Chapter 39

At last Stella is ready to talk to Ingmar about Alex and Patricia. She is very afraid that it will cause a rift between her and Ingmar, but she feels that it is impossible for her to socialize with Patricia.
Ingmar is sad to hear that, but not at all surprised.
“I hope you don’t take offense if I do?” he asks her. “Alex is like a son to me.”
“Of course not!! You should keep seeing him! And Patricia I am sure will make him happy. She always seemed such a nice girl really. Well, until ... ” Stella says. “But I am afraid now you will have to go to their wedding alone.”



And at last Ingmar can stop worrying about what is going on in Stella. Even if he hopes that she and Patricia somehow can get a better relation further on, he now feels certain that his and Stella’s relationship is not on the rocks. Time to “pop the question”. He has been longing for this a very long time now. So to Stella’s surprise Ingmar kneels before her and proposes to her in this old fashioned but very romantic way. She doesn’t hesitate a second. She is sure – and she too is very relieved that her feelings about Patricia hasn’t caused damage between her and Ingmar.



Later that day Ingmar asks Stella if she would mind very much if her children can’t attend their wedding.
“I was thinking that it was about time for us to travel together. I would like to show you Takemizu Village. It will be spring there soon. And perhaps we could get married there? What do you think?”
Stella agrees that it is indeed a wonderful idea and tells him that at once. She has so much to be happy about these days. A new life with Ingmar that she loves so deeply – and now they will also start travelling together. She remember them talking about it this last spring – and how impossible it seemed to her back then. Life has really changed. But of course it is a little sad to get married without her children.



The happier she is about spending this Christmas with Sandra and Xander. It is such a relief that they will not have to choose between her and Morty, as he and Michelle will go on a delayed honeymoon and spend Christmas on Twikki Island. Alex will spend Christmas with Patricia, so Sandra and Xander can sleep over in his apartment and don’t have to go back to the house in Riverblossom Hills. Ingmar sure does have a beautiful home, but there are no guest rooms in his apartment.



Sandra and Xander settle in ...



... while Ingmar finishes some dinner preparations.



As soon as everything is ready, they sit down together and eat. Xander and Ingmar already know each other quite well, as Xander often pops by after school, but Stella is very happy to see Sandra really trying her best to be nice and friendly. She doesn’t recognize her daughter really. It seems she has matured these last months, growing into charming young woman, Stella thinks. She is very proud of her daughter, but they have never really been that close. Sandra has been more of a daddy’s girl, following in Morty’s footsteps and planning to start working with him when she has finished her education.



So it really makes Stella happy, when Sandra keeps seeking her company, and quite obviously wants to talk. They haven’t had that many intimate conversations during the years.



While Ingmar and Xander's enjoy a game of chess together, Stella and Sandra sits down and talk. Sandra tells Stella about her life at Bramble College, her relationship to Andy and that she broke up just recently. She seems so vulnerable to Stella, not at all that stubborn and self-confident girl she used to be. She seems to have some sort of life crisis and Stella tries her best to assure Sandra that it will all work out for the best.
“You should trust your feelings!” she tells Sandra. “If you feel that you need to be alone, don’t be afraid of it. I am glad to hear that you are getting along with Jules O’Mackey at last and you have found new friends as well. Focus on you studies now and on your friends. You can’t chase love you know, it just happens – mostly when you are not at all expecting it.”



Sandra gets to sleep in Alex’ bed ...



... while Xander will have to make do with a mattress in the living room. Being the oldest sibling pays off once again. But Xander has nothing against it. It is a little bit like camping. He is really enjoying this Christmas.



As are all of them.



They finish the evening by singing Christmas carols while Stella plays the piano.



And the following morning she sits by the piano again, enjoying to be once again surrounded by her family, even if it is only this morning. Xander and Ingmar are absently watching something on TV, in fact more concentrating on a conversation between them about science – and Sandra is having a very late breakfast, long after the others have finished theirs.



“This really was a wonderful Christmas, Mum,” Sandra says. “Just what I needed. I was really homesick - and I missed you terribly! You seem to be so happy with Ingmar, and it makes me very happy for you. I just wish that someday I could also find someone that is the right one for me.”
"You will! Someday you will", Stella assures her.