Chapter 112: Love Stirs
When the family prepared to leave the Theatre, Millicent insisted that she and Hendrix would ride with Richard and Margaret.
"You stay with Estella, Darling, and Albert will bring you both home when you are ready."
"Thanks, Love. Hopefully, see you soon! Estella was awfully upset, but she's better after some reassurance. Do you think you can get Hendrix into shape to confess his love? Sadly, I think this is probably his one and only chance."
"I'll give it everything I've got!"
Nathan bent to kiss her.
"I know you will. Just make him see this is it! I think it's pretty much now or never, as far as Estella is concerned. I know he didn't mean to, but he really hurt her tonight…"
After Richard's limousine eased up the driveway of the Townhouse, he helped Millicent move a distraught and overwhelmed Hendrix out of the car and into the kitchen.
"There you go, Hendrix! Steady now," urged Richard with one of the tall Butler's arms over his own shoulder and the other around Millicent.
"I've just ruined everything, Master Bradford. Everything is ruined!"
"It's plain Richard, Hendrix, not Master Bradford. But I wouldn't say that! Everything's fixable. Em, are you sure Margaret and I don't need to stay and help?"
"Thanks, Richard, but Hendrix will be fine after a good strong cup of tea!"
"And a very strong pep talk," she added under her breath.
"But we both appreciated the ride home, Richard! Make sure Margaret checks on Allie before she goes to bed, if the kids go to bed! And give her my love and her father's."
"Will do! The kids will be fine. Don't you worry. We'll take care of everything. I think you've got your hands full here!"
Richard led Hendrix to a kitchen chair, then kissed his sister's cheek.
"I'll see myself out. Buck up, Hendrix, Old Man, everything is going to be alright!" urged Richard, patting the man's shoulders as encouragement.
Hendrix could only moan in response, so Millicent waved her brother on out with a sad smile, mouthing 'Thank you!'
"Hendrix, I'm fixing us a pot of strong tea!"
"I think I need a glass of Port, Miss!"
"Port, it is! If I can find it, that is."
Millicent struggled to find the decanter with port. And even though his head was turned in the opposite direction, Hendrix directed her.
"Top shelf, far left-hand side."
"Thanks, Hendrix," although Millicent was amazed, she shouldn't have been as the man knew exactly where every little thing was in the whole house.
Even when Essie lost something, Hendrix could always find it in an instant!
She grabbed the decanter with port, along with a small dessert wine glass, not wishing to have any herself.
"Here, we go, Hendrix! Take a large sip."
He did and then turned to his Miss Millicent with such a devastated look.
"I've ruined everything."
"No, you haven't. Everything can still be fixed. But what happened Hendrix?"
"I saw Miss Estella kiss that man on stage tonight, and I just…well, he's the same man who's meets us every single day when I take her to the theatre and he's the same man who walks her to the car, when I pick her up. He gushes all over her. I just couldn't take it any longer! I mean she kissed him tonight!"
"Hendrix, that kiss was a stage kiss, and you know it! Essie doesn't love that man!"
"I'm not so sure, but how do you know that, Miss?"
"She never once has mentioned him to me, and I'm sorry, Hendrix, but she would have said something to me if she were interested in him at all. Besides, I would have known something was up."
She looked at Hendrix who looked like he was on the borderline of collapsing, which was not at all a familiar site to see since the solemn Butler was the one person who normally could take on anything and not be shaken in the least.
'Stoic' was his middle name!
Millicent gathered his big hands in hers.
"Dear Hendrix, don't you know? Essie's in love with you."
"She has an awful way of showing it, Miss. That man has been the bane of my existence since the first time I saw him so possessively take Miss Estella's arm, and grin about it like a Cheshire Cat. Twice a day I saw it, Miss. Twice a day! And it was awful! Day in, day out, day after day!"
Suddenly it became clear to Millicent exactly what Essie had done, and she couldn't help but chuckle.
"I hardly find this funny, Miss Millicent," chided a most solemn Hendrix.
"No, not your pain, Hendrix, not at all. But don't you see? Essie has set you up!"
"Set me up? Whatever do you mean?"
"She's been trying to make you jealous, Hendrix! That actor is only a colleague and friend. He doesn't mean a thing more to her than that."
"How can you be sure?"
"Because she loves you, Hendrix. Don't you see it, and feel it?"
"I only know I see that I love her and feel that I love her too. I love her so very much, Miss. I have for the longest time."
"Oh, Dear Hendrix! Aren't you and I the pair? Unrequieted love for both of us for so very long! But no more, Hendrix. Not for you, and not for Essie. And not for me nor for Nathan."
"Where are you going, Miss?"
He looked panicked that she had gotten up from her seat and looked as though she might leave.
"First, you're going to straighten yourself up before she returns home. I'm going to go light the fire and candles in the living room and put some romantic music on. A little ambiance never hurt anything. Then together we're going to grab the most expensive bottle of champagne in this house for you and Essie, Hendrix. This is a night for romance!"
"But I won't know what or how or…or…"
"Relax Hendrix! Essie loves you! Just be yourself and first tell her how sorry you are about tonight. Tell her how proud of her you are. Tell her what she truly means to you. Tell her how special she is. Tell her you love her!"
"But I don't have flowers!"
"You have already given her a bouquet of fifty roses, Hendrix!"
"But she threw them back at me! Why would she do that, Miss?"
Millicent took both his hands in hers once more, and spoke with all the compassion in the world.
"Hendrix, don't you see? Essie wanted you to kiss her when you gave her the roses. She threw the roses back because she wanted you to kiss her, and you didn't. She was hurt and maybe even a little embarrassed in front of everyone. But she wanted you, she wanted your kiss, Hendrix!"
"And you're certain, Miss?"
"I am positive! Go get spruced up now. Nathan will be escorting Estella home before we know it! And Hendrix, Allie's with her Grandparents, so you two will have total privacy tonight. Nathan and I will see to it!"
He nodded, like he was finally starting to believe her, then suddenly, he kissed Millicent's cheek, and smiled his broadest, yet still refined smile.
"It's going to be okay, isn't it Miss? Miss Estella and I are in love!"
Millicent chuckled, as Hendrix turned her around on their imaginary kitchen dance floor, both as jubilant as could be!
This most special love had been a long time coming, and neither could be happier about its acknowledgement.
"Oh, and Hendrix, just to be clear, whatever you do, don't dare forget to kiss her…"
"I simply can't go in," declared Estella. "I just can't!"
"Essie, this is our home. We have to go in. This is where we live. Besides, the sooner you and Hendrix get this mess cleared up, the happier both of you are going to be!"
She sat there, staunch as ever, refusing to move from the limo.
Nathan took both her hands, looking straight into her eyes.
"Essie, you love Hendrix and Hendrix loves you. That I'm sure of. Every single moment the two of you are not together is wasting that love. Nothing is worth that, not embarrassment, not fear, not anything. Believe me, I know!"
A tear fell down Estella's face, which made Nathan remember something.
"You know, Essie, when I first came to Montreal to see Millicent, I could tell instantly there was something there between you and Hendrix."
"You could?"
"I could. It was pretty clear, and remember that night we all danced together? Hendrix was radiant with you in his arms. I'll never forget the look on his face. And remember at the ranch when he wanted to go horseback riding, but he stayed in the kitchen with you?"
"He really loves me? You're sure?"
"I'm positive! You look more beautiful than I've ever seen you. And you've just performed the highlight performance of your career on this very night. This is a most special time, Essie. You just have to believe in Hendrix. And maybe apologize for setting him up and trying to make him jealous. All he needs to know is that you love him too! And everything else will fall into place."
"Will you escort me in? And not leave me?"
"I'll escort you in, and I'll stay as long as you need me. But I don't think you're going to need me long, once we see Hendrix."
He bent to kiss Essie's cheek.
"You deserve this, Essie, and Hendrix deserves this, too. You both deserve love with all the magic it has to offer. Never forget that, Essie. And don't put your love off a moment longer!"
She nodded, allowing him to help her out of the car.
At the Theatre, Nathan had asked Albert to let them out at the front door, hoping to give Estella some space before running into Hendrix.
"Good night, Miss Estella, Sir!" offered Albert, standing at the limo's back door with a raised brow.
"Good night, Albert. Give Grace our love!" winked Nathan.
But as they reached the front doors, Estella suddenly grew very agitated and nervous.
"Essie, remember what you always told us children?"
"Yes, but…"
"'Only from the heart can you touch the sky,'" smiled Nathan. "And it's true. You know what's in your heart. Now go touch the sky! Yours and Hendrix's sky!" (*112)
Essie stood on tip-toe to embrace the man who was a precious Son to her.
"You and Miss Millicent have done that together, despite all the obstacles. So, I suppose Hendrix and I can too!"
Nathan chuckled.
"Now, that's the spirit, Essie! But don't squash your roses!"
Nathan opened the door to see Millicent standing just inside, waiting for them.
As soon as she saw Estella, Millicent embraced her, being careful not to crush her huge bouquet of roses, and whispered.
"Essie, Hendrix is much better now that I've explained your costar is not your lover, but you need to tell him the same thing!"
"Where is he? I suppose we just need to get on with this travesty!"
"He's in the Living Room, Essie, waiting for you. Nathan and I are going to make ourselves scarce. Also, Allie is with her grandparents tonight, so you'll both have all the privacy you need. Do you need me to do anything for you?"
"No, Child," she sighed. "I just need to get this over with! Maybe say a prayer!"
"I already have Essie, and will continue to do so!"
"We're here for both of you, Essie," assured Nathan, as he took her coat.
Nathan placed his arm around Millicent, and both looked on in encouragement as Estella nodded, took a deep breath, and opened the ornate double doors to the Living Room, still carrying her congratulatory bouquet.
She walked inside, now resolutely, determined to get everything between Hendrix and her out into the open, and closed the door behind her.
"Are they going to be alright," whispered Nathan, as he and Millicent moved toward the kitchen.
"I believe so. Hendrix is so nervous, though! I've never seen him in such a state, but I did everything I could to reassure him that Essie's co-star was only a colleague and friend, and that seemed to help a lot!"
"Wait a second," and Nathan whirled her around. "I owe you this."
Nathan placed his left hand at her low chignon, pulling her closer, with no resistance whatsoever.
His lips met hers, melding together just as they were meant to, filling them both with the warmth of their love.
Nathan moved his right hand to gently caress Millicent's cheek, creating an explosion of butterflies throughout her.
"If we made it to love, they can too," he whispered. "I adore you, Millicent Bradford!"
She ran her hands through his dark hair, but instead of telling him in words kissed him again even more passionately than before.
Millicent finally pulled back, smiling through the tingling sensations that were consuming her, just as they were consuming him.
"Most definitely. But, Darling, can you imagine what it's going to be like if they don't work this out?"
"Let's just not think about that, Mil. They are adults and we know they love each other. I'm sure they'll work it out."
"I lit a fire and some candles, and chilled some champagne for them. Oh, and there's music playing in the background. And everything looks beautiful with all the Christmas décor. Is there anything else I should do?"
"Relax, Darling, and like Essie said, maybe pray a little!"
"Agree! How about milk and cookies in the Keeping Room, Love?"
"Alone with you? Can't think of anything better in this whole wide world…"
Inside the Living Room, a resolute Estella softened as she saw a devastated Hendrix, standing before the fireplace.
"Estella, I'm so sorry," he began in all sincerity, as he walked to her as fast as he could, yet still in his most stately British manner.
"No, Hendrix," she interrupted. "It is I who owes you an apology. I should never have tried to make you jealous using my colleague. It was wrong of me. I should never have done it, and I'm so very, very sorry that I did!"
"So, there was nothing going on between you? Estella, when I saw the two of you kiss tonight on stage, I just panicked and felt so sick inside, because I thought you truly cared for him."
"Dear Hendrix, I never meant for you to feel that way. I just wanted to give you a nudge in the right direction."
"The right direction?"
"Toward me, you old coot," cried a frustrated Essie. "We were getting closer when Mast…when Nathan came and proposed to Miss Millicent, but then when she traveled back to the Mountie Ball…"
"We drew apart," he admitted.
"But I didn't understand why and I still don't. We were getting so close, and all of a sudden it was back to work mode, with not even a personal conversation between us, Hendrix! And you do realize we were the only two people in the house? Which made it a thousand times worse!"
"I know, and I'm so sorry, Estella. This space between us has been awful, but I didn't know what to do, how to bridge it!"
"Hendrix, you are a grown man, and I am a grown woman. We have come to mean something special to each other over the years. We deserve happiness too, whatever that might look like!"
"But all this time, I thought you were falling in love with that horrid man!"
"Never, Hendrix. How could I possibly fall in love with someone else, when I'm already in love with you…"
*113. Quote, Rumi, September 30, 1207-December 17, 1273, Public Domain
