Years ago, that puppy met with a tragic accident and couldn’t be saved. Estelle had carried the pain of losing it for many years. She often wondered if the puppy would still be alive if she hadn’t separated from Cristofer. Shaking herself from those thoughts, she softly uttered, “I can’t blame it all on you.” She realized that the puppy’s death had been an unfortunate accident beyond anyone’s control.
Holding the adorable puppy close to her chest, she gently stroked its head and asked, “How old is this one? Is it a boy or a girl?”
“The breeder mentioned that she’s around three months old, and she’s a girl.”
Estelle reflected nostalgically, “The puppy we had back then was also around three months old. They even look alike. It’s as if she has come back to me in this way.”
Cristofer nodded in agreement, studying her face attentively. “In that case, you should give her a name this time.”
Estelle was filled with emotions and couldn’t immediately come up with a name for the puppy. She lovingly caressed the dog and finally expressed, “I need some time to think of the perfect name for her. But I’m determined to keep her this time.”
Seeing Estelle’s smile, Cristofer felt his heart warm up. He gently reached out to hold both Estelle and the puppy in his arms, seeking her approval. Estelle didn’t resist, and he asked, relieved, “Would it be okay if I name her?”
Surprised, Estelle turned to look at him. “Have you already thought of a name?”
Cristofer said softly, “You’ve named our three children, so I don’t know if I’ll get another chance to name someone. I want to be a part of this decision. How about Neptune? I hope this puppy grows up to be as strong as Neptune.”
Estelle found the name a bit unusual but liked it. She agreed with a contented smile, “Sure, Neptune, it is. Neppy, may you grow up healthy and play with us in the garden someday.”
Cristofer continued in the cheerful atmosphere, “The kids would surely be thrilled if they knew they had an adorable little friend.” He added another reason for choosing the name. “Remember when I told you I wanted to give you all the stars?”
As a teenager, Cristofer had dreamt of catching a star for Estelle. However, he realized it was an impossible dream, so he settled for something else, like purchasing the right to name a planet.
With a gentle smile, he opened the door to a memory and shared, “I wanted to name that planet Pluto, but the company told me that name was already taken, so I added an ‘s’ before it.”
Estelle understood that the ‘s’ represented her name. She asked, “Does that mean there might be something related to Uranus?”
“Yes, it’s here.” With that, Cristofer stood up and walked to the closet with his hand around her waist. As he opened the door, a white dress showed up.
“A wedding dress? Is this the one that you told me in the police station that you stole?”
“Yeah.”
Cristofer mentioned it at the police station when he asked to stay in jail. And Estelle never had a chance to see that wedding dress. She couldn’t imagine that it was in the closet in his bedroom. After seeing it in person, she finally understood why Cristofer had impulsively broken the shop window to take it right away. ‘The dress is stunning! And the little diamonds on the dress look like the dazzling stars in the sky when it moves.’ She said to herself.
“Estelle, look,” Cristofer said in a low and gentle voice and pointed at a star-shaped embroidery on the chest part. “The designer told me that this is Uranus.”
Many people knew that Uranus was the God of the sky in Greek mythology, the ruler of the universe. Putting Uranus near the heart clearly shows Cristofer’s feelings. And Cristofer still remembered what the designer told him in the email. ‘Uranus represents everything in the universe, so I name the dress My Everything.’
As he tightened his arms around Estelle’s waist, Cristofer said apologetically in a hoarse voice, “Estelle, can you give me another chance?”
Somehow, Estelle couldn’t hold back tears when she heard Cristofer’s words. It might have been because the puppy in her arms resembled the little Samoyed she had lost, or perhaps it was the dazzling diamonds on the wedding dress.
Estelle had shared both love and hate with Cristofer and Mr. Mysterious. Her life had been intertwined with his since she met him at the young age of 14. They had enjoyed sweet moments in Milan and led a peaceful life in the Rose Garden.
But deep down, Estelle wished for something simple-a home, not necessarily a grand villa, maybe an old house, or even that small house in the Rose Garden. All she wanted was a place to call her own and someone who really loved her. It wasn’t a grand dream, but she had never had the chance to make it a reality, and these past years had been a torment for her. She had thought about forgiveness, moving on, and spending the rest of her life with Cristofer. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
Estelle tried to wipe her tears away quickly, but her movements were sluggish. As she tried to hide her emotions, Neppy, the puppy, sensed her movements and began to wiggle in her arms. Cristofer, seeing her tears, could only stand by and support her, holding her close in his arms.
“I’m sorry, Estelle. I’m so sorry,” Cristofer repeated, struggling to find the right words, even though he was usually eloquent in his work.
Neppy, the lively puppy, was wriggling around in Estelle’s arms. She was almost too much for Estelle to handle, so Cristofer took the dog from her. Neppy continued to bounce around, but once in Cristofer’s hands, she settled down and licked the tears from Estelle’s face.
“Estelle…”
“No, don’t talk…” Estelle mumbled, turning to bury herself in his arms.
“Okay, I’ll be quiet.”
In Cristofer’s embrace, Estelle sobbed louder and louder as if she needed to release all her sorrow and sadness. During this time, Mrs. Moorsum and Luke entered the room. Mrs. Moorsum had come to collect the dishes, and Luke was curious about the dog. But when they heard what was happening inside, they quietly left without knocking.
Estelle thought no one could hear her, so she continued crying until she felt she had released all her emotions. Cristofer stayed with her, occasionally patting her back gently as if she were a child. When her crying subsided, he asked softly, “Do you feel any better?”