Love Me Until My Heart Stops

“How are you doing, Esmé?” Eloisa smiled as she sat down beside her sister. It’d been a small while, since Christmas, Eloisa had barely seen her little sister, but she didn’t mind. It was new, Esmé and Gerard were still very much in the honeymoon phase even despite their relationship being almost 5 months old, and Eloisa didn’t blame Esmé for getting caught up in it. She knew that if she had been in Esmé’s shoes, she would have enjoyed every second with Gerard that was simple and not complicated by her relationship with the other Spanish footballer.

“I’m doing well” Esmé commented, flicking through the medical reports that Enrique had asked her to read for him “Works good, Gerard’s good. I’m good” she enthused.

Eloisa nodded. “You two are still as smitten then?” Eloisa commented, sipping her drink gently. It was a quiet morning, with Gerard at training and Martin at work, the two girls had gotten together for tea, and Eloisa wanted to talk to her little sister. She wanted to make sure that Esmé was happy before she dropped the news that she had been carrying since Christmas day. It had been a surprise, Eloisa had wandered down the stairs on Christmas morning unaware of Martin’s plans, but when he’d gotten down on one knee ahead of her, she had immediately known the answer to give him.

Esmé nodded. “As smitten as ever” she mused, smiling a little.

Eloisa smiled. “You know that you always did smile like that for him” she teased, nudging her sister’s leg a little.

“Well, we all know how naïve I was being before” Esmé replied, filing through the papers in her lap “But now that I have figured it out, I know that I wouldn’t change it for the world” she smiled.

Eloisa grinned. “I am glad to see that you’re so happy, little sister” she enthused “There was a point about 6 months ago when a lot of people thought it wouldn’t happen” she added.

Esmé nodded. She wasn’t naïve, it had been coincidence that Gerard had fallen for her whilst she was with Cesc, but she was pleased that she had. Without his mistimed and slightly awkward admission of feelings, Esmé could have quite easily ended up alone or worse, back in the arms of the man who’d cheated on her in the first place, sparking the events in motion. “Please, tell me that you didn’t come here to talk about that, Eloisa. I have not missed that rock on your finger and I was kind of hoping we could focus on that rather than how easily I could be miserable right now” Esmé quipped, smiling gently.

Eloisa blushed. “He did it on Christmas morning” she enthused softly.

Esmé grinned. “Aww, who knew Martin could be a romantic?” she giggled.

Eloisa gently pushed her sister. “You know he’s a sweetie” she enthused “He might be a little awkward, but you should have seen his face. He looked like a hopeful little puppy” she enthused.

“It sounds wonderful, Eloisa” Esmé enthused, setting down her papers “I bet you cannot wait to start planning” she grinned.

“Ella’s already got a binder on the go” Eloisa enthused “She’s taken the role of maid of honor, but I would love it if you would be a bridesmaid too” she grinned.

Esmé smiled. “Nothing would make me happier, Eloisa” she commented gently.

Eloisa smiled happily to herself, something which Esmé admired gently. It had been coming for a while, one of Ella or Eloisa was going to get engaged and they were going to have a wedding, but it was almost bittersweet for her. She was happy with Gerard, she loved the defender more than she had loved anything before, but she was still aware how close she had come to getting engaged to Cesc before she had caught him with Emily, something which made her sister’s engagement a little bittersweet. She didn’t want to put a rush on it, Gerard would ask when Gerard wanted to ask, but it hurt her a little. She had been all set to be the first one to get married and in a moment, it had been taken away.

“Esmé?” Eloisa posed.

“It’s nothing” Esmé replied gently.

Eloisa scoffed. “Nothing? Esmé, I have known you all your life, I can tell when there’s something on your mind” she mused.

“I don’t want to detract from the moment, Eloisa” Esmé commented gently “This is your moment and I am not going to ruin it” she added.

“Is there something wrong?” Eloisa pushed, ignoring Esmé’s words.

“No” Esmé replied “It’s just me having a moment. I have them sometimes” she excused, shaking her head.

“A Cesc moment?” Eloisa pressed.

“Eloisa” Esmé warned.

Eloisa shook her head gently. “You can tell me, Esmé” she assured her little sister gently “Surely it is better to tell me than to tell Gerard” she added.

Esmé sighed. “It’s just a little odd is all” she mused gently “Cesc told me after I ended things that he planned to propose and you and Martin getting engaged just sort of reminded me how close I was to it. Don’t get me wrong, I am thrilled that things are the way they are and I am thrilled that you and Martin are going to get married, but it’s kind of bittersweet” she mused gently.

Eloisa listened to her sister speak for a moment before she smiled at her, trying to reassure her gently. “You know that any marriage you had to him would have failed, don’t you?” she whispered.

Esmé shrugged. “It might not have done” she protested feebly.

“He had the potential to do what he did to you, Esmé and even if he had married you, chances were he would have ended up doing it anyway. You got away with one” Eloisa insisted gently “And besides, you ended up with someone far better” she encouraged gently.

Esmé smiled bashfully. “He is pretty wonderful” she mumbled.

“He’s the earth and heaven to you. It’s all over your face” Eloisa teased, nudging Esmé’s knee “And when the time is right, we both know that that man will get down on his knee for you. He’s got it all over his face, Esmé, he wants it too, but you just need to keep patient and grow into it. Your relationship will not be defined by the honeymoon phase, it will be defined by the way you bounce back once the bubble bursts” she explained.

“How did your bubble burst with Martin?” Esmé posed.

“He met my ex, you remember Alonso” Eloisa commented.

Esmé nodded her head thoughtfully. “I am happy for you and Martin” she enthused.

“I know you are” Eloisa grinned “You’re just impatient. You always have been. I remember how you used to be about your birthday when we were kids” she enthused.

Esmé shook her head gently and squeezed her sister’s hand, thanking her wordlessly for the reassuring words.