I do not own American Horror Story: Freak Show.
But this isn't about the freak show. This is a love story.
In the Absence of Light, Darkness Prevails
In Paradiso
The bright, warm sun shone down from the blue, cottonball cloud sky. A lilting breeze caressed the faces of those who basked in the afternoon rays.
She dug her gloved hands into the earth, churning carefully to prepare the soil as much as she could for the flowers soon to be nestled within its embrace.
"I believe you have a visitor en route, cara mia."
Massimo's voice floated to her on zephyrs of light spring air.
She shifted her body atop her wooden legs to turn and look toward the sweeping willow tree behind her.
And see a beautiful little girl with dark pigtail braids tottering across the lawn in her direction.
Elsa quickly stripped off her pink gardening gloves and held out her hands invitingly.
"Come to Mama, my precious one."
The child sank her into arms, yawning widely, warm and smelling of grass and sunshine.
"I fell asleep under the tree, Mama," she said, gesturing vaguely.
Elsa kissed her forehead, rocking her gently.
"I know, mein liebchen. I watched a little grey squirrel come up and nuzzle your hand while you were sleep-ing."
The child sat up straighter and looked at her mother in awakening delight.
"Did it really?"
Elsa smiled, feeling sweet and a bit mischievous.
"Yes, sweet Lili," her mother affirmed.
The child smiled, glancing back over at the tree.
Elsa wanted to see the wonder. So she continued.
"And then a tiny elf popped up out of the ground and rode away on its back."
The child's dark eyes sparkled, even as she refuted the fanciful claim.
"Mama, no, it did not!"
Elsa arranged a very genuine expression on her face.
"Oh, yes, yes it did, little flower, it did indeed."
The child considered this for a moment, gifting her mother with the childish wonder she had been so desiring to see. And then laid her head back down on her mother's comforting bosom and stuck a thumb in her mouth.
"I wonder where they went," she mumbled around the thumb.
Elsa reached down and gently removed the appendage from her daughter's bow mouth.
"I do not know, my sweet," she murmured, stroking the child's hair softly. "Perhaps off to tell Father Christmas what a good girl you are being."
The four year old faced her mother again, expression earnest and disapproving.
"Mama! It is May! Father Christmas does not come until December!"
Elsa pinched her daughter's nose gently.
"Well, no time like the present, eh?"
This seemed to give the little girl in her arms 'food for thought' as the Americans would say. She relaxed once more within her mother's arms.
Elsa continued to hold her, enjoying the warmth of the sun and her precious daughter's presence.
And together they observed the scene across the few yards to Massimo's outdoor carpentry area.
He stood with a completed rocking horse before him, sanding it carefully.
A little boy the same size as the girl in Elsa's arm stood next to him, one hand atop his father's. Learning the motions, learning the craft.
And Massimo spoke, murmuring gently to his young son.
"Very good, Leo, very good. You see, the surface must be polished and smooth, not one splinter or scratch to mar its perfection."
The child's voice responded obediently to his father.
"Yes, Papa."
His father smiled and bent to kiss his son on the head. The boy grinned up at him, lopsidedly like his father, and in a very boyish manner, reached up, ruffling up his hair where the kiss had been.
"You can wipe off the wet, but never the love!" called out his identical twin sister across the way in her mother's arms.
Then quieter to her mother, "That's what Mama says."
Elsa smiled and kissed her forehead.
"Just right, Lili."
And just as her brother, the little one playfully swiped it away.
Only to get another one to replace it.
She giggled at the repeated kisses, a high-pitched sound that resonated to her parents like the pure joy of angels.
Elsa squeezed her just a little and let her go.
"Let's go see how it's coming along, little flower."
The child bounced up, fully awake, and ran to her father.
"Papa! Papa! Catch me high!"
Massimo turned and with a smile, held out his arms to the child running toward him, his arms outstretched to her.
Elsa watched him with awe.
This man, this wonderful man who had saved her from death. Who had given her new legs. Who had brought her back from all her darkness and despair time and again.
Who had taken her away from the growing war of Germany and brought her to America.
Who was her husband these six years and the father of her beautiful children.
There was a little more salt than pepper in his hair now, more lines upon his caring face.
And she thought he had never been more handsome to her than he was now.
Now, as he lifted his daughter high. Spinning her around. And then bringing her protectively to his chest, kissing her on her head as she giggled.
Elsa approached her family with a little smile on her face.
Leo saw his sister getting more attention than he and decided that just would not do.
"Me next, Papa! Me next!"
His father gladly acquiesced, gently setting down his daughter and catching hold of his son to lift. And spin. And cradle. And kiss.
Setting the boy down on the ground, Massimo stretched his back, groaning just a little.
"I fear the children are growing too big for me, cara mia," he teased gently as she approached.
She laughed lightly.
"Yes, our neighbor, Mrs. Thomas, suggested we 'put a number two wash tub over them to keep them little'."
She paused and shrugged.
"But I have no idea what that means."
They smiled at each other in the sun and embraced for a kiss.
"Ewww, Leo. They are doing it again!" Lili squealed to her brother beside her.
He giggled with a hand over his mouth.
Massimo broke the demure kiss, though he remained with an arm comfortably around his wife.
"But my sweet ones, I must show your mother how much I love her," he chided them gently with a smile. "Every day."
They giggled and turned away to admire the rocking horse.
She could have never predicted it. She, Elsa, a first time mother at the age of forty five.
When she'd first suspected it, she thought it must be the change of life.
But when the doctor had announced she was with child, it was as if something deep within her had turned over and she had been stricken with a severe case of unbridled joy and bliss.
She had experienced nearly no problems during the entire pregnancy.
Massimo had battled her voracious hunger by introducing her to even more sumptuous Italian dishes.
To which she had countered by only eating half of the generous portions he doled out.
Most of the time.
Her labor had come two weeks early. Quick and painful as is the way of life.
And she, they, had been rewarded with twins.
A boy first, then a girl.
Leonardo and Liliana.
Perfect beautiful twins.
The doctor had looked at the slightly aged first time parents and declared it a miracle.
Massimo had kissed the heads of each member of his newly expanded family and replied in a murmur.
"Not the first."
And they had both cried happy tears.
And found parenthood taxing.
And exhausting.
And so very fulfilling.
And now here they were, out in the sun, admiring the rocking horse Massimo had crafted with his young son.
It was a dark, rich color. Solid and well built. It would serve for many years. Perhaps become a family heirloom.
Massimo had even carved eyes, ears, a snout, hooves, a mane, and even tail hairs into the fine wood.
There was a saddle and bridle carved into the grain, the seat curved slightly to accommodate the comfort of a small child.
"Oh, Massimo!" Elsa gasped. "It's beautiful!"
Leo put a hand proudly on the head of the galloping steed.
"I helped Papa. We did it together."
She spread her hands out to the glory of the wooden charger.
"Yes, mein junge, you did. And it is perfection!"
He practically glowed, reached forward to peek her cheek, and then clambered onto the horse for a ride.
"Whoo-hooo! I'm a cowboy!"
Elsa chuckled, trading amused looks with her carpenter husband.
Their sweet little boy. Of Italian and German descent. Who could speak both languages fluently and English with only the slightest of accents.
Was now a roping tossin', bronco ridin' cowboy.
"Papa, I want to be a cowboy!" Little Lili piped up.
Massimo smiled worshipfully at her as Elsa gently corrected.
"Cowgirl, little flower."
The child did not respond to her mother, only continuing to gaze beseechingly up at her father.
"You can't be anything on this horse," Leo crowed, rocking wildly on his valiant mount. "Because I'm on it!"
Lili immediately pouted.
"That's not fair! Papa! Mama!"
Elsa was about to tell her precious little girl that her sweet brother would share the rocking horse and allow her a turn in a few mnutes.
But Massimo resolved the situation by placing a gentle hand upon his daughter's head.
"I think I have just the solution for you, Lili."
And disappeared into his shop.
Only to return.
With another rocking horse.
Massimo had begun to just make them one to share.
But true to his doting nature when it came to his children, he had gone ahead and made two.
Little Lili squealed with delight and pulled her father's sleeve to plant a loud, sweet smack on his permanently scruffy cheek.
And launch herself onto the second, delicately carved rocking horse.
She began to rock next to her brother, a giant grin painting her face.
Elsa shook her head gently at her husband.
"You will spoil them, Massimo, with too much love," she gently reprimanded.
He removed his round glasses and began cleaning them, a satisfied smile upon his face as he gazed at his lovely little children.
"Not with love, cara mia. Only with wooden horses."
Lili reached her hand out and Leo took it with his own.
They rocked together, hands clasped and laughing.
And their parents wrapped their arms around each other and enjoyed the sight of them.
Their little miracle children.
Elsa awoke from her dream as the morning rays of sunlight touched her face through the dusty windows of their sparse Munich dwelling.
She opened her eyes and saw her simple carpenter taking his first sip of morning coffee.
She lay still and quiet a moment longer, wrapped in her bedsheets, wooden legs on the floor beside her.
A woman without legs.
Who was happy.
This chapter is for everyone who wanted to see a happily ever after for Massimo and Elsa. See, I'm not totally heartless. ;)
Most grateful thanks to YellowBrickQueen, Foreverglfan88, and Casslayn, Buttercup, and GG for your fantastic reviews.
See you tomorrow for another chapter. I plan to continue updating daily and complete our tale on Tuesday morning.