Isabelle (House of Jensen Series book 5)

Chapter 28

She comes out the bathroom and I give her the turtle chocolate we bought with us from home.

"Thank you." She takes a bite, "I remember being on my period in there. And only being given ten pads or tampons to last me the whole seven days I was on my period. In the beginning I had no bin or bin with a lid."

As she continues to tell the story my blood ran cold. "It was awful spending the night with that smell lingering in the room. Peeing in a bucket or having to do the other one."

I touch her shoulders, "I'm sorry you had to deal with that. You said in the beginning there was no bin."

"Amanda use to sneak me pads and one night," she starts crying. "The guard did an amazing thing for me."

I was shocked at what she had to endure but grateful to the guard and Amanda for looking after her. I need to make sure they're rewarded for their bravery.

"Let it out," she leans into me and began to wail.

I hold her and do my best to comfort her. She was asleep when the groceries arrived. I let her sleep and leave the items she needed on the bed including the hot water bottle. I needed some fresh air but I didn't want her to wake up and I wasn't there. So I went to the backyard and take a seat on a bench. I was grateful we choose a house where it was cool. The cool air against my skin felt like a knife. I can't believe she was humiliated like that and forced to endure all that and god knows what other horrors. How is she still standing and doing engagement like everything is okay?

I knew she had some counselling sessions when she was found but something tells me. They worked because she couldn't remember what truly happened to her. It was her decision if and when she has counselling not mine. I won't take her agency away from her. I've been on too many engagements where I saw the results of people forcing their opinions on others. Like the battered woman shelter and the traffic teens my charity works with.

I put my head in my hand I wanted to scream then I thought of the bodyguards all over the house. Then I scream what do I care if they hear me and wonders what's wrong.

One of my bodyguards Sean comes running through the back door, "Is everything okay Your Highness?"

I say nothing and he looks at me and nods in understanding. I don't know how long I stayed outside but it must have been a while. Elle stood at the back door in a pretty yellow sundress. She had showered and changed, her hair was still damp. I hold my hand out to her.

"Thank you for listening to me and for being here for me. Most importantly not getting weirded out at the gross part of my story."

I pat the seat next to me, "There's nothing you can say or do that will make me not love you."

She starts to cry again and I wipe her tears away. "I love you."

For a moment I was surprise at her admission,"I love you too."

We stayed in the backyard with Elle's head resting on my shoulders for a while. I hug her, "Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me what happened."

She smiles, "I'm glad we're together."

"Me too, we better go in the chef I hired to cook for us will be here in an hour."

"I'm not gonna change I like what I'm wearing and I like seeing you in shorts and a polo shirt. You never said what kind of food we were having."

I bump my shoulders with hers, "You know that Jamaican restaurant your mother likes to go to when she's in New York?"

She was open mouth, "No way Leroy is coming to cook for us?"

"Yes he is I know he's one of your favourite chefs. Just like I know you like that cake from that Italian in Manhattan."

She gives me a lingering kiss then use her fingers to trace over my lips. "I'm glad we bought a ton of candy with us." I wanted a reaction from her so I give her a devious smile.

She eyes me suspiciously, "You touch my turtles and you're dead."

I run to the kitchen but she beats me to it. I see the happiness on her face and it gives me hope. That whatever horror she remembers next doesn't mean she won't ever smile again.

"Let's go for a walk I need to burn off some of that curry chicken."

Out of the blue as we were walking I hear, "I'm going to go to counselling again. I think it's a good idea with my memory coming back that I speak to someone about it. I want it to be someone in Italy not Denmark but for that to happen. You need to propose to me so I can officially move to Italy."

I go down on one knee, "Elle will you marry me?"

She looks around at our bodyguards who was recording the moment on their phones. "Yes I'll marry you."

I lift her up in the air and kiss her then the heavens opened but I didn't care. I continue to kiss her in the pouring rain.

Luckily for us a car was following behind us. I called my parents, mum and dad was in bed. I forgot about the time difference."

"Mum, dad I proposed to Elle and she said yes."

Both my parents look at me funnily, "Elle?" Ask my mother.

Elle sits closer to me, "That's his new nickname for me."

"Oh okay it's nice and congratulations on the engagement." My dad winks at us.

"The bodyguards took some photos of the whole thing. There's even a video I'll send it to you guys. Once we have told her parents please let the public know about our engagement."

"They'll think it's world wind or it's because James got married."

"Dad, Elle and I don't care we just want to get our church wedding."

"Congratulations son I hope she likes the ring."

This chapter needed to be realistic. I want them to slowly come together so that first time for them is more meaningful for the both of them.  The need to know they're in breakable.