Naomi paced anxiously from the door to the window. Ethan was sitting with Jonathan and they were starting to get dizzy just looking at her. Daniel pretended to read some papers and looked nervously over his glasses at the girl. Beverly, for her part, had stood on the stairs with her arms crossed and a look of displeasure on her face.
-Naomi, stop it... for God's sake..." Ethan told her.
- When is she coming? -
-Why are you so worried? It's just a dress...
-You don't understand anything...-
Ethan rolled his eyes. This whole shopping thing did not excite him at all, he just wanted to go out with Deanna and spend the day together. The little boy just watched her come and go, following her with his eyes, but inside he was even more hopeful than she was.
- Here she comes! - the little girl said excitedly.
Going shopping was quite an experience for her, she loved it. Susan used to take her with her from time to time, but this was the first time she was going with Deanna, and with all she had seen on her travels, she was sure to give her the best recommendation.
She opened the door and walked out without waiting for her brothers. But they followed her.
Deanna stepped out of a black car, wearing an off-the-shoulder green dress, her hair loose, the huge smile that grew even bigger when she saw them coming.
- Deanna! -
- Hello little gentleman... -
Daniel appeared in the doorway and her smile faded. Not because she didn't want to smile at him, she wanted to smile at him, but because the sight of him made her stomach tingle. The best thing was to leave right away.
-Hello," he said, the intensity of his eyes making her stagger a little.
- Daniel - She replied as best she could.
- Where are we going? -
- A dressmaker friend of mine recommended a wonderful place for you to pick out an elegant dress.
- Great! -
- I gave them a credit card - Daniel added.
- No need for that.
Once it would have been impossible for her, but now she could indulge herself as much as she wanted. She made a lot of money, and Leonard made sure to take as much of it as possible.
Beverly appeared behind Daniel and practically clung to him.
-Hello Deanna -
At the sight of her, Deanna's heart slowed completely.
- Hi Beverly... Shall we? - She said to the children.
- See you, Dad," Ethan greeted him.
-Behave yourselves.
Deanna wanted to run, so she hurried in with the kids and off they went.
-One of Leonard's cars..." Beverly told him mockingly.
Daniel didn't answer. Of course it was one of Leonard's cars, he already knew that, it was clear to him.
- How about taking your kids with the... "boyfriend"? -
He didn't get an answer, he just ignored her. He didn't want to hear it, he had seen Deanna and wished that feeling would last all day. He turned and went into the house.
- Daniel! Don't you dare ignore me again, what I say is serious -
- What you're saying is bullshit.
-She's dressing your children with her lover's money -
He exploded.
- I've had enough of you, Beverly! What do you care? They are my children and I decide what they can do and with whom, is that clear? -
His voice sounded so harsh that she remained silent. Everything hung in the balance now, and if she pulled too hard, it would break. Because of that woman! For that woman she would lose what little she had achieved. But she wasn't going to back down, especially not now that she was so close. More than ever, she had to stand her ground and stay alert.
Shopping was not a hobby for Deanna, but at least she would spend time with them and they could have some fun. But Naomi was proving to be more complicated than expected. In less than 30 minutes she had tried on an incredible variety of dresses and didn't like any of them. This was going to take longer than she thought.
- I'm bored already," Ethan told her in disgust.
-Believe me, so am I.
- What is it with women's clothing? -
- Don't look at me..." Deanna told him and the boy smiled.
The choice of his wardrobe was a thousand times easier; a good black suit that suited him perfectly with his physique. He looked so much like his father dressed like that... Instinctively, the boy had chosen a three-piece suit. Of course! How could he not?
-You look very handsome," she said.
- Do you think so? -
- Yes, you look just like Daddy! - Naomi told him.
Ethan's face lit up for a moment. His father was his role model and to be told he looked like him was flattering. He had his posture, the shape of his back, sometimes even the stern expression; but he was still a 16-year-old boy. Deanna watched him and realized that he was on his way to becoming a man. When had he ever grown up like this? Her heart squeezed a little. She was no more than 10 years older than him and yet she saw him as a boy, a gentleman despite his youth, loving and considerate. The girl he laid his eyes on would be very lucky.
For Jonathan it was even easier: a little suit with suspenders and a red bow tie over a white shirt. A real cutie! He was so tender, the little guy, always with the bright eyes and soft caresses for her. The outbursts of pure love that would make him hug her so tight and make his cheeks pink. And Deanna would melt all over.
- Can we go eat now? I'm starving - Deanna said with an exaggerated grimace on her face.
- Pizza! - Jonathan exclaimed.
- Yes, please! Let's go... -
Beverly entered Leonard's house with some caution. The house looked abandoned, lifeless, if it weren't for the staff hanging around. Leonard greeted her in the living room.
- Ah, my dear Beverly! Come in. How have you been? Would you like a drink? -
- No, Leonard. I didn't come here to visit you. I came because your people told me you had important business to discuss with me... about Daniel... -
- Of course, of course! But please, sit down -
And she did. Leonard took his time.
- Well? - she asked annoyed.
- Ah, yes! My dear, I have called you because of something very important... You see, as you know, I have ears and eyes everywhere, and some time ago I received some very interesting news that I would like to share with you... -
- What news? -
- As you might have noticed, this is all about Deanna, I'm not interested in your Daniel. But I can't help it, you'll understand... I have to take care of her... Anyway, imagine I got your little video with the dirty play you and that asshole did... You don't know how surprised I was when I saw it! Especially because this version... was complete -
- What are you talking about? -
- You know... You didn't do anything more than a little circus... Crusher ran away! Who knew? We all thought you were having a nice little romp in his office, and it turns out he left you alone and... ran away? -
- What do you want, Leonard, with all this? It suited you, didn't it? You did quite well... Now the young lady is at your feet - she told him nervously.
How had he put his hands on her?
- Yes, but things have changed a bit since then... What I want to know now is who sent her the edited copy... Was it you? -
- I don't see the point of talking about it now... -
- All the sense in the world to me... answer me -
-I don't have to. But just so you know, it wasn't me, and Daniel knows that...
- That's obvious, otherwise he wouldn't let you within 100 meters of him... So tell me, who was it? -
- Harry Crusher -
- That fool? -
- You're not the only one who loves Deanna, you know that...
- Wow! But Harry couldn't do something like that, you know? No... he didn't...
- Of course he did, his credentials were in the camera logs, no one else could have accessed them... -
Leonard looked at her. She was deliberately withholding information. Why? He decided to tighten the screw a little.
-I don't know why you're holding back, Beverly... As I told you, I have eyes everywhere... Tell me the truth...
- What are you talking about? This is what happened... -
Leonard lost his patience.
-Look, baby, let's make a deal: You tell me what I want to know and I won't tell Daniel about our "alliance" and all the roadblocks you've been putting in his way with my help... What do you say? -
- Ha! You can't threaten me with that, you'll fall too -
- Do you think I'm afraid of that coward? As you said, I have the princess at my feet, I won't lose anything. On the other hand, you're going to lose everything. Can you imagine Crusher's reaction when she finds out that you deliberately recommended the Ambassador so that I could see her? Puufff! And I'll be sitting in the front row with my beautiful Deanna holding my hand to see it... -