New Year's Eve

CHAPTER 9

Marcel

After talking to my sister, I return to my room. I'm not even paying attention to me, but I'm standing by the window, thinking about something. I walk up behind her and put my arm around her waist.

"Is everything all right, little one?", I leave a weightless kiss on the back of her neck.

"Everything is just fine", she turns to me and smiles. But I see sadness in her eyes.

"Are you sure, Marshmallow?", I take her face in my hands, "You look upset. You can share with me, can't you?"

We look into each other's eyes for a few minutes, and I can see the struggle going on inside Helena.

"I don't know how to tell you this", she says, "I have to go back to London."

"What?", I don't believe what she's saying, "Right now?"

"My mother called me while you were away", she begins to explain, "She's not feeling well. I can't ignore her request."

Somehow I don't think that's entirely true. But I can't reproach Helena for anything. Instead, I ask her to stay.

"I thought we were going to spend the night together. I want to spend it with you."

"Marcel, I can't", she tries to free herself from my grasp, but I won't let her.

"It's just one night, Helena", I look straight into my eyes, "Tomorrow you can leave."

She is silent for a few minutes, thinking over my words, and then she answers.

"All right. I'll spend New Year's Eve with you."

I feel the happiest in the world.

"You won't regret it, Marshmallow", I assure her and kiss her on the lips.

"Let's get ready, your sister is waiting for you", she still pulls away.

"Aren't you staying?", I ask when I see that Helena begins to pack, too.

"I need to change and pack and get ready for tomorrow's flight. Will you give me a ride?", she smiles sweetly.

"Of course, Marshmallow."

Forty minutes later, I drop Helena off at the hotel, and I go to my sister's. I get the feeling that Helena is not telling me something. I scroll through the events of the last few hours in my head, remembering what could have happened between us. The morning had seemed perfect. But as soon as I stepped away from Helena for a few minutes to talk to my sister, everything changed abruptly.

The conversation. Maybe she heard what I was talking to my sister about. But I didn't say anything like that, except... Oh, shit! She didn't know I was leaving tomorrow. And I said I wanted to spend one last night with Helena. It sounded like a pig, but that's not what I meant.

I stop outside my sister's house, but I don't get out of the car. I grab my smartphone and dial Helena's number. It rings, it rings, it rings. Then it takes me to voicemail. Shit, she's not picking up. And the second and third time neither. I think I really screwed up with this girl. I call again. This time Helena answers right away.

"Marcel? What's wrong?", She sounds so worried. I scared her with my insistence. Shit. I'm an idiot.

"It's okay, Marshmallow. I'm sorry if I made you worry."

"Jesus, Marcel", I hear her sigh in relief, "I was in the shower, and the phone was ringing off the hook. I thought something was wrong."

"I'm sorry. I just needed to hear you", I close my eyes and lean back against the seat. She's worried about me. That's a good thing, right?

"We broke up twenty minutes ago", the girl says with a smile.

"I know. You looked so upset when you got out of the car. I suddenly thought I wouldn't see you again."

"I promised you tonight", she reminds me.

"I need more than one night, mon amour", I don't know why I say that now. The thought of Helena resenting me is driving me crazy.

"What?", She interrogates me in surprise.

"I'll pick you up at nine. Be ready, Marshmallow."

Talking to the brunette makes me feel a lot better. She's not going to run away from me, and this evening I can talk to her.

I spend the rest of the day with my family. We so rarely get together all together. I miss them very much. Especially my little flower. My niece Lola is growing so fast. She was just a baby not long ago, and now she runs around like a restless energizer.

Watching me play with her, Marie says it's time for me to have children of my own. I'd love to be a father myself. But it's kind of hard to do if you don't have a life partner.

Already in the evening, I go to the mall to buy groceries and make a gift for Helena. After making sure everything is ready at home, I go to get my marshmallow. If tonight goes as I plan, I will be the happiest man in the world. And I'll try to make Helena happy.