jordan and Sophie. It was obvious that Jordan was a big fan, so there was no way she was going to miss this wedding, and the opportunity to make her presence in Sophie’s life known. They were so vastly different, but somehow they managed to make things work.
Sophie and Kate had been dating for 9 months, and although she had initial hesitations about their differences, Kate understood her hectic schedule, being that she was a celebrity photographer herself. That understanding had helped to ease the stress that led to the end of her relationship with Ryan. It didn't make them perfect, but it made things easier. Whether or not that meant better remained to be seen.
“Kate, I just got to the venue. Call me later?"
"Yeah, for sure. Love you," Kate told her.
"You too," Sophie responded quickly before hanging up.
***
Ryan, Jordan, and Mary chatted for a few moments but the conversation was cut short when the door to the room they had entered opened and they looked up and saw Sophie.
“Oh my god!!” Jordan immediately ran over to her sister and hugged her, which made Sophie burst out into laughter with how hard she was squeezing her. “What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming for another week!”
“I wanted to surprise you. I cut a few things short. I wanted to be here with you. I felt like I was missing out on everything!” she explained.
In the midst of Sophie and Jordan’s quick back and forth, Mary hadn’t missed how Ryan was clearly surprised by the unexpected sight of her ex-girlfriend. Mary always felt like Ryan had never gotten over Sophie, and from the look on her face, it was just further evidence to build her case.
It took Sophie a moment to pull away from her conversation with Jordan and look in Ryan and Mary's direction, but when she did, her breath hitched, realizing that it was Ryan that was standing there, and she felt as if she'd been hit by a freight train of unexpected emotions. The past and present collided, leaving both women stunned and uncertain of what would come next.