Dear bride Grapperhaus,

Or rather Liesbeth Wytzes, because that's what you're called, of course. But ‘das Publikum’ knows you mainly as ‘the bride’ now. I thought of you a lot yesterday. You were probably (I was too, by the way) watching the debate on TV all evening where your husband was executed. You saw his tears, you saw how he defended himself, you saw how each party leader operated and acted.

I'm going to let go of what I personally think about the matter for a moment. I don't like class justice and I do believe in equal monks, equal caps, so you know a bit where I stand. And I think that looking back over your shoulder at last Saturday, you might also think: why did we let this happen? Why not wait a year?

But I can also imagine a different situation. You two together, the beginning of summer, with a glass in hand after a long workday. There had been so much sadness, Ferdinand's wife had passed away, his mother last year. A marriage would bring cement back into a damaged family. A sign of your enduring love. You would have had to make a sacrifice by not writing about politics anymore, but in return, it could be serious between you. Moreover, you were no longer the youngest yourselves, and your mother, how long would you still have her with you? Such a conversation. I can imagine all sorts of things about that. You would keep it small, making the guest list had been difficult.

On the day itself, there were the emotions, that hug. Corona seemed very far away for a moment. And now your sturdy, strong man is wavering. Where you would otherwise be sipping a piña colada in the Maldives (not really your style, but you get my point), you are now sitting on the couch with a cup of tea wondering whether your husband will be sacrificed to the lions or not.

Once again: I think a lot about the whole situation (shall we just remove that note from the judicial document for everyone?), but I wish you, in the post-corona era, a very big party filled with love, warmth, and hugs that make this stain a little easier to forget.