Chapter Four

Root wakes up to Ryley giggling softly. Root stretches. "What you giggling at?" Ryley looks over. "I'm sorry did I wake you?" Root yawns. "Not really. What's got you giggly?" Ryley giggles at her phone. "Just this pic of Ashton when he was young." Root looks at Ryley's phone and chuckles. "He was a chubby kid." Ryley nods. "My mom posted a whole status of pics of him cuz today is his birthday so she posted a status saying happy birthday." "I didn't know it was his birthday today." Ryley nods. "Now you do." "How old is he today?" "24. Eli will be 27 day after tomorrow." "Wow. When's yours?" "Mine was the day we met." Root looks shocked. "It was?" Ryley chuckles and shakes her head. "I'm just playing with ya. My birthday is on the same day as Eli's." "So he'll be 27 and you'll be?" "21." Root gets up and opens the curtains. Ryley looks over quickly. "Root!" "What? I'm safe." "I know but what if you weren't?" "Awww you love me. I love you too." "You do?" Root chuckles. "Duh." Ryley comes over and jumps into Root's arms. They go out on the deck. Root sits in one of the lounge chairs and lays back. Ryley lays down on top of Root. Root wraps her arm around Ryley. Ryley looks over towards the waves in the background. "Hey Root?" Root hums while running her fingers up and down Ryley's arm. "How much longer until you're able to go for surgery?" Root is running her lips along Ryley's neck. "Not too much longer. Why? You want to be able to have sex with me?" Ryley nods. "Will the recovery time take awhile?" Root laughs her quiet deep laugh inside her chest. "No. I'm a quick healer. Even when I was human." Ryley nods. The two stay cuddled up until Ashton wakes up. "Happy birthday!" Ryley runs into Ashton's arms. "Oof." Ashton chuckles and wraps his arms around Ryley. "Thank you Ry." Ryley pulls back. "Happy birthday." Root hugs Ashton. "Thank you." The three go downstairs to eat. After breakfast Root leaves while Ryley is watching a movie with Ashton. Around 3pm the doorbell rings. "I'll get it!" Ashton goes and answers the door. "Mum!" Ashton hugs his mother. "Hey love. Happy Birthday." Ashton takes the present from his mother and grabs her hand. "Come in. Hi Olivia." She waves. "Happy Birthday." Ashton smiles at Olivia. "Thank you." The three go and sit in the living room. "Who are we waiting for?" Ashton chuckles and looks at Ryley. "Yeah Ryley? Who are we waiting for?" Ryley punches Ashton in the shoulder. "Just my friend." Ashton coughs "Girlfriend" and gets punched in the arm again. "Shush it Ashton!" Lily looks over at Ryley. "Girlfriend?" Ryley sighs and gives Ashton a look. "Thanks Ash." Ashton shrugs and takes a sip of his beer. The doorbell rings. Ryley gets up and answers it. "Hey love. Sorry I'm late. I had to go home and change." Ryley smiles. "Never mind that. Come here." Root chuckles and kisses Ryley softly. The two walk into the living room hand in hand. "Mom,Olivia this is Root." Lily and Olivia shake hands with Root. "Nice to meet you both." "Nice to meet you as well." They all sit at the dinner table and start eating. Lily taps at her mouth with a napkin. "So Root what do you do?" Root wipes her mouth with her napkin and places it back on her lap. "I'm a journalist. I used to work in a company but decided to go out on my own. I publish stories and articles nowadays." "Facinating. What's your most recent article about?" Root coughs a bit. Ryley looks at her mother. "Mom stop." "What? I just want to know more about your girlfriend." Root taps Ryley's hand. "It's fine love. Well the last one I wrote was about why the government has people paying more in gas than groceries." "Interesting. How many hits did you get on that?" "A lot. Like two million. All good comments." Lily takes a sip of her wine. "And what are you currently working on?" "I'm currently working on an article about criminal activity." "What type?" "Rape. I'm actually almost done the article. I've written a couple articles about sports as well." "Family?" "Mom!" Lily looks over. "What?" "Stop." "Babe relax. It's fine. All dead. They died in a house fire when I was young." "I'm sorry. I. I didn't mean." Root stops Lily from talking further by putting up her hand. "Don't worry. It's okay. Anything else you want to ask just ask. I'm an open book." "Just one more." "Shoot." "What are your plans with my daughter?" Ryley turns red. Root chuckles. "Relax love. I plan on sticking by her side until the end. Maybe one day get married and have a family together." Lily smiles. "I'll hold you to that. You hurt my daughter in any way and I'll end you." Ryley walks away from the table. "Ms Newborne I will never hurt your daughter. You have my word. Now if you'll excuse me." Root leaves the table and finds Ryley in the kitchen setting up the cake. "Babe stop for a sec." "I need to finish lighting the candles." Root takes the lighter and puts it down and puts her hands on Ryley's face. "Talk to me. What's wrong?" Ryley puts her head against Root's chest. Root wraps her arms around Ryley. "Just thinking about what you said to my mother about staying with me until the end." "Ah. I see what you're thinking. You're scared I'm not gonna love you anymore when you're old." Ryley lifts her head and nods. Root puts her forehead against Ryley's. "I'll love you no matter how you look or how old you get. I'm here until the end." Ryley wipes her tears away and kisses Root deeply. Root smiles into the kiss. Ryley pulls away and lights the candles on the cake and they all start singing. "Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Ashton. Happy birthday to you." Ashton thinks a moment and then blows out the candles. They all clap. Ashton cuts the cake and gives everyone a slice saving himself for last. They all eat in silence. After they're all done eating Root and Olivia help Ryley clean up. Ashton and Lily sit in the living room and chat while they wait for Ryley,Root and Olivia. After all the cleaning is done from dinner and cake they all sit down and watch Ashton open gifts. "Aww thanks mom and Olivia. They're my favourite." Lily and Olivia hug Ashton. "Your welcome. If they don't fit just let us know." Ashton nods. Root goes out to her car and comes back with a gift bag. "Here." Ashton accepts the bag. "Aw Root you didn't have to get me anything." "Just open it." Ashton does so and gasps. "No!" Root chuckles and nods. "You found one!? How?" Root shrugs. "I have a friend who owed me a favor." "How'd you know?" Root smiles at Ryley. Ryley looks at Ashton and sticks out her tongue. "Thanks guys." Ashton group hugs Ryley and Root. "Thank you thank you thank you." Ryley and Root laugh. "Your welcome." "Tell your friend thank you for me would you?" Root nods. "For sure." They all chat and drink for a bit after Ashton puts his gifts in his room and cleans up all the paper. Around 1:30 am. "Well it's getting late. Better get going. Long drive home." Ryley nods. "Just stay here. It's really late. You can leave in the afternoon." "We don't want to intrude." "You wouldn't be. I can give you both something to wear to bed." Lily nods. "Okay." Lily and Olivia follow Ryley upstairs to the spare room. Ryley hands the two of them some sleeping clothes and says her goodnights. Ryley then goes back downstairs and straddles Root's lap. "I have something to tell you." "Oh?" Root gets nervous. "Come on babe you can tell me anything." Root sighs. "Okay here goes. I've been hiding something from you." Ryley starts to back up. "Oh?" Root sighs. "Give me your hand." "Why?" "Do you trust me?" "Of course." "Then give me your hand." Ryley looks confused but does as told. Root sticks Ryley's hand in her pants and rubs Ryley's hand up and down inside her pants. Root grunts. Ryley's eyes go wide. "You lied to me." "I didn't lie. I am going through transition. I was just born with one part of a boy already." Ryley looks at Root sad. "Why have you been hiding it from me?" "It'll be my first time in two century's when we go there. I wasn't wanting to just go and do it like I did before. I wanted us to both be ready and be comfortable first. I want it to be special with you. I don't want to be the fuckboy I used to be." Ryley nods. "I see. You're so romantic." Root chuckles. "I try to be. You're not mad at me?" "Why would I be? You want it to be special with me. You want to wait. It's okay." Root kisses Ryley softly. "God I love you." Ryley chuckles. "I love you too baby." Root carries Ryley upstairs to bed. The two get changed and crawl into bed. They get comfy. "Oh I'm making you a key haha." Root chuckles. "K." The two go to sleep. Around 1pm. Ryley wakes up to Root farting. "Babe!" "I'm sorry! I can't eat food like I did last night. It gives me bad gas." Root farts as she gets up out of bed. "Go to the bathroom. You reak." Root laughs and farts as she walks into the bathroom. Root closes the door. Ryley walks downstairs and is greeted by Eli. "Hey what are you doing here?" "I didn't see you yesterday so I came by." "Oh shoot. I'm sorry. I totally forgot. We had mom and Olivia over for Ashton's birthday." "It's all good. I left him a present in the kitchen. It's in the fridge." Ryley nods. "Well good of you to stop by. Do you need a ride back?" "No it's okay. I'll catch the bus." Root comes downstairs. "You sure? I'm heading that way anyway. I gotta get some stuff from the pharmacy." "Well okay. If you're already going that way." Root grabs her keys and kisses Ryley. "Bye baby." "Bye." Root leaves with Eli. A little while later Ryley gets a text. "Hey baby. Eli is back in his hospital bed safe and sound. Just driving home now." "Will you be over tonight?" "Sorry love. I have to finish my article and then eat something. You know?" "Yeah okay. Tomorrow then?" "For sure. I won't miss yours and Eli's birthday." "K love you." "I love you too baby. Talk later." "Talk later." Ryley goes and knocks on Ashton's door. Ashton opens the door and a big wad of smoke comes out. "Can I join you?" "For real?" Ryley nods. "I smoke too. Just not a lot." "Come in. Shay and Quin are here too. Hope you don't mind." Ryley shrugs and walks in. "Hey Ryley." Ryley smiles. "Hey boys." Ryley smokes with Ashton and his friends for a bit. She leaves once Quin starts flirting with her. Ashton pushes him. "Dude." "What?" "What? She's taken. Relax. Plus she's my sister." "Right. Sorry." Ryley closes the door and goes to her room. She lays down and texts Eli. "Hey are you okay?" "Yeah I'm good. Your friend made sure of that. She must really care about you. Enough to take care of your crippled brother lol." "Hey! You're not crippled. So you haven't heard then?" "Heard what?" "Root is my girlfriend now." "Yes! I called it. I totally called it." "Dude shut up." "So mom likes her?" "She seems to. I mean she had a long conversation with her and I until 1 in the morning." "Damn. She must really like her then. What's not to like though. She's amazing." "You're high." Eli chuckles. "Yep. My pain meds kicked in." "True. Well I'll let you sleep. Night." "Night kiddo." Ryley sighs and chuckles softly. A few seconds later Ryley's phone rings. "Hello?" "Hey love. How are you doing?" "Oh hi Aunt Zena. I'm good. How are you?" "I'm doing good. Could I come by tomorrow? I'd love to see you." "Uh yeah sure. I'll have to see what Ashton is up to." "He's still mad at me huh?" "Yeah. I don't know why. It was years ago. You're better now yeah?" "Yes of course love. Could you maybe try and get him to stay? Please? I need to talk to the both of you. Eli already knows." "Okay. I'll try." "Thank you baby. Well I have to go. I have an appointment with my therapist." "Okay. I'll talk to you when you get here tomorrow. Love you." "Love you too hunny." The call ends. Ryley texts Root. "Hi love. I'm going to bed now." "So early? What's wrong?" "Nothing. I'm just tired." "You know I can tell when you're lying?" "No." "So what's up?" "Nothing." "Quit lying to me." "Alright fine I'm tired because I was smoking with Ashton and two of his buddies earlier." "Ah. I see. Why didn't you just say that? I don't care if you smoke. I do too." "Yeah I know but marijuanna?" "Yes. It helps with the cravings actually." "Seriously?" "Seriously. Well good night baby. I love you." "I love you too. Oh hey question." "Shoot." "Can I have a picture?" "Only if I get one first ;)." Ryley undresses and snaps a picture of herself on the bed and sends it to Root. "Damn baby you're gorgeous." "Your turn." Root snaps a picture of her dick and sends it. "Holy shit babe. You're amazing." "And you're a goddess. Night babe." "Night." Ryley goes to sleep.