Forum Announcement, Click Here to Read More From EA_Cade.
The Butterfly Effect: Short story submission September
Ruby10990
Posts: 491 Member
It all started when he opened the ring box.
I could see the hope in his eyes, feel his excitement and fear at my potential response. For the longest time I had been a firm believer in the butterfly effect, you know the theory that by changing one little thing your future is completely different then what it could have been. I sometimes look back at that night and wondered what would have happened if I turned Oliver down. But how could I?
We were in love.
I often look back fondly to the time when we were just children, laughing and paying without knowing what would come later. We met and quickly became friends over a game of chess.
I had always been shy, but meeting Oliver helped break me out of my shell. He made me smile and laugh, helping me forget about my troubles over my parent’s divorce. He was such a goofball, but that’s why I loved him, his sense of humor was such a breath of fresh air in my stuffy life. Oliver and I stayed best friends even after we aged up to teens, something I was grateful for, yet a little sad about. Oliver became something of a ladies man, showing off his lettermen’s jacket to any girl that would give him the time of day.
At this point in time, my nose was always stuck in a book, still trying to get over the grief of my parents, and at Oliver’s ignorance of my feelings for him.
It wasn’t until the senior prom at our school that we both realized we were in love with each other. Our first kiss was in front of the fountain, a special place that I shall always hold dear to my heart.
Our love quickly blossomed; I suppose the day Oliver proposed he and I were still kids, thinking we were invincible, that nothing could get in the way of our love.
I learned soon enough how wrong I was. On the morning of our wedding we agreed to exchange vows in front of the fountain, the place we had our first kiss, and where he proposed to me. Little did I know that the spot in front of the fountain I would soon experience another life changing event.
“Hello” I said hesitantly. I hardly ever picked up calls from strangers, but I hadn’t heard from Oliver in over two hours, and in hopes that Oliver asked to use someone else’s phone to call me, I answered the unknown number. “Is this Arabella Chase?” the speaker on the call asked me. I was worried now, if this wasn’t Oliver calling me, then who was it? “Yes this is her” I replied back. “I am sorry to inform you of this ma’am, but your fiancée was hit by a car, we did everything we could, but he’s dead. Please come to St. Maxis hospital ASAP to arrange transport of the body.” The call ended there. I stared at my phone in disbelief, how could this happen? I started to cry into my hands, the love of my life and I were supposed to start our lives today, but this happens instead?
The next few weeks were hectic, funeral arrangements had to be made, the estate had to be settled, and I felt sick during the entire process. It wasn’t until I started throwing up on a regular basis that I realized something else might be going on. I took a pregnancy test and my suspicions were confirmed, I was pregnant with Oliver’s child. His last living part of him was currently growing inside of me. I was thrilled, and at the same time, terrified. How could I raise a child without him? I couldn’t possibly pay the rent trying to raise a child and keep my job. But at that moment I felt little kick in my stomach. At first I thought I was going to throw up again, but I quickly realized that the baby trying to get my attention. Smiling and holding my stomach, I promised myself that I was going to try my hardest to provide a good life for our child. Months later I went into labor, the pain was intense, but knowing that I would meet Oliver and I’s child was enough to keep me going.
Much to my surprise I gave birth to twins! I was barely prepared to take care of one child, let alone two. I looked down at the babies in front of me, both girls. I looked to the older one first; she immediately opened her eyes and looked straight at me. I was shocked to see the startling blue eyes that I knew so well, they were the same shade of blue Oliver had. I looked to the younger of the twins and she started smiling and giggling once I looked at her. At this moment I knew what to name them. I picked up the first born, “I’ll name you Olive, in honor of your father’s memory. I know you’ll be just as kind and funny as your father.” I set Olive down and picked up the younger one “Because of your beautiful smile, I’ll name you Joy; you’ll bring joy to everyone around you, like you did for me and your father.”
As I had said before, the butterfly effect can change your life with the smallest decision. If I had refused Oliver's proposal, he might not have died, but we also might not have stayed together and I wouldn't have had the twins. And yet by accepting his proposal, I would have the twins, but not Oliver. I suppose that either way, I would be left wanting to know "what if?" but that, I suppose, is the beauty and danger of the butterfly effect.
I could see the hope in his eyes, feel his excitement and fear at my potential response. For the longest time I had been a firm believer in the butterfly effect, you know the theory that by changing one little thing your future is completely different then what it could have been. I sometimes look back at that night and wondered what would have happened if I turned Oliver down. But how could I?
We were in love.
I often look back fondly to the time when we were just children, laughing and paying without knowing what would come later. We met and quickly became friends over a game of chess.
I had always been shy, but meeting Oliver helped break me out of my shell. He made me smile and laugh, helping me forget about my troubles over my parent’s divorce. He was such a goofball, but that’s why I loved him, his sense of humor was such a breath of fresh air in my stuffy life. Oliver and I stayed best friends even after we aged up to teens, something I was grateful for, yet a little sad about. Oliver became something of a ladies man, showing off his lettermen’s jacket to any girl that would give him the time of day.
At this point in time, my nose was always stuck in a book, still trying to get over the grief of my parents, and at Oliver’s ignorance of my feelings for him.
It wasn’t until the senior prom at our school that we both realized we were in love with each other. Our first kiss was in front of the fountain, a special place that I shall always hold dear to my heart.
Our love quickly blossomed; I suppose the day Oliver proposed he and I were still kids, thinking we were invincible, that nothing could get in the way of our love.
I learned soon enough how wrong I was. On the morning of our wedding we agreed to exchange vows in front of the fountain, the place we had our first kiss, and where he proposed to me. Little did I know that the spot in front of the fountain I would soon experience another life changing event.
“Hello” I said hesitantly. I hardly ever picked up calls from strangers, but I hadn’t heard from Oliver in over two hours, and in hopes that Oliver asked to use someone else’s phone to call me, I answered the unknown number. “Is this Arabella Chase?” the speaker on the call asked me. I was worried now, if this wasn’t Oliver calling me, then who was it? “Yes this is her” I replied back. “I am sorry to inform you of this ma’am, but your fiancée was hit by a car, we did everything we could, but he’s dead. Please come to St. Maxis hospital ASAP to arrange transport of the body.” The call ended there. I stared at my phone in disbelief, how could this happen? I started to cry into my hands, the love of my life and I were supposed to start our lives today, but this happens instead?
The next few weeks were hectic, funeral arrangements had to be made, the estate had to be settled, and I felt sick during the entire process. It wasn’t until I started throwing up on a regular basis that I realized something else might be going on. I took a pregnancy test and my suspicions were confirmed, I was pregnant with Oliver’s child. His last living part of him was currently growing inside of me. I was thrilled, and at the same time, terrified. How could I raise a child without him? I couldn’t possibly pay the rent trying to raise a child and keep my job. But at that moment I felt little kick in my stomach. At first I thought I was going to throw up again, but I quickly realized that the baby trying to get my attention. Smiling and holding my stomach, I promised myself that I was going to try my hardest to provide a good life for our child. Months later I went into labor, the pain was intense, but knowing that I would meet Oliver and I’s child was enough to keep me going.
Much to my surprise I gave birth to twins! I was barely prepared to take care of one child, let alone two. I looked down at the babies in front of me, both girls. I looked to the older one first; she immediately opened her eyes and looked straight at me. I was shocked to see the startling blue eyes that I knew so well, they were the same shade of blue Oliver had. I looked to the younger of the twins and she started smiling and giggling once I looked at her. At this moment I knew what to name them. I picked up the first born, “I’ll name you Olive, in honor of your father’s memory. I know you’ll be just as kind and funny as your father.” I set Olive down and picked up the younger one “Because of your beautiful smile, I’ll name you Joy; you’ll bring joy to everyone around you, like you did for me and your father.”
As I had said before, the butterfly effect can change your life with the smallest decision. If I had refused Oliver's proposal, he might not have died, but we also might not have stayed together and I wouldn't have had the twins. And yet by accepting his proposal, I would have the twins, but not Oliver. I suppose that either way, I would be left wanting to know "what if?" but that, I suppose, is the beauty and danger of the butterfly effect.
9
Comments
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
Story Blog | Forum Discussion
Until It Breaks (Complete!) | Tribe Arayeo | Discovery (Complete!) | Vee is for Vortex
Julyvee Twitter | Julyvee Youtube | A Quick Guide to SimLit | PARTY IN THE USA
Origin ID: Julyvee94
Wren's Nest * * * Get a CLUE
Completed Stories: Ana Pringle
My Main Site: Carewren123 Sim Stories
YouTube Channel: Carewren123 Sims
Monthly Short Story Challenge Thread: Current Theme: April: Choose your screenshots.
I enjoyed how you plotted this out and shared a whole life with us in just a handful of words. Really, really nice!
Discord: #5153
Soooooooo good!