While Margreet was upstairs working in one of the bathrooms, Emma was already coming upstairs.

"Have you finished breakfast already?" asked Margreet in surprise and stopped cleaning.

"No, I'll go right back, but I wanted to tell you something. About Huib and you. I know you're insecure about yourself, but I'll tell you this: you belong together, it's abundantly clear that you love each other. I have also talked with Annerieke about it, and she confirmed that. What I wanted to say is this, about myself: I was like you, and I loved Martin, but in a way I kept him at a distance, didn't dare commit myself. But do you know what I noticed? I noticed, that once I started living with him, my emotional healing was going much faster than when we were still living separately. When I wasn't living with him, he was already helping me with it, but being with him, brought me much more. And the more I healed, the more I was able to give myself to him. And I'm not just talking about the physical, but especially the emotional. Everything, my whole self. Yesterday evening I saw you walking together towards Huibs house. And deep inside again I felt how you belong together. Don't wait too long Margreet. Go on together with him, he is your soulmate and the best one who can heal you, inside, you know... I don't want to impose anything on you, I don’t want to force you, you have to make the choice yourself, feel it yourself. Listen to your heart, your soul, what do you hear, what do you feel?"

Despite the fact that she did not want to provoke Margreet into answering, Margreet did answer her directly: "What I felt, last night, was that his house was my home, and that my heart is drawn to him, that I long for him. And indeed it is my own insecurity and how I think about myself, and also my parents’ marriage that is so cold and chilly, that makes me not dare yet. Not yet dared... but..."

Margreet fell around Emma's neck and sobbing she continued talking, "Thank you for sharing this with me! I have known Huib for less than two weeks, but I know that I know that I know, that I can't live without him, don't want to live without him! And he longs for the moment when I come to live with him in that house. He has already asked me to marry him, a few days ago. I think... without a doubt... that I'm going to say yes after all and move my things into his house."

She released Emma and dried her tears. "My mind says I'm crazy, and for once that's true. I'm crazy about Huib! He and I, it's going to be totally different than with my parents!"

Emma stared at her in surprise: "Don't you have the feeling that I forced something on you? You really have to make that choice yourself, inside, you know what I mean?"

"Oh yes," Margreet nodded vehemently, "I understand you very well, you just gave me the push I needed. Actually... actually, last night was so ordinary, so good, sitting together in his living room. And I longed for him so much, also to know him physically, and to give myself and so on, but I was afraid. But as long as we don't make a beginning, I will remain afraid for far too long, I think. So we have to start somewhere, start sometime, start now!"

She laughed full-throated and Emma laughed with her. "Then it's all right, I'll go back to breakfast now. And if I don't see you again before we leave, I'll just say thank you now for who you are and for everything you've done to make this time a wonderful one for us."

She hugged Margreet and kissed her on her cheeks. "You are a wonderful woman Margreet, and I hope to see you again! I'll be nagging Martin hard to have vacation here again."

"Yes, you do that! I'd love to see you again too! Have a nice breakfast, and if we don't see each other again before you leave, I wish you a nice ride home!"

.

Margreet went back to work with an overflowing heart, humming. She was startled when she was suddenly grabbed by her hips.

"I missed you, so I'll just come and see you before I go to the barn."

Huib turned her around, hugged her and pulled her gently against him. It looked like he was going to kiss her, but he didn't yet. He put a hand on her neck, stroking her there. And as his hand did so on her neck, a moment later he let his lips caress her lips. Soft and tender, while his eyes held her eyes. He saw her eyes changing, getting darker. And he felt her body begin to tremble very gently. At that moment he let go of her resolutely. He grabbed her by her upper arms, while Margreet looked at him, dazed.

"What... what are you doing?" she asked gasping.

"Sorry girl, I went too fast again, I shouldn't have done that, I don't want to overwhelm you." Huib tangled his hands through his hair confusedly. "I think we'd better both get to work. I'll see you at lunch later, okay? You okay?"

Margreet took a step closer and grabbed his wrists. "You did indeed overwhelm me, I don't know what was going on inside me, but I do know that I loved it. I was sorry you stopped, but... I get it, it's not convenient to continue it here in this place for any longer. I noticed that my legs were going limp. If you had gone on a little longer, I would have collapsed like a plum pudding!"

Huibs laughter echoed through the house. "You like a plum pudding? Well no, before that I would have floored you in an elegant manner. But," he continued in a whisper, "this doesn't seem like the best place to start physically exploring each other."

"No, I don't think so either! But, something different, are you busy this afternoon?"

"Not particularly, some nice work with wood and drawing! But why do you ask, do you need help with anything?"

"Hmm yes, how shall I put it into words... I'd like if you would bring my rocking chair to your house, then I'll take the rest in my suitcases. Then..."

Huibs eyes grew large with utter amazement.

"What!" he exclaimed, and then continued again almost in a whisper, "Do you... do you mean that... that you want to come and live with me? Already now? Really? Are you quite sure?"

He kept asking, even though his radiant lover in front of him was nodding vigorously.

"Yes, and another thing... can I change my answer to your question from a few days ago? You didn't even ask, I believe, but you told me, that you longed for me to become your wife." Margreet was still beaming, as she continued, "I really want to become your wife, it seems completely crazy, we hardly know each other, but my heart was already calling out last night 'yes yes yes!' and this morning Emma said something to me, and then I knew I didn't want to wait any longer. Let my mind do the chat again and again, my heart is absolutely right, I belong to you, with you in your house, and I don't want to wait any longer!"

"I can't believe it... I wasn't expecting this for now! Oh girl, how you make me happy, incredibly happy! I missed you right away yesterday, when you stepped back in the door here and I went back home. It felt terribly, like we were tearing apart. I called myself to order, that I shouldn't be acting up, but I couldn't do anything about it, it really felt like pain, physical pain in my stomach, like I was being broken down there. Whatever Emma said, we should put that lady in a gold frame! Boy... unbelievable!"

They hugged each other again.

"I don't want to, but I really need to move on," Margreet whispered, "the guest rooms of whoever stays are already done, but I want the bathrooms to be done too before the people come upstairs."

"You're right! And when you have Annerieke's hair shortened this afternoon, we'll move your things, and then our lives will begin, our lives together..."

He made a round dance and pulled Margreet into it, gave her a kiss and released her. He danced with silly leaps to the stairs and went down jumping, leaving Margreet laughing.

To chapter 47. Huibs surprise

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