Status: Live
Holding Hands Won't Be Enough
Chapter 64: Coat Hanger
Eight Days Later
Eight days… eight days since he had seen Milly at his engagement dinner. She had used every excuse to not be there when Ville picked him up or dropped him off at her parents house, she had left any social situation with their friends moments before he would turn up because of an ‘emergency’. This morning he stood by his living room window looking down to the street below hoping she would be the one bringing their son today; he felt like an addict who’d been refused his fix. He wanted to smell her, the lavender of her shampoo and musk of her perfume was intoxicating to him; he wanted to see her nose crinkle when she laughed; he wanted to see her tenderly kiss her son on the temple with her eyes closed, as in that moment he knew she would love nothing or anyone more. The buzzer loudly and irritating signaled and he quickly moved to the door, putting an end to its obnoxious blaring, “Hei?”
“Daddy..” Oscars voice sang through the device, a smile engulfed Ville’s entire face.
“Baby bear.” he laughed buzzing them up. He unlatched the door before walking over to turn off the radio
“Grrrr!” a little voice sounded from behind him, he turned to catch Oscar running towards him growling and holding his hands like claws. Swooping him up with one arm, Oscar giggled in delight before cuddling into his father; it had been his favourite moment of each of the eight days that had passed. He nuzzled his nose into his boy’s brown locks and smiled, before looking up to greet who he thought was Milly’s mother.
“Sonja?” he said, surprised, “Hi..”
“Ville.” she nodded, coldly, placing a small backpack on the ground, “Everything he needs is in there. Milly asked that you at least try and feed him vegetables for his lunch as he’s starting to get a cold. I’ll be back around seven.” Ville nodded.
“How is she?” he asked, bewildered. Sonja downed, her jaw clenching.
“You have to ask?” she questioned, her eyes narrowing.
“I haven’t seen her in over a week.”
“My baby sister is so strong Ville.. so strong.” she began, “When I heard what you did to her..” she shook her head and had to look away from his face for a moment, “I wanted your head on a pike - I still do.” Ville’s looked down at Oscar who was hugging his leg quietly and instinctively ran his hand over his head. “How that girl still puts everyone before herself is beyond me. How she doesn’t kill you, is something I will never understand. Any other human would have broken with what she has gone through, but here she is, saving the day for everyone, asking for nothing in return.”
“I don’t understand why she won’t see me though, it was fine before.”
“She’s organising my wedding and that’s hard enough for her, but then to see Jonna’s baby scan splashed over the tabloids the day after she came to your engagement party.. just take a moment and think how that hurts her.”
“She did this.. I wanted her, I went to her.. She put me back here.” he said forcefully.
“And do you not think deep down she regrets that decision every fucking second?” she said in a hushed tone, not wanting to curse in front of Oscar.
“Then why did she do it?”
“Because she’s a bigger person than you. She’s doing what is right. Not to mention it’s what you damned well deserve.” she growled, “She’s getting on with her life and seeing you doesn’t encourage that.”
“Getting on with her life?” he questioned.
“She’s been spending time with Jukka, not that it’s any of your business.”
“So she hasn’t been seeing me because she’s been seeing him?” Sonja shrugged.
“When she’s not busy saving my wedding and being an amazing mother, yes.”
“Why tell me that?” he asked, annoyed that she seemed to take such joy in letting him know Milly had been seeing the one person on earth she knew it would kill Ville for her to date.
“Because if I slapped you, it would upset her.”
“I would have preferred a slap.”
“And that makes it all the better.” she remarked dryly. “Be good for your Daddy noodle. I will see you later.” she smiled, bending and kissing his cheek. She didn’t say another word or look at Ville again as she left, he remained standing just watching until the door closed itself, taken aback by her hostility.
“Daddy!” Oscar sang, “Can we go to the ducks?” he asked sweetly. They had been every day this week to the pond to feed the birds brave enough to be in the snow.
“Of course we can my darling.”
“You need to wrap up warm!”
“Do I really?” he gasped, crouching down and adjusting Oscar’s wooly hat. He nodded.
“Mummy doesn’t like it when we’re sick.”
“No?”
“I do.” he said, strangely.
“You do like it?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Why do you like it, kulta?”
“Because we stay in pyjamas and have soup and play games and get to have sleepovers on the sofas and Mummy makes forts for us.”
“That does sound like a good reason to be sick.” Oscar nodded and Ville laughed.
“Yes, Daddy!” he exclaimed, throwing his arms around Ville’s neck.
————
————
“Gwen, I just feel like I’ve abandoned you completely, I’m so sorry..”
“Babe, Dax’s father would have died whether or not you were here, the wedding would have been postponed either way.” she said calmly. “We’re not even thinking of a date yet, his family needs to let the dust settle. Just, do your thing and try not to murder anyone.”
“I’m not going to murder anyone.”
“I would.” she scoffed, “What’s unborn baby murder called?”
“Abortion, but I’m fresh out of coat hangers to lend you. Don’t be so awful.” she replied, stifling a laugh. She appreciated Gwen’s humour, it felt good to laugh at a completely biased perspective for once. Even Jussi had developed reason and logic in the past couple of years, he was usually her go to when she wanted to hear what she was really thinking.
“So, when are you going to man up and see Ville again?” Milly sighed.
“I don’t know.. I just can’t at the moment, he needs to get into the headspace that I’m not available to him; he needs to focus on his own shit. I’m sorting out Sonja’s wedding, trying to deal with being in my parents mad house, trying to fend off the advances of Jukka..”
“Oh just sleep with him. Take out all your rage on the guy, bang him like a screen door in a windstorm.”
“…Your input is so valuable to me.” she said dryly.
“Oh, why not? He’s a handsome guy.”
“And how would you know?”
“The internet is an amazing thing, Aaltoinen.”
“I don’t want to sleep with him. I don’t even want to go out to dinner with him again, there’s only so many times I can dodge a kiss.”
“I see - you’re totally holding out for something to happen with Ville again. It’s not about him focusing on his own shit at all… You just don’t want there to be an official end to your saga again.”
“Gwen..”
“I know I’m right.”
“You’re insane.”
“Then call Jukka again.” she said simply, “You’ve really got nothing to loose.” she was right, she did have nothing to loose. She had already practically given Ville away and no one was going to take her son from her, she slapped her hand down on the bench, damning Gwen internally for being so forward thinking.
“Alright, I will.”
“Do it now, I’m going, call me when you’re tangled in bed sheets. Stay sane!” Millie laughed as her phone began to beep signalling that Gwen had hung up on her. She placed her phone down on the ground next to the piles of tulle she was measuring and picked up her scissors. Not two seconds later, her phone began to ring, she answered quickly, blindly assuming Gwen had rung back to add something marvellously witty to her sign off.
“Ah, she answers.” Jukka’s voice rolled suavely into the receiver. She pressed her palm to her head and chuckled.
“Yes, hi.. Hello.” she smiled, adjusting her posture as she sat knelt on her knees.
“Didn’t think it was me, huh?”
“Nope.” she answered quickly and honestly with a slight laugh.
“Well, now that I’ve finally made contact - early dinner, this evening, 6pm? I have to be at the airport at 8 and would love to see you before I left.”
“The jet set life, huh?”
“Just Oslo for a shoot in the morning.”
“How glamorous.” she jested.
“Milly, dinner?”
“Oscar will be home between 7 and 7.30, I need to be home to put him to bed, so 6pm works well.”
“Well how about we make it 5.30 at Arrivederci’s, that way there’s time for a glass of wine.” he offered smoothly. “I’ll pick you up?”
“How about I just meet you there, smooth talker.”
“5.30.” he smiled.
“5.30.” she repeated.
Eight days… eight days since he had seen Milly at his engagement dinner. She had used every excuse to not be there when Ville picked him up or dropped him off at her parents house, she had left any social situation with their friends moments before he would turn up because of an ‘emergency’. This morning he stood by his living room window looking down to the street below hoping she would be the one bringing their son today; he felt like an addict who’d been refused his fix. He wanted to smell her, the lavender of her shampoo and musk of her perfume was intoxicating to him; he wanted to see her nose crinkle when she laughed; he wanted to see her tenderly kiss her son on the temple with her eyes closed, as in that moment he knew she would love nothing or anyone more. The buzzer loudly and irritating signaled and he quickly moved to the door, putting an end to its obnoxious blaring, “Hei?”
“Daddy..” Oscars voice sang through the device, a smile engulfed Ville’s entire face.
“Baby bear.” he laughed buzzing them up. He unlatched the door before walking over to turn off the radio
“Grrrr!” a little voice sounded from behind him, he turned to catch Oscar running towards him growling and holding his hands like claws. Swooping him up with one arm, Oscar giggled in delight before cuddling into his father; it had been his favourite moment of each of the eight days that had passed. He nuzzled his nose into his boy’s brown locks and smiled, before looking up to greet who he thought was Milly’s mother.
“Sonja?” he said, surprised, “Hi..”
“Ville.” she nodded, coldly, placing a small backpack on the ground, “Everything he needs is in there. Milly asked that you at least try and feed him vegetables for his lunch as he’s starting to get a cold. I’ll be back around seven.” Ville nodded.
“How is she?” he asked, bewildered. Sonja downed, her jaw clenching.
“You have to ask?” she questioned, her eyes narrowing.
“I haven’t seen her in over a week.”
“My baby sister is so strong Ville.. so strong.” she began, “When I heard what you did to her..” she shook her head and had to look away from his face for a moment, “I wanted your head on a pike - I still do.” Ville’s looked down at Oscar who was hugging his leg quietly and instinctively ran his hand over his head. “How that girl still puts everyone before herself is beyond me. How she doesn’t kill you, is something I will never understand. Any other human would have broken with what she has gone through, but here she is, saving the day for everyone, asking for nothing in return.”
“I don’t understand why she won’t see me though, it was fine before.”
“She’s organising my wedding and that’s hard enough for her, but then to see Jonna’s baby scan splashed over the tabloids the day after she came to your engagement party.. just take a moment and think how that hurts her.”
“She did this.. I wanted her, I went to her.. She put me back here.” he said forcefully.
“And do you not think deep down she regrets that decision every fucking second?” she said in a hushed tone, not wanting to curse in front of Oscar.
“Then why did she do it?”
“Because she’s a bigger person than you. She’s doing what is right. Not to mention it’s what you damned well deserve.” she growled, “She’s getting on with her life and seeing you doesn’t encourage that.”
“Getting on with her life?” he questioned.
“She’s been spending time with Jukka, not that it’s any of your business.”
“So she hasn’t been seeing me because she’s been seeing him?” Sonja shrugged.
“When she’s not busy saving my wedding and being an amazing mother, yes.”
“Why tell me that?” he asked, annoyed that she seemed to take such joy in letting him know Milly had been seeing the one person on earth she knew it would kill Ville for her to date.
“Because if I slapped you, it would upset her.”
“I would have preferred a slap.”
“And that makes it all the better.” she remarked dryly. “Be good for your Daddy noodle. I will see you later.” she smiled, bending and kissing his cheek. She didn’t say another word or look at Ville again as she left, he remained standing just watching until the door closed itself, taken aback by her hostility.
“Daddy!” Oscar sang, “Can we go to the ducks?” he asked sweetly. They had been every day this week to the pond to feed the birds brave enough to be in the snow.
“Of course we can my darling.”
“You need to wrap up warm!”
“Do I really?” he gasped, crouching down and adjusting Oscar’s wooly hat. He nodded.
“Mummy doesn’t like it when we’re sick.”
“No?”
“I do.” he said, strangely.
“You do like it?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Why do you like it, kulta?”
“Because we stay in pyjamas and have soup and play games and get to have sleepovers on the sofas and Mummy makes forts for us.”
“That does sound like a good reason to be sick.” Oscar nodded and Ville laughed.
“Yes, Daddy!” he exclaimed, throwing his arms around Ville’s neck.
————
————
“Gwen, I just feel like I’ve abandoned you completely, I’m so sorry..”
“Babe, Dax’s father would have died whether or not you were here, the wedding would have been postponed either way.” she said calmly. “We’re not even thinking of a date yet, his family needs to let the dust settle. Just, do your thing and try not to murder anyone.”
“I’m not going to murder anyone.”
“I would.” she scoffed, “What’s unborn baby murder called?”
“Abortion, but I’m fresh out of coat hangers to lend you. Don’t be so awful.” she replied, stifling a laugh. She appreciated Gwen’s humour, it felt good to laugh at a completely biased perspective for once. Even Jussi had developed reason and logic in the past couple of years, he was usually her go to when she wanted to hear what she was really thinking.
“So, when are you going to man up and see Ville again?” Milly sighed.
“I don’t know.. I just can’t at the moment, he needs to get into the headspace that I’m not available to him; he needs to focus on his own shit. I’m sorting out Sonja’s wedding, trying to deal with being in my parents mad house, trying to fend off the advances of Jukka..”
“Oh just sleep with him. Take out all your rage on the guy, bang him like a screen door in a windstorm.”
“…Your input is so valuable to me.” she said dryly.
“Oh, why not? He’s a handsome guy.”
“And how would you know?”
“The internet is an amazing thing, Aaltoinen.”
“I don’t want to sleep with him. I don’t even want to go out to dinner with him again, there’s only so many times I can dodge a kiss.”
“I see - you’re totally holding out for something to happen with Ville again. It’s not about him focusing on his own shit at all… You just don’t want there to be an official end to your saga again.”
“Gwen..”
“I know I’m right.”
“You’re insane.”
“Then call Jukka again.” she said simply, “You’ve really got nothing to loose.” she was right, she did have nothing to loose. She had already practically given Ville away and no one was going to take her son from her, she slapped her hand down on the bench, damning Gwen internally for being so forward thinking.
“Alright, I will.”
“Do it now, I’m going, call me when you’re tangled in bed sheets. Stay sane!” Millie laughed as her phone began to beep signalling that Gwen had hung up on her. She placed her phone down on the ground next to the piles of tulle she was measuring and picked up her scissors. Not two seconds later, her phone began to ring, she answered quickly, blindly assuming Gwen had rung back to add something marvellously witty to her sign off.
“Ah, she answers.” Jukka’s voice rolled suavely into the receiver. She pressed her palm to her head and chuckled.
“Yes, hi.. Hello.” she smiled, adjusting her posture as she sat knelt on her knees.
“Didn’t think it was me, huh?”
“Nope.” she answered quickly and honestly with a slight laugh.
“Well, now that I’ve finally made contact - early dinner, this evening, 6pm? I have to be at the airport at 8 and would love to see you before I left.”
“The jet set life, huh?”
“Just Oslo for a shoot in the morning.”
“How glamorous.” she jested.
“Milly, dinner?”
“Oscar will be home between 7 and 7.30, I need to be home to put him to bed, so 6pm works well.”
“Well how about we make it 5.30 at Arrivederci’s, that way there’s time for a glass of wine.” he offered smoothly. “I’ll pick you up?”
“How about I just meet you there, smooth talker.”
“5.30.” he smiled.
“5.30.” she repeated.