To Sweden With Love

I have to tell him.

The uber driver dropped us off at the bottom of the driveway. I stumbled as I got out.

"Are you okay?" I heard his voice.

"No," I abruptly said. He tried to help me walk but I shook him off.

"Malin, honey. Go ahead inside. I need to talk to Ellie about something." He gave her a quick kiss.

I rolled my eyes. "Really?"

"How much did you have to drink?"

"Not enough apparently."

"What is going on with you?" he started.

"Do you even know why I've been so attached to you this past week? Because you protect me. I haven't felt protected for the last 3 years of my life. This feeling I have inside of me... it sucks. I can't eat right, sleep right, or even think right. It's fucked me up. And you know what, my best friend gets married in a week and I have no one to go with me because I'm so scared of what the person I want to ask is going to say. You know who that person is? No? Well it's you. I have fallen for you. Congratulations. I can't even do anything about it because you're freaking married!"

"Arielle..." his voice was low.

"You said you wanted me to say whatever was on my mind. So there it is."

"Arielle, please..."

"What?"

"Arielle, please just listen to me for a second," he let out a sigh. "I'm sorry I've made you feel this way. I didn't mean for all of this to happen. If you want me to go to Olivia's wedding with you, I will."

"You make it sound like I'm making you go," I lowered my voice.

"I'm sorry. I will go with you to her wedding, as your date, as friends."

My heart sank a little when he said 'as friends'.

"After the wedding though," he continued. "I think it's best if you would go back home."

I just collapsed. I'm not sure if it was from him saying that or I was just crashing.

---

I woke up the next morning wondering how I even got to bed in the first place. I felt like I was on a roller coaster.

I shot Olivia a text apologizing if I had ruined her party. I felt horrible.

I rubbed my eyes and made my way to the kitchen. Malin was feeding Isabella at the breakfast bar and Patric was nowhere around.

"Good morning, Ellie dear," Malin greeted me.

I moaned. "Where's Patric?"

"Oh, he went out for a run."

"Oh." I made myself a cup of coffee: extra caffeine, please.

"Is something wrong?" She sounded concerned.

"I uh, I'm sure he'll tell you. I feel awful this morning... Like someone hit me with a bus."

I heard the front door open.

"Oh, Ellie. You're up," he scoffed.

"Barely, my stomach and head hurt," I admitted.

I left my coffee sitting under the Keurig and walked back into the bedroom I had been staying in.

I could hear them talking but couldn't make out what they were saying.

I curled up in the bed and then heard the bedroom door open. It was Malin.

"Ellie, dear. Can we talk for a minute?" She said shutting the door.

She sat at the edge of the bed and continued. "He told me what happened. I can't blame you for your feelings; he's a great guy. As for him going to Olivia's wedding with you, I'm okay with it. I know you know your boundaries and I trust you."

I gave her a small smile and thanked her for understanding.

"There's one more thing," she said as she hugged me. "As for you having to go back home, I don't want you to be out of our lives completely. We both love you and Isabella, too. We want you to be able to call us if you absolutely need to."

"Can I still babysit for you guys?" I said quietly.

"Absolut!" I hugged her tightly.

---

An hour later, I heard the doorbell ring. Surely enough it was Olivia.

"You're like an hour early, aren't you?" I questioned her.

I invited her and her mama in and they all chit chatted for a little bit so I could finish getting ready.

"Ready!" I exclaimed.

We arrived at Glitter and Grit about 20 minutes before her fitting appointment.

I put on my bridesmaid dress and looked at myself in the mirror. I'm going to be okay. I said to myself. I walked down the hallway to the room Liv was in. I knocked on the door and peaked my head in.

"Oh my God, Liv. You look absolutely beautiful!" She pulled me in for a hug.

"And I look banging in this dress," I laughed.

Before I had the chance to open the door back up, she stopped me. "But first things first, are you doing okay?"

"As well as I can be. He tries to call me and text me once in a while, but I feel much safer now that Patric and Malin have let me crash at their house."

"You know you could have stayed with us. You are always welcome."

I honestly didn't want to be in the middle of all the pre-wedding shenanigans more than I already am.

"I was fine at home until he tried contacting me again. Then he was there yesterday when Patric took me to pick up a few things."

She gasped. "Why didn't you tell me?!" She hugged me.

"Yesterday was your day, I didn't want to ruin it."

"I don't care about this wedding stuff when you're in pain. One week and it'll all be over and I'll be here for you, always."

We hugged and then walked out to show off our dresses.

Her mama's face lit up when she saw her daughter.

She was absolutely beautiful.

---

After her fitting, we went to grab a bite to eat. I haven't eaten in a couple days and I was finally starting to feel a little more like myself.

"Did you ask him yet?" Liv asked, taking a bite of her salad.

"Sort of? I think." I took a sip of my water. "I kind of blew up at him about my feelings."

"You what?" she sounded surprised.

"Why does that surprise you? This is a typical Ellie move."

"Is he going with you or not?"

"I guess he is. He talked to Malin and she told me she was okay with it."

It sucks though, knowing I have to leave their house a week from tomorrow. I didn't want to go back home. I was still afraid Adam might show up. I needed somebody to be there with me.