The Grasshopper

Chapter 156

“We’re saved! We’re alive! The Grasshopper killed himself!” shouted a nurse running into the room. “I have to get out into the square! I have to!” she turned, ran out of the room and slammed the door.

Manami got up from Pascal’s lap, bent over and kissed the sleeping Eir and Peter on the cheek, straightened up, offered Pascal her hand and pulled him towards her.

“Kiss me! Kiss me!” she cried out.

When their lips separated, she shouted out in joy:

“My darling, my president!” She bent over again and loudly kissed Eir and Peter, stood up, and took Pascal’s hands in hers.

“My love… my wonderful love,” Pascal whispered.

“I apologize, Mr. President,” Manami smiled, “for taking up your precious time…”

“What president, Manami…”

“The best! Smartest! Handsomest! My President! Only mine!” Manami shouted.

“Let it be, darling. We’ll see. What’s important now…”

“What’s important now, Mr. President is that you address these people, who have suffered so much. The people, for whom you were the only hope. Not only their hope – you were their faith. People believe in you, Pascal!”

“Alright, alright… there’s time…”

“There’s no time! The people need you immediately, now! Go to the studio and address them. No, no… find… have them bring Noah to you. He knows the situation best. Discuss with him what you should say first, for the people to calm down, to organize food and water… Primarily for the children, Pascal! Come on, there’s no time to waste! Go to the studio, have them dress you, put on makeup. You’re all wrinkled and pale. You must listen to your wife, Mr. President!”

When Pascal heard her words he hugged her tightly.

“My wife! My wife!” he shouted and kissed her.

“Come on, come on…” Manami laughed, gleaming with joy. “Why are you getting all soft? I’ll wait for my children to wake up… their mommy will explain everything to them. They will always love and respect their father, but they will live normally. They will be mommy’s happy children. And yours, Pascal. You are to love them and cuddle them like you did in our shelter! Do you hear?”

“Yes, my love! I will, darling, I will!”

“And we have to hurry up with our baby, Pascal! It’s your own fault! Why did you fall in love with an old woman, and now you have to hurry!”

“We will, my love, we’ll hurry it up. Already today. Now! Let’s go to a room, while the children are still asleep!”

“You really want me very much, sir?”

“Very much! Very much!”

“Well nothing before marriage, sir,” Manami smiled. “As soon as Peter and Eir wake up, we’ll take them to our house. And you and I will get married. You will marry me already today! Is that clear, sir?”

“Clear, clear! Today, immediately, my wife! My wife!” Pascal shouted.

Manami kissed him. After that she stepped back and said in a serious tone.

“Pascal, I really want to get married today. As soon as possible. Please, find Noah, address the people… so that they see that you’re alive, that you’re here, that you are thinking of them, that you love them… do you understand?

“And then we’ll get married in secret. Noah will be our witness. No one else will know. We mustn’t even burden the children with that. Peter and Eir have to have time to mourn the death of their father, to get used to their house again, to normal life…” Manami paused and thought. “The only this is that you have to come with us immediately… to live with us.

“I’ll tell Peter that you have nowhere to go. That you will be with us for a while. We’ll think of something. And I cannot… I won’t allow you, Pascal, to be gone all day long!” she raised her voice. “That you are at some presidential office!

“You will do everything from our house. We’ll make you an office there.

“That’s it! We’ll say that its for your safety. So that its easier for the inspectors to protect you. There, that’s what Noah will say as the official explanation. That he, who is responsible for your safety, demands that.

“And Peter will accept that, Pascal! He adores Noah!”

Manami lowered her voice and touched Pascal’s face.

“That will be the official reason. And my reason is you. For anything, for everything. Just you. You can’t be away from me for a moment. Because I can’t live without you anymore, Pascal.”

She gently kissed his lips and ran the fingers of both hands through his hair. She smiled, took him by the hand and led him to the door. She opened it and pushed him into the corridor.

“Find a studio, tell them to fix you up and fetch Noah. The two of you discuss what should be done next. Go now, go already…” The smiling and overjoyed Manami shut the door.