3: An Unconventional Happy Ending.

Chapter 34: I don't just want you, I need you.

That same night once everyone has been introduced and fed dinner, they all get unpacked and settled in their respective rooms. They all get a room to themselves.

Meanwhile, the carriage still sits parked outside of Eleanora's house. Alexander still hasn't shown his face yet and has kindly asked the rest of the family to not reveal that he's there, he wants to do it himself in his own time.

Later that night after everything that's happened the previous two days, It's almost one a.m, everyone else is sound asleep. Eleanora is lying awake by herself staring at the ceiling. Arlan, her current fiancé whom she's not really sure that she even loves yet, has gone to his own house to give her some space. She is grateful as she needs time to reflect, think upon everything and decide how she feels about it all but that's easier said than done. After another ten minutes or restlessness, she admits defeat and decides to just get up. She quietly walks down the stairs, trying to not wake anyone up. She's wearing just her nightdress but she puts on her boots and her warm, full length coat and quietly steps outside the front door for some fresh air, closing it quietly behind her. It is a chilly night, but not too cold.

She walks over to the fence about forty feet from the front of the house, it's a long garden, and leans forward onto it, thinking.
'I brought this upon myself... I ran from my problems... It doesn't solve them... It just delays the inevitable moment in which it all blows up in your face, although... Sera became such a beautiful, intelligent, exceptional girl with a roguish personality, the best of both of us... Aries grew up to be a handsome, bright young man who has developed both an outer and inner strength and wisdom, mostly thanks to his father, although I can claim that his intellect is most definitely inherited from me... I can at least be happy that my children are good people... And Seb... I'm glad he got his happy ending, he's happy and that's all that matters to me... Although he got angry as soon as he recognised Arlan and almost hit him... Again... Something that could have been avoided if I'd thought before acting... Luis, what a beautiful soul... My father... Gods I've missed him, he's the man I've missed the most... He raised me and my daughter well... I'm so relieved and happy to know I'm not and wasn't ever a disappointment to him... What a grumpy old bastard though... I love that man so much... They all kept telling me that Alexander still loves me, I miss him too, always have and they think that I still love him... Do I? I don't fucking know... Even Pa thinks so...'

She stands there, completely lost in thought. So much so that she doesn't notice a tall shadowy figure approaching her from behind, the figure then stands closely behind her and places their hands on her hips. She hears a whisper in her ear.
"Not sleeping either?"
She jolts out of her train of thought as she feels hands lightly pressing on her hips. Assuming it's Arlan, she replies.
"Ugh... No... I'm having trouble dealing with all of this at once... It's a lot to unpack."
Then a familiar, deep, gravelly voice with a distinctive accent responds, she realises it's not Arlan.
"I understand, Mi amora."
She turns her head around and almost jumps out of her skin.
"-What?!"

She covers her mouth in disbelief as she sees Alexander's older but equally handsome and still irresistible profile softly lit by the moonlight, his eyes almost as deep blue as the night sky.
She shifts herself to get a better look at him.