There was a chance that Laura and Harry could have the wedding they deserved. What could she lose by trying?
-In fact, Laura, I was thinking... How about a double wedding? -
Laura looked at her very surprised.
- Double? -
- Yes, why not? You and Harry are planning to get married too, aren't you? We could do it together -
Harry knew Deanna and knew what she was planning.
-Deanna's right, we could do it together It would be wonderful! -
-No, no, no, no, there are so many things to prepare and in two weeks it's impossible. Besides, it's too soon for you to get married, Laura - Laura's mother said.
- Between the two of us the organization will be much faster and easier- Deanna insisted.
Susan also realized what Deanna was trying to do and joined in.
- That's a great idea! I'll volunteer to help them-
- But sharing a wedding? - The mother didn't want to give in.
- Our wedding will be simple, nothing spectacular. So Harry and Laura's could be the icing on the cake... What do you think, "dear"? - she asked Daniel, looking at him with eyes full of anticipation.
- It can be done - "Wow, so much excitement," Deanna thought.
Laura held her hand under the table, it was a gesture of appreciation, a wordless "thank you". Deanna returned it with a smile.
- What do you say, Laura? -
- But Harry's not even out of college yet and he's not even working - Camila, always, Camila.
- I talked to him a few days ago and he has agreed to work with me in the company, he starts next month -
- How sudden... -
- Yes, Mom, your little Harry has finally decided to settle down -
Deanna was gesturing to Harry to intervene, to say something that would seal the conversation.
- Laura... Do you want to marry me in two weeks? - he asked her.
- Yes - She was about to cry.
She had done it!
-Well, it looks like I'll have to get ready to dance with two brides," Charles added. His words were few, but decisive. When the patriarch gave a sentence no one dared to contradict him, not even Camilla could say anything else.
The focus of the meeting shifted from Deanna to the wedding of her friends. After dinner, as the weather was warm and pleasant everyone went out on the terrace to drink and celebrate the eminent union of the two Crusher sons. In reality, Deanna just wanted her friends to have a nice wedding, she didn't understand why they should hide and run away when they had done nothing wrong. But the change also served to distract Camilla a bit from her interrogation. At least, for a while.
The brides-to-be sat in a hammock chair while the gentlemen chatted. Laura thanked her once again for her help, asked her to be her maid of honor and Deanna gladly accepted. She felt happy with herself for having suggested it and insisted on the idea. Her mother came for her and Laura excused herself.
Daniel who had been watching them as they chatted, started to approach as soon as Laura left. But Harry beat him to it.
- Thank you, Deanna -
- You're welcome, kiddo -
- You know you're the best, right? -
- Don't even think you're gonna make me settle for sweet words -
- Come on, Dean! -
- Forget it, I'm marrying your brother, your mother will probably poison me at the reception and these shoes are killing me, do you have any idea what all this is going to cost you? -
- It's amazing we've made it this far undefeated... Dean... I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to meeting my son -
- Oh, daughter. Can you imagine a little "Harry"? -
For some reason it bothered Daniel a little to see them chatting and being so close. There seemed to be a lot of trust between them, a lot of complicity. She laughed at the things Harry said to her and he was very relaxed. Not even with Laura did he express himself in that animated way. What kind of friendship did they share that Deanna was willing to do so many things for his brother?
Harry finally left and Daniel was able to finish approaching. He sat next to her, saying nothing, with two glasses of champagne in his hands. Until he offered her one of them.
- Here -
- Thank you.
- What was that about a double wedding? -
- Just that, it occurred to me and I said, "Why not? -
- You do so much for my brother.
- They both deserve a decent wedding; don't you think? -
- Yes, but why are you doing all this? -
- Why not do it? -
- You and my brother...
- No, never - Daniel was relieved to hear it.
- I'm sorry...
- Sorry for what? -
- The situation we're putting you in -
- I got myself into this, there's nothing to be sorry about. I just hope everything works out -
They were silent, each with their own thoughts. They had made good progress in a few days. However, something was still bothering Daniel and he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. Two weeks from now, the woman sitting next to him would be his fictitious wife, legitimate in the eyes of everyone else, but behind closed doors, it would be a different story. He would need to work hard to achieve a balance.
He had been thinking about her since the day he met her, after a very short time it was all he thought about. He didn't want her to be harmed in any way, shape or form, he didn't want anyone to hurt her. Maybe the gossip that was circulating was true and he was entering a "mid-life crisis". But not like the one they assumed, maybe he was getting softer.
- So you told your father that I'm pretty... -
- You told my mother that I'm a considerate gentleman... -
- Yes. Because you are -
- So are you - He stood up and walked over to where his father was standing.
Deanna hadn't expected that answer. Daniel had changed a little since that first time. He was being less... distant. That was good, maybe they could live together all that year in peace. She'd found his children charming, especially the little one with the round, rosy cheeks. And if he cooperated a little, she was sure they would survive intact.
Now they only had one wedding to organize: that of Harry and Laura. Since theirs was only for show, they decided to do something simple, with few people and fast. Daniel didn't want to turn it into a circus to avoid exposure. But in the end it would be a big event. Deanna was thinking about this, oblivious to what was going on around her, to how people were looking at her and whispering things about her. They had all been nice that night, but they couldn't really understand what was going through Daniel's head.
Their age difference was quite noticeable; it was uncomfortable to see them together. And to make matters worse, Deanna came from a very different social sphere. The rumor had begun to spread that the eldest son of the Crushers was trapped by a woman eager to get all the money out of him and that added to Camila's assumptions, left Deanna as a fortune hunter, shameless and who only wanted a safe-conduct to improve her economic situation.
The story had more than one tale to tell about the opera singer who managed to make a rich aristocrat fall in love with her in order to live off him and finally abandon him for someone younger after taking part of his assets. There was no chance she was really in love with Daniel. How could she be if she was younger and he was a cold man? Right?