A thick blanket of navy blue still covered the sky when Elsa's alarm went off. Part of being in the dessert business meant having to be to work before most of the world was even awake, including Hans. For as much as he worked he never got up before her, always choosing to catch an extra half hour of sleep instead.
Elsa perched herself up on her elbow and squinted at the clock, watching the blurry numbers come into focus, hoping Kristoff was doing the very same thing and not leave her in the kitchen to clean up his mess alone. A demure yawn escaped from her as Hans' hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her back into his embrace.
"Mmmm...too early. Just stay here a little longer." He hummed a sigh into her soft blonde locks and spooned her tightly against his body, thinking Elsa must have forgotten about his absentminded tardiness from the day before but he was sorely mistaken. With a scoff and impetuous roll of her sapphire eyes, she flung Hans' hand off of her and proceeded to make her way into the bathroom.
"I can't. Some of us show up on time to places," she shot back, sounding playful but she was dead serious. His behavior was starting to become the pea under her mattress and like the restless princess in that fairy tale, she was wearing thin of his inability to make her feel like a priority.
Freshly showered and at least half awake, Elsa sipped on a cup of coffee as she got dressed and placed herself in front of their massive double vanity to do her makeup and hair.
By the time her makeup was finished, Hans' alarm had just gone off as Elsa finished weaving her thick locks into a loose braid. Hans staggered out of bed and threw on a robe before coming up behind her, placing a light kiss on the side of her exposed neck as she tied off the end of her braid.
"I'm sorry about yesterday. It was wrong of me to be so careless about the time," he whispered softly into her ear, a hand resting on each of her shoulders as she glared coldly at his reflection in the mirror.
"Hey," he murmured, gently turning her around to face him and push her back against the vanity. Her downcast eyes refused to meet his and he lifted her chin to direct her gaze. Finally she allowed his piercing emeralds to look deep within her glacier blues, and he couldn't help but frown a little at the forlorn pouty bottom lip staring back at him.
"I do love you and I do want to marry you. What can I do to make it up to you?" he asked, voice soft and honeyed.
"Be on time and act like you actually care about our relationship, not just this wedding. I want to feel like you care about me. It hurts when you're so dismissive of my feelings. I'm always at the bottom of your list of priorities." His frown deepened at the veil of disappointment so apparent in her eyes. He'd screwed up and he knew he had to fix it good this time.
"On my honor, I will be on time from now on. Early even, and I'll prove to you just how much of a priority you really are to me. And...if you'll permit me, I'd like to show you just how much I love you. Perhaps...in the shower?" he purred as his lips kissed their way down her neck, smirking against the flawless alabaster skin.
Try as she might to stay mad at him, she could never resist his smooth talk, but also knew she had to set a good example for her devious fiancé.
"I can't. I really have to get to work and make sure everything is running smoothly." Her tone turned more playful as her giggle vibrated beneath the lips pressed against her pulse point.
"Fine, no shower. How about right...here!" he laughed, lifting her up onto the vanity and tickling her mercilessly as he peppered her face with kisses.
"Stop! Stop!" she begged though a flurry of giggles before Hans finally ceased his assault and pulled her into a deep kiss. "How about when I get home? Then you can show me anything you want," she cooed in return.
"You make so happy, baby." His eyes were still locked on her as if he were waiting for a response that never came. "Do I make you happy?" he pressed.
Elsa hesitated but then replied with a warm smile. "Of course."
"Alright, well, off you go." Hans helped Elsa off the vanity and she grabbed the remainder of her now cold coffee.
"Have a good day at work," she chirped and placed a quick kiss on his lips, turning to head out the door as Hans lightly swatted her tush.
"You too, baby."
It was just after dawn and Elsa had again beat Kristoff to another day of work at the chocolate shop. That man could never make it on time. The sky was still a palate of violets and blues broken by a fiery orange horizon line beginning to stretch its expanse of day into the west. Entering through the back door of the shop, Elsa flipped a switch and the overhead lights flickered on as she scanned the kitchen to see how Kristoff had handled the evening shift on his own. Her lips parted and fell into a frown when her eyes dismayingly fell upon the half empty racks where the finished orders were stored. With the weekend coming they should have been filled with various orders for weddings, birthdays, and other social events.
Elsa had opened the shop about three years ago and it was a hit from day one. Not only was it located in a fabulously posh neighborhood but Elsa offered something no other shop could. Like any other chocolatier they made the usual truffles, pecan turtles, liquor filled balls, and dipped fruits, but their calling card were the elaborate chocolate and hand blown sugar sculptures designed by none other than Elsa. No one in the business made such majestic works of art, except for Kristoff, but he was a distant second at best.
The two had met on the first day culinary school after being paired together in their introduction to baking class, quickly learning they had a shared passion for confectionaries and chocolate making. Over the years they formed a plan to go into business together and open their own place after graduation. They knew they'd be a success with Elsa's talent but they also made a great team and had zero romantic chemistry, a perfection combination for two people who wanted to start a business venture together. The only problem was Kristoff couldn't keep up with Elsa's pace and tended to leave the large orders to her while he kept the display cases full, running the business end of things together.
So far the first afternoon on his own since opening left more to be desired from Kristoff as Elsa set to work on making up for lost time. After changing into her kitchen clothes, she washed her hands and prepped the chocolate tempering machines. The first one she loaded with chopped bits of dark chocolate and the second with milk chocolate, setting the timers as she watched the chips melt into a silky pool of decadence. As the tempering wheel began to spin, a river of smooth rich chocolate fell from the top of the wheel and back into the lower pool of chocolate while Elsa set to work on blowing some sugar pieces to get a head start on the orders.
Kristoff strolled in an hour late, apologetic and looking like a complete mess. His hair was mussed and it appeared he hadn't shaved, clearly oversleeping for the umpteenth time this month. Elsa just laughed it off and continued to knead and pull the sugar into different bulbs and twisted tubes, connecting them together to form different oceanic scenes for the aquarium's annual charity gala on Saturday.
"Rough night?" she asked teasingly.
Kristoff groaned and cleared his voice, joining Elsa at the long marble table and opened a bin of chocolate molds to sort through.
"Did you have a hot date or something?" This time the tip of her tongue coyly touched the center of her upper lip and she gave the tall man a playful shove.
"Yes. I'm having a love affair with the shop. I was here till one trying to catch up with the orders but...I just can't do them as fast as you."
"Hans said you're going to have to get used to it," she sing-songed in a sarcastic sort of way.
"I thought we agreed the new rule was no Hans talk until after 10," he groaned. Kristoff and Hans had a mutual understanding that they didn't like each other but had agreed to be amicable for Elsa's sake. He may be her soon-to-be real husband but Kristoff was basically her work husband with the overprotectiveness of an older, bigger, and stronger brother.
"Because apparently once I start having children I'm going to be akin to a stay-at-home mom," rolling her eyes as Kristoff burst into a hearty laugh.
"Ha! You, a stay-at-home mom. He's ridiculous. You sure you want to marry this guy? Just because it looks good on paper and your families are joined at the hip doesn't mean you have to." It sounded like a joke but she knew he wasn't kidding.
"I know that. That's not why I am."
"Then why? You know I think he's all wrong for you."
Elsa stopped and watched the work her hands were doing before flickering her eyes back to Kristoff.
"Because I love him...and he loves me."
"That is so sweet. Excuse me while I go vomit into pastry bag."
By lunch time the two had finished the backlog of orders and celebrated with lunch next door at a little bistro they frequented a least three times a week. The food was fast, super good, and healthy; who could ask for anything more?
"Now, I've caught up on all the orders and left you in charge of the smaller ones that have to be finished this afternoon. Can you please handle this on your own without me having to come in tomorrow and work double time again? I don't want to be at my dress fitting worrying about the kitchen going up in flames or, God forbid, even getting a negative review on Yelp. Okay?" giving him a stern look.
"Okay. Instead of thinking about how I'll screw everything up, can you just imagine yourself pulling a Julia Roberts and pick a dress that will let you do the whole runaway bride thing?"
"That's not funny. You know he has twelve brothers and he still decided to make you a groomsman. You could try a little harder."
Even though Hans and Elsa had been planning this wedding for almost a year now, Kristoff got this unsettling feeling like he was letting her go. Even though it was technically her father who was giving her away, he couldn't help but think about how becoming Mrs. Westergard would forever change their relationship as well.
"I'll try. Hans doesn't make it easy though."
"I know," she replied with a smile.
"Have a good fitting and hey…" he called after her just as she was heading out the door, prompting her to turn back. "I love you. Be safe," he said over his shoulder.
Elsa smiled back and their eyes locked for a brief moment. They did love each other, in more of a sibling way than anything else. Both were only children and their relationship was the closest thing they'd ever known to anything outside of that.
"I will. Love you too," she giggled a little as he watched her platinum plait spin back around and she headed out the door to her car.
The room sparkled and glittered like a radiant chandelier as Elsa stood in front of a panel of mirrors perched high on an elevated platform. Her brilliant white gown shined like a diamond as she turned to admire the cathedral length train fanned out behind her. The dress was simply stunning and she was the envy of every woman in the bridal salon. With her hair swept back into a perfectly twisted bun it allowed for a breathtaking view of the cut of the dress over her elegant back.
The owner and Mary, Elsa's wedding coordinator, returned with a veil and a shimmering silver comb to go along with it. Standing on a footstool, the owner placed the veil on Elsa's head and secured the comb in front.
"You're a vision of perfection, my dear. Any man would be lucky to have a woman such as yourself greet him at the end of that aisle."
"Thank you," Elsa replied shyly, the blush on her cheeks standing out even more against her all white attire. "Your work is beautiful. It's more than I could have ever dreamed of," Elsa remarked as she turned side to side in the mirror.
"They don't call her the fairy godmother for nothing, Elsa," Mary quipped from behind her phone.
"There's just a few more alterations to do on it before it's ready but the bustle is complete if you'd like to see it."
"Yes. I'd love to. If it's not too much trouble." They'd already spent so much time fawning over Elsa and ignoring the other clients that she was starting to feel a little guilty.
"Nonsense, my dear. It's no trouble at all." The owner set to work with Mary's help, being that she was going to be the one tying up the bustle on the big day, and in no time the train was transformed into a beautiful ruched backing that would allow Elsa to walk and dance about freely at the reception.
"Now remind me of your fiancé's name. Hank?" the owner tried to recall.
"Hans. Hans Westergard," Elsa replied with a blushing smile.
"That's right. Of Westergard Investments. Lucky girl," the owner simpered.
"No. He's the lucky one. Elsa's father is the CEO of Everstad International, like the hotels," Mary boasted, causing Elsa to become extremely uncomfortable. She wasn't raised to gloat about what one's family did or to flaunt their money. The same couldn't be said for Hans but Elsa was classier than that.
"Oh my, well. Hans is definitely a lucky man. How did you two meet, dear?" The owner was simply trying to make small talk as she took various measurements and stuck a few straight pins in the side of the gown.
"Our father's went into business together a long time ago and, while our parents have alway been close, I didn't actually meet Hans until after I graduated from culinary school at his family's Christmas party. That was two years ago this past Christmas."
"What a wonderful way to meet. Young love during the holidays is so special. How does that feel?" smoothing the gown over Elsa tiny frame.
"Tight but comfortable. This corset is crushing me but it looks fabulous, so I won't complain."
"Elsa, I don't say this to all my brides but you have such a lovely figure, I wish you'd have gone for something that was much lower cut," Mary said as she enviously roved her eyes up and down the dress.
The blushing bride turned and replied with a hint of a smirk. "I'm saving that for the honeymoon. Besides, my father and all of his friends will be there and it's just not that kind of wedding."
"You're all set, my dear. Mary will help get out of the dress and veil and everything will be ready in three days time. I will see you then, my dear."
Back inside the dressing room in her simple jeans and blouse, Elsa's fingers played over the intricate embroidery on the gown. It was the most beautiful dress she'd ever seen. Everything was perfect. The flowers were perfect, the food was divine but she couldn't figure out why a part of herself was feeling hesitant about marrying Hans. She thought about what Kristoff had said. He didn't say things he didn't mean and she wished she had his blessing.
I love him. I'm going to marry him. This is just cold feet is all. Nerves from all the planning. I want this. I want this.
With one final look at the last dress she'd ever wear as Elsa Everstad, she said her goodbyes and made her way down the street to her car. It was nearly four and Hans would be home soon expecting dinner, provided he didn't have to work late that night. He was traditional like that. Knowing if she left then she'd get ahead of rush hour traffic and make it home in time to whip something up before Hans got home, Elsa started her car and drove towards the freeway entrance, heading back to the west side of town.
Delighted to find that the freeway was clear she bit her lips as she thought about what they had at home to make dinner with. The bright yellow sun was sitting just at the right height so that Elsa's visor couldn't block it out and she had to squint to see the road. The only downside of driving home at the end of the day but it was worth it to have a house so close to the ocean with a view to die for.
Just a few miles from home, Elsa was leaning towards making steak over fish as she exited the freeway and waited for the light over the boulevard to turn green. After waiting for any last-minute red light runners, Elsa stepped on the gas pulled out into the intersection as she heard the piercing sound of brakes screeching across the intersection, getting louder and louder as everything began to melt into slow motion.
She didn't even see the massive flatbed truck hurtling towards her as a crash blasted through the side of the car and a glittering shower of shards pelted her face. Seconds felt like hours and the only thing Elsa could hear was the beating of her own heart as the deafening sound of shattering glass welcomed her into darkness. Twisting metal and crunching plastic could still be heard as Elsa felt a thunderous throbbing on the side of her head before she succumbed to the peaceful sleep taking over her body; completely unaware that her car was crushed like a tin can beyond recognition as people in the intersection frantically ran from their cars to help her.