Pieces of Your Heart

Parting Ways

Ian and Elodie spent the next two days at his small house by the ocean. During that tiny window in time, there was no heartache, no sadness, no misery; nothing else in the world mattered or existed. They stayed up late into the night, watching the sky, and listening to the waves break across the beach.

Elodie woke on Christmas morning to Ian's lips on her forehead. "Morning love," he said as her eyes opened slowly.

"Hey you. Merry Christmas."

He sat on the bed next to her and placed a small box in her hand, wrapped neatly in gold paper.

"What's this?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Open it and find out."

She gently lifted the corner of the paper and carefully opened the box that hid underneath it. Inside was a pair of earrings, two delicate glass spheres, each holding several dandelion seeds, winged for flight.

"Oh Ian, they're beautiful. I've never seen anything like this before."

He smiled. "They made me think of you."

"Why?"

"Because you're what I wished for," he said simply. "So are you ready for some family holiday drama?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world. But..." she said, reaching into her bag next to the bed, "not before I give you this."

She handed him a thin box adorned with a shiny red ribbon. Ian opened the box and found what appeared to be a steel woven bracelet and a certificate of authenticity. His brow furrowed. "Elle, what ---"

"It's a guitar string. A Mike Ness guitar string."

"Elle, this is amazing," he said, slipping the bracelet over his knuckles.

She laughed, "I was a little unsure about your feelings on man-jewelry, but I thought this was just cool enough to be ok. It looks good on you."

He hugged her to him tightly. "Thank you darlin'."

When they pulled up to Jerry and Patrice's house, Elodie hesitated, remembering what had happened between Ian and Fred.

"Don't worry about it," he said, as if he'd read her mind. "It'll be fine."

"If you say so," she said.

They walked up the steps to the front door and walked in, the house warm with the smell of apple pie baking in the oven. Patrice trotted out of the kitchen wearing a frilly apron and reached out to hug them both.

"Hey baby boy, how you feelin'? Elodie you look lovely as always. Ian, why don't you get cozy by the fire, while us girls get to the business of cooking."

"Yeah, sure, I'd love to help," Elodie said sincerely. She followed Patrice into the kitchen.

"Elle honey, I'm so glad you're here. It's been a long time since I've seen my boy so happy. Hell, it's been a long time since I've seen him at all. How do you feel about peeling potatoes?"

She sat down across from her at the kitchen table, a massive tub of potatoes between them. Elodie picked up the peeler.

"You don't think I'm too young for him?" she blurted out.

"Girly, I know there's a lot of people out there with their opinions and what not; but as far as I'm concerned anyone that could get through to him after everything that's happened is worth keeping around. There was a time when I thought he'd never be happy. And that miserable shrew of an ex wife of his, Lord knows we all knew that one would never work out."