Julia’s number appeared on my cell phone.
“Hello,” I answered.
“Hey, how are you?”
“Great, we’re about settled. Ysabelle might be going crazy, though.”
She laughed. “She’s nesting, Sebastian, it’s what we do.”
“Mmm hmm…so much fun. How are you?”
“I’m good. Christian’s spring break is coming up.”
“Wow, I can’t believe it’s already almost into April.”
“I know; can you believe you’ve been there for almost eleven months?”
“Time flies. Are you planning anything for spring break?”
“I am. That’s why I’m calling. What do you think about us coming to visit for spring break? I can take some time off and so can Anthony. Christian won’t stop talking about your boat.”
I laughed. “Yeah, he’s been like that on Skype, too. Let me talk to Ysabelle and see what she thinks and I’ll get back to you.”
“Okay, sounds perfect. Let me know ASAP because I have to let my partners know and Anthony needs to request the time off as well.”
“No problem. Talk soon, bye.”
I found Ysabelle in the exact same place I had left her, except this time she had down another damn painting.
“Have you come out of hiding so you can help me?” she asked, half-serious.
“Not at all. I just talked to Julia.”
I saw her tense immediately.
“Christian’s spring break is coming up.”
“Okay.”
“She wants to come and visit.”
“Oh.”
“With Anthony,” I added.
She relaxed but still seemed cautious.
“What do you think about that?”
“Umm…yeah…I guess that would be okay. I mean, we’re going to have to be in each others lives, might as well start now, right?”
I smiled that she reflected that much into it.
“I agree.”
“When is spring break?”
“Two weeks.”
“Wow. Soon.”
I nodded. I could tell that a lot was weighing on her mind. I wanted to ask her, but I knew I wouldn’t get the answers I sought. I was profusely in love with the woman in front of me and I wanted so badly for her to let me in. We were coming up on our year anniversary of me finding her and still no change.
Would she ever let her guard down? Was this who she is? Will there ever be a change?
“Where are they going to stay?” she asked out of nowhere, catching me by surprise and taking me away from my thoughts.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m assuming a hotel.”
I could see her mind reeling, like she was debating on whether or not she should say what she was thinking.
“Maybe they should stay here,” she stated, unsure.
My eyes widened in surprise. “Are you sure?”
“No,” she nervously chuckled. “But I’m never sure about anything. We have this big house, you know? It would be silly for them to stay somewhere else.”
“Ysa, we don’t have to do that. We’re not responsible for where they decide to stay,” I affirmed.
“I know that, but maybe it will do us some good. Maybe I can learn something.”
I cocked my head to the side. “Learn something? What are you talking about?”
“Never mind. You’re right, they can stay somewhere else.” She hastily turned to leave and I grabbed her arm.
“No. Tell me what you meant.”
She inhaled. “It’s not a big deal.”
“Try me.”
“I just thought that…that…you know, she knows everything and maybe I could pick up a thing or two. That’s all,” she whispered, bowing her head.
I grabbed her by the chin to make her look at me. “Are you talking about Julia?”
She frowned. “Yeah. Julia, Sebastian…you know, your ex-wife. She knows everything about you and Christian so I thought it could help me. I could learn how to be a better person or something…I don’t fucking know…” she mumbled, shaking her head.
I didn’t even know what to say or how to respond to that.
“Please don’t look at me like that. I hate it when you look at me like that. This is why I don’t like to talk about my feelings and shit because I get that look and it makes me feel weak and out of control and insecure. Everything I fucking hate. That’s not who I am or want to be so just drop it. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
I pulled her to me and she buried her face in my chest.
“Ysa, I have no idea how your mind can even think that. I don’t know what it’s going to take for you to understand that Julia is not what I want. I want you. Just you. You have this image of her in your mind of this perfect person that she’s not. I’ve known the girl my whole life. Trust me, I know.”
“I know you want me and I know you love me,” she said into my chest.
I just held her. That was one thing that she would always let me do. I comforted her the only way she would allow. The longer I was with her, the more I learned how truly damaged and broken she was and it just made me hate Madam more. I despised the woman with every last fiber in my body. She was pure evil. Satan in the form of a human being. I should have strangled her to death when I had the chance. It didn’t matter—Ysabelle would never go back to her.
At least I knew that much to be true.