Just as Leonard struggled with bitter memories, Daniel was about to experience the same thing. Another anniversary of Emily's death was approaching, and when that happened, the days leading up to it were usually very quiet. Now her memory was not a source of sadness, but the longing was still there.Daniel would take his children to visit her and leave flowers; he didn't go as often as he did in the first few months, when he would spend the day sitting in front of her grave, talking to her in his thoughts and crying. It was a very difficult time to get through because he felt abandoned and scared, even though he didn't admit it.Since Deanna joined the family, the ritual had changed only slightly. Now she was the one who looked for the prettiest flowers to give to the children to take to their mother. It was a way of thanking her, in her heart, for the beautiful children she had given Daniel and for being his strength in many difficult moments.Blue and pink lisianthus, a huge bouquet
Daniel's heart was in his mouth and his chest felt tight. The elevator wasn't coming, and in desperation, he ran down the 15 floors to the ground floor; the car was waiting for him at the door, the engine running as he had shouted from his office.He drove at breakneck speed, knowing he was going to kill himself. He prayed to the heavens that everyone was okay, begging Emily to protect them; he had never felt so afraid in his life. It was a cold, sharp fear that was consuming his soul. Something was pressing down on him from inside, closing his throat and making it difficult to breathe. He had started to sweat.Naomi had called him crying hysterically. He couldn't understand what she was saying. She was choking as she tried to explain, and the words wouldn't come out. Just hearing her made his hair stand on end. He tried to calm her down, to speak softly, but his daughter just screamed incoherent sentences. He had to scream himself because she was driving him crazy.He didn't hang up
“Why are you doing this to me?“ he asked, tears already streaming down his face.“So you can have a heart attack and I can inherit your money?” she replied with a faint smile.Deanna opened her arms wide and he automatically moved away from the wall. He walked until she could hug him, and there, feeling her again, feeling her warmth and breathing, Daniel was finally able to release all his fear. He hadn't cried like that since he said goodbye to Emily for the last time, alone with her in a hospital room, without the sound of machines.“We're okay...” she whispered in his ear.But his face was hidden in her neck, his hand on her belly, and a desperation that was leaving him breathless. He cried with relief, but also with fear and helplessness. Just like that, like a breeze, someone could have taken everything away from him in a second, and he wouldn't have been able to do anything.Deanna kissed the part of his face she could reach and felt his body tremble, so she held him tighter.“L
Alice also left the hospital around that time. The strain she had put on Leonard, the demands and reproaches of his daughters, and his own guilt were taking their toll on his relationship with Susan. Although she tried to contain him, Reed sometimes became a volcano spewing nothing but filth.He was often unstable, capable of going from the sweetest love to a fit of rage in a matter of seconds, triggered by the most insignificant things. And Susan was getting fed up.“You're just going to make her leave you,” Marcus said, looking at him with a grim expression.He listened to their argument; Leonard was on the phone, Susan was in the gallery, and their shouting carried from the back rows of the theater to the stage.Leonard looked at him in disbelief.“That won't happen,” he said with conviction.“I don't know, Leonard... No woman likes to be treated like that. You're turning into an unbearable old man. I won't blame her when she tells you to get lost.”“Nonsense.”But deep down, he kn
Susan was sitting between Amanda and the restless Emma, who wanted to climb over her to get to her little brother. She looked up and saw him approaching with a serious expression and a slightly furrowed brow. Amanda also saw him and stood up. Deanna had already told her what her father was going to do.“Come on, Emma, would you like some dessert?“ he asked, and the little girl took his hand.Susan, a little surprised by his sudden departure, was about to say something when he stopped in front of her.“Sit down with me,” she invited him, but Leonard didn't move. Something about his face was strange.“Leonard? What's wrong?”Without saying a word, old Leonard Reed, madly in love, knelt down on one knee in front of Susan Crusher. Daniel's jaw dropped, Charles gripped the armrests of his chair tightly, and Camila sat down suddenly as if something had pushed her.Susan didn't understand for a few seconds, but then she froze. The whole place fell silent, creating an atmosphere of anticipati
“I feel like a hippopotamus,“ Deanna said, taking off her robe.“But a very cute one,” Daniel replied, doing the same.The pain in her body was getting worse every day. It was difficult for her to move, change position in bed, and even walking was sometimes torture. But the doctor had recommended that when she felt tense, she should relax with hot water. And he was right; it helped her a lot.The shower was quick and improvised, but what really relaxed her was the bathtub. The huge bathtub her husband had installed for her and her belly. But it was too high for her to get in by herself, so Daniel always helped her. He had already told her and emphasized, waving a finger, that she should never even think of using it alone; she could slip or hit herself.During those months, he went to the office less often. He delegated many things to Harry, and his brother complied, so he could spend more time with his family. It seemed like he didn't want to miss a thing.The water was hot, and she c
“But of course it's nonsense!” Camila exclaimed indignantly, rushing out into the courtyard.Susan held her breath and Amanda just watched her. She knew what Harry's mother was like: very traditional, very attached to customs, and relentless. She knew how resistant she had been to Deanna and how difficult it was to please her.“Mom...“ Susan tried.“It's nonsense, Amanda. Ridiculous!” she said, raising her arms.Susan's face tensed, and she looked at her as if to warn her.“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked her daughter, then looked Amanda in the eyes.“Didn't you just give him a son? Doesn't Emma call you Mom? What rights don't you have? Of course you have all of them! For God's sake!”She sat down next to her and touched Ryan's little hand as it slipped out from under the blanket.“You gave my son the chance to love and have a family. You were there for him when none of us could be, and you supported him and made him feel safe. I don't even want to think about wh
Deanna wasn't at all happy with what Harry was proposing. He had to be crazy to come up with such an idea."What you're saying makes zero sense. Did you hit your head before coming here?""I know, but we need your help. I don't know who else to ask."Harry's girlfriend, Laura, wasn't saying anything, but she was getting more nervous by the minute.Their situation wasn't good - they were still in school, they were young, madly in love, but they'd been careless. Laura had confirmed her pregnancy just three days ago."I get where you're coming from, Harry, but no one's going to buy it. Your family doesn't even know me.""But I talked to my brother and he agreed. Please Deanna, help us."Laura finally spoke up, her eyes full of tears."We wouldn't ask this if it wasn't so important to us. Our families are really strict about this stuff. They won't let Harry marry me if his older brother is still single. And my family won't let me keep the baby unless I'm married."Seeing Laura so distress
“But of course it's nonsense!” Camila exclaimed indignantly, rushing out into the courtyard.Susan held her breath and Amanda just watched her. She knew what Harry's mother was like: very traditional, very attached to customs, and relentless. She knew how resistant she had been to Deanna and how difficult it was to please her.“Mom...“ Susan tried.“It's nonsense, Amanda. Ridiculous!” she said, raising her arms.Susan's face tensed, and she looked at her as if to warn her.“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked her daughter, then looked Amanda in the eyes.“Didn't you just give him a son? Doesn't Emma call you Mom? What rights don't you have? Of course you have all of them! For God's sake!”She sat down next to her and touched Ryan's little hand as it slipped out from under the blanket.“You gave my son the chance to love and have a family. You were there for him when none of us could be, and you supported him and made him feel safe. I don't even want to think about wh
“I feel like a hippopotamus,“ Deanna said, taking off her robe.“But a very cute one,” Daniel replied, doing the same.The pain in her body was getting worse every day. It was difficult for her to move, change position in bed, and even walking was sometimes torture. But the doctor had recommended that when she felt tense, she should relax with hot water. And he was right; it helped her a lot.The shower was quick and improvised, but what really relaxed her was the bathtub. The huge bathtub her husband had installed for her and her belly. But it was too high for her to get in by herself, so Daniel always helped her. He had already told her and emphasized, waving a finger, that she should never even think of using it alone; she could slip or hit herself.During those months, he went to the office less often. He delegated many things to Harry, and his brother complied, so he could spend more time with his family. It seemed like he didn't want to miss a thing.The water was hot, and she c
Susan was sitting between Amanda and the restless Emma, who wanted to climb over her to get to her little brother. She looked up and saw him approaching with a serious expression and a slightly furrowed brow. Amanda also saw him and stood up. Deanna had already told her what her father was going to do.“Come on, Emma, would you like some dessert?“ he asked, and the little girl took his hand.Susan, a little surprised by his sudden departure, was about to say something when he stopped in front of her.“Sit down with me,” she invited him, but Leonard didn't move. Something about his face was strange.“Leonard? What's wrong?”Without saying a word, old Leonard Reed, madly in love, knelt down on one knee in front of Susan Crusher. Daniel's jaw dropped, Charles gripped the armrests of his chair tightly, and Camila sat down suddenly as if something had pushed her.Susan didn't understand for a few seconds, but then she froze. The whole place fell silent, creating an atmosphere of anticipati
Alice also left the hospital around that time. The strain she had put on Leonard, the demands and reproaches of his daughters, and his own guilt were taking their toll on his relationship with Susan. Although she tried to contain him, Reed sometimes became a volcano spewing nothing but filth.He was often unstable, capable of going from the sweetest love to a fit of rage in a matter of seconds, triggered by the most insignificant things. And Susan was getting fed up.“You're just going to make her leave you,” Marcus said, looking at him with a grim expression.He listened to their argument; Leonard was on the phone, Susan was in the gallery, and their shouting carried from the back rows of the theater to the stage.Leonard looked at him in disbelief.“That won't happen,” he said with conviction.“I don't know, Leonard... No woman likes to be treated like that. You're turning into an unbearable old man. I won't blame her when she tells you to get lost.”“Nonsense.”But deep down, he kn
“Why are you doing this to me?“ he asked, tears already streaming down his face.“So you can have a heart attack and I can inherit your money?” she replied with a faint smile.Deanna opened her arms wide and he automatically moved away from the wall. He walked until she could hug him, and there, feeling her again, feeling her warmth and breathing, Daniel was finally able to release all his fear. He hadn't cried like that since he said goodbye to Emily for the last time, alone with her in a hospital room, without the sound of machines.“We're okay...” she whispered in his ear.But his face was hidden in her neck, his hand on her belly, and a desperation that was leaving him breathless. He cried with relief, but also with fear and helplessness. Just like that, like a breeze, someone could have taken everything away from him in a second, and he wouldn't have been able to do anything.Deanna kissed the part of his face she could reach and felt his body tremble, so she held him tighter.“L
Daniel's heart was in his mouth and his chest felt tight. The elevator wasn't coming, and in desperation, he ran down the 15 floors to the ground floor; the car was waiting for him at the door, the engine running as he had shouted from his office.He drove at breakneck speed, knowing he was going to kill himself. He prayed to the heavens that everyone was okay, begging Emily to protect them; he had never felt so afraid in his life. It was a cold, sharp fear that was consuming his soul. Something was pressing down on him from inside, closing his throat and making it difficult to breathe. He had started to sweat.Naomi had called him crying hysterically. He couldn't understand what she was saying. She was choking as she tried to explain, and the words wouldn't come out. Just hearing her made his hair stand on end. He tried to calm her down, to speak softly, but his daughter just screamed incoherent sentences. He had to scream himself because she was driving him crazy.He didn't hang up
Just as Leonard struggled with bitter memories, Daniel was about to experience the same thing. Another anniversary of Emily's death was approaching, and when that happened, the days leading up to it were usually very quiet. Now her memory was not a source of sadness, but the longing was still there.Daniel would take his children to visit her and leave flowers; he didn't go as often as he did in the first few months, when he would spend the day sitting in front of her grave, talking to her in his thoughts and crying. It was a very difficult time to get through because he felt abandoned and scared, even though he didn't admit it.Since Deanna joined the family, the ritual had changed only slightly. Now she was the one who looked for the prettiest flowers to give to the children to take to their mother. It was a way of thanking her, in her heart, for the beautiful children she had given Daniel and for being his strength in many difficult moments.Blue and pink lisianthus, a huge bouquet
So, that morning, a new Crusher arrived in the world. Amanda was dropping Emma off at daycare when she had the first signs that her son was on his way. Just as she let go of her little girl's hand and handed her over to the teacher, the clear puddle wet her feet.Harry rushed down from his office when he was called, making such a commotion that even Daniel ran with them. But Amanda was fine; apparently Ryan was going to take his time. That didn't stop both men from panicking, Daniel barking orders to bring the car to the door, Harry in a state of desperation.“I'm fine... Harry, calm down! The contractions aren't that strong,“ Amanda tried to calm him down.“Are you okay? Are you sure? What hurts? Daniel, we have to go to the hospital!”“I know! They're bringing the car! Can you walk, Amanda?”“Yes.” And she stood up.“I'll carry you!”“Calm down, Harry! I'm fine...”Amanda walked slowly but steadily to the door. The scene was funny. She was fine and normal, her legs were a mess, but
“OH MY GOD! You were serious!”“Of course I was serious, please!Leonard raised his arms in clear indignation and Deanna almost fainted.“Let me see it again… It's beautiful.”“Do you think she'll like it?”“Are you kidding? That thing is just like you: flashy and extravagant. She's going to love it!”Reed smiled smugly.“I'm nervous...” he confessed.“I can't believe it, I swear. Sometimes I look at you and I can't believe how much you've changed.”“For the better?”“To be the best.”“Is it okay if I ask her on your birthday? Everyone will be there...”“Of course! If you do it in front of the family, it will be clear that this is real and serious for you... And between you and me, I can't wait to see Daniel and Camila's faces,” she said teasingly and conspiratorially.Leonard glanced at her and smiled mischievously."Every day you look more like Reed... How are my granddaughters?"“They're very active, all the time, and they wake me up at night.”“They're just like you. Marcus sent h