35. Chapter 34
Chapter 34
Marshall
Marshall
E lsie’s gone cold and quiet in a way I haven’t seen since before I moved in with her.
Seeing such a dramatic shift occur so suddenly has shown just how much she’s changed in the past months.
She’s become a lighter, happier person.
I like to think I have something to do with the shift in her life, but it’s hard to remember that in moments when she goes so cold like this.
The entire appointment, I kept glancing over to her, checking in, and asking the doctor all the questions I knew she would want answers to later.
Elsie’s expression never changed from the emptiness that had settled over her features when she found out the news .
Now I’m sitting on a leather couch of a fancy office, after she insisted we go straight to the lawyer after her doctor’s appointment, waiting for Elsie to finish up with the woman who called her earlier.
“Marshall!” I hear my name snapped, and I look up to find a furious and very pregnant Elsie storming towards me. “We’re leaving.”
“Please, Ms. Snow.” The lawyer says, trotting behind her.
As Elsie nears, I stand up and navigate my way out from the cluster of couches to get to her.
“Elsie,” I say, stopping her with a hand on her shoulder.
I look between Elsie, who’s avoiding my glance, and the lawyer, who looks distressed.
“What’s going on?” I ask, leaning down to look Elsie in the eye.
Elsie turns to avoid my gaze, but thankfully, she doesn’t ice me out. “We’re done here, that’s all.”
“Okay?” I say questioningly.
“Sir. Please.” The lawyer pleads, thrusting an envelope in my direction. “Take this and just ask her to reconsider.”
I take the paper from her and look back at Elsie, who’s frozen under my hand.
“Let’s go.” She says quietly.
“Okay.” I stuff the envelope into the back pocket of my jeans and grab my keys out of my front pocket. “Let’s go.”
Elsie is quiet the whole way out of the lawyer’s office. She doesn’t even question me when I turn to head home instead of taking her to the office like I’m sure she would want under other circumstances.
When we make it home and are safely ensconced in her apartment, I finally risk poking the bear .
“Elsie, what happened back there,” I ask as she goes rummaging through the freezer, reminding me of the day she told me she was pregnant.
She comes out with a gallon of toffee Bluebell ice cream and grabs two spoons from the silverware drawer.
“What happened is that my dad is trying to get the last word.” She huffs. “That fucking lawyer brings me into her office, has me sign all this paperwork for his estate, and then tries to get me to take that fucking envelope which she says is a letter from dear old dad.”
I reach into my back pocket to pull out the envelope, which is now a little creased from being folded into my jeans.
“I can only imagine what he says in there. I don’t want to read it.” She says, waddling over to the couch and plopping down with the ice cream propped up on her swollen belly, putting her legs up to help with the swelling.
I look down at the envelope, one that could hold any number of things within it.
Something tells me this envelope contains something that will change everything for Elsie.
I know what she’s afraid of. She’s afraid of falling.
Ever since I met Elsie, I’ve known that she shields herself from the world with her icy armor. She’s a master at looking the part, just like her father seemed to in my one interaction with him.
But just like him, no one is free from gravity.
Everyone falls at some point.
What she doesn’t seem to realize yet is that I’m here to catch her.
I’ll always be here to catch her.
“I think you should read it,” I say patiently .
“What? No.” She replies with a mouth full of ice cream. “Absolutely not.”
“Whatever it is, he took the time to write it to you, and I think you should read it.” I reason.
“No. I’m not letting that asshole get the last word. All we ever did was fight. All he ever did was criticize me. Why would this be any different?” She protests.
“Because he was dying,” I say solemnly, walking over and setting down the envelope on the couch beside her and picking up a spoon for myself. “People change at the end of their lives. I think you’ll be glad you read it if you do.”
“You’re lucky I don’t hate you.” She says when I dig my spoon into the tub of ice cream.
“Oh? I wasn’t sure about that as of late.” I chuckle, only a little seriousness in my words.
“Marshall, I...” She starts.
“No. Right now isn’t the time to be getting into our mess.” I push on, hoping I can get through to her. “You’re avoiding right now, Elsie. It’s okay to be scared, but it doesn’t mean you’re not strong enough to face your fears.”
“I’m not scared.” She snaps, stabbing her spoon into the tub of ice cream. “I’m just...”
She drops her head onto the back of the couch, revealing the length of her neck that I so love to bite and nibble at.
I shake my head of thoughts that don’t belong in this moment, refocusing on being here for Elsie.
She needs me.
Whether she’s ready to admit it or not, she needs me. I plan on being here for her just like I plan on continuing to show up for her every day for the rest of our lives .
Scooping another bite of ice cream out of the tub, I ask her. “What’s the worst that could happen? He’s already gone. There’s nothing more that he can do.”
A contemplative look passes over Elsie’s face as she ponders the possible outcomes.
I know what she’s thinking. I recognize her hesitations now, her motivations.
Taking both of our spoons and the ice cream, which gets me a look of protest, I set them down on the coffee table where I sit and take her hand in mine.
“He can’t hurt you anymore, Elsie,” I say softly, rubbing my thumb on her inner wrist.
I see her pushing down the tears that want to spill, and it physically pains me to see her in such distress.
I want to comfort her, but she needs to ask me.
I can’t continue to give of myself without her asking. It might break me.
“Just...” I reach over and grab the letter, placing it in the hand that I hold. “Consider reading it. If you want me to sit with you while you do, I’ll be here. If you want a moment alone, just say so, and I’ll leave.”
Too many thoughts and emotions flash across Elsie’s eyes for me to honestly tell what she’s thinking or how she’s feeling, but I get the sense that she’s right at the edge of her decision.
“Okay.” She says softly.
“Okay?”
“I’ll read it, but I think...” Her face screws up in an adorable scrunch. “I think I need to be alone for this.”
“Okay. I’m going to head back to Selene and Gunnar’s then.” I say, giving her free hand a squeeze. “If you need me, just call. ”
“Okay.” She whispers. “Thank you.”
I lean down and give her a kiss on the forehead. She melts under my touch, and a warm satisfaction swells in my chest when she does.
When I reach the front door, I glance quickly over my shoulder and see her still staring at the envelope.
This will be good for her, for us.
The path forward for us might be unclear right now, but I’m sure there is one.
Elsie is my forever.
Forever and always.
She just needs to realize that for herself.