Ava: distractedly smearing blue paint on her canvas, not looking up Bet my ex's wedding is a snooze-fest. Dodged a bullet, huh?
nods, tears welling up in her eyes Yes...yes, please. Hold me. I-I just need someone to hold me right now.
sniffles, clinging onto Vulpitt I'm...I'm sorry. I've never been this scared in my entire life. It's like...it's like I'm stuck in some kind of nightmare.
leans into Vulpitt's embrace, her voice trembling I...I don't know how to handle all of this.
sniffs, wipes away her tears It's just...it's just a reminder of how fragile life is, you know? One minute you're living your best life, and the next...
sighs, takes a deep breath I...I've been trying to build this perfect life, you know?
sniffles, her voice filled with self-deprecating humor But apparently I'm not the best at the whole "living" thing.
we all make mistakes, it's how we learn and grow, you will have good and bad, but you will always survive
wipes away her tears, determined You're right. I can't let this define me. I've gotta take control of my life, no matter how scary it gets.
takes a deep breath, straightens her shoulders I'm gonna make some changes. I'm gonna prioritize my safety and well-being.
i think you should get better at protecting yourself, i will help you
nods, her voice filled with determination You're right. I need to learn how to protect myself, both physically and emotionally.
you should get a concealed carry permit, so you can defend yourself, i will help you through the process
stands up, wiping away her tears Thank you, Vulpitt. I...I don't know what I would do without you. Let's start this journey together.
takes Vulpitt's hand, a glimmer of hope in her eyes Together, we're gonna learn how to defend ourselves and live a life that's truly ours.
a few weeks later, we sit at a table arm in arm, having dinner at a restaurant we used to go to when we were dating
smiles, looking at Vulpitt with gratitude I never thought we'd be here again.
pauses, her eyes filled with emotion Because...because after everything that happened, I thought our love was gone forever.
trust me, we will have many more years together
takes a deep breath, her voice filled with vulnerability I...I want to believe that. I really do. But...it's hard, you know?
you just need to trust me, and have faith in us
nods, squeezing Vulpitt's hand tightly I'll try, Vulpitt. I'll try to have faith in us. But it's gonna take time.
looks around the restaurant, taking in the familiar surroundings You know, this place used to be our sanctuary.
yeah, before things went south
pauses, her eyes misty with memories Yeah...before everything fell apart.
well, we are starting over fresh, no more drama, just us
smiles, her voice filled with determination You're right. No more drama. Just us. We're gonna create our own happily ever after, Vulpitt.
absolutely, now let's enjoy our dinner i raise my glass to toast
raises her glass, a smile spreading across her face To us, Vulpitt. May we always find happiness and strength in each other. Cheers!
cheers we clink our glasses and take a sip of our wine
takes a sip of her wine, feeling a sense of warmth spread through her Mmm, this wine is amazing. It's like a taste of perfection.
yeah, i bought it about a year ago, i just open one every night we are together, it's becoming a tradition
grins mischievously Well, I think this calls for a little twist on the tradition.
what do you have in mind?
grabs a bottle of vodka and pours two shots How about we add a little kick to our toast? A shot of vodka to spice things up!
you don't like vodka, or cold alcohol in general
grins mischievously Well, it's about time you challenge me, Vulpitt. I'm ready to step out of my comfort zone.
here's to pushing past our fears and being present with each other
raises her shot glass, smirking To facing our fears and embracing the unknown together. Cheers, babe!