Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem



"Here we are," Tarquin announced suddenly.

Elysia snapped back to reality, her focus instantly captured.

Before them stood a strikingly modern beach house, its design a testament to architectural beauty. The front yard boasted a well-manicured lawn, complete with sun umbrellas and wicker chairs.

Had she been dropped here with no context, she'd never have guessed this place was on a secluded island!

A pack of wolves stood guard in front of the house, watching them. A few wolf pups, barely old enough to walk, stumbled towards Tarquin.

Bending down, Tarquin picked one up and squinted his eyes, "Haven't seen you in a while, and now you're out and about?"

Elysia quickly glanced at the mother wolf, who watched them with a gentle gaze, showing no sign of hostility.

The trust it took for the mother wolf to let Tarquin hold her pup was undeniable!

Elysia wasn't quite as brave, cautiously petting the little one on the head, thinking to herself how much Evan would love this place.

"Let's go inside," Tarquin said, setting the pup down and taking Elysia's hand as they walked into the villa.

The interior matched Tarquin's personality perfectly: modern, minimalist, and sophisticated, adorned in shades of black, white, and gray. After shedding their coats and changing shoes, Tarquin led her by the hand straight to the study.

They passed through a hidden door behind a bookshelf, descending into the basement.

It was vast, filled with all manner of things, resembling a miniature museum with its array of glass cases.

But these cases didn't hold treasures or rarities; instead, they contained items that seemed mundane at first glance.

There were stones with scratch marks, worn-out books, old paintings, and children's clothing...

Tarquin was excited, showing off his collection, "This stone has marks from when I first ended up on the island at seven. Each mark represents a day, five in total."

"This is a tooth from Snow-Rage, the beast that attacked me when I first arrived. We fought, and it nearly bit off my leg. I knocked out one of its teeth." "Over here are things belonging to my parents. I've gathered everything I could find."

"This was my father's pen and notebook, and these are unpublished designs from my mother."

"This is the only family photo with my parents and me. Don't I look just like Elliot, Evan, and Elijah did at that age?"

Elysia peered at the photo but was quickly pulled away,

"Elysia, come look. This is all about Elijah."

"This contains Elijah's baby hair and a clay imprint of his tiny foot."

"This is what Elijah wore for his first birthday, and this is the keyboard he picked out during a traditional ceremony."

"These are clothes and shoes Elijah wore as a child."

"And this contains videos of Elijah growing up."

There was so much to see, each item touching Elysia's heart, deserving of careful attention.

She was overwhelmed, unsure where to focus first.

Tarquin continued his enthusiastic tour until suddenly, he fell silent.NôvelDrama.Org copyrighted © content.

He stood before a display case, lost in thought as he gazed at a little pink dress.

Elysia saw the sadness in his eyes and instinctively wrapped her arm around his.

It was clearly a dress for a baby girl.

But Elysia didn't pry; this was his secret to share.

Tarquin's voice broke the silence, "This was for my sister."

Elysia was taken aback, "You have a sister?"

"Yeah, my mother was three months pregnant when she passed away. The scans showed it was a girl. I picked out this dress during a shopping trip, envisioning it for her. Our whole family was excited; my mother always dreamed of having a daughter. But my sister never got the chance to see this world."

Elysia frowned, looking at this handsome, strong man, moved and empathetic.

Being versed in psychology, she could read between the lines of Tarquin's actions and words, understanding the depth of his feelings.