***
“Where are we going?” I asked Xavier with a confused expression as I looked out of the car window. “I don’t recognize where we are at all.”
“We’re going to my favorite place,” he said and his voice was a lot more cheerful than it had been just a few hours ago as I’d cried into his arms.
“Your favorite place?” I asked him and stared at his profile as he drove. “Your bedroom?” I joked lightly, but he didn’t laugh. I suppose it was not the right time to be making sex jokes.
“You’ll see,” he said softly and gave me a quick look. “How was your nap?”
“Good.” I nodded. “I feel refreshed.” I stretched my arms and smiled at him. I took a deep breath and realized that I felt better than I had in days. I supposed that fresh air and getting out of the palace really had made a difference.
“You must have been tired,” he said and I nodded, even though I knew he couldn’t see me. “It’s from all the crying you’ve been doing.”
“I suppose,” I said, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
“You’ve been crying and I’ve been hitting,” he continued and I turned to him in surprise.
“Hitting who?” I said, my voice breathless, imagining him pummeling Stephan to the ground.
“Not who, but what,” he said, his voice amused as he rounded a corner. “I was hitting a punching bag.”
“Oh, okay.” I felt myself exhale, though I was slightly disappointed.
“In preparation for my big fight,” he continued and chuckled slightly.
“Big fight?” I asked breathlessly.
“I’m joking.” He laughed and all of a sudden the tenseness in me suddenly disappeared and I found myself laughing with him.
“You see, I can be funny,” he said as he pulled off of the road suddenly. “I’m glad I still have the ability to make you laugh, Lola,” he said and I felt him give my hand a quick squeeze. I held on to the armrest tightly as I gazed in front of us. It appeared to me that we were driving through the middle of a field and there was no actual road guiding us along.
“I never said you’re not funny,” I said breathlessly as I stared at the green grass we were plowing through.
“I don’t mean funny looking,” he said and I felt his right hand on my leg suddenly, squeezing my kneecap.
“No one thinks you’re funny looking,” I said with a laugh, my hand covering his. “What are you doing, Xavier?”
“I’m taking you to my favorite place. I already told you that.”
“You know that’s not what I mean,” I said and gasped as I saw a field full of flowers before us. Xavier slowed down the car and then stopped.
“We’re here,” he said and jumped out of the car. I sat there in a daze as I waited for him to open my door. I was still dazed as he leaned over and undid my seatbelt. “You okay?” he asked gently, his eyes concerned as he stared at me.
“I’m fine.” I nodded, not sure why I was suddenly so overcome with emotion. “This is a beautiful place,” I said, my voice breathless as I gazed at his face so close to mine.
“It couldn’t be any more fitting.” Xavier nodded. “A beautiful destination for a beautiful woman.”
“I’m not beautiful,” I mumbled and Xavier frowned.
“You’re the most beautiful woman in the world, Lola. You’re the blooming flower that every bud hopes to be.”
“You’re just saying that,” I said as I blushed and stepped out of the car.
“Why would I say that?” he asked as he closed the door.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged and looked around. “Why are we here?”
“I wanted to show you how much I love you.” He guided me through the flowers until we came upon a river. I gasped at the sight as it almost reminded me of Monet’s gardens.
“This is a really special place,” I said softly as he guided me towards a chair swing. He sat down and I sat down next to him.
“Do you want to know how I know that I love you?” Xavier turned to me with a serious expression.
I nodded back silently, not wanting to say anything to ruin the moment.
“I know I love you because I feel everything you feel. When you are sad, I am sad and drawn into an abyss of despair. When you’re happy, my heart is soaring. When you cry, I not only want to wipe your tears away and stop the hurt, I want to cry as well. I feel everything you feel, Lola. You’re a part of me. Your soul is my soul. Your heart is my heart. Your hurt is my hurt. Your love is my love. You’re the part of me that has been missing all my life and I’m the part of you that has been missing. We weren’t whole until we found each other. And now you complete me and I complete you. We are meant to be one.”
“I, I...” My voice trailed off because I didn’t know what to say. I was so captivated by him, by this place, by my emotions. I wanted to pause this moment so I could live it forever.
“Do you know why I brought you here?” Xavier said softly as he gazed at me.
“Because you love me,” I said after a few seconds, the realization suddenly dawning on me that it was true. Xavier Van Romerius really did love me. For all of his faults and for all of his cockiness, he was in love with me. He’d told me, of course, but it hadn’t really hit me until this moment.
“Yes, I do, Lola Franklin. I love you very much,” he said and grabbed my hands. “And I brought you here because this is my favorite place in the world. This is the place I come to when I’m sad and lonely. This is the place I come to when I’m in despair. This is the place that always makes me feel better. I brought you here, Lola, because I realized that this would be the place that would provide you comfort as well. I knew that because I knew that I loved you. And I know that our love is special. I brought you here because I knew that just as I am a part of you, you are a part of me. And I knew that if you were a part of me, then you would appreciate this place as much as I do.”