The Danish Delight (Mads Mikkelsen)

Chapter 25: "21 Years"

Chapter 25: "21 Years"
Fewer moments in life are more awkward than having the ones you love circle around you and sing the most scripted of all songs until the point that you blow out the burning sticks of wax over your food while listening to everybody clap because you accomplished something as simple as exhaling. God only knows why my mother insisted on making me a birthday cake and videotaping my reaction to her singing each year; perhaps she felt that it was now a family tradition, being that she'd done it for so long. Perhaps, to her, there was something comforting and natural about the same unnatural expression I had to her tone-deaf voice. Although, whatever her reasons, and whatever my somewhat uncomfortable feelings on the matter, I apprciated her thoughts and efforts.
Mads had went to a great deal to ensure that I was properly dressed for the evening; he'd set plans for that night, but kept me in the dark about what exactly those plans were. Quite coincidentally, Annabella had been in town dressing models for a professional shoot and took some time out of her busy schedule to give me a bit of dolling-up for my birthday; busy woman that she was, she was genuinely considerate.
"So, what time are we going out for drinks?" My mother nudged me with a childish smile.
"We?" I widened my eyes and smiled back to her.
"Well damn..." She went back into the kitchen with my father to grab some plates and utensils. "It was worth a shot."
Mads leaned over the back of my chair and swooped in to kiss me on the cheek. "Mmmm... I have a night of surprises just waiting for you."
"Oh, do you now? Just what kind of surprises did you have in mind?"
"Tsk.. Tsk.. If I told you, it wouldn't be much of a surprise, now would it?" He bit down naughtily on his beautiful, full lips and eyed mine like candy.
"Ah! Here we are, Elise." My mother announced her rearrival into the room as my father followed close behind.
Mads let his hands linger over my shoulders, regaining his propper sense of posture. He seemed to keep a strong hold to his sense of formality when around my parents; he hid away any form of affection when they were watching.
Mom began slicing slivers of her homemade German chocolate cake. "Don't worry, we'll hurry along so that you two can go out for the night. Just do your dear mother a favor and entertain me by at least pretending that you enjoy my cooking."
"But, I do enjoy your cooking."
"Yes, that's the spirit!" She handed me a small slice with a plastic spork shoved beneath the center.
"Elise.." My father interrupted as I took a bite. "Could I borrow you for a moment before you head off?"
"Yeah, sure." I stood up and answered with my mouth half-full. "Taste's great, Mom." I added before walking off into the living room.
"Everything okay?"
"Yes, of course. I, uh.." He paused briefly. "I just wanted to ask you something."
"Sure thing. Shoot."
"Well, first off, know that your mother and I love you very much and would hate to see you get hurt."
What?
My face grew stern. "Dad, where are you going with this?"
"No, no.. I'm not trying to bring this anywhere. I just, I..." His words began to stumble again; a frequent habit of his whenever he faced an uncomfortable situation. "I have a feeling that Mads is not quite the 'extraordinary gentleman' that you believe him to be."
I ground my teeth with disgust. "Are you fucking kidding me right now!?? Really? We're back to square one?"
"Elise, please, there's something you don't-"
"No!" I shouted. "Save it. I'm done trying to prove Mads' and my relationship to you; you're too damned stubborn! It's almost like you can't stand to see me, finally, in a state of happiness."
He shouted right back. "You know that's not true!"
"Is it? Because I honestly can't tell anymore. I truly don't understand why you can't just be happy along with us."
"Elise, your happiness is all that your mother and I could ever want for you."
I snorted sarcastically before crossing my arms. "Ha! I love how easily you talk about this 'your mother and I' shit; as if everything between the two of you is just peachy-keen!"
"Don't start bringing up the past again, Elise.."
"Oh! But why don't we, Dad? You and I both know the real reason why you can't stand the happiness of a well-functioning relationship. You murdered the happiness of your marriage for your own selfish gain!"
"Stop it! It was years ago!"
"You cheated, Dad! You fucking cheated, and you didn't just betray Mom... you betrayed the whole damn family!" I stormed off in a rage to fetch Mads and get the hell out of there; if I were to have stayed any longer, my anger would've surly combust into a gory attack.
How dare he... How fucking dare he?! What the hell gives him the right to judge my relationship with Mads, when he doesn't even know how to correctly run his own?! He thinks that he can go off and denounce his family like he did and somehow earn a 'Get out of Jail Free' pass over the course of a few years? Ha! What a crock of shit...
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"Keep your blindfold on, baby doll." Mads guided me along as I took tiny steps forward.
"I swear to God, I'm going to burn this damn thing one day." My hands shook by my sides, anxiously yearning to claw the blindfold from my face.
While I was partially irritated by the necessity- rather enforced consistency- of Mads' beloved blindfold, what had ultimately provoked me was the belated conversation of dismay that I had with my father leading up to that point.
"It seems like you've yet to release your anger, Elise."
Shit, he can read me so well.
I felt the heat of his tender lips across the sharp tip of my right shoulder as he whispered from behind. "You need to shift your focus away from your family. Let's relax and enjoy the rest of your birthday."
There it goes again... all of my pain whisked away with his candid presence.
"You're absolutely right. I shouldn't let something as foolish as my father's incompetence get under my skin. I'll be okay."
"That's my girl." He snuck his hands bellow my hips and played with the silk of my dress as we continued to walk forward.
The further along we stepped, a thick stream of music became apparent. I couldn't make out a specific genre, but it gave off an infectiously soothing vibe. Treasuring the sensitivity of my ears reminded me in a surprisingly pleasant way of the first time I met Arnie back at the studio; an encounter that later lead to meeting Mads. It was strange to think how naive and unaware I was at the time, and how quickly the relationship that Mads and I had with Arnie shattered to pieces. While Mads had the power to make me forget about my problems, his outburst with Arnie proved to remain a worry in the back of my mind... one that I had to re-bury after each reoccurring resurrection of the thought. Yet, that is what made it all the more difficult and terrifying to me. The fact that sooner rather than later, I would have to unleash the demons of Pandora's Box.
"Okay, stop right here." Mads moved to untie the blindfold. "Happy Birthday, Elise."
I carefully batted my eyes to clear my sight and keep my eyelashes from clumping together.
Wait a second.. Is that?... No.. It couldn't be! What the fuck?!
"Arnie!! What the hell are you doing here?!"