Premonitions | ✓

twenty-eight

"More Than A Woman" -The Bee Gees

Once Anna had fully woken up, and breakfast was finished, the couples parted ways. 

     Laurie told Lars of all the best places to go and eat along with the nearest petrol stations. Lars was thankful, pushing Anna into the car and setting off.

     Their time was spent just how it was in Sweden, with the couple leisurely about, taking in the scenery, and enjoying each other's company. They spoke about Laurie and Midge, what was going on around them, and how they saw their life to be once back in the states.

     Lars looked over at Anna as she gazed out into the water. 

     She watched the boats go slowly by and listened to the birds gawking about. Her hair was left down that time, Lars loved watching it blow around her. Something so simple and effortless made Anna look exquisite in his eyes.

     He pushed some hair over her shoulder before speaking, "When you told me of your dream wedding, did you mean it? Like, is going to the courthouse and then a little party in the backyard really what you imagined?"

     He, like Anna, never really imagined getting married. Lars was quiet and reserved, he didn't expect to find someone, let alone Anna, to spend the rest of his life with. He was ready to live his life just like his father, in solitude. 

     Lars knew that he was the result of a drunken one-night stand and that his mother and father were young. His mother didn't want children, but the minute his father learned of her pregnancy, he was ecstatic.

     Lars thought the only way he was to have children was in that way, if it was through a drunken mistake. He didn't know why but that's just how he grew up. That's why he had barely dated in his youth. 

     If he did go on a date, it was because he didn't know it was one in the first place or he was peer pressured into a double date with a friend from school. He was okay with living his life alone. 

     Until Anna.

     When Lars thought about getting married, having a wedding, all he saw was Anna dolled up, flowers in her hands, and walking toward him. He didn't care what she wore, what type of flowers, or even where they exchanged vows. He just wanted to be able to call himself her husband and call her his wife.

     Anna sighed, "Honestly, as I told you before, I never saw myself getting married for many reasons. Mainly because I'm terrified of divorce, horrified if you were to leave me or grow resentful." 

     She looked up at him through her dark sunglasses, "I'm not easy to live with Lars, and I know you know this now, how you think you can handle my ups and downs, but I don't think you thought about what it would be like a year from now... to five years and so on. I don't want you to regret it, and I don't want to hold onto something that will inevitably slip away."

     Lars brought her closer, wrapping his arms around her, but continued to look down at her as they leaned against the railing. He let out a long sigh through his nose, thinking carefully about what to say next.

     "I know you feel this way, Anna. I don't know how else to put you at ease. I will continue to make sure you know how much I love you, I'll help to calm you down the best I can, and I'll even tell you when you're pissing me off. But, Anna..." 

     He grabbed onto her jaw with one hand to make sure she wouldn't turn away, "I'll never walk out on you, I'll never grow spiteful, and I'll always be there for you in every way imaginable," He smiled down at her, "And I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't have many friends, so I need to keep you around."