Ryder Jack Okalani

It’s l-lo-l-locked, dickhead. 

--

Callan just called. She is on her way here from Plumfeld with Carlyle. They left… they really did it. They’re on their way.

-

Anyone gonna come get this kid? He’s uh, ga’dammit. He’s trying to cross the street. I got him.

-

Literally, just leave me the fuck alone. I hate my life, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Okay?

Bryce turned to look at Ryder. She couldn’t tell if he was kidding or not. Most of the time, when he was but was trying to be serious, he would hold steady eye contact or move his eyes too much. But this time, it was neither. It was serious. He was serious. And Bryce was confused. She didn’t mean she wanted to get married right here, right now. She didn’t even really know if she wanted a wedding. She couldn’t plan a wedding in the matter of days…. but… what if she could? How cool would it be to go on vacation as a Colbert and return as an Okalani? She always daydreamed about changing her name. Bryce Okalani was what she called herself in her head. She had already beared four of this man’s children, and she didn’t plan on letting him out of her grips now. She wasn’t about to coparent four kids with Ryder. They were endgame. They were forever. She didn’t mind not being his wife, but… the thought of it made her giddy. 

“Ry,” Bryce said slowly and sweetly. Tears were welling in her eyes, and she thought of her sixteen year old self, pregnant with Isabella and scared. She thought of her seventeen year old self, going through postpartum depression and not being around her daughters first months of life. She thought of her eighteen year old self, missing Ryder and wanting to be with him, but not having the chance. She thought of all of their fights. All of their make-ups. All of their children. A girl. A boy. Then twins. Each so unique but all identical to Ryder himself. “I love you.” She stood on her tippy toes and kissed him on his lip, her hands on both sides of his face. Her stomach swirled and tears fell from her eyes to her cheeks, happy tears of course. “We don’t have rings…” Bryce said, wiping a tear off. “I mean… yes, of course. Of course, I’ll marry you. Let’s do the damn thing, but… we don’t have rings. And I don’t have a dress.” And part of Bryce really wanted the dress and the ring and the down-on-one-knee… but in a very Bryce and Ryder fashion, this seemed so much more fitting. Last minute. Spontaneous. Absolutely perfect. “I just love you so much.”

“We can get a ring! I mean, not a real one now, but at home, a real one!” Ryder said, relieved, smiling into another kiss with Bryce, “You know Marty’s retiring soon and when he does the lifeguarding stuff is mine to own. Bigger pay! We can afford that one ring you’ve liked forever.” He rested his forehead against Bryce’s and inhaled deeply. It just felt right. Sometimes, he still got the kids left and right shoes mixed up and he’d try and try with all of his might to slide Shiloh’s foot into a wrong shoe. Then, when Ryder would finally figure that out and slip it on easily to the correct foot he knew because it felt right. Those little, foolish wrong shoe moments felt very much like this moment. Silly. Rushed. A little dumb. But above everything - right. 

“There’s tourists boutiques everywhere we look, Bry. We can find you a dress! And me a better dress shirt. And the girls...we gotta get them dresses and RJ, well, he can match with me. Then there’s flowers and an arch-thingy. What are those things called that people get married under anyways? I used to see ‘em all the time at the hotel when I worked there. I wonder if Keo still works there and could let us borrow one...”

The first night in Hawaii, the Okalani family all went out to eat at a local taco shop. It was a tradition at this point, and it spawned from the first trip they took after they got back together. Bryce and Ryder were both so hangry that they nearly ended their relationship. After they had a few tacos (and a few margs), they felt a lot better and were able to laugh about it. Now, having four kids and Bryce’s new found ability to predict hunger on anyone in her family making her better equipped with snacks, they just ate at the taco place for the hell of it. However, that night, Atti was treating the whole family to dinner with performers and hell, probably even fireworks. It wasn’t what the Okalani family was used to, but it was still going to be fun. Bryce considered herself an Okalani despite the lack of a marriage certificate or even a ring. Bryce kissed Ryder after he told her he loved her, something they had worked hard on in their relationship. “No, I think it makes you extra potent,” Bryce teased. “God, I love it here. Everything makes sense here.” Her phone dinged - a text from Maisie letting her know Issy had found Frankie and they were playing together. “It’s weird having everyone here though. It doesn’t seem natural, but I think it could be kinda cool. Kinda like how it would be if we ever decided to throw a wedding.” She held onto Ryder’s arms, him still standing behind her, close. “I think I would like to marry you someday, you know. We always talk about being good where we are, and we don’t know if we’re the wedding type of people, but… we could get married without the wedding part. I think I’d be okay with that.”

“Imagine how many kids we’d have if we lived here full-time,” Ryder teased, “You’d give the 19 Kids and Counting lady a run for her money.”

Bryce giggled, then spoke of marriage. She didn’t bring it up a lot, and Ryder liked that about her. Though he’d been sober for a good amount of time now - he felt like a wedding ring and marriage license really solidified he, Bryce and the kids as a family. He felt like a family already, obviously, because they were one, but if he were to go off the deep end again - he couldn’t run away. He wasn’t saying he would. These were hypotheticals. But running away and relapsing - it felt like it was easier without the title of husband. If he messed up again, he’d have less pressure. Granted, he wouldn’t have any less little souls relying on him, with or without being called husband - he was still dad. But being married sounded official and it scared Ryder. It scared the living Hell out of him. Bryce knew that, and she was cautious. She was almost too quiet about the topic of marriage most days which is why Ryder knew that she must’ve really been thinking about it lately if she finally brought it up. Which is why Ryder took one long look at the ocean he grew up staring at - crying as a young boy and wishing for a family, for a way off of the island, for a new start, for true love, for a life that was anything but like his own parents - and finally spoke up.

this is our place

Every year, the Okalani family took a trip to Hawaii, and when the camera crew reached out to film it this year… they just had to take it a step further and send the whole Fosters Family to Hawaii. Bryce, at first, was upset by the news. Hawaii was THEIR places. hers and Ryder’s, but when she thought about it more, she was excited to share the magic with the family. Especially because there were an entire row of beach front properties rented out. Bryce unpacked her clothes and then unpacked the kids’ stuff, setting up two pack-n-plays in the kids’ room. This was the first year Issy would be sleeping in a room by herself, but Jack and the twins were still going to share. The twins were playing in the living room with the triplets and Jack, and Issy ran out to the beach by herself. Bryce walked out onto the porch with Ryder, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Hey, I love you,” she said, giving him a squeeze. “After the kids go to bed, let’s sneak out to the beach like we used to do when Issy was little.”

It’s nice to hear a man say that. I know Miles is a great dad now, but he wasn’t in the beginning with Chaise. Allistair’s dad was great. Perfect, even. Sucks he’s not around any more…. But we’re not talking about my trauma yet. I’m still too new. 

Hey, all the coolest people I know have trauma. It’s just a little added spice to life. I heard someone say that around here once and I’m like shit--that’s funny as fuck. Anyways, sorry, yeah. Miles is a great pops. He’s a good friend. I feel like Bryce and I should pop out another couple’a kids to make it even with him and Aubree.

And Bryce is not a girl I’d want to fight with. 

She may be five feet tall, and I may be a hundred pounds heavier than her, but she’s intimidating. 

Shit, don’t I know it. I like to think I have her figured out, but I still don’t some days. ‘Specially with four kids now it’s like--insane. We’re both different than we were when we were young, but I mean, I think that’s probably expected.

I was thinking maybe New York? We always go to Hawaii with the kids or to Santa Fe, but I think it would be fun to go somewhere like New York. Or Chicago!

Babe, can you imagine us pushing the double stroller through Times Square? And having to not lose sight of Is and RJ too? That sounds like torture...not a family vacation. 

When you plan that, let me know. I’ll take Mil and the girls and we can have a fun trip all together. Fifi loves playing with Issy. 

I either wanna wait for the twins to get a little bit older before I take all the kids, or just take Issy as a solo daughter trip, but I know Bryce might nix that idea. She’s all about being equal and shit.