Anastasia

Twenty

Their arms were locked, their feet hung over the dock, and their hearts were glad.

Anastasia stared expectantly at the water as she held her fishing pole firmly.

Something had to happen.

Anything.

"Another one," Austin said proudly as he pulled out another fish from his pole.

He looked at the woman who miraculously agreed to be his and smiled. "You hang tight, chère. It'll happen. You just gotta wait,"

"Says you, Mr. Fishing Expert. I don't think I'm any good at this," She admitted, finally deciding fishing wasn't her niche.

Austin, however, grew up on the bayou and could probably catch fish in his sleep.

Austin pouted and poked her cheek. "Mr. Fishing Expert says, if them fishies could see, they'd be flocking to you, ma chère." He wiggled his brows and smiled as she laughed.

Anastasia's laughter simmered into a sigh and she rested her head on his shoulder. "Oh, hush, you silly man. I don't mind watching you. You're rather good at it."

It was true.

She'd never seen a man catch fish so easily.

It was a gift.

Her father would spend thousands to learn how to fish the way Austin did.

"Ooh, my heart can't handle too much in one day. Chère don't mind watching me," He grinned and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "I ain't never had a beautiful woman cozied up to me while I fished, it's a sure pleasure," He said honestly and kissed her cheek.

He kissed her cheek.

And it was okay.

What world was this?

His head was surely still reeling from the events that happened earlier.

Anastasia was falling in love with him. Anastasia wanted to be with him. Anastasia was snuggled beside him as he fished.

How did God make this happen?

It was a blessing indeed.

Anastasia blushed and checked her phone.

Mother: Anastasia, your father and I would like to have dinner with you. It will only be us. We've learned our lesson.

Why couldn't they leave her be?

Truly?

They finally wanted to listen, she suspected, but was she ready to talk after being ignored for so long?

"Hey, hey, what's the matter, ma chère?" Austin placed his fishing pole beside him and turned to her fully.

Anastasia handed him her phone and took a deep breath.

It wasn't what she wanted.

Austin read the message and put the phone down. "Do you want that?"

She shook her head. "No. I-i've wanted it for years, but now it seems like, and I don't want to be rude, o-or disrespectful, but it seems cheap to me."

Her heart was heavy once again.

"It ain't rude, chère. It's how you feel. I can't tell you how to feel, but I can listen. Why does it feel cheap?"

She took a moment to think.

"B-because my words should've held weight before they found out what Bradley did. They've been superficial and I don't feel like their intentions are to listen, but maybe to justify themselves," She confessed, feeling somewhat lighter.