Chapter XXIV: News

Travis reveals exciting news, and Rick follows suit.

                "Fawna! Fawna! Open the door!" Travis yelled, banging and clattering outside. Fawna groaned and rolled over in bed, her eyes sliding over the date marked Spring 2nd on her calendar to the time on her clock; 5:30am.

                "Ugh! I don't have to be up for another half hour!" Fawna cried, dragging herself out of bed and reluctantly opening the door. "This had better be impo--"

                "I'M GONNA BE A DAD!" Travis yelled, his entire face aglow with happiness. Fawna stared, dumbstruck for a moment, then screamed in delight and threw her arms around him.

                "Goddess Travis! That's amazing!" she squealed. "You must be so excited!" Travis nodded eagerly.

                "Yeah... and scared, but I guess that's normal," he told her, laughing. Fawna couldn't help it. She hugged him again. She was so happy! After all the hardship he and Rose had gone through in their relationship, they really deserved this.

                "Travis, how could you? Cheat on your wife AND steal my girlfriend?" Rick joked, walking onto the farm that morning, chuckling. "But seriously, what's so exciting?"

                "HE'S GONNA BE A DAD!" Fawna shrieked, jumping into Rick's arms as he staggered with the mingled shock of the news he heard and her leaping into his grasp.

                "Wow, Travis. That's great news!" he exclaimed, gently setting Fawna back on her feet. Fawna frowned. Rick seemed a little put out.

                "Are you okay?" she asked, placing a hand to his cheek. Rick just cleared his throat awkwardly and nodded.

            "Wha? Oh yeah. I'm fine. I guess just a little tired still. I got up really early to come see you... the sun isn't even fully up yet," he pointed up at the dawn sky. Fawna got butterflies in her stomach and bit her lip anxiously.

            "W-why were you coming to see me so early?" she asked, her voice carrying a hopeful note. Rick shuffled his feet and looked away.

            "Oh... no reason, really. Just wanted to see you..." he muttered vaguely. Fawna's blue eyes flattened and she let out her breath in disappointment.

            "Oh... okay then." She had been waiting and waiting for Rick to propose to her. She loved him with all her heart and she couldn't understand why on earth he didn't want to marry her. She had begun to worry that he didn't feel the same for her, and the thought always crushed her heart and brought tears to her eyes. It had taken her so long to heal after Greg and now that she had put her heart on the line again, she didn't think she could pick up the pieces if it shattered this time. "I'm just... going to go change," she murmured, going back in the house.

            As soon as she was gone, Rick felt a hard slap to the back of his head. "Ouch! Travis, what was that for?" he demanded, rubbing the tender spot.

            "For being dense," Travis retorted. He had seen Fawna after Greg had destroyed her and he wouldn't let her go through that again. "Fawna's my best friend and as her best friend, I reserve the right to make your life a living nightmare if you break her heart." Rick gaped, completely astonished. Travis wasn't usually aggressive, but then again, when it came to Fawna it seemed there was nothing Travis wouldn't do to protect her.

            "Woah! Travis, you got it all wrong! I'm not planning on hurting her. I didn't get up early this morning to break up with her, I... well..." he went beet red, pulling out a blue feather from his coat pocket.

            "You- were going to propose to her today?" Travis mumbled and Rick nodded.

            "I bought this over a season ago, but was too scared to ask her right away," Rick admitted. "I wasn't sure if it was the right time, or if she'd say yes. Today, I finally decided that it was now or never and well, I chose now," he revealed, tucking the feather gingerly back in its hiding place.

            Travis understood now. "You were going to propose today, but Rose's pregnancy overshadowed it and you didn't want to take attention away from that." Rick nodded.

            "Exactly right. Now I don't know when I'll have the courage to ask her again," Rick sighed. Travis clapped him on the shoulder with a broad grin.

            "Now's as good a time as any," he beamed, shoving Rick inside the house.