All kids eagerly anticipate growing up because they believe it will bring a more exciting and wonderful world. However, growing up also comes with its share of hardships. Estelle had gone through a lot, experiencing both highs and lows and enduring some of the most challenging circumstances.
She was clever enough to become the CEO of the Hudson Group, talented enough to become a renowned designer, and caring enough to be a great mother. She took on all these responsibilities and gradually transformed into a strong woman who couldn’t easily be hurt. Yet, Cristofer just wished to see her as his carefree and innocent little star. That’s all he wanted.
“Don’t cry,” Cristofer said with a trembling voice, “I don’t know what to do when you cry.”
Estelle pouted and cast a glance at him with red eyes. She sniffled, “Will you end up handicapped?”
“I’ll do my best not to.”
“What kind of answer is that?” Estelle finally chuckled and patted him, saying, “If you become disabled, I’ll have to take care of you and the kids. I’ll be really busy then.”
“Are you afraid?”
She shook her head and said, “No.”
“Really?”
Estelle sniffed and slowly stopped crying, “I’m not scared that you will become a cripple because you can sit in the wheelchair, and I can push you. What I’m really scared of is that….”
“That I’ll die?”
Estelle glared at him and said, “If you die, I will immediately marry another man with your son and daughters and all your property. I will have a happy life with a handsome young man and forget all about you.”
Cristofer chuckled and held her hands in his soft palms, “I definitely won’t die then. If I die, some young bastard will take advantage of my Estelle.”
Estelle figured Cristofer was okay since he could still joke with her. She drew her hands out and asked worriedly, “Why hasn’t the ambulance arrived? Wait a minute. I’ll have a look at the gate. What if they go to the wrong place?”
“There is only one villa near the sea.”
Cristofer held her back and smiled gently, “Stay here with me for a while.”
Estelle tried to stand up, but she could only crouch down and sit beside him again, her hands still in his grip. “Alright, I’ll chat with you.”
“Okay, that’s great.”
She was concerned that lying on the floor might be uncomfortable for Cristofer, so she gently raised his upper body and let him rest in her arms as they waited for the doctor.
Estelle was as slender as Cristofer remembered. When they were younger, she had a bit of baby fat, even though she seemed thin with him looking after her. But now, she appeared quite bony. When he rested his forehead against her collarbone, he couldn’t help but worry that he might make her collapse if he leaned too heavily on her.
“Is it painful?”
“Yes, very painful.”
“We need to wait. It’s a lonely villa, and it will take the ambulance a long time to come.”
“Estelle.”
“Yes?”
“Can you sing a song for me?”
Estelle asked in surprise, “Now?”
“Yeah, my legs hurt. Some distraction would be nice.”
Estelle asked, a bit awkwardly, “Okay, what song would you like to hear?”
“Anything, really. Whatever you sing is fine.”
After a moment’s thought, Estelle playfully rolled her eyes and softly sang, “Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer true. I’m all crazy for the love of you…”
Cristofer asked with a smile, “What’s that?”
“The guy who sat next to me used to sing this to me in school.”
“The guy who sat next to you? Sharvil?”
“Yeah, you still remember him.”
“Of course. I knew he was the best in literature in your class and had a crush on you. He gave up after I outdid him a few times. He was one of the tricky ones among those guys who liked you.” Cristofer felt a bit uneasy bringing up that man, so he added, “But not this song. I don’t want to hear this one.”
Estelle then sang, “Old McDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O…”
“Estelle,” Cristofer interrupted, “I want to listen to ‘The Way You Look Tonight’.”
Estelle pouted and wanted to push him away, “Do you think I’m a karaoke machine that can sing any song you pick?”
“Don’t…. Don’t move…. My legs hurt once I move.”
Estelle immediately stopped and sighed. Maybe because they were near the sea and the stars were particularly clear tonight, they could even see the Milky Way.
In the dark, quiet night, Estelle sang softly, “Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder where you are? Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky….”
Cristofer slowly closed his eyes, smelling the fragrance of jasmine on her body and listening to the sweet song.
****
Two years had passed since Cristofer recovered from his terrible injury while saving his three children from the cruel hands of his twin brother, Victor. Victor was caught and imprisoned for his crimes.
Cristofer and Estelle had been divorced for a while, but they had been living together since Cristofer recovered from his injury. During this time, their love for each other grew stronger, and they decided it was time to get married again.
Cristofer and Estelle stood in a beautiful garden, surrounded by their loved ones. The sun shone brightly overhead, casting a warm glow on their faces as they exchanged their vows once again.
Cristofer looked into Estelle’s eyes and said, “Estelle, you’ve been my rock, my love, and my reason to keep going. I promise to cherish you and our family, and to always be by your side, no matter what life brings.”
Estelle smiled through tears of joy and replied, “Cristofer, you’ve shown me the strength of love and the power of forgiveness. I promise to stand by you, support you, and love you for all the days of our lives.”
After the ceremony, the couple and their children celebrated with a joyful reception. Laughter filled the air as friends and family joined in their happiness.
There three children, Yohan, Yvonne, and Christina, were overjoyed to see their parents remarried.
Yohan spoke up, saying, “I’m glad we’re all together again.”
Yvonne added, “And Daddy is our hero.”
Standing between her siblings, Christina wrapped her tiny arms around Yohan and Yvonne, exclaiming, “Yeah, we have the best family ever!”
Cristofer and Estelle held hands, their hearts filled with gratitude and love. They knew that their journey had been challenging, but it had led them back to each other and to this beautiful moment.
As the sun set on their wedding day, Cristofer and Estelle danced together under the twinkling stars. They knew that life would still have its challenges, but they were confident that they could face anything as long as they were together.
Cristofer whispered in Estelle’s ear, “This is our happy ending, honey.”
Estelle smiled and replied, “Yes, and it’s just the beginning of our beautiful journey ahead.”
Luke and Mrs. Moorsom stood nearby, both with tears in their eyes, feeling happy for Cristofer and Estelle.
Luke took out his handkerchief and wiped away his tears. He said, “Cristofer has finally won back his family. I can finally relax.”
Mrs. Moorsom, also in tears, said, “You’re right. But why are you being so emotional today? It’s a joyful day, isn’t it?”
Luke glanced at Mrs. Moorsom with a sheepish smile and replied, “I guess I’m just overwhelmed by their happiness.”
Suddenly, vivid footsteps interrupted Luke and Mrs. Moorsom’s conversation. It was Vincent and Eva, standing next to them, also happy for Estelle and Cristofer.
Vincent playfully put his arm around Luke’s shoulder and asked, “Uncle Luke, why are you crying? Did Mrs. Moorsom bully you?”
Eva lightly brushed Mrs. Moorsom’s arm and teased, “Yeah, Mrs. Moorsom, did you bully Uncle Luke?”
Mrs. Moorsom quickly shook her head and looked at Luke, saying, “Of course not. This old man is just too emotional after seeing Cristofer’s happiest moment.”
Eva grinned and winked at Mrs. Moorsom, saying, “Oh, I thought you bullied him.”
But before Mrs. Moorsom could respond, Estelle’s voice rang out.
“As is tradition, the bride usually throws her bridal bouquet, but I’ve decided to do something different,” Estelle announced.
She slowly walked towards Eva, causing excitement among the crowd. Eva, unaware of Estelle’s plan, stood still as Estelle handed her the bridal bouquet.
Estelle teased, “Eva, I think this flower suits you.” Then she turned to Vincent and added, “Someone secretly has a crush on you, right, Vincent?”
Caught off guard, Vincent froze, and his face turned red.
Eva’s eyes widened, “What?! Vincent, you have a crush on me?”
The loud crowd uproar made Vincent feel embarrassed, and he lowered his head, unable to look at Eva.
Cristofer walked over to them and stood beside Estelle, saying, “Don’t tease Vincent. He hasn’t had a girlfriend because he often worked long hours with me.”
Estelle playfully added, “Okay, Vincent and Eva must have a serious talk after today’s event.”
Eva stomped her feet and glared at Vincent, stammering, “I don’t… I don’t like you!”
Yvonne suddenly ran towards Eva and stood in front of her, saying, “Aunt Eva, it’s bad to lie. I saw your phone last time when I borrowed it. You have several photos of Uncle Vincent candidly taken.”
Everyone around them was shocked, and Vincent grinned, saying, “You took several photos of me, and yet you said just a while ago that you don’t like me?”
Eva fell silent as she knew she had been caught. She just shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes to save herself from embarrassment. However, Vincent quickly approached her, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her away from the reception hall.
The crowd clapped and whistled. Estelle and Cristofer walked back to their seats along with Yvonne.
Today, Estelle and Cristofer were both happy as they were about to start a new chapter of their lives with their children.
Author’s Note:
Dear Readers,
I want to thank each and every one of you for being a part of Cristofer and Estelle’s love story. Your support, discussions, and feedback have made “Honey, Love Me One More Time” what it is today. I couldn’t have done it without you.
When I first imagined Cristofer and Estelle’s journey, I had doubts about capturing their love and emotions. But your presence and encouragement pushed me forward. You are my muse, inspiring me to pour my heart into these pages and keep dreaming.
As we say goodbye to Cristofer and Estelle, I want to express my deep gratitude for your companionship. Your belief in their love, even in challenging times, reminds me of the power of human connection.
This isn’t the end; it’s a new beginning. Your support fuels my passion for storytelling, and I look forward to sharing more stories and adventures with you in the future.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
With love and gratitude,
Anna Shannel Lin
******FIN******