Ilse turned towards Erik’s voice with a smile. “Ready in a bit.” Her voice was slightly muffled since she had a pin between her lips and she was busy combing her hair back. When she had it styled the way she wanted – or imagined rather – she took the pin from her lips and clipped it into place.
Glancing back at where Erik’s voice had come from, she asked, “Do I look okay?”
“Stunning.” And Erik meant it. Issac once told him that he saw Ilse as ethereal and even though he batted for the same team, Erik could definitely see why Issac had likened Ilse to an angel.
And even when heartbreak should have diminished her beauty—-
Even when losing her sight should have made Ilse drown in the depths of despair—-
It did the opposite.
It was as if knowing how much pain she could withstand allowed Ilse to be braver, kinder—-
Lovelier,to the point that it could take people’s breath away.
“Erik?” Ilse’s tone was bemused. “I can feel you staring at me.”
Erik scowled. “I wasn’t.”
“Hmm.” A dubious look crossed Ilse’s face.
“Anyway.” Erik’s tone became brisk. “We should get going. We have a full day ahead of us.”
Ilse gave him a mock salute. “Aye, aye, Captain.”
They started out on foot, the three of them enjoying the slightly chilly weather in their thick coats while sipping hot cocoa from insulated flasks. A good number of roads and alleys were decked in full Valentine’s glory, and so were most of the cafes and boutiques they walked past.
Jan and Erik took turns describing the sights to Ilse, and she oohed and aahed alongside them. She was a good sport, thebestreally, but even so, it hurt. When Erik’s tone suddenly cracked, Ilse’s lips curved in a familiar, Mona Lisa smile, and the sight made him want to bawl like a kid.
It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair. It just fucking wasn’t.
And yet, Ilse only reached blindly for his arm, saying softly, “It’s okay, Erik. I’m happy.”
Their first stop was Ilse’s favorite bookstore, and Mr. Peters offered them a plate of cookies, gruffly saying that it was free because it was Valentine’s.
That was a lie, of course, and Erik had to quickly cover Jan’s mouth when Ilse’s brother started to speak. Knowing Jan, he would probably ask why it was the cookies came from a jar with a clearly labeled price.
They brought Ilse to the Braille section, and Ilse happily browsed books for some minutes. Her progress in self-studying the language had been pretty amazing, and Erik had a feeling it was only a matter of time before Ilse could find herself a full-time job despite her handicap.
They enjoyed a late lunch at a nearby café afterwards, followed by an afternoon screening atThe Movieson Harlemmerdjik. It was the city’s oldest cinema and when Ilse found out they had a private room all to themselves, she had asked in concern, “Aren’t we spending a bit too much?”
“We are,” Erik answered cheerfully. And it didn’t matter since it wasn’thismoney they were spending.
Ilse frowned. “If you’re thinking of adding this to my tab later on—-”
Erik scowled. “Of course not! What kind of friend do you think I am?”
“A tight-fisted one. You’ve always been so, and we both know it.”
“Yes, well.” Erik sniffed. “People can change. This is my treat, so stop complaining and just enjoy it.”
It was already past five by the time they left the cinema, and the sun had set by the time they made it to their last activity for the day. Bright lights illuminated the canals, and there were also more boats than usual cruising its quiet waters, mostly occupied by couples.
When they stopped in front of a luxurious but compact yacht, Jan’s eyes widened. Standing at the helm of the luxurious 48-foot speedboat was none other than the billionaire himself, dressed in his usual fashion, with a scarf wrapped around his neck and a gray fleece coat over his shirt and vest.
Ilse’s brother started to speak, but then Jaak placed a finger on his lips, and Jan fell silent.
“I bet the canals look stunning right now,” Ilse murmured whimsically as she listened to the people around her gush over the sights.
