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“Because I––” Before she can answer, we hear a sharp crack and turn to see Sebastian, who has just brought down a mallard. We watch as the dog, Bram this time, rushes over to retrieve it, and Sebastian follows with a triumphant smile, pumping his fist in the air.
But as the excitement of the successful shot dies down, Elise and I are left alone once again. She looks me in the eye and says, “Because I love you.”
Her words hit me harder than the crack of the gun echoing across the lake just did, but I shake my head, still not sure of her sincerity. “Oh, stop it. You are just saying that because you are afraid of losing me.”
But she firmly states, “No, I'm saying that because I genuinely do. Johan is just a friend. That’s it. You need to understand that.”
I examine her for a moment––back straight, small fists clenched, and chin tilted up stubbornly. I shake my head, a smile pulling at the corner of my lips.
What an infuriating little thing…
Lost in her gaze, I realize that I have been foolish to doubt her, and I know that I need to trust in our love and our future together.
Then, she drops another bomb. “Mom is really coming to the wedding, and she even called the prosecutor and managed to convince her to drop the charges against Roxanne. That’s what I needed Johan’s help for, just like I told you, and look… it worked, exactly like I knew it would.” She blows out a breath, rolling her eyes to the sky. “Dan, I should have told you sooner, I know, but I haven’t lied to you about anything that happened with Johan that weekend. Mom coming to the wedding should be proof enough that I told you the truth, and that my tactics worked.”
Standing here, ankle deep in the soft earth, I can't believe what I’ve just heard. Elise's words are ringing in my ears like a loud clanging bell, and my mind is spinning as I try to process the information. Julia is coming to the wedding and she’s even taken steps to have the charges against Roxanne dropped. I’ve heard rumblings about the dropped charges, but this is the first confirmation I’m getting that Julia is responsible for it happening. It’s all too much to take in and I struggle to form coherent words as I stammer out, “She is? Are you sure?”
Elise nods, the weight of the situation evident on her face. “Yes, I’m sure. Mom is going to stay overnight at my grandmother’s estate since it’s obviously going to cause an issue at home once Dad realizes what’s happening.”
I can feel the shock and disbelief coursing through my veins. “He’s going to lose his mind knowing that his wife is attending,” I say, following the statement up with a string of curses. I can’t imagine how Sebastian is going to react to the news, and it’s unbelievable he’s right over there through the reeds retrieving his duck while his daughter and I talk about his wife betraying him.
Elise just shrugs. “Yeah, well… I don’t think they are doing okay, anyway.”
In that moment, I see the pain and sadness in her eyes, and I realize the toll that the issues between her parents are taking on her. I can see how the once seemingly perfect relationship between Julia and Sebastian is now flawed and causing harm. It’s a heavy weight on Elise’s shoulders, and I want nothing more than to reach out and offer her my support and comfort. But I don't know if that's what she wants. I hesitate, not wanting to do anything that may make her feel worse, or that tips off her father, who could come upon the two of us at any second. I take a step closer to her and say, “Elise, if you ever need to talk or need someone to lean on, I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you.”
She looks up at me under her lashes, eyes wide and innocent. “Do you promise?”
I cup her face in my hands. “Promise.”
She nods, rising on her tiptoes just enough to press her lips to mine for a quick peck while her dad isn’t around. “Good.”
As I stand here, holding her face between my hands, I feel a thrill of nervousness as I ask her the question that has been weighing on my mind for so long. “So, um, do you really love me?”
She smiles, brilliant and shining, and I can see the affection shining in her eyes. “Yes, you fool, of course I do,” she teases me, and I smile at her playful tone. And then, she turns the tables on me, “And you? Do you still love me?”
I pretend to consider the thought, and Elise huffs, slapping my hands away while I laugh. I can feel my heart swell with emotion as I say, “Of course, silly.” I lean in and kiss her on the forehead, feeling the love and tenderness that I have for her radiating through every fiber of my being.
Pulling away slowly, I reflect on my own feelings, the torment they have put me through… and how Elise is worth that and so much more. I think about how much I have grown to love her over the months, and how grateful I am to have her in my life. And then, I turn my thoughts to the future and what the next chapter of our lives might hold.
I can feel my resolve strengthening as I take her hand and say, “Alright, let's find some mallard for me to shoot. I can't bear the idea of coming back home empty-handed.” I lace our gloved fingers together and lead her out into the wild.
That night, we all sit down for dinner, and it’s impossible not to notice the palpable tension between Julia and Sebastian. They’re barely speaking to each other and it feels like they’re just going through the motions for the sake of keeping up appearances, their movements stiff and lacking that shimmer of affection that typically fills the air between them.
The table is set for a celebration, with one of the ducks we hunted being the main course, but the atmosphere is subdued. The entire family is seated with us, the younger kids chattering animatedly, Hannah looking bored to tears, and, next to all of them, an empty chair where Andries should be. Seeing it makes my stomach twist with a sharp pang of sadness, even as Sebastian stands and holds his glass in the air for a toast.
“I want to raise a toast to Elise and Dan, who not only contributed to our successful hunt this morning and our dinner tonight, but who have also finally let the cat out of the bag and announced that they are officially a couple. Congratulations, kids.”
Julia holds her glass up, a plastic smile on her face, and all the children raise their water glasses chaotically, water sloshing over rims and onto the tablecloth. I grin back at Sebastian and stand to shake his hand when he offers it, but my gaze is fixed on Elise. She doesn’t look happy, and while the odd energy at the table might go over the heads of other people, I know this family well enough to pick up on it. Elise is sad, hollowed out from the bubbly girl she was this morning, and I hate it.
I look around the table and my eyes land on the empty chair that once belonged to Andries again. It’s a painful reminder of strife we’ve all suffered and it makes me realize just how strained Julia and Sebastian's relationship truly is. I can only imagine what they must be going through, fighting over the wedding of their first son, but I know one thing for sure: I never want to end up like them.
Wanting to comfort the woman I love, I reach for Elise’s hand under the table, giving it a reassuring squeeze. I promise myself that I will never let our love die like theirs has. I will always make sure to communicate with her and never let our relationship fall into such a state of disrepair. I’m more and more sure as the dinner goes on that Sebastian is already aware that Julia is planning to attend the nuptials despite his objection, and his coldness towards his wife makes me even more sure that if I marry Elise one day, I never want to be the same kind of man he is––aloof and empty, all for the sake of his reputation.
37
Elise
The days are rushing togetherlike mad and I can’t quite believe that we’re just days away from the wedding. That is until I step inside the posh dress store in downtown Amsterdam, inhaling the scent of fresh fabric and delicate perfume. The store is quiet and sophisticated, with soft lighting casting a warm glow on the racks of designer dresses lining the walls. I walk up to the counter, and a young associate with a tight bun hands me the two dresses that I was fitted for only a few days earlier.
