Fancy Pants Epilogue

Fancy Pants Epilogue

~ Daniella ~

“Come guys! It is a group picture now!” Standing beside the podium, I shouted, straining my voice enough so that all Fancy Pants members could hear. Hired by Suri and Amano to be their wedding event coordinator, I had contacted a famous photographer in L.A. to capture the video and photos during the private event. The line-up of picture taking starting from the small entourage, parents and relatives had just finished. Now, it was the Club’s turn.

Vincent, Karl and Alec were already in the dais, congratulating the newlyweds while Enrique was busily talking to one bridesmaid who was Suri’s distant cousin.

Erik was sitting in one of the front pews in the chateau chapel, silent and rather too relaxed. Of all of the members, he was the one who hadn’t stood up and expressed his greetings. Well, at least not yet as Suri and Amano had been continuously surrounded by the jovial crowd.

I straightened and rested a hand on my right waist, one Jimmy Choo-wearing foot forward, while I gave him a raised brow, silently sending him signals of lifting his butt off the wooden seat. He ghosted a smirk then and stood up with his debonair aura clothed in the latest Armani suit.

“Yes! I’ve been waiting for this!” exclaimed Alec who I didn’t even notice was already standing beside me.

“Come here Dani,” he stated giving me a cheeky grin. He pulled me in by the shoulder and pressed us side by side.

I would have given him a slight playful nudge had it not for Erik’s sudden interruption. He shoved Alec aside and inserted himself in between us.

“Ah Prez!” Alec shot him a confused, pouting look.

“You stand together with Karl, Alec,” muttered Erik with a clear glare on his way.

“But Prez, I want to stand next to Daniella!” I heard him complain. I had to keep myself from giggling as I watched their little argument.

I bent a little to see Erik’s reaction and true enough, it was what I expected. He glared even more - exactly his signature don’t-mess-with-me look - towards his Make-up and Prosthetics Expert.

Alec looked defeated. He raised his hands up and stepped inches away rather comically. “Okay, okay. Karl it is then,” he sputtered.

Everyone lined up in their chosen places. Amano and Suri were a stair down from us, right in the middle. I, wearing a floor-sweeping Venus cut light pink dress, stood directly above them and being towered over in between Erik and Vincent. Enrique dashingly stood beside him, in the far right. Alec, although disappointed, stood next to Erik, and followed by Karl.

It would have been a better scene if Rohan was around. I had to breathe hard to free myself from the heavy burden in my chest when his memory crossed my mind.

I knew that in every Club member, that was what they were thinking, but at least this joyous occasion reduced that sadness a bit. It has been a month since his death. Each day was difficult, but the Club members helped each other cope with the loss.

Under the Fancy Pants Club supervision, the Le Château de Esclavette’s daily operation returned. ISA had stated that the Club had served its purpose well and for this, the members were given a chance to choose their own future endeavors in life, be it to continue being an undercover agent or to proceed with a normal civilian danger-free life.

Amano and Suri, of course, had chosen the latter. To build a family was what they have dreamed ever since. Alec, Enrique and Karl decided to serve ISA further, preferring to stay in the chateau while there were no operations being done yet, while Vincent, he stated he will have to lay low on being a Tactical Operation’s Specialist as of the moment, citing that he needed to take care of some ‘matters.’

Erik, on the other hand, was left to care the chateau. Since his battle with his family and Iopata had ended, he decided to make himself my personal bodyguard/master/lover - until such time we wed of course. As the President, he had appointed me as the Head of Public Affairs of the Club and by that I meant the head of all fancy parties being held inside the chateau. Since the renovation of the President’s Hall and the return of operations, invites, expression of interests, rents and guests of the chateau had skyrocketed. My mother was more than happy to assist me through the Rosecraft Weddings and Events Company.

She told me the truth by the way, of how she first met Erik and how he asked for my hand in marriage in the middle of the busy California airport terminal. She was all thumbs up and giddy at the same time, demanding us immediately for many, many, many grandchildren and as a result, Erik seduced me into bed many, many, many times. A football team of Little Eriks and Little Daniellas roaming around the chateau gardens, that’s what he told me. And yeah, I had to agree with that else he’d make me even sore than I am.

“Hey, show some teeth,” I stated just as I nudged Erik in the ribs. His firm expression reminded me of how I will have a hard time teaching my Little Eriks on how to smile. Surely, they would inherit their father’s rude and edgy side.

“Hmm, I’m showing it,” he replied, looking down at me.

I twisted my lips playfully and narrowed my eyes. “Wider Mr. President.”

He did, about a millimeter more.

“Wider,” I added again, not contented with how constipated it looked.

For a moment, he battled between giving in and spouting at me, but then he smiled so widely I had to blink a couple of times.

“Yes, that’s better,” I remarked, nodding my head, pleased.

But then his beaming smile turned into a grin in a heartbeat.

“Come here,” he said and then pulled me close by the waist.

“Erik!” I exclaimed, putting my palms up against his chest.

Much to my distress and embarrassment, he launched himself down and kissed me. I didn’t have time to push him away (nor do I want to in the first place) when he slipped a hot, wet tongue inside my mouth.

Naturally, I gave in and reciprocated. Our tongues dueled probably for just a few seconds yet it felt like we had been lip-locking for hours.

“Okay smile!” Somewhere in the front, the photographer shouted.

In response, Erik loosened his grip on me and stopped our kiss. I saw him smile a genuine wide smile to the photographer just as I showed mine in a blushing daze.

Five snaps followed all the while his arm was around my bare shoulder. When the photographer gestured his thumb up, I pulled myself a little and looked at Erik with a frown.

“Goodness, why did you do that?” I asked, feeling like we stole half of the wedding guests’ attention on us.

“I want to see you all flushed up in the picture,” was Erik’s simple remark.

What?!

Although feeling flustered about what he did, I instead gave him a smile and another nudge in his ribs. “Then, I believe you were successful Mr. President.”

He grinned at me and then leaned in to peck on my forehead.

“Hey, get a room you two,” complained Vincent who noticed our little bubble of teasing.

“Oh, we will Vincent,” I heard Erik say whilst hooking an arm around my waist. That just got me even redder.

“Don’t mind him Vince. He is just too jealous of Suri and Amano now,” I stated, shaking my head and glancing briefly at the two who was again congratulated by their many well-wishers.

“Yes, come to think of it. When will be your wedding?” Vincent asked, looking back and forth on me and Erik.

“Don’t ask me,” I shrugged, “Ask him,” and pointed my eyes on my fiancé.

Both Vincent and I gave Erik an expectant face.

“What?” he stated, acting clueless.

Hmmm, as if he can fool me, I giggled at myself.

“Your wedding Prez, when is it?” Vincent inquired.

Erik looked at me first, giving me his appreciative, twinkling eyes and then back to Vincent. “As soon as possible once you start playing the violin again,” he answered swiftly, obtaining a quick blink from me.

“Ah yes! I haven’t heard you play it since that time in the balcony Vince,” I interjected.

Vincent blushed momentarily and directed his eyes down on the floor. “Don’t worry, it won’t be long,” he murmured. “I have...an inspiration now.”

“A woman perhaps?” Erik quickly hinted.

The latter didn’t show any sign of refusal at all that I had to arch my brows.

“More like it. Her...her name is Eren,” he answered, looking back at Erik.

“Like the Eren in your violin composition title?” I butted in, awed by this little but excellent piece of information. The name made me remember that time in the balcony where he played the violin like he was playing in front of a Goddess in the night sky. It was one of the best memories I had with him.

“Yes, Daniella. I’m surprised you remembered it.” Vincent smiled at me.

“Oh, of course I would. Like I said, it is a beautiful piece,” I smiled back with no malice at all.

“Then, I suggest you be quick Mr. VP,” Erik stated. “I don’t want any other violinist playing on mine and Daniella’s wedding aside from you.”

I nodded at this.

“Huh, you are inflating my lungs Prez,” Vincent proclaimed.

“Good luck on courting her Vince,” I said and then winked at him.

He smiled a lot wider this time. His eyes mellowed and warmth radiated from it. It was as if he was thinking of the lucky woman right then and there.

“Hey Vicente! Come here!” called out Enrique suddenly, cutting our conversation. He stood at the bottom of the stairs with two women with him. One was the bridesmaid earlier while the other was a beautiful half-Asian, half-foreign woman who I have just seen.

“I should go there,” Vincent informed as he turned to us.

“Go ahead,” Erik answered with a nod. I shooed him off too by flipping my hand and giving him a cheeky grin. Not that I am acting like a matchmaker, but I have a big gut feeling this new woman with Enrique was the one for Vincent.

“Daniella.”

My attention on the said woman was abruptly cut off by Erik’s voice. I looked back at him and raised a brow, confused.

“Come with me.”

Leading the way, he held my right hand tightly and pulled me down the dais.

“Hmmm, we are not going to your room now, are we?” I teased, giving his delicious broad back a quick study.

He stopped just as we were at the base of the stairs and pulled me chest to chest.

“No, but that will be next after we go to the art gallery,” he stated with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Art gallery?” I asked, ignoring the sexual insinuation in his words. “Why there?”

“There is something I want to show you.”

I narrowed my eyes at him and grinned. “Hmmm, I wonder what.”

Hand in hand, we trekked up the second floor east wing where the art gallery, Colores Imaginarios, was located. The place looked the same when I first entered some months ago. Nothing had changed at all. There were still frames after frames of paintings made by the Club members hung on every wall and dividers.

Silently, Erik led me to a space a few feet away from Vincent’s studio door. I gasped when I saw a painting that was hung on a white-gold wall. It was his creation, the one painting that he did in his entire life that looked like a cross between a pineapple and my face.

“Oh, Erik, you framed it!” I shouted, embracing him with all my might.

I heard his throaty chuckle then before answering, “Yes, I did and I asked Vincent to hang it here.”

“Then this would be your first ever art donation to this gallery?” I pressed my forehead on the crook of his neck and examined the painting again, smiling from ear to ear thinking of the fond memories it bestowed.

“Yes, it would,” he answered, holding me in place by the shoulder.

“Hmmm, Erik, why did you paint me like this by the way? Why a pineapple?”

Although I already knew the answer, I just had to ask again.

“I told you didn’t I?” His finger curled under my chin and lifted my face up. “Your attitude and the pineapple fruit are the same - prickly.”

I pouted at him. In response, he grazed a thumb on my bottom lip and smirked.

“But I painted you like this because I was very jealous of Enrique and Vincent that time,” he continued. “They had your attention. I hated it.”

This made my heart flutter.

“Hmmm, what are the odds, the President, jealous,” I teased.

His playful gaze turned stormy - filled with combined lust, desire and love.

“I have always been jealous, Daniella. It is just that my rudeness covers it well. I loved you since the first time we met in the vineyard. I have never forgotten about you since then.”

“Oh Erik...” I lifted my hands up and traced his jawline. He let me, but I felt his other hand press tighter on my shoulder, drawing me in even more.

“Then, we feel the same way,” I added, planting a chaste kiss on his jaw.

This didn’t seem to satisfy him because he swiftly swooped down and captured my mouth for a heady, soul-searching kiss.

Time and tide we have kissed and expressed our feelings for each other. Who would have known that a simple but dangerous collision in a French vineyard under an orange and violet dawn sky would yield to this kind of love. We may have undergone numerous battles during the process, but it was worth it in the end.

“Hey, remember you once asked me where I like to go for a vacation?” I stated once we regained our breathing.

Erik nodded and eyed me expectantly. “Yes, have you decided now?”

“Yup, I would like to go to France. In my family’s vineyard where we first met,” was my sure answer. I had thought of Hawaii, Coron, and the Bahamas, but I believe the vineyard would be my best choice ever.

Erik seemed to agree with this for he smiled and answered before devouring my mouth again, “Then we shall, my Sweet Daniella.”

The End.