Page 25 of Something New

“Us. Of course. I have been waiting, and now you are twenty-five. You are not in love. You are not married.” He pulls a small velvet box out of his pocket. “Little bird, this is not the way I imagined tonight would go. But I came here to ask you to marry me. It’s time.” He leans forward in the chair, and he puts the box onto the bed in front of me, the lid open.

He’s fucking crazy—or I drank so much I’m hallucinating. I don’t say anything but I’m sure my face is saying a lot of stuff.

My eyes drop to the ring in the box.

A beautiful little bird, created out of sparkling stones, set into a ring - it is glittering in the fairy lights. Mesmerized for a moment.

“Remember, I told you that next time I saw you I would give you a real one.”

“A real one?” I stammer.

“Yes.” He says, standing up suddenly and marching over to my dressing table. He yanks the top drawer open and pulls out a box. A box that is very special to me and filled with memories of my mother - of the Vece mansion - yes - but only because it reminds me of my mother.

He opens the lid and takes out a small plastic bird charm.

He sets the box back down and tosses the charm onto the bed next to the diamond ring.

The little bird. The bird he gave me.

I barely remember it. I know he gave it to me, but the bird was more a symbol of a new beginning for me - in my mind it has nothing to do with him. I had it in my pocket the day I left theVece mansion. The day I started my new life. It was my wings to fly away.

I pick it up and twist it in my fingers.

“Oh.” I say, unsure what to do. “But - what is this?” I touch the box.

“It is your engagement ring. We are going to get married.” He says with a smile that runs pins and needles down my spine.

“I am not marrying you.” I blurt out, gripping the plastic bird so hard it is spiking into my palm. “I will never marry you.”

His eyes grow dark with anger. “You promised. We made a promise to each other. When you turned twenty-five, we were going to get married. It was a pact, Nerissa.” He snarls and hisses in anger.

“A pact made by a child. I didn’t take it seriously. I haven’t even thought about you since that day, Tuomo. I don’t even know who you are. I never did. All I know is that you and your family are all monsters. You stole my brothers from me. My mother died in your house. You are just like your father. I would never marry someone like you. I know what your family does. You are evil. You hurt people. You are—”

He flies at me and clamps his hand over my mouth.

“How dare you say that? How dare you compare me to my father? I am nothing like him.” The fury in his eyes is a death sentence for me if I make one more wrong move.

I nod against his hand, tears spilling down my cheeks again.

I need to pull myself together.

This is not a game, I better not aggravate him even more.

I reach up and touch his hand, locked so tightly over my mouth that it is hurting.

I run my fingers over his skin, and his grip loosens.

He drops his hand away, but his eyes are still locked into mine.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean - You aren’t like your father.” I whisper, hoping I am saying the right thing.

He nods. “It’s ok. I forgive you, little bird.” He sits down on the bed next to me.

Tuomo reaches up and brushes his fingers across my cheek, wiping away a tear. “I am sorry I made you cry, little bird. I came here because I love you. I never stopped loving you. You don’t mean it when you say you haven’t thought about me since that day. We made a pact, and we have to honor that pact. It’s the only way to stay true to ourselves. We are meant to be together.” He’s delusional, completely nuts. He’s got to know that he sounds crazy.

I bite down on my lip and feel the ache as a bruise forms inside my mouth. I need to stop doing that.

“Tuomo, I mean - that was long ago. So much has changed since then. You don’t know who I am anymore. You might not even like the person I grew in to. And I don’t know who you are. We can’t just get married. It would be stupid, and reckless of us.”

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