Status: Live
Holding Hands Won't Be Enough
Chapter 49: Tire Iron
Pulling up to Ville’s property, it was nothing short of what Milly had expected; it was secluded, mystical and melancholy; just like him. They entered through a wrought iron gate nestled in the large green hedges that surrounded the tower - and towering it was. Ivy crept up the sides of the building with security cameras peeking through the leaves, it was like a modern fairy tale destination. The car came to a crunching halt on the stone laden driveway and the driver and Bam immediately exited the vehicle to attend to the bags. “Well, here we are, home.” Ville said, solemnly, patting his hands to his knees and inhaling deeply.
“I’m sorry it’s not under different circumstances too, Ville… Know that.” she nodded sincerely. Ville appreciated the sentiment, but the lump in the back of his throat still swelled at the thought that this could have been a much happier occasion.
“Shall we?” Milly nodded, gathering Oscar and exiting the car to be met with the chilly Finland air. Since she didn’t have a chance to at the airport, she took a deep breath and smiled softly, it had been far too long since she had held her homeland’s air in her lungs; it was different, crisper, cleaner… The smell that lingered in the air was like a welcome hug from your mother, she was home.
“Rapunzel.” Oscar laughed, pulling his mothers hair as he tried to clamber on to her shoulders to see the tower from higher up. She dropped her bag to the ground and struggled to manoeuvre his excited, squirming body down. Thankfully though, Ville stepped in and plucked him off of her before Oscar lost his grip, proudly sitting him on top of his shoulders, holding his hands in his entirely. Bam strode up next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, hugging her into him. She patted his chest, appreciative that they didn’t have to say a word to each other for him to know when she needed a little reassurance.
Ville had given them the grand tour, all but one room - beneath the very top bedroom level of the tower - which he said was a very private room that he used for writing, he had lovingly referred to it as his ’sanctuary’. Though Milly wasn’t entirely comfortable with staying in his home, she appreciated that he was so insistent. He had left quickly, having received an inquisitive phone call from Jonna; apparently her gossiping network of friends had caught wind of his arrival.. he knew it was time to bite the bullet. Milly ran out after him, he turned upon hearing her footsteps crunch on the gravel, “Hey..” she said on a breath, stopping still as he turned. His eyebrows raised and he stuffed his hands into his pockets, she didn’t say anything, her mouth was open but what she wanted to say wouldn’t come out, so instead she blurted, “Thank you, for letting us stay here.”
“My pleasure.” he said after a moment, having noticed that that wasn’t what she had wanted to say at all. He waited, anxiously another moment, hoping, praying she would tell him not to leave, to stay with them, to be a family in his home… But she didn’t, he bowed his head, “I’ll see you soon.”
“Yes.” she replied, touching the back of her neck nervously, he paused again, only for a second, before turning on his heel, “Ville..” she choked out, louder than she had hoped, his heart bounced against his rib cage, he turned with hope, she had taken a few steps forward before stopping and anxiously playing with her fingers, “I.. she…” she stuttered nervously, not knowing exactly what to say, instead giving up before walking up to and hugging him unexpectedly, he slowly put his arms around her and hugged her back, he knew what this hug was - this was Milly letting him go.
————
————
Night drew in over Finland, Oscar was asleep, bundled in blankets on the leather sofa of the first floor living room, the Finnish Disney channel quietly rambling along in front of him; the screen illuminating him ethereally. After discovering the cupboards were bare, Bam had organised for his driver to return with groceries once he had been taken back to the hotel - he hadn’t told Milly of course, so when the driver returned with two large brown paper grocery bags, she was perplexed. Red wine, cigarettes and coffee rested on the top of the first bag, and bananas, juice and Oscar’s favourite cereal on the other. Of course there were staple foods underneath their favourite treats; bread, vegetables, etc.. She wasted no time in finding a glass big enough for the glass of wine she craved and she had no trouble whatsoever locating a lighter or ashtray. Not being one to have ever smoked in front of or near her child, she quietly slipped on her coat as she let herself onto the small, Shakespearean balcony. She took a long draw of her cigarette, followed by a large gulp of her wine, her eyes fixated on her mobile phone set on the bricks before her. She didn’t even remember the last time she spoke to her mother or father; it’s not that she had a bad relationship with them, it was that they would never let go the fact that she’d kept a pregnancy from a one night stand, they were old fashioned - traditional and as such she never heard anything else from them but ‘you know, Milly, he is a bastard child’, ‘you know, Milly, it’s no wonder Seth hasn’t asked you to marry’, “you know, Milly, it was irresponsible of you to bring a fatherless child into the world’… She was human, and she was after all hiding a secret, there’s only so much she could take. She loved them dearly and every couple of months they would call one another, but how she would now tell them about Seth, about why she was here, she had no idea. Taking a deep breath, she dialled. The house number hadn’t changed since the 70s; it was the first telephone number she had memorised. It rang exactly four times before her mother picked, “Hei.”
“Isä, se open mina.” she replied, shuffling her feet on the ground.
(Dad, it's me.)
“Odota, soitan äitisi… Heli!” he shouted, his excited voice furthering from the receiver, “Se on Milly, poimia puhelin!”
(Wait, let me get your mother… Heli!) // (It’s Milly, pick up a phone!)
“Kultaseni?”
(Darling?)
“Hei äiti.”
(Hi mum.)
“Heli, hän soittaa hänen Suomalainen numero.¨
(Heli, she’s calling from her Finnish number.)
“Kyllä, Kyllä, olen Suomessa saavuin tänään iltapäivällä.”
(Yes, yes.. I’m in Finland. I arrived this afternoon.)
“Tulitko Oscar?”
(Did you come with Oscar?)
“Of course I did mother.” she sighed, reverting back to English, without a beat her parents switched too.
“Well good, it's about time he came and spent some quality time with his family. Oh Juha, wasn’t I just talking about wanting to have the whole family together for Sonja’s wedding?” Heli gushed, happy that her Grandson was finally in Finland.
“Sonja’s wedding?”
“Why yes darling, why do you sound so surprised? They’ve been engaged long enough.” she laughed.
“Well, yes, but, no one told me about any wedding?” she said disbelievingly, “I’m hurt.”
“Darling, invitations went out months ago, we just assumed you’d not responded because you were obviously going to come..”
“I didn’t get any invi-“ she stopped dead, realising what would have happened, Seth would have destroyed any evidence of it to keep her from causing an argument over him not wanting to go with her for "fear of flying" otherwise known as the reasons that had recently come to light, “Ah.”
“What is it, Milly?”
“Nothing, nothing.. I just realised what would have happened to it, not a problem. When is it?”
“Two weeks from now.”
“Oh god, I would have missed it entirely.” she said sadly.
“Well what fortune that you are here, now, are you going to tell your old mum and dad what brings you home after all this time?” It was a split second decision, but she decided in that moment not to divulge the true parentage of Oscar, opting to do it in person and preferably whilst he was there.
“Seth and I.. I kicked him out.”
“Still hadn’t asked you to marr-“
“Actually Mum, he did, but only so as he could take half of everything when he divorced me to be with his secret family.” he interrupted sternly. “And that’s all I have to say on the matter. I’m fine, really I am.. I do have other news, concerning Oscar, but I think it’d be nicer to tell you in person.” Silence befell the telephone line, she took a draw of her cigarette and leant against the balcony wall, looking out onto Ville’s gardens. “Are you going to say anything, or are you going to stand there looking at each other, not knowing what to say next?” she half laughed, stubbing out her smoke.
“We.. uh, darling, are you okay? I know you said you are, but I’m your mother, you can tell me.” she appreciated her mother’s concern, it was a refreshing change.
“I’m perfectly okay, I have my beautiful boy, he’s the only man I need. Aside from you, obviously, äiti.”
“That’s my girl.”
“Now when are you guys free?”
“Everyday darling, we are busy helping Sonja with the wedding, but we’re doing everything locally.”
“So, today is Monday," she mumbled to herself, "how does Wednesday suit? I want to settle Oscar tomorrow, I think he may be jetlagged.”
“Wednesday is perfect, your sister and Peter will be here. I must say, we are worried; this news, it’s nothing bad, is it?”
“No, not bad. I promise.” she strained her neck, scanning the darkness, she could have sworn she heard something crashing to the ground.
“Alright then sweetheart, we shall see you Wednesday, your sister will be over the moon!”
“Okay then, love you both.” absentmindedly she hung up the phone, sliding it into her pocket as she tried to determine where the racket was coming from. Worried, she hustled inside, making sure Oscar was safe. Not having a clue where she would be able to view the security cameras, but still wanting to know what was going on, she marched to the front door, grabbing a metal rod she had spotted leaning against the side of the doors frame earlier in the afternoon. She realised it was a tire iron and the notion that Ville should have one when he didnt have a car struck her; suddenly she didn’t feel as safe as she had expected to, but hearing the noises approaching the house, she had to protect her son and she'd be damned if she was going to let some ditzy fans hoping for a snap of Ville in the altogether frighten her. She had barely stepped out from under the porch when somebody stepped out in front of her. She screamed loudly out of shock, causing the intruder to shout out loudly too. Instinctively she drew her arm back, brandishing her new found weapon, only the screaming and shouting distracted her, so she didn’t notice her arm being grabbed. She stared wide eyed at her attacker and drew back her free fist. “Vitun kusipää!” she shouted, hitting the man twice in the arm angrily and then once more for good measure.
(You fucking arsehole!)
“I’m sorry it’s not under different circumstances too, Ville… Know that.” she nodded sincerely. Ville appreciated the sentiment, but the lump in the back of his throat still swelled at the thought that this could have been a much happier occasion.
“Shall we?” Milly nodded, gathering Oscar and exiting the car to be met with the chilly Finland air. Since she didn’t have a chance to at the airport, she took a deep breath and smiled softly, it had been far too long since she had held her homeland’s air in her lungs; it was different, crisper, cleaner… The smell that lingered in the air was like a welcome hug from your mother, she was home.
“Rapunzel.” Oscar laughed, pulling his mothers hair as he tried to clamber on to her shoulders to see the tower from higher up. She dropped her bag to the ground and struggled to manoeuvre his excited, squirming body down. Thankfully though, Ville stepped in and plucked him off of her before Oscar lost his grip, proudly sitting him on top of his shoulders, holding his hands in his entirely. Bam strode up next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, hugging her into him. She patted his chest, appreciative that they didn’t have to say a word to each other for him to know when she needed a little reassurance.
Ville had given them the grand tour, all but one room - beneath the very top bedroom level of the tower - which he said was a very private room that he used for writing, he had lovingly referred to it as his ’sanctuary’. Though Milly wasn’t entirely comfortable with staying in his home, she appreciated that he was so insistent. He had left quickly, having received an inquisitive phone call from Jonna; apparently her gossiping network of friends had caught wind of his arrival.. he knew it was time to bite the bullet. Milly ran out after him, he turned upon hearing her footsteps crunch on the gravel, “Hey..” she said on a breath, stopping still as he turned. His eyebrows raised and he stuffed his hands into his pockets, she didn’t say anything, her mouth was open but what she wanted to say wouldn’t come out, so instead she blurted, “Thank you, for letting us stay here.”
“My pleasure.” he said after a moment, having noticed that that wasn’t what she had wanted to say at all. He waited, anxiously another moment, hoping, praying she would tell him not to leave, to stay with them, to be a family in his home… But she didn’t, he bowed his head, “I’ll see you soon.”
“Yes.” she replied, touching the back of her neck nervously, he paused again, only for a second, before turning on his heel, “Ville..” she choked out, louder than she had hoped, his heart bounced against his rib cage, he turned with hope, she had taken a few steps forward before stopping and anxiously playing with her fingers, “I.. she…” she stuttered nervously, not knowing exactly what to say, instead giving up before walking up to and hugging him unexpectedly, he slowly put his arms around her and hugged her back, he knew what this hug was - this was Milly letting him go.
————
————
Night drew in over Finland, Oscar was asleep, bundled in blankets on the leather sofa of the first floor living room, the Finnish Disney channel quietly rambling along in front of him; the screen illuminating him ethereally. After discovering the cupboards were bare, Bam had organised for his driver to return with groceries once he had been taken back to the hotel - he hadn’t told Milly of course, so when the driver returned with two large brown paper grocery bags, she was perplexed. Red wine, cigarettes and coffee rested on the top of the first bag, and bananas, juice and Oscar’s favourite cereal on the other. Of course there were staple foods underneath their favourite treats; bread, vegetables, etc.. She wasted no time in finding a glass big enough for the glass of wine she craved and she had no trouble whatsoever locating a lighter or ashtray. Not being one to have ever smoked in front of or near her child, she quietly slipped on her coat as she let herself onto the small, Shakespearean balcony. She took a long draw of her cigarette, followed by a large gulp of her wine, her eyes fixated on her mobile phone set on the bricks before her. She didn’t even remember the last time she spoke to her mother or father; it’s not that she had a bad relationship with them, it was that they would never let go the fact that she’d kept a pregnancy from a one night stand, they were old fashioned - traditional and as such she never heard anything else from them but ‘you know, Milly, he is a bastard child’, ‘you know, Milly, it’s no wonder Seth hasn’t asked you to marry’, “you know, Milly, it was irresponsible of you to bring a fatherless child into the world’… She was human, and she was after all hiding a secret, there’s only so much she could take. She loved them dearly and every couple of months they would call one another, but how she would now tell them about Seth, about why she was here, she had no idea. Taking a deep breath, she dialled. The house number hadn’t changed since the 70s; it was the first telephone number she had memorised. It rang exactly four times before her mother picked, “Hei.”
“Isä, se open mina.” she replied, shuffling her feet on the ground.
(Dad, it's me.)
“Odota, soitan äitisi… Heli!” he shouted, his excited voice furthering from the receiver, “Se on Milly, poimia puhelin!”
(Wait, let me get your mother… Heli!) // (It’s Milly, pick up a phone!)
“Kultaseni?”
(Darling?)
“Hei äiti.”
(Hi mum.)
“Heli, hän soittaa hänen Suomalainen numero.¨
(Heli, she’s calling from her Finnish number.)
“Kyllä, Kyllä, olen Suomessa saavuin tänään iltapäivällä.”
(Yes, yes.. I’m in Finland. I arrived this afternoon.)
“Tulitko Oscar?”
(Did you come with Oscar?)
“Of course I did mother.” she sighed, reverting back to English, without a beat her parents switched too.
“Well good, it's about time he came and spent some quality time with his family. Oh Juha, wasn’t I just talking about wanting to have the whole family together for Sonja’s wedding?” Heli gushed, happy that her Grandson was finally in Finland.
“Sonja’s wedding?”
“Why yes darling, why do you sound so surprised? They’ve been engaged long enough.” she laughed.
“Well, yes, but, no one told me about any wedding?” she said disbelievingly, “I’m hurt.”
“Darling, invitations went out months ago, we just assumed you’d not responded because you were obviously going to come..”
“I didn’t get any invi-“ she stopped dead, realising what would have happened, Seth would have destroyed any evidence of it to keep her from causing an argument over him not wanting to go with her for "fear of flying" otherwise known as the reasons that had recently come to light, “Ah.”
“What is it, Milly?”
“Nothing, nothing.. I just realised what would have happened to it, not a problem. When is it?”
“Two weeks from now.”
“Oh god, I would have missed it entirely.” she said sadly.
“Well what fortune that you are here, now, are you going to tell your old mum and dad what brings you home after all this time?” It was a split second decision, but she decided in that moment not to divulge the true parentage of Oscar, opting to do it in person and preferably whilst he was there.
“Seth and I.. I kicked him out.”
“Still hadn’t asked you to marr-“
“Actually Mum, he did, but only so as he could take half of everything when he divorced me to be with his secret family.” he interrupted sternly. “And that’s all I have to say on the matter. I’m fine, really I am.. I do have other news, concerning Oscar, but I think it’d be nicer to tell you in person.” Silence befell the telephone line, she took a draw of her cigarette and leant against the balcony wall, looking out onto Ville’s gardens. “Are you going to say anything, or are you going to stand there looking at each other, not knowing what to say next?” she half laughed, stubbing out her smoke.
“We.. uh, darling, are you okay? I know you said you are, but I’m your mother, you can tell me.” she appreciated her mother’s concern, it was a refreshing change.
“I’m perfectly okay, I have my beautiful boy, he’s the only man I need. Aside from you, obviously, äiti.”
“That’s my girl.”
“Now when are you guys free?”
“Everyday darling, we are busy helping Sonja with the wedding, but we’re doing everything locally.”
“So, today is Monday," she mumbled to herself, "how does Wednesday suit? I want to settle Oscar tomorrow, I think he may be jetlagged.”
“Wednesday is perfect, your sister and Peter will be here. I must say, we are worried; this news, it’s nothing bad, is it?”
“No, not bad. I promise.” she strained her neck, scanning the darkness, she could have sworn she heard something crashing to the ground.
“Alright then sweetheart, we shall see you Wednesday, your sister will be over the moon!”
“Okay then, love you both.” absentmindedly she hung up the phone, sliding it into her pocket as she tried to determine where the racket was coming from. Worried, she hustled inside, making sure Oscar was safe. Not having a clue where she would be able to view the security cameras, but still wanting to know what was going on, she marched to the front door, grabbing a metal rod she had spotted leaning against the side of the doors frame earlier in the afternoon. She realised it was a tire iron and the notion that Ville should have one when he didnt have a car struck her; suddenly she didn’t feel as safe as she had expected to, but hearing the noises approaching the house, she had to protect her son and she'd be damned if she was going to let some ditzy fans hoping for a snap of Ville in the altogether frighten her. She had barely stepped out from under the porch when somebody stepped out in front of her. She screamed loudly out of shock, causing the intruder to shout out loudly too. Instinctively she drew her arm back, brandishing her new found weapon, only the screaming and shouting distracted her, so she didn’t notice her arm being grabbed. She stared wide eyed at her attacker and drew back her free fist. “Vitun kusipää!” she shouted, hitting the man twice in the arm angrily and then once more for good measure.
(You fucking arsehole!)