Chapter 29 For pleasure too
FOR PLEASURE TOO
VIOLET
Do you believe love is a lighthouse, a wildfire, or a compass?
SilenceInMidnight: Lighthouse.
Squeezed between the brothers, I walk into Rowan’s parents’ house.
The front door is already open, and the moment my foot crosses the threshold, Zane’s voice reaches us from inside the living room, tension threading through his stutter.
“There’s s-some video r-recording, but Troy assured me th-there’s nothing to worry about. I’ll l-let you guys know as s-soon as I get more information.”
Zane lowers the phone, ending the call. When he turns and notices me standing there between Rowan and Archer, his expression softens just slightly.
“Th-that was Zander and Zach. My br-rothers.”
Vienna walks into the room from the kitchen, balancing two mugs of coffee in her hands. She places them on the table and hugs Archer first, then Rowan, and finally pulls me into her arms.
After watching her laugh and tease everyone so easily these past few days, seeing her face now, tight with worry and exhaustion, is almost painful.
When she finally steps back, Rowan nudges Archer’s foot lightly and begins to sign.
“So what’s the plan?” Archer translates for his brother.
Zane exhales. “I h-have to go there. I’m n-not giving that man one c-cent. That w-would be wrong to Ec-cho.”
The hard edge in his expression softens for just a moment as his eyes drift toward the dog resting on the couch. Echo, who since coming into Rowan’s house has slowly begun to move through other indoor spaces with surprising ease, lifts his head at the mention of his name.
“We’re coming with you,” Archer says and then glances at me and rubs the back of his neck. “I mean, I’m coming with you.”
I know, if I weren’t standing here, he would have spoken for Rowan without a second thought.
Rowan doesn’t respond right away. Instead, his hands tighten instinctively around mine.
“Go.”
Rowan doesn’t move, doesn’t say anything, but the hesitation in his gaze settles heavy in my throat.
“Please, Rowan,” I whisper gently. “Go.”
“Violet, th-that’s very k-kind of you. B-but I have my lawyer and Archer with me. I’ll b-be fine.”
“I know you’ll be fine. You did nothing wrong.” My eyes drift back to Rowan. “But I also know Rowan won’t be happy staying here.”
“B-but he’ll worry ab-bout you the entire t-time if he leaves.” There’s no reproach in his voice.
“I’ll be fine,” I say quickly, squeezing Rowan’s hand. “I have Echo. And I’ll text you constantly.”
The room is quiet until Vienna steps forward.
“I can stay with Violet. To be honest,” she continues, glancing between us, “I was planning to stay with you guys anyway. This house is far too big without Zane. I would be an absolute basket case wandering around it alone.”
“That’s perfect. Vienna and I will look after each other while you guys handle everything.”
The usual playful sparkle returns to Vienna’s eyes. “Good. I’ll get to know the woman who’s going to make me a grandmother someday.”
I laugh. Now I know exactly where Archer gets his sharp tongue, and as if he wants to prove my thought correct, Archer lets out a loud whistle.
“I don’t know, bro,” he looks at Rowan with exaggerated concern. “Your girl might change her mind after spending a few days with Mom.” He shakes his head dramatically.
“Nothing is going to make me leave. I’ll be right here when you come back.” Then I turn toward Vienna. “And besides”—I nod toward Echo—“why don’t we focus on the kid we already have? We can discuss future kids when the time actually comes.”
“Holy shit,” Archer blurts. “You must have the magic touch, bro. If she’s willing to have your kids without even having sex with you—”
Before he can finish, Vienna bursts into laughter and grabs a coaster from the table and tosses it at her son. “Stop being an asshole to your brother, Arch.”
Archer ducks, grinning. “Don’t worry, Mom.” He nods toward me with a mischievous smirk. “Our Ro has his own bodyguard now.”
“Is it Ro?” Vienna asks when my phone chimes with the soft sound of an incoming message.
I glance down at the screen and nod. It’s only been a few minutes since Zane, Rowan, Archer, and their lawyer left, yet I already feel Rowan’s absence in the house.
“I never imagined Ro would fall in love like this one day. I always hoped both my boys would find their love the same way Zane and I found each other, but if I’m honest, I thought Archer would be the one to surprise us first. But seeing Rowan now—so protective, so worried about you—it makes me feel incredibly happy. ”
“You raised wonderful boys.”
“And I am right here whenever you need parenting advice.” Vienna immediately throws her arms wide open, and I fall into a fit of laughter.
“Archer is so like you.”
“I think he’s a few steps ahead of me.” She grins, turning fully toward me on the couch and then nods toward my sling. “It’s coming off tomorrow, right? Do we need to call and make an appointment?”
I shake my head. “No, everything’s already scheduled. We just have to get there.”
“Good.” She tilts her head slightly to the side. “And how are you otherwise?”
“I’m okay. Much better than I thought I would be when I left the hospital.”
Vienna watches me quietly, giving me enough space that makes it easier to keep talking.
“Since I left the hospital, nothing has really changed inside my head.” I exhale a small sigh. “My memories still haven’t returned. Every question about who I used to be still meets the same wall of silence.”
For a moment the emptiness of that truth settles over me, but I don’t linger in that emotion.
“But in so many other ways”—I pause, searching for the right words—“everything has changed. I fell in love,” I admit quietly. “I found myself again… and I found my person.”
Saying it out loud to someone else still feels almost surreal.
“The hollowness I used to feel isn’t there anymore. There’s still a part of me that’s missing, of course. A part of me I haven’t met yet.”
I glance down for a moment before meeting Vienna’s eyes again.
“Sometimes when I reread the messages on the FYS site, the ones I wrote before the accident… the girl who wrote those feels like someone else entirely. A close friend I haven’t met yet but already know I’d love.”
Vienna’s expression softens. “When you have someone’s love, everything suddenly becomes bearable.”
I nod, understanding exactly what she means. Rowan’s presence in my life has done exactly that—healed the parts that were broken.
A quiet moment passes before Vienna sighs lightly. “So, what do we do now? If we don’t find something to do, I’m going to drive myself crazy worrying about Zane.”
“Actually,” I say slowly, leaning forward a little, “there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
“Shoot,” she replies immediately.
“Can you teach me sign language?”
Vienna blinks. “You want to learn ASL?”
I nod. “I’ve actually already watched a few videos,” I confess, heat rising in my cheeks. “But I haven’t told Rowan yet.”
Her brows lift.
“Sometimes when Rowan signs with you, Zane, or Archer, I can follow a little of what he’s saying.”
“Wow, Violet.” Genuine surprise lights her eyes. “That’s amazing.”
“I just want him to be able to talk to me without needing anyone else. Without his phone. Just… us.”
Vienna’s eyes shimmer with emotion, but she blinks the shine from her eyes before they can spill. Then she shifts on the couch, pulling her legs up beneath her as she settles cross-legged.
“Alright,” she says with renewed energy. “Let’s see how far you’ve gotten.”
Her hands lift as she begins to sign. “Are you comfortable with some impromptu testing?”
I smile and immediately sign back. “Yes.”
And just like that, my first official lesson begins.
“You’re so good.” Vienna’s brows lift in impressed surprise. Nearly an hour has passed, though it feels like far less, our conversation flowing mostly through our hands instead of our voices. Only a handful of times did I need her to repeat something aloud. “How long have you been practicing?”
“The day after I came here, Raymond, Willow, and Quill came to visit, and I watched how Quill and Rowan talked to each other. It struck me immediately that this was Rowan’s language, and I wanted us to be able to converse the way he was most comfortable.”
Vienna studies me with a look that is equal parts tender and proud. “God, you are so good to him,” she murmurs, shaking her head as if she still can’t quite believe it. “And I’m going to be so lucky to call you my daughter-in-law someday.”
I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face. “You honestly look more like a friend. It feels strange trying to imagine you as my—or anyone’s—mother-in-law.”
She laughs softly. “Well, you can keep calling me Vienna if you like. I won’t mind a bit. But Zane, he’s definitely going to insist you call him Dad. He’s been waiting a very long time for that.”
“I’ll keep that in mind for when that day comes,” I say with a small smile. Then I lift my hands again. “Shall we go another round? I want to surprise Rowan when he comes back.”
Vienna’s eyes light up. “Sure. Let’s talk about favorite movies.”
Soon Vienna and I are signing our way through our favorite movies, favorite restaurants, and favorite books. Our hands move constantly, and the language begins to feel less and less foreign.
In between the laughter and the quiet concentration, I don’t just learn a new way to speak to Rowan. I also get to know the woman who helped shape the person who has somehow become the most important part of my world.
“Is someone coming over?” I ask as Vienna pulls the Jeep into Rowan’s carport. The engine quiets, but my attention is already fixed on the driveway ahead. Two unfamiliar cars are parked beside Rowan’s.
“Maybe.” A mischievous grin tugs at Vienna’s lips.
“What did you do?” I ask, narrowing my eyes slightly.
She lifts both hands innocently. “I didn’t do a thing.”
“Rowan?” I whisper.
Vienna simply nods, making my pulse jump.