Page 60 of Cinematic Destinies
“We didn’t see each other again until the film’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. We were standing on the center of the carpet, hardly able to exhale, and I told him everything that was in my heart. Begged for his forgivenessand for another chance. That’s when he got down on one knee and proposed with a ring he’d bought after we left each other in Sweden. It turns out he had enough faith for the both of us.”
Georgia’s eyes became misty. “People always said he proposed at the premiere because you met when he was making the film. That you both wanted the whole world to know.”
Ella smiled. “We know what people think. The truth was, it was our first chance to get engaged and we just couldn’t wait. We didn’t even notice anyone else was there. Our eyes only saw each other.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell us?”
“I’ve always been embarrassed. It was such a stupid mistake. And your father is a gentleman. Besides, we never saw any need. We committed ourselves fully to each other that day and never looked back.”
Georgia sniffled.
“What is it, sweet girl? You can tell me,” Ella said.
Georgia exploded in tears. “I fell in love, Mom. This summer. I’ve never felt anything like it in my life. Didn’t even know it was possible to feel so much for someone. Without him it’s like my insides have been torn out. It hurts so much. He’s the greatest guy in the world and I screwed it up. Got scared and fucked it all up.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” Ella said, throwing her arms around her. She rubbed Georgia’s hair and said, “It will be okay. You can try to make it right.”
Georgia pulled back and wiped her face. “I don’t know if I can. If he’ll give me another chance. I don’t even know if that’s what I want. Maybe I don’t believe in all of that. The thought of someone tying me down and trying to change me. Maybe it was just a love affair and I need to let it go. To really be free.”
“Shh . . .” Ella whispered, caressing her daughter’s hand. “I understand that wild spirit all too well. It’s magical, and don’t ever let anyone try to tame it. But if you find someone strong, who loves you for exactly who you are, with whom you can be more of yourself, not less, that’s a very special thing.”
Georgia sniffled and said, “I didn’t think anyone would get it, least of all you. I was wrong. You do understand. Thank you for being here for me.”
Ella smiled. “Be happy, sweet girl. Whatever that means for you. Take some time. See how you feel in your heart of hearts. Trust yourself. Then you’ll know what to do.”
“COME HERE,” FINN SAID AS HE AND ELLAslipped into bed. He extended his arm and she crawled into the crook, her cheek on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. “Seeing Georgia was a nice treat. She was awfully quiet, though. That’s so unlike her. When dinner was over, she fled as fast as she could. Didn’t even stay for that delicious tart you made.”
Ella looked up into his eyes and said, “She’s going through a tough time. She’s in love.”
Finn started to smile, but it turned into confusion. “I don’t understand.”
“She came by this afternoon to speak with me. Apparently, she fell madly in love this summer. Thinks he could be the one.”
“That’s great. Isn’t it?”
Ella sighed as her gaze fell. “She got scared. Fucked it up. Now she doesn’t know how to make it right, or even if she’s ready to try.” Finn rubbed her shoulder. She looked back up into his eyes and said, “Turns out you’ve been right all these years. She’s just like me. If you ever use that against me . . .”
“I won’t,” he whispered, dropping a kiss in her hair.
“She knows that we broke up at the end of our first summer together. Jean told her. I guess the kids always thought what the rest of the world thought, that we fell in love on set and that’s why you proposed in Cannes. Minus the messy bits.” She sighed and lamented, “We should have dispelled that illusion a long time ago. I’m afraid that one grand red-carpet moment has cast a big shadow that the kids have lived under.”
“Even if that’s true, where there’s a shadow, there’s light.” She looked at him curiously and he explained, “The kids have seen how we live. The truth of our feelings for each other will outshine any shadow the media or public fantasy has created.”
She squeezed him tighter. “When Georgia asked why we never told them about our breakup, I felt bad, as if we had lied to them somehow.”
“We didn’t. We’ve been together longer than any of them have been alive. There was never any reason to tell them.”
“Finn, the reason would have been so they’d know that love can be complicated and messy. People make mistakes, screw things up. Things don’t always go perfectly, but that doesn’t diminish the love, or that it’s worth fighting for.”
“I guess I don’t really see it as messy or complicated,” he said. “Not with us. The truth is, I don’t regret a thing. I’m glad things happened the way they did.”
She raised her eyebrows. “How can you say that? Don’t you remember what it was like?”
“Sweetheart, losing you was the most painful thing I’ve ever gone through. Even when I look back now and think about the other tough times in my life—the issues we’ve had with the kids over the years, losing my parents—none of it was unbearable because we had each other. Leaving Swedenwithout you, those agonizing months that followed . . .” He stopped to shake his head. “It was torture. The worst part was that as much as I was hurting, I knew you were in just as much pain and I couldn’t help you.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “But it was all worth it. You needed that time to be sure about us the way I was. When we got back together, you were ready. Thirty blissful years later, I’ve never looked back.”
“Me either.”
“It all happened the way it was meant to, baby.”
