The Probability Factor

Chapter Eleven-Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?

The visit to the spa for our luxury treatments the next day was just what the doctor ordered. Haldur really enjoyed the Lomilomi treatment, and I was so relaxed by the end, I could barely get off the bed. Haldur had to help me get back to the dressing room. We went up to our room and showered there, as they wouldn’t let Haldur shower with me. I didn’t understand the problem, as I really was way to jelloey to stand alone in the shower. Once we were clean and dry, I finally felt clear again. Now focused and alert, we made our way down to the dining room to have lunch. June had made other plans, so we were alone until dinner. Eating quickly, we talked about plans for the afternoon, and decided to go for a walk along Chesterman Beach. The weather was wonderfully warm and I wanted to stroll down the sandy beach and explore the rock formations at the far end.

Our walk was quiet, filled with the sound of the waves rolling in, the gulls crying above us, and the wind blowing through the trees that lined the beach. Haldur held my hand casually, and watched the water as I watched his face. He seemed to be in a different place, remembering something that he wasn’t telling me about. I said nothing, understanding he was very far from home. He had come to a different world, learned a new language, gotten used to a culture very disparate to his own, and then to top it all off, bonded with me. I was going to give him as much slack as he needed. I was sure he was probably a bit overwhelmed at everything, but then I only knew how I’d react. I had no idea what he was really feeling unless he told me. I had a strong impression he was happy, but also missing his home. That was only an impression though. I could’ve been quite wrong.

When we got to the rocks at the far end, Haldur helped me climb up to watch the waves crash against their tip, spraying us with salt water. I laughed as I got doused by a large wave slamming against the rocks really hard. Haldur smiled at my newly bedraggled look, and taking my hand, led me off the rocks and back onto the beach.

“We need to get you into dry clothes before you become ill,” he told me as he led me back towards the Inn.

“It’s warm out. I’m sure I’ll dry off before we even get back to our room,” I replied, smiling up at him.

“Ahhh, but then we will be safely ensconced in our room, and you will be undressed,” he casually remarked, “While I draw you a bath for two.”

Catching his drift, I grinned, “Whatever you say mon capitan.”

We spent the rest of our afternoon, soaking in a hot bath and making love on our bed, with the sun streaming in through the windows. Haldur never said what had him lost in thought during our walk, but I found I didn’t mind so much. Not when he spent so much time showing me how much he loved me with his touch.

Around eightish, we made our way back to the dining room for dinner with June. Mellow with the afterglow of our lovemaking, we wandered in and looked for our table and June.

Upon arriving I saw June was not alone. Her male friend from yesterday was sitting beside her, and they were having an amiable chat. June seemed very happy and did not notice our arrival. Sitting down opposite the happy couple, Haldur and I exchanged looks. Apparently June took our lead and got to know Michael very well over the course of the day and the previous evening as well.

As a waiter approached our table, I cheerily asked what everyone was going to order. June looked up in surprise at me.

“Oh, you’re here,” she said, looking for all the world like the kid with their hand in the cookie jar.

“Yes,” I replied drolly, “And you have been busy, I see.”

June blushed and scanned her menu hurriedly, “Uh, Michael and I have been getting to know each other, and I guess I lost track of time.”

“No big,” I announced, “Well I am going to have the venison. I’ve never had venison before.”

Haldur looked at me, “You have not? You live so close to the wilds, it seems you would have by now.”

“Nope, I’ve had bison, beef, turkey, chicken, lamb, and a lot of vegetables, but no venison,” I said chirpily, trying to not laugh at June’s distracted manner.

“Well then, I am sure you will enjoy it,” Haldur announced, returning his gaze to the menu.

June looked up from her menu and grinned, “I just may have the oysters,” she announced, throwing Michael a lascivious look, “It’s either that or the seafood potlatch.”

Michael poked her arm, “Oysters. Get the oysters.” A sly smile was pasted on his face, and I couldn’t help but grin at the implication.

June blushed and giggled behind her menu, and Haldur had the decency to look disgusted. I was beginning to think he wasn’t a romantic at heart. Which suited me just fine. I liked a practical streak. Nothing made me laugh harder than some guy reciting poetry or singing to me. I preferred a guy who’d give me a Kitchen-Aid mixer for my birthday. You can use that stuff. Poetry and song doesn’t pay the bills, but a Kitchen-Aid mixer made lovely eats for supper.

Dinner was good and soon after June and Michael beat a hasty retreat. I was surprised they lasted as long as they had. I was sure June was going to leave way before they served the chocolate symphony. The two of them pretty much ignored Haldur and I, as they fed each other from their plates, and basically cooed to each other ad nauseam. I really hoped I didn’t act like that around Haldur, although I had the ugly sneaking suspicion I did.

Haldur and I ended up walking on the beach in front of the Inn, and sat down on a log beyond the warm light shining from the windows. Cuddling, we watched the stars pop into the darkening sky. When it was fully dark, I pointed out some of the constellations I remembered from the Astronomy I had learned back in high school. Haldur told me about what the stars looked like in his home’s night sky, and then we sat and just enjoyed being together in silence.

The evening turned cool, and as I began to fight a shiver, Haldur pulled me into a warm embrace and whispered that we should go in and get to bed. I let him lead me back into the warmth of the Inn and up to our room. After we got into our cozy bed, I curled up next to him, and let his heat warm me up. Sleep came quickly. My dreams were a repeat of the previous evening, and I slept deeply.

The last day in Tofino was quick as we had to check out by noon to get back in time for our ferry. Michael was apparently quite entranced by June and they exchanged numbers, email, and he promised to come to Vancouver before the end of the week, so they would have some more time together. June was practically floating on air as we got into the car, after we squeezed our luggage into the trunk. As we drove off, she was waving wildly out the back window to Michael, who was waving back from the front door of the Inn. When we turned down the bend in the road, June turned back and buckled up her seatbelt. I watched her face in the rear view mirror, and saw a little tear form in the corner of her eye. I kept quiet, but knew I’d have to do something to keep her mind off of how much she missed Michael.

Once we got back into downtown Vancouver, I dropped June off at her hotel so she could get cleaned up and we could get our own stuff back into our apartment. I offered to get some of her laundry done before we met for dinner at eight. Then we picked up Roxy from Alistair’s place, and she gave both Haldur and I wet tongue baths. She was so excited to see us; I asked Alistair if he treated her okay when we were gone. He laughed and told me Roxy didn’t miss me a bit, and was just putting on a show. I was relieved once I got back into my little apartment again. While I liked to travel, I loved to come back to my own little bed and my books. I turned up the A/C and got to work sorting laundry. Haldur took Roxy out for a walk and picked up some fresh vegetables and fruit to hold us over until we could get to Granville Island. By eight that evening, we were clean, had clean clothes, and felt more rested. I gave June her clean clothes and we wandered over to the Earl’s on Hornby for a quiet dinner.

June was obviously missing Michael, so we took her to the movies at the Paramount theatre next door. We saw “Superman Returns”, even though June had already seen it twice. She was a total Superman freak and we acquiesced to her fanaticism. After we got out, and June was on a new high from seeing her favourite fandom on the big screen, we wandered down Robson and got some gelato to eat while we window shopped. By midnight, June was yawning, and I was beat, so we walked her back to her room. Bidding her goodnight, Haldur and I decided to walk back to the apartment and have a good night’s sleep.

I had taken off Friday as well, but I knew that Michael would be coming into town around oneish, so we had arranged that he would meet up with us to surprise her at lunch. We’d then make ourselves scarce so they could spend the rest of the day together. June had no idea about our plans, as I had managed to get Michael alone before we left and we firmed up our surprise for her.

The next day we met June just before noon and we walked down to Cardero’s for lunch. Michael was supposed to make his grand entrance just before we got our food. I had arranged that morning for Michael to have his order placed at his seat just as he walked up. It was a matter of timing, and the restaurant staff were all brought in on the surprise. June didn’t think twice about being seated at a table for four by the window. The waiter didn’t remove the extra place setting, but she didn’t notice. She was busy watching the boats coming and going from the nearby marina. I hoped she’d remain distracted enough to not notice Michael before it was time. Just as I saw him enter the dining room, our waiter placed our meals before us. June had ordered the salmon, and was a bit perplexed that another salmon dish was placed at the setting beside her.

“I just ordered one entrée, why is there another one here?” she asked, clearly confused.

“That’s because I ordered it,” Michael’s Aussie accent cut through the background din and June looked up in surprise.

“You’re here!” she jumped up out of her seat.

“I am indeed,” Michael threw his arms around her, and they embraced tightly before June placed a light kiss on his lips.

Looking down at me, June shook her head, and I grinned as I poked my lamb shank with my fork. “You planned this didn’t you?” she accused.

“I haven’t the foggiest notion of what you could be getting at,” I retorted good naturedly.

June snorted as the two sat down, still clutching each other’s hands. Haldur and I just shared a look before we returned to our meals. After we ate, I made our excuses, not that June was really paying attention; and Haldur and I left June and her new beau to their own devices. Last I saw was June and Michael kissing and sharing their dessert in a very public display of affection. I had to stifle a laugh as we walked out into the warm August sunshine.

Haldur and I spent our afternoon getting Roxy out for a long walk around the Stanley Park seawall and exploring the small shops along Denman. We were letting June have the weekend with Michael, and promised we’d meet up with her on Monday for lunch. She left early Tuesday morning, so we were making it an early day. I was taking an extra hour for lunch from work and would make up the time on Tuesday after her flight had left.

I enjoyed my quiet weekend alone with Haldur. We spent a good amount of time in bed, sleeping, reading and making love. Roxy managed to drag us out for three walks a day, and we all went splashing about in the cold ocean water on a couple of occasions.

It felt like we’d settled into a nice routine of coupledom. Haldur was a pretty good cook, once he got the hang of the stove. I had been the primary cook in the household, but Haldur was feeling a bit off, not having enough to do. So we decided since he cooked at home, we’d get him involved on the domestic side here. I got to eat a lot of his home-style meals and learned quite a bit about his culture in the process.

After June went home, about a week later, I had left Haldur a note about picking up some groceries from the Market and I was informed when I got back from work that I had been spelling his name incorrectly. Since I never usually wrote out his full name, I only wrote ‘H’ and signed myself as ‘S’, I didn’t realize his name was spelled with an ‘i’ and not a ‘u’. He corrected my error, and I now wrote his name as Haldir. He told me it was a logical mistake, as he rolled his ‘r’ and it made the ‘i’ sound like a ‘u’.

My parents finally met Haldir, and they made their approval clearly known; with my Dad asking him to lunch and my Mom asking when his birthday was, so she could add him to the list. Alistair began buying bridal magazines. When I told him we hadn’t even discussed a wedding yet; he told me in no uncertain terms that he was going to be the most fabulous bridesmaid ever, and I shouldn’t go raining on his parade.

August turned into September and soon October, and then we had finished November and were rapidly careening towards Christmas with my family. Alistair always came to our celebrations, as his family was all back East, and he hadn’t spoken to most of them for well over a decade. My Dad thought he was funny, and my Mom felt like he needed a mother, so she filled that role herself. My brother just put up with him, so all-in-all it was a pretty normal family dynamic. My brother was ecstatic to have a ‘manly man’ to hang out with, and was looking forward to seeing Haldir at Christmas. I was nervous because no one but Alistair and I new Haldir was an elf, and I hoped that no one would figure out exactly how different he was. I was really unsure of how they would take the news. So Christmastime hurtled closer and closer and I kept myself busy with getting ready for the festivities and introducing Haldir to our long held traditions. Haldir seemed to take everything in stride, and even submitted to a haircut, so his hair wouldn’t have to be tied back, thus blowing the little secret about his ears. I told him hair always grows back and he shouldn’t panic, as the new length, just below the shoulders, was very becoming.

Christmas had finally arrived and the family all gathered at my brother’s house out in Tsawwassen. Mom and Dad had moved to a condo in New Westminster when Dad retired a decade earlier, so they didn’t have enough room for our clan gatherings. David, my brother, had lived in Tsawwassen since he had gotten married, and now owned a lovely little home near English Bluff with a good sized yard and the obligatory dog and two kids. My nephew and niece were dolls, and excitedly greeted Haldir as we entered the foyer of the house. Their Saint Bernard Sadie, say that three times fast, was all over us, and barked happily as she spotted Roxy hiding out in a corner, avoiding the herd of feet. David took the dogs out to the backyard so they could prance about and not knock over any furniture.

Haldir was introduced to my sister-in-law Patricia, who gave him the fifty-cent tour of the house and got him a drink to get comfortable with. Dad had cooked the turkey again, and Pat was just getting a few of the vegetables ready for the table, so I lent a hand. Alistair wandered between the living room and the kitchen, tossing off bon mots as he refilled his drink and observed the conversations in either room. Dad laughed heartily and David just looked annoyed. David never had much of a sense of humour, but luckily Patricia made up for his lack of a funny bone.

Dinner was fabulous, with a huge turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, and plum pudding to top off the fattening feast. We waddled to the living room to open presents, and Haldir was pleased that no one forgot him. Everyone in the family had bought him presents, including my brother, undoubtedly due to Patricia’s diligence as David was not a memory oriented kind of guy. Haldir had kindly made me a leather wallet, and I gladly switched out my old wallet, much to his pleasure. Alistair kept hinting about a small box, but I ignored his jibes, as the evening wore on. Finally, after the last present was opened, and we all sat around the fireplace talking, Haldir asked to have everyone’s attention.

I was a bit surprised as Haldir hadn’t said before that he was going to speak, but I held my tongue. He turned to me and began to speak softly, so that everyone stopped talking and leaned in to listen to him.

“Susan, I have known you for six months, and during that time I have come to love you and respect you a great deal,” he said looking into my eyes.

Alistair squealed and grabbed my wrist as he leaned in to watch Haldir.

“I know it has been a short time, but I feel like we have known each other for lifetimes,” Haldir took a breath and Alistair squeezed my hand harder, cutting off blood flow, “I know I want to be with you for the rest of my life, and I hope you feel the same way. So I am asking you, in front of your entire family, if you would consent to be my wife. Will you marry me?”

The room erupted as Haldir pulled out a ring from his pocket and slid it on my finger.

I blinked through the tears and as Alistair began shaking me wildly, I squeezed out a quiet, “Yes. I will marry you.”

Haldir announced, “She said yes.” And the room went crazy. My parents hugged each other and then the rest of the family, my brother patted my shoulder as Patricia gave me a kiss on the cheek, and Alistair triumphantly announced he had known this was going to happen, and wasn’t it great that he had gotten a head start on the wedding planning?

I just hugged Haldir as the room became a chaotic mass around us, with Patricia telling everyone she’d break out the Dom and Dad telling me how much he had been waiting for this to happen. My Mom just degenerated into happy tears, kissing everyone in range and blowing her nose into a tissue.

It was a Christmas to remember, and I most certainly wouldn’t be forgetting it any time soon.