Page 37 of Forbidden Obsessions

“I am, and it’s okay. We tend to overcomplicate hard things until we have to face them head-on. Seeing this affect you is one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. Going through treatment is another. I’ve realized, at the end of the day, it’s a Band-Aid over a gaping wound. It’s not going to get any better. I’ve made peace, Olivia. You need to find a way forward to do the same.”

Be strong. Don’t cry.“I don’t want you to live in pain, but I don’t want to lose you.”

“I know, baby. I know,” she says, stroking my hair.

“Is there anything you really want to do, like skydiving or anything?”

“No, I definitely don’t want to go skydiving,” she says, shaking her head. “But there is something you can do. Only if you want to.”

“Anything,” I assure her.

“I want to watch you marry Tomas, but like I said, only if you want to.”

I rear back so quickly I fall off the bed, smacking my mangled face on the cold tile floor. “Goddamnit.” I sigh. “It might be a little too late.”

“Why would it be too late?”

“He asked me weeks ago, before I knew you were sick. I said no,” I admit.

“So?” She acts like I didn’t shatter him, like I can go to him and just say,Oops, my bad.

“I wounded him. He won’t ask again anytime soon.”

“I’m gonna ask you again. So what?” She shrugs.

“He just tried to break up with me.”

Mom barks a laugh. “Good one. The pair of you wouldn’t last more than a week without each other. Propose to him,” she says matter-of-factly.

She continues when I don’t respond. “Have you noticed the way that man looks at you?”

“Actually, not really,” I admit.

“He orbits around you like you’re the sun.”

There are a million and one reasons that is a terrible idea, but there are two very good reasons it isn’t: it’s mom’s dying wish, and I love Tomas.

“Yeah, okay. I’ll do it. I’ll ask him to consider it,” I relent. Her smile could light up the whole fucking city.

“It’d be an honor to watch the two of you get married, but like I said, only if you want to,” she warns sternly. She knows how caught up in worrying about everyone else I get.

“Mom, how long do they think you have without treatment?”

“They don’t know. Maybe a few months. Maybe more. Maybe less.” She squeezes my hand, telling me she’s okay with whatever time she can get.

“However long it is, it’ll never be enough time.”

“I know. Take Grandma's ring.” I’ve always loved the princess cut design of the ring. No matter what type of lighting, the ring always sparkled. The ways I imagined my mom giving it to me were much happier.

“I love you, Mom.”

“I love you, too. I can’t wait for you to get your prince charming.” Her words hit me like a ton of bricks, pulling meback into the cabin the night Tomas proposed. I need Mia’s help. I have a proposal and a wedding to plan.

“Mia, I’m getting married,” I practically yell as I burst into the living room.

“What? That’s g-gre-great,” she stammers.

“I need help planning the proposal and the wedding,” I say, throwing my bags on the kitchen table.

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