"It's been a long time since I've been here..."
Lief felt as if his future marriage to Josefin would not seem right, if he didn't bury the hatchet with the three other women.
He was well aware they would not be happy to see him, but he was willing to do his best to reason with them.
It was all a matter of gathering enough courage to go through with it.
Lief found himself at the door of ex-wife number one. He willed himself to go up the stairs and ring the doorbell.
"Well, look who decided to come crawling back!" The words were spoken in such a biting tone that Lief felt as if she were stabbing him directly.
"Veronika, I--"
"Save it! You and our little brat can get lost! I am so tired of you trying to paint a happy face on things!"
"Veronika, stop. That's not what I came here for."
"Then why bother showing up at all?!"
"Well, whether or not you want to believe it, I just want to put our differences aside. I'm not trying to woo you back or anything. I just...I don't want us to hate each other anymore."
"Wh...What are you talking about? You finally get bashed over the head at work with a printer like I hoped?!"
"Look, Veronika. I get it, you're still mad at me, and the whole divorce thing. But I don't want you to think I hate you. And, well, it really hurts to know you and Karen don't get along."
"Lief...What brought this on?" Understandably, Veronika was confused at the motives her ex-husband presented before her.
"Well, I still want you to be a part of Karen's life. And I just don't think it'd do any good to harbor resentment. I'd at least want us to be on civil terms again."
"Civil terms, huh? I'm guessing you have something going on, that prompted this. What are you, dying of cancer?"
"No, Veronika..." Lief smiled a little. "I'm getting married again."
"Again? This is the fourth time."
"And hopefully, it'll be the last time. I really do have a good feeling about this one."
For the first time in what felt like years, Lief saw Veronika smile.
"In that case...treat her decent, all right?"
"You know I will. And you...I hope you can find someone who can make you happy. That's what I want for you: to be happy."
"I'll try, Lief. I'll do my best."
At that point, the two said their good-byes, and Lief parted for the next house.
(End of Chapter 16.)
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