Deanna was awakened by a tapping on the door. It was Susan who had gone to check on the child. Startled, she looked at the time and it was already close to 9 o'clock.
-Susan, come in... Jonathan is still asleep.
-I'm sorry to bother you, Deanna, but yesterday Mom told me the boy wasn't well so I came to see him.
- Not at all, come in. Ethan and Naomi must have left for school by now, I overslept - -
- Yes, they've already left. Daniel too -
He preferred to let her sleep, surely the night she spent taking care of Jonathan must have been a little busy. When he returned home he would have that pending conversation with her.
Jonathan was already better, the fever had subsided and now he was resting peacefully. Susan approached the bed as Deanna got up. So she had taken care of the little one all night.
- Why don't you go down to breakfast? I'll stay with him -
- Yes, thank you... Susan, do you have anything else to do this morning-
- No, nothing at all.
- Could you stay with Jonathan for a while? I have to go out.
- Yeah, sure, sure. Go easy, today my day is more than free so take your time -
Deanna couldn't wait for Daniel to come back. She felt alive for the first time since she entered that house and last night when he told her they had to separate a huge pain invaded her from head to toe. She didn't want to leave; she didn't want to leave him. If she had a chance she had to take it with all her strength and not let it slip away. That rude, imposing man, who struggled to be considerate and kind, who hid his efforts to get close to her, looked totally different last night. He looked defeated.
Inside her the feeling was growing stronger and stronger that she had somehow hurt him, that it was her fault. That that worn look he was giving her back was because of her constant rejections. So she made a decision, if she was wrong she would end it all, but if not....
She went to look for him in his office. It was her first time at the company, so she prepared herself to make the best possible impression, she was the boss's wife after all. She walked in somewhat nervously to the reception desk and asked to see him, the receptionist looked at her quizzically. No one arrived and asked directly for Daniel. Just then Harry, who had been working there for some time, arrived.
- Deanna! -
- Hello, Harry.
- What are you doing here? Did something happen? -
- No, I just need to talk to Daniel -
From upstairs Daniel watched them and for a second he felt that rush of jealousy; but soon he remembered that heaviness that comes with failure. Of course she had gone to see Harry what else would she be doing there? Last night she was just overwhelmed by the hangover and then the kid thing happened, he was delusional. How could he believe she didn't want to leave him, how could he be so childish?
Harry walked her to the main office, but Daniel was in a meeting so he would have to wait. His secretary was giving no merit to what she saw, the rumors that the CEO had married a younger woman were true. Deanna took advantage of his absence to wander around the office, so large and cluttered. Daniel had several photographs of the children and his family on his desk, among them was one of the five of them together. Daniel, the young children and Emily.
-She was very pretty and distinguished - She said to herself, looking at it.
She had never seen her before, knew of her, but had no idea what she looked like. That was why everyone said Deanna was not the woman for Daniel, his late wife was nothing like the willful, fighting wife he had now. For a moment she was discouraged. How could he notice her when the mother of his children had been such a pretty lady? Surely very well educated, who would know how to behave like the perfect wife. And Deanna was a troublemaker who would stand up to him at the slightest disagreement. Of course everyone would talk behind her back, that's why she was considered a gold digger; she didn't even come from the same social stratum. Daniel would probably be ridiculed as a mature man chasing younger women.
But Deanna was not the kind of woman who let herself be defeated so easily, she fought with all her might to get what she wanted until she either succeeded or failed miserably. She had no in-between. And although she was extremely nervous and confused, she did know one thing: she did not want to be separated from Daniel. She had to arm herself with all her strength to be able to face him. She was determined.
When he returned to his office, his secretary announced that his wife was inside waiting for him. He entered in a daze.
- Deanna? What are you doing here? Did something happen with Jonathan? - Deanna stood up.
- No, he's fine, the fever broke. He stayed with Susan -
- With Susan? -
- She came to check on him and I asked her to look after him to... come and see you - Wasn't she there for Harry?
Daniel didn't know what to say or do, inside him all that resolve about that pending talk began to fizzle out. He couldn't be such a coward, what was he afraid of?
-I want to talk to you about what happened last night... before your parents arrived," he said.
She was going to tell him to get a divorce, he thought.
-I know I shouldn't have gone out like that. I was angry... I shouldn't have drunk so much, but you really drive me crazy... -
Why did she look so pretty? He couldn't concentrate, just looking at her.
-... and I don't know what's wrong with you and Harry that you always get mad at me because of that... -
Jealousy, that's what was wrong with him, jealousy.
-... really, I don't understand what you think about us, but Harry is like my brother... I love Laura too... -
Her hair, her hair was down.
-... so I'm sorry if these days I behaved like a fool... I really don't know how to make us get along! Believe me I'm trying... -...
He had told her many times to wear longer skirts.
-... I don't want us to get divorced. I don't want to; I don't accept it. I don't want to be separated from the children, I don't want to be separated from you... -...
Pushed by an invisible force, Daniel crossed the few meters that separated them and grabbed her face. Deanna froze for a moment, but then she understood. Seeing him so close, seeing him in eyes that expressed themselves more than words; she clung to his arms and by an impulse born from her chest she stood on her tiptoes and finished closing those few inches to his mouth.
Her lips felt just as Daniel had imagined them, soft and warm. It was a chaste kiss, at first, a tentative kiss. As if they were both trying to make sure they weren't mistaken. But little by little it grew in intensity, Daniel looked like a thirsty man in the desert who had found an oasis in her mouth and Deanna responded in kind. Slowly their bodies grew closer and closer, until she was holding him with her arms around his neck and he had one hand on her neck and the other on her waist.
They poured into that endless kiss all the tensions, the wear and tear, the arguments, the misunderstandings of all those days. But also what they did not dare to say, the sensations they generated in each other, the need that left them breathless, the desire that grew as time went by. Deanna was melting all over, from her mouth began to escape little sounds, little moans, whispers that her body provoked.
And Daniel was one step away from losing control listening to her. He was using all his strength to hold back, it was driving him crazy. He could feel the heat of Deanna's body through his hands, could feel her curves against his chest, the incipient ripple starting where her back ended. He had to stop. She felt it too, felt the effect of his kiss against her belly and faster her heart was beating.
He made a superhuman effort to pull away from her mouth, they were both panting, as if oxygen wasn't getting through to their lungs. He leaned his forehead against hers seeking to lower the intensities. Deanna opened her eyes wide, as if just realizing what was happening and a rosy hue filled her cheeks, she looked into his eyes and gave him the biggest smile he had ever seen. How could she be so beautiful?