On the other side of the city, Alyx listened to Marshall's message once more before turning off her phone. She felt the same thing happening as with Lily earlier that day: one part of her that loved him told her to respond with a joke, ask about his day, or console that hesitation noticeable in his voice.
But the part of her that was slowly building herself—the one who needed to be outside the shadow of her relationship and as an extension of Marshall or Lily—prevented her from doing so.
Instead, she consoled herself with the brief message she had sent earlier. She left her phone and took her cup to pour herself more coffee—the third—and the tremor in her hands reproached the stress of her constantly shifting but unexpressed emotions, kept buried deep inside.
Then she approached her brushes and paints, moving toward the unfinished silhouette on the canvas. This time, she took a fine brush and, with a muted gold color she had mixed, began to paint in small, firm strokes, creating a window frame around the figure. And she cynically compared the frame to the new opportunities and changes in her life.
Maybe, she thought as she stepped back from the canvas and pulled the pack of cigarettes and lighter from her jacket pocket.
She lit her cigarette while leaning on the balcony railing, exhaling the smoke. The wind carried the scent of oil paint, coffee, and smoke. She thought about the now-finished silhouette, how she had filled the space inside it and outside as well. Perhaps she could do the same. For the first time, she saw not only the pain but also the faint, distant light of a future where she could simply be Alyx, without hiding or controlling her personality.
Three Days Later
Ted's parents were coming to visit for their anniversary celebration, so they were going for brunch and had invited Ted's friends. Robin was very nervous about being introduced to Ted's parents as his girlfriend, especially after hearing the story that Ted's mom asked all his girlfriends about children with Ted, marriage—all those things she wouldn't know how to answer.
Ted invited Alyx via text, since she wasn't answering. Combined with Robin's urging—even going to the gym to persuade her—they achieved the unthinkable: getting her to reunite with them after weeks. Even with Marshall and Lily also invited.
Ted's Narration, 2030
"Kids, in retrospect, inviting everyone to that brunch wasn't my best idea. Introducing Robin as my girlfriend with her nerves, reuniting the three of them after the breakup, having a meal with my parents, who don't directly handle awkward conversations but shift or avoid uncomfortable, sad, or unhappy topics... and lastly, Barney being Barney at the most awkward and inopportune moments."
The Day of the Parents' Arrival
That morning, Robin got ready nervously, thinking about how to redirect the baby topic with Ted's mom, or rather, how to tell her she wasn't getting married or giving her grandchildren anytime soon. Meanwhile, Ted wondered how to maneuver with his father about which baseball games to discuss and how his mother would avoid uncomfortable topics.
It didn't take long for Barney to arrive first, excited to meet Ted's parents and see how they reacted to meeting him based on the incredible stories he assumed Ted had told them about him. He was offended to learn Ted hadn't spoken about him and overcompensated when they arrived, dominating the conversation without giving Robin a chance to make a good first impression.
Though the other awkward moment was when Marshall and Lily came out of his room with boxes of Lily's things, arguing about what items she wanted to keep with the separation and Marshall not yielding on some records.
But they fell silent to greet everyone.
"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Mosby," said Lily.
"Lily, Marshall. So good to see you," said Ted's mom.
"Just stopped by to pick up some of my things," said Lily, holding a box.
"Yeah, we're so sorry to hear about your... you know, the... Well..." she hesitated about how to bring up the topic without jumping into it.
"Lily canceling the wedding and leaving me. Now Alyx also leaving because of that?" said Marshall dryly.
"Me begging Marshall to get back with me and him rejecting me?" said Lily, avoiding the topic of Alyx.
"I love your hair," commented Ted's mom, off-topic.
Ted's mom, to avoid that atmosphere, invited them to brunch, surprising Ted, who hadn't expected that since he and Robin had barely convinced Alyx to come just yesterday. They were hoping to reconnect with her and see how she was, but before he could even give an excuse for them not to go, he saw the scene with Lily and Marshall.
"Well, we were all going to Casa A Pezzi at 8:00," he said, leaving the invitation open to the two of them.
Lily hesitated and looked at Marshall.
"What?" he asked, confused.
"Well, I don't want to go if it would make you uncomfortable."
"Why would it?" he asked, still not quite sure.
"Well, I mean, yes, we're... we're okay, but you have to admit there's something between us," Lily finally said.
"Uhh... Not for me. It's more like we're friends or brother and sister," said Marshall with conviction.
While the rest of the room watched the conversation, Robin and Ted's expressions comically fell apart upon hearing that sibling comparison.
"Brother and sister?" Lily asked loudly, already annoyed. "Well, okay. See you at the restaurant, brother." She finished, upset by that strange comparison for two people who used to be a couple and knew each other so well, as she left the apartment.
And… CUT! 🎬 What did you think?
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