At the table, Lisa told Huib about the two plants she had bought. "Would you want to make me two coasters for them from some leftover wood? Something funny, whimsical like that coffee table you made for Sjaak?"

Huib looked at her, amused. He had sensed as soon as they entered that there was more in the air between those two than just some friendship. As with Margreet and himself, things were apparently moving quickly with them. Confusing on the one hand, since she had only just begun her divorce. Nice on the other hand, she would desperately need Sjaaks love to get through the shit of her previous relationship.

Huib blinked his eyes, as if to wake himself up. "Sorry, I was far away in my mind for a moment. Those coasters, nice idea, I'll make them for you later on."

"Oh well, there's no rush, maybe you want to do other things first?"

"No, I'll make them for you in the meantime. It gives me pleasure to do that for you!"

Lisa found it difficult, she couldn't really understand that someone wanted to put aside his own things to do something for her first. There it was again, that feeling of inferiority, of being last and lowest. She hated it. She had just been so happy because of Sjaak, and now she was sinking into that depressive pit again. What should she do to get out of it?

Her thoughts flashed back and forth, and she began to breathe more shallowly. Sjaak, who felt more than he knew what was going on inside her, put his arm around her. He said nothing, only nodded at her when she looked at him nervously for a moment.

Huib also felt that something was going on, but decided to leave her to Sjaak. He told Margreet, that Danielle expected to have the buttons ready next week, and that he had already put the cans of paint in the nursery.

Margreet laughed, "Imagine, we've only just got into a relationship, we're already talking about a nursery. But... those cans are sealed, right? Then how can I see the color? Do I have to wait till you start painting?"

"No way, although it will look more real, more vibrant then. But that salesman printed out a label of exactly the color of the paint, and he stuck it on top of the cans. He and I agreed that it had turned out to be a beautiful color."

"I'm going to take a look at it right away!"

"Can I see it already too?" Annerieke asked.

"And me?" Lisa, a little relaxed again, came after.

"Of course," Margreet said, "yes right Huib?"

"Of course, we belong together, I'd like nothing more than to involve you."

"Then I'll come and watch too," Sjaak hummed, "and huh... involving each other, belonging to each other and all that..."

He looked at Lisa, as if to ask permission with his eyes. She nodded at him encouragingly, whereupon he continued, "I want to thank you for including Lisa in our midst. We both experienced a soul-connection between us, or as Lisa put it to me: it felt like some strong magnets were pulling us towards each other. Both of us had decided not to allow ourselves to fall in love yet, because of Lisa's divorce. All in good time, so to speak. But it was unstoppable for both of us. That click of both our souls have ignited a fire, and ... well, we love each other!"

He looked at Lisa as if to ask if it was true. She sensed him intimately, which, in a flash, she experienced as very special.

"Oh yeah, Sjaak, that's exactly how it is. Who could have imagined that?"

He took her hand and placed a butterfly-light kiss on it. Lisa felt a trail of tingling through her body. What the hell was that? She had never experienced this before! So special, so nice...

She didn't get a chance to think about it any further. On all sides they were hugged and tapped on the shoulder, congratulated and overwhelmed by happy reactions.

Annerieke was the only one left standing, looking around the circle in amazement and joy. "Unbelievable my darlings, we expected this to be a difficult week, but the few nasty moments there were, are dwarfed by all the joy there is now. How grateful I am for all of you, my darlings!"

.

While Margreet and Lisa went to pick up the laundry, Huib went to the barn to saw coasters. He made shapes as funny as the coffee table, and sanded down the edges so there would be no splinters. For a moment he considered lightly sanding and varnishing the top and bottom as well, but he hadn't done that with Sjaaks table either. Sjaak and he had agreed that it was most beautiful if wood could just show itself. They had even left out oil. Well, if the coasters would get ugly after a while, he could just make new ones.

Huib knew that Lisa would soon go to Margreet for the visit of Elly. Therefore he put the coasters with a note, on which he had written "for Lisa", on their coffee table. She would find them there.

Just as he was about to go out again, the girlfriends came in. Margreet came quickly to him with a hop, wrapped her arms around him and gave him a fleeting hug. "Love you darling!" she exclaimed.

Lisa stood there smiling, thinking of her own love for Sjaak. Life was smiling on her, for the first time in her life and right through all the bouts of depression.

"Love you too Gretel! And Lisa, the coasters are ready, I put them on the coffee table," Huib told her. Lisa quickly walked into the living room and grabbed the coasters. "How fast Huib! And how nice you made them whimsical, thank you!"

"You're welcome dear, shall we have a look at the paint upstairs?"

Together with Margreet, Lisa ran the stairs after him to the children's room. Upstairs, Margreet rushed ahead and picked up a can from the floor.

"Oh, what a beautiful color!" she exclaimed. "So sweet, wonderful for a baby's room!"

Lisa shared her enthusiasm, "Oh yes, such a soft color... you're absolutely right not to choose that standard pink, I find that so candy cane-like! This is really beautiful, I would choose something like that myself if I..."

She laughed: "No way! I'm running a little too fast!" Huib and Margreet laughed with her. Huib put his arm around her shoulders, "We are happy for you girl, really, I think you are going to have a wonderful future with that gardener of ours!"

Lisa beamed, "Yes, I believe so too, although it's still hard for me to imagine. I can't imagine being allowed to experience something as beautiful as this, such genuine love. I am curious to see how this will work out in practice. Exciting, yes, but I have now stepped into the deep end and I am determined to learn to swim!"

Margreet laughed at her comparison: "Still a bit cold, to swim. But I have all confidence that it will turn out all right."

To chapter 83. Elly comes along

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