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We go back in town that night to get our bags from the Inn. We stop at a few places, so I can purchase some new blankets for the beds and a few other things I need.

That's when I met Marianne.

How it happened, I do not know… only that the Lord must have graced her to be there for me. Her aleatory appearance was one that I knew instantly would be one of peace and friendliness… She came towards me with open arms and a large smile.

Erik had conveniently vanished about thirty seconds prior to her arrival muttering something about looking for…something… and then he was gone. Turning to find him is when I laid my eyes on the redheaded woman.

"It is you!" she exclaims in perfect French. "Karl, I told you she was the girl!"

A very tall man comes behind her, with bright blonde hair and a sad, little smile. "Calmly, Mari, or she will be frightened."

His French is very poor indeed, and he has a terrible accent.

I view her in confusion. This woman had to be near my age, perhaps a few years older, and I didn't understand how she could possibly know me from anywhere.

Maybe my confusion shows on my face, for she says, "I saw you coming down here. You were at the very top of the hill, where that old cottage is, and I wanted to know if you were going to live there. Because—" She beams, revealing her white teeth. "That means we will be neighbors! Well, I would still live quite a bit away, halfway down the hill, by the one other cottage around here, with the old lady, and I have been awfully lonely! I heard you singing down the hill—you have a beautiful voice—and I heard your French! I was born in France, and moved here when I was only fourteen, met my Karl here," She indicates the blonde man at her side, who nods. "And he only speaks Swedish and a little English, so I had to learn. But I'm always so lonely for my home language and now you came—"

"Breathe," Karl reminds her. "Slow. You are frightening her."

I am astonished, but pleasantly surprised. My redheaded friend laughs and inhales through her nose. "I'm Marianne. Who are you?"

"Christine." I reply, and have become a shy little girl again.

"Christine." she smiles. "Oh, we will be best friends!"

Hesitatingly, I smile back.

She walks up the hill with me, stopping when we get to her little home. With a bit of pride, I notice it's not nearly as nice as mine is, although it looks a bit bigger.

"See?" Marianne says. "We are but fifteen minutes away from each other. I go up by your house and have picnics in the summer time. It's been empty for almost three years, after the old owners moved into town."

"No one wanted it?" I ask, slightly concerned.

She tilts her head, thinking. "It was furnished already, and as you found, it's very nice. And it was very expensive."

I frown. I would have to question Erik about that.

Marianne looks at me. "Didn't you buy it?"

I shake my head. "My… husband surprised me with it."

Marianne claps her hands delightedly. "I thought there was someone with you! I couldn't be sure, because I only saw a shadow for a moment, and Karl said I was imagining things. We must meet! Could Karl and I meet you this weekend for supper on Saturday night?"

Her pale face is shining with hope, and as much as I want to say 'yes', I think about Erik.

I hesitate. "I'm not…yes. Yes, that would be wonderful."

I didn't regret it then. Despite the little bit of dread in my stomach as I thought about telling Erik, I was also excited. A day in my new home, and I already had a splendid friend!

I finish walking up the hill by myself in the dark… I knew perfectly well that Erik could get back home by himself, but I didn't know if he was still in the city. Already over halfway up the hill, I decide that if he isn't home, I will go back for him.

When I check all the rooms and discover that Erik indeed is not here, I go to the front door, and he's standing there.

I smile at him. He's such a reassuring sight. I do not like when he runs away from me…

My expression of welcome seems to go unnoticed. "Why can you not go visit them?"

"Them?"

"Your little redheaded friend." he growls, and he pushes past me. I shut the door, biting my lip. His reaction is not unexpected, but it isn't exactly what I wanted either.

"Oh, Erik, they are nice."

"They are human beings." he stresses. "They are not nice. It is in their nature. And let's see how nice they are to you when they meet your freak of a husband!"

"Don't call yourself—"

"Stop it, Christine. Don't act like you are blind to the horrors men have put upon me. I am a freak. They call me freak. Everyone. Even your nice friends."

He exhales in one, low breath and stalks past me into the next room.

I stand in the hallway, my folded hands against my breast, looking disappointedly at the floor. I should never have said that she could come… I had put myself before Erik. No matter how ridiculous he was being, how could I have intentionally threatened him like that?

I cross into the other room, where he is sitting in the little chair. I go over and kneel down to him.

"I don't think you're a freak." I say softly.

There is a bit of a pause. "I know." he answers, just as quietly.

"You saw her coming." I say. "You didn't have to leave. She could have just met you straight out."

"That is what I wanted to avoid." he says, not looking at me. "I would prefer if I never had to meet anybody, ever."

I narrow my eyes. "Heaven forbid if you should meet anybody else in your life! It's a shame for all the people you've had to encounter so far!"

He stares blankly for a moment, and then gives a small smile. "It is so very hard to stay angry when you are making fun of me." he says.

"Well, I wouldn't have an ulterior motive at all." I agree, sitting down next to him on the small chair. "When you're angry, I wouldn't want to distract you from your anger."

His yellow eyes are piercing. "I am sorry to disappoint you, but you are… quite distracting."

"Tell me what you want me to do." I say stoutly, determined that we will work this out. "I can go to Marianne and tell her this weekend is too soon. You can leave before she comes and I will make up an excuse."

His closes his eyes tightly. "Why would you do that for me? It's not what you want."

"I want whatever will make you comfortable." I argue. "And I shouldn't have accepted an invitation without first consulting my husband."

He is already shaking his head before I am even finished. "You are free to do whatever you choose. I have no hold over you in that way. If you would care to invite your friends for supper, I should not stop you."

"You are my hus—"

"And you are my wife. And I love you. And I want you to do what you want. Now you must honor me."

"You win." I sigh, and he chuckles.

"Of course I do, darling. Erik cannot be defeated."

"Marianne is coming. She will be here at the end of the week."

"Yes, she will. And I will not."

It is his choice, I remind myself, and I say nothing against him. I can tell Marianne that he is in town, or he is traveling for a few days… I will protect him, because he has always protected me.

And maybe, someday, I can open Erik up enough that he will be willing to come with me, fulfill my desire for companionship when I go for walks or in the public view; but for now, I am content to please him, to guard over him to see that he grows properly and confidently in his new life.

Because all of his past, all of his horrors, are not his life anymore.

I am.