Chapter 5

It was early the next morning when there was a knock on Astrid's front door. She opened it and her mother immediately enveloped her in a hug.

"Mom..... can't breathe." Astrid managed to get out. Her mother looked a bit sheepish as she let her go.

"So honey, what did you want to talk about?"

"Well...." Astrid trailed off suddenly feeling a bit insecure as they walked to the living room. "You want some tiramisu?" She asked quickly. Her mom however wasn't buying it.

"You're offering me tiramisu? Astrid are you feeling alright?"

"Of course I am mom." Astrid mumbled as she got the foam container out of the fridge. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well let's see. You just offered me tiramisu." Mrs. Hofferson deadpanned. "The last time I tried to take a bit of tiramisu you growled at me. Growled, Astrid! Now what's wrong?"

Astrid gave a nervous chuckle before she quickly spilled the beans "My husband, who isn't supposed to be my husband, accidentally set Julia on fire and then foamed both her and Martin before giving me a lift home! I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE!"

"Say what now?!" her mom exclaimed. "Honey, bring that tiramisu here and a bottle of red wine. This might take a while."

Astrid nodded as she plated the dessert and got out a bottle of wine from the fridge. Once seated on the couch her mother gave her a look that said 'Explain everything slowly.' and so she did. She spilled everything from her bachelorette party, to her friends' feelings over Martin, to the events in the restaurant up until she went to bed. The dessert had long been consumed and the bottle of wine was running dangerously low as Astrid went on. "..... and then Julia had the gall to claim that she had the right to open my mail and Martin said nothing against it. Can you believe him! When he speaks up it's to tell me I'm making a scene! I don't know what to do anymore mom!"

Mrs. Hofferson sipped the wine as she looked at her daughter. "Is this Hiccup fellow really handsome?" Was the first thing she asked upon hearing the whole story.

"MOM!" Astrid admonished.

"What honey?" She smiled at her daughter. "I'm just asking if he's handsome."

"He's handsome, he's funny, and he's chivalrous." Astrid admitted. "At least that is what I saw in the short time that I knew him. "Oh and he has a behind to drool over."

"Now we're talking dear."

"MOM!!" Astrid blushed as she shouted this. Her mother merely raised her wine glass and then asked. "So where is Martin now?"

"He decided to stay at his mother's last night. Honestly he was such a jerk." Astrid sighed. "I don't know if it's because of stress at his job or not but...."

"Astrid, aren't you just making up excuses for Martin now?" Mrs. Hofferson asked while frowning slightly. "He's a grown man. He'll apologize for his behaviour on his own."

Astrid sighed. "I know mom, I'm just really confused right now."

"Honey, do you still want to marry Martin?"

"We've been together for four years. Do you think I want to throw that away?"

"Four years Astrid, but do you love him?" She asked. "Are you going to give up your happiness just because marriage after such a long relationship is expected? I have no love for Julia, but I did think Martin was good for you when I met him because he made you smile. Now not so much Astrid. You've been miserable during this whole wedding process."

"I know mom" Astrid sighed. "I just don't know what to do anymore. When did life get so complicated?"

"Life is always complicated Astrid. It just hits some harder than others. Now I know that I'm your mother and you're looking to me for advice right now, but this is not something I can decide for you. Who you end up with has to be your decision." She told her daughter. "That annulment hearing of yours is in two weeks. Whether you chose Martin, Hiccup or neither, it has to be your choice."

"Did you ever have to make such a decision mom?" Astrid asked curiously.

Mrs. Hofferson let out a laugh. "Honey, I was performing in a rodeo when I met your father. I accidentally ended up lassoing him."

"Right" Astrid snorted.

"I was young and a rising rodeo star but I fell in love with him. But thank Thor he only tried to serenade me once" She shuddered. "Soon it was down to the decision if I was going to keep him or if I was going to leave for the big time and build a career. I'm sure you know which I chose honey." Astrid nodded. "But I only chose it because I was certain that I would be happy with him. I never regretted any of it. So I want you to think Astrid. Will you be happy with Martin?"

"I'll think about it mo-" Astrid stopped when her doorbell rang. She frowned as she wasn't expecting anybody today. Astrid excused herself and went to answer the door.

"Ms. Hofferson?" The deliveryman at the door asked.

"Yes"

"Sign here please." He said and indicated towards the line on the paper. Once Astrid signed he handed her a bouquet of a dozen red roses along with a small gift bag.

"Thank you" Astrid said as the man left. She closed the door and brought the gifts into the livingroom for her mom to see.

"Who are those from?" Her mother inquired. Astrid plucked the card from the roses and opened it. "Martin" She told her mom. "You think he realized what a jerk he was?"

"Can't really say yet." Her mother commented. "Roses can mean anything."

"Well the card says that he has made reservations at a popular French restaurant in town. Seems he wants to talk." Astrid read further before reaching into the gift bag and taking out a jewelry box. When she opened it she let out a gasp. The box contained a set of sapphire studded earrings.

"I can't refute that he hasn't any taste honey." Her mom said as she looked at the earrings. They were lovely.

"I'm assuming you're going to hear him out then." She said as Astrid nodded. "Just remember what I told you."

"I will mom, but I will need to hear what he has to say first. This isn't a decision that I want to make lightly. I know I messed up in Vegas and I'm trying to fix it. I feel really bad about keeping this from Martin. The least I can do is hear him out." Astrid told her as her mother was getting ready to leave.

"What are you going to do for the rest of the day?"

"Oh I'm heading to the spa with Tuffnut." She told Astrid.

"You and Tuff, at a spa?" She asked just to make sure.

"Oh yes hon. He's booked us a very good spa package." She told Astrid. "It has a body wrap and aromatherapy massage included. Then we are getting our nails done."

Astrid blinked at her mother for a few seconds before nodding. "Oh and he promised to show me something called yak tipping."

"Uhm...... ooookay." Astrid said. "Wait doesn't Tuff usually go yak tipping with Ruff?"

"He said something about his sister stalking their new neighbour. A British fellow...... can't remember his name." Mrs. Hofferson thought for a moment. "You know the one that just moved into their building last week." Astrid nodded again, how could she not know. Ruffnut had been exclaiming the wonders of an Adonis body that her neighbour had for just as long.

"Well have fun mom." Astrid said. "Oh and please don't cause a stampede."

"Oh don't worry honey, this isn't my first time yak tipping." Her mother laughed as she exited the apartment leaving behind an exasperated Astrid. She closed the door and went back to the living room to put the flowers in a vase. She looked once more at the earrings and thought 'Oh screw it, I'm wearing the blue dress tonight!'

Astrid arrived at the restaurant in a taxi. Martin had called her to let her know that he would be in meetings all day but would meet her there. She walked inside and was shown to a table near the middle of the room. A string quartet was playing classical music on a stage and she saw Martin already at the table. He was on the phone and hadn't noticed her yet. She checked her dress again, a royal blue off-the-shoulder knee-length chiffon dress that showed off her smooth legs.

"Hi honey" Astrid greeted but Martin just held up a finger to her to wait as he continued the call. She pursed her lips and sat down opposite to him. He ended the call and then looked at Astrid "Sorry darling, work was just so hectic today." He lifted a brow and said "You wore the blue dress."

"I did. It matches these." Astrid smiled as she gestured to the sapphire earrings.

"Those are lovely Astrid. Did you buy them today?" He asked causing Astrid to frown some more.

"Martin, you gave me these......... today." Astrid told him.

"Oh... eh... right........"

"Martin!" Astrid hissed as her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Alright honey...... I might have asked my intern to pick out a gift for you." He admitted. The glare Astrid sent him made him gulp.

"Intern?!" Astrid's voice was deceptively calm. "You had your intern buy them?"

"I was in meetings all day Astrid." Martin used that as an excuse. "I did want to give you something special but there just wasn't any time."

"I see." She was still frowning but she guessed she could excuse that. Work does have a habit of piling up.

"So you wanted to talk?" She asked as the waiter came back with a bottle of chilled wine.

"Yes Astrid I would." Martin said as the wine filled their glasses. "Last night was a disaster."

"I'm so glad you agree." Astrid told him.

"Yes Astrid, and I think you owe my mother an apology." Astrid's glass stopped midway to her lips as she gave Martin an incredulous look.

"Excuse me!" She said somewhat louder. "What in your right mind makes you think that I owe your mother an apology?!"

"Astrid, please not so loud." Martin mumbled. "You're making a scene again."

"So this is supposedly about me making a scene Martin?!"

"Astrid, you're going to marry me soon. Your actions thus reflect on me and my family. You must also start to respect mother." Martin tried to explain. The grip on Astrid's wine glass tightened and she downed the contents entirely before turning again to her fiance.

"Well then Martin" She started, her voice still emotionless. "Then I guess I won't do it."

"I'm so glad you understand Astrid." Martin smiled at her. "Such scenes are entirely uncloth for people of my stature to be present in."

"I'm afraid you don't understand Martin." Astrid now gave him somewhat of a smirk. "When I said that I wouldn't do it, I didn't mean cause a scene. I meant the wedding." She was still smiling as she took off her engagement ring and placed it in front of him.

"Say what now?!" Martin blinked as he didn't fully comprehend. He looked from the ring on the table back to Astrid in utter confusion as if saying 'How could she reject me?!!!'

"I'm saying this wedding is off and we are through." She said loudly enough while standing up to attract the attention of several nearby patrons. "You take the side of someone who doesn't even respect me and I've had enough! I've frankly had it with you and your mother! If you think I'm going to apologize to her for her violation of my privacy then you got another thing coming mister! We have been together for four years, FOUR YEARS!, but in that time you have let her walk all over me. At first I bore with it thinking we'd earn each other's respect, and during the entire time of our engagement I've seen a completely different side of you. A side that I can't and won't put up with it anymore."

"Astrid please!" Martin whispered as he slightly shrank back from the stares. "It's not so bad. Please don't make a scene. Society reporters are at this restaurant constantly."

"Is that all you care about Martin? Publicity? What about your mother changing my wedding dress, what about her changing our first song?! Martin, this isn't me making a scene." Astrid stated as she leaned forward slightly, more of her pent up frustrations came to the surface. "A scene would be me using uncle Finn's axe on you." She stated, causing Martin to blanch, before turning around and walking out the restaurant with her head held high. Meanwhile Martin still sat there wondering what the hell had just happened.