After that party many things changed in Daniel's life, if before he had fallen like a child for her smile now he was lost. The first night they spent together turned out to be everything he had imagined and more; he had a woman in his life again. A wife. Deanna began to melt his armor and lessen his sadness, she restored his joy. His house was a home again, warm and happy.
-Deanna's birthday is next week, Harry. What should we get her? Do you think she should celebrate it at the house? -
- I don't know, Laura.
- I'll call her and ask about it. We won't be able to go out and celebrate like we used to. I doubt Daniel will let her get together with all the boys again -
- I don't know.
- What's the matter with you? You've been apathetic for days -
- I'm sorry, I've been having trouble at work. I'm sorry to make you suffer as well -
Harry put his hand on Laura's belly, which was already quite noticeable. He didn't want to take his frustration out on her, but he couldn't help it. Nothing took his mind off the image of Dean and his brother together. He had seen Daniel at the company every day since that night and the happiness on his face was evident.
-I'm sure Deanna will let us know if she decides to celebrate, don't worry. Even though she's a married woman, she's still our Dean.
No, she wasn't. He couldn't see her like he used to.
-You can tell she's happy, apparently they get along better with Daniel... Do you think... they are really dating? - Laura asked him with enthusiasm.
They were doing more than dating.
-I don't know." His apathy came back like a bucket of cold water. He removed his hand from his wife's belly and went out to the kitchen.
Laura had been watching him for some time, her husband had changed radically after Camila's birthday. He concentrated on work, stopped meeting with his friends and hadn't touched her for weeks. Every now and then she would find him in the middle of the night alone in the living room with a bottle in his hand. Anyone would have thought he was drowning his sorrows.
It was not what she expected from their marriage. He was still as sweet and kind as ever, but all that joy he radiated was fading. As if little by little it was dying down.
- Laura told me that next week is my sister-in-law's birthday, did you know? -
- Yes, Susan -
- What are you going to gift my sister-in-law? -
- I don't know yet, I'll have to think about it.
- Maybe I'll get the kids to pick out a present for my sister-in-law too -
- Susan...
- What? -
- I know what you're trying to do, but it's not gonna work -
- Really? And why won't it work, brother? -
- Because now if she's your sister-in-law -
- Oh my God! You're in love, Daniel! - Susan reacted as if she had won the lottery.
- Don't make a fuss -
- Of course I will!... I'm so glad, brother, I can't tell you how much -
- We're just getting started...
- But you are in love with Deanna... -
- Yes, but...
- Oh my God! Did you say yes?! -
- You already sound like mom, Susan...
- Hey! -
And Susan was indeed more than happy for Daniel. She had once thought that her brother would never love another woman in his life. The cold, temperamental, indolent Daniel had been tamed by the most unlikely person. Who would have imagined that out of a farce would come something so wonderful?
- Have you heard from Harry? -
- No, he doesn't talk to me. I see him every day at the office, but he only speaks to me if it's about work. I know about Laura because she talks to Deanna -
- Poor thing... He must be devastated... -
- What should I do? I don't know what to do with that boy, Susan -
- Maybe you should try talking to him, reassure him that your feelings are sincere and that you'll always look out for her. Maybe he needs to hear it -
- I don't know...
- Does Deanna know anything? -
- No, of course she doesn't. I won't take any chances with Deanna about this, I'm sure she'll take it badly -
- It's true, she agreed to marry you to help him, she's very fond of him. If she finds out that you are on these terms she will not react well -
- That's why I don't tell her and I don't think Harry will either -
He was hurt by Harry's attitude. He wasn't choosing between the woman he loved and his brother, he didn't plan on falling in love with her and he didn't know that Harry was as well. But he wasn't going to give up on Deanna either, and certainly not when she was willing to stand by his side. He had never felt this mixture of love and desperate passion, not even with the mother of his children.
But Harry kept rejecting him, wouldn't give him a chance to talk to him about anything but business. Daniel was beginning to get fed up with his attitude. Until one morning he ended up locking himself in his office with him.
- I won't let you come out until you listen to me -
- I don't want to hear you. What could you possibly say to me? -
- Harry, I understand what you must be going through... -
- No, of course you don't. When didn't a woman ever love you? Never Daniel. Emily and now Deanna, you never lose a battle –
- You're not the first one to go through this either -
- You're my brother, how could you? -
- You think I knew how you felt about her? Really, Harry, that you think I came between you is what hurts me the most about this. You know me, I would never do anything like that, least of all to you... -
- See? That's what she breeds in people -
- What are you talking about? -
- You were always rigid and distant, if you ever cared about other people's feelings you never showed it and now you're trying to fix the problem we have and you even bother to explain things to me! That's all Deanna's doing -
- Maybe... -
- I don't care what you want to tell me, just know that I married Laura for our son. I almost broke up with her, you know? I could never get Deanna to see me as anything else, but I was planning to tell her how I felt anyway. I love Laura very much, but I will never love her like I love Deanna... You were right, I am a coward and yet, Daniel, I won't stop blaming you. I don't want to listen to you because nothing you tell me is going to relieve me, at this moment I only feel anger -
- Don't let it consume you, your son is on his way. We did all this for him, your responsibility now is to give him a stable home and a happy life. If you have to hate me, do it. But don't forget that I met her because you brought her to my door -
- The only thing that comforts me is knowing that eventually she's going to leave you. How long do you think you'll be able to keep her? You've seen what she is and all she has to offer and you don't deserve her. She is a free spirit, Daniel, she will eventually tire of your constant attempts to limit and monopolize her. If you think you'll be able to control her, you're crazy. Besides, what will you do when the years of difference between the two of you start to weigh on her? -
Daniel had already thought of all that, he had no intention of limiting or controlling her. Her freedom was what made him fall in love. He dared to pretend to her knowing he was about to face a storm, a hurricane, but unlike Harry, he was willing to drown himself if necessary.
Finally, talking to his brother proved worse. The grudge he held against him was enormous, he would not easily forgive him if he ever did. It hurt in his soul, but he wasn't going to let her go. He would cling to her and what he felt with all his being. He too cherished, he too suffered, he too had the need to feel loved. He appeared to be an indifferent and distant man, yet he had hopes and dreams as much as anyone else. Why couldn't he get his dreams back?
And anyway, the words Harry had said to him, even though he had already considered them, hit him straight in the heart. They became thorns in his side that he would have to live with permanently. He was willing to bear them; he would do everything in his power not to let them pierce his skin. All he wanted was to go back and see her smile, feel her warmth, smell the perfume of her hair.
-Susan is right. You lost yourself in it," he said to himself.