"Where did you leave it?" Daniel asked.
"Leave what?"
"Your shame."
"Oh, that… I lost it somewhere when Susan told me she was taking the kids home because you asked her to… When did you find yours?"
"Find what?"
"Your audacity."
"The day I met you."
Daniel leaned against the desk, his need to touch her burning through him. But since she had made the first move, he wanted to see just how far she was willing to go.
"You picked that dress on purpose," Deanna said.
"Yes, so I could watch you."
Deanna turned around,
After that party, many things changed in Daniel's life. If before he had fallen for her smile like a child, now he was completely lost. The first night they spent together turned out to be everything he had imagined and more; he once again had a woman in his life. A wife. Deanna began to melt his defenses and ease his sorrow; she brought back his joy. His house became a home once more—warm and happy."Deanna's birthday is next week, Harry. What should we get her? Do you think she'll celebrate at home?""I don't know, Laura.""I'll call her to ask. We won't be able to go out and celebrate like before. I doubt Daniel will let her get together with all the guys again.""I don't know.""What's wrong with you? You've been so down for
Moving into his room was a revelation for Deanna. There were no more excuses to keep sleeping apart. Daniel saw no reason to continue sleeping alone, without feeling her beside him, but when he finally brought it up, he felt as nervous as a teenager.That afternoon, they were sitting in his office, listening to music while he read. Being in his arms, surrounded by his scent—a mix of wood and sandalwood—made her feel as if she were wrapped in a cocoon. Moments of calm like this, with her head resting on his shoulder, relaxed her so much it felt like she was drifting into a deep sleep."Deanna…""Mmm?""Do you think… are you awake?""Mhm.""Right, well… do you think that… actually, I fee
After her classes, Deanna stopped by Harry and Laura’s apartment, but he wasn’t there. She found Laura looking worried and a little sad, so she simply listened. She wasn’t about to tell her how well things were going with Daniel when her friend was in that state.Laura told her that Harry was becoming more and more distant. He was still the same sweet and considerate man, but it seemed like the only things he cared about were the baby and his work."How strange," Deanna thought. They had always been so in love with each other. Maybe it was just an adjustment phase for Harry.She arrived home feeling a little uneasy. It was unusual to see Laura like that. Maybe the pregnancy was affecting her.Daniel had been waiting for her, feeling a bit restless, wondering if s
She turned to him, her body burning with heat—every touch, every kiss.He knew exactly how to touch her, how to taste her skin to unravel her. That was what he sought every time—to set her free. Because when he did, she let go completely, pouring out everything she had. She surrendered. She was his.She looked at him, her eyes transformed, pupils blown wide, her breath unsteady.Daniel might have started the game, but Deanna ruled it.She radiated a desire meant only for him, because he was the one who awakened it, because she had never felt this raw, primal need to love with her body what her heart commanded.Not like this. Not with this madness.Watching her react was what made him los
Deanna's birthday was nothing more than a small gathering at home with a few friends and family.Strangely enough, Camila suffered from a terrible stomachache that very same day.Charles arrived with a gift, had a few drinks, and left shortly after—it was a party for the younger crowd.When Deanna had said they were a rowdy bunch, she hadn’t been exaggerating. Most of them were musicians, and they completely took over the small space where she kept her music room. The evening turned into a bohemian scene, filled with songs and instruments.Daniel felt like a fish out of water, though he kept a cheerful and friendly attitude.But he never strayed far from her.Aside from Laura, Susan, and Deanna herself, every guest was a man.Younger men.
Going back to Daniel, who was waiting anxiously for her after everything that had happened, was difficult. She washed her face several times, trying to hide the redness in her eyes. She didn’t want him to see her like that and start asking questions. If she told him she had argued with Harry, it would only turn into another problem. She grabbed a few bottles from the kitchen and returned to the music room.The moment he saw her walk in with a smile, his heart settled. She sat close beside him, as if needing his warmth, and he slipped an arm around her waist while she rested her head on his shoulder."Everything okay?""Yes… just a little tired. Why do you always smell so good?""Because I shower every day."Deanna laughed.
The woman standing in front of him, staring in astonishment and confusion, looked so much like Deanna—the same hair, the same eyes, even the way she carried herself. And that same incredulous gaze. She couldn’t have been more than ten years older than him, though she looked younger. The other woman, however, wore a wide smile, her white hair adding to the warmth of her joyful expression.Daniel Crusher was intimidated.When Deanna had told them she had gotten married, why, and to whom, her mother had gone pale, screamed, gotten angry, and ranted endlessly. Her grandmother, on the other hand, couldn’t stop congratulating her and making a fuss.“He’d better come here and face us!” her mother had demanded.“Yes, yes, bring him, Deanna! I want
After his argument with Deanna, everything became difficult for Harry. Work bored him, Laura bored him, even music started to irritate him. He couldn’t get her tearful eyes out of his head, the sadness in her expression. Guilt—he felt a guilt that tormented him. Over the past few days, he had tried to call her multiple times, but he never even got as far as dialing her number. What would he say? How could he possibly apologize?Laura didn’t know what to do or who to turn to. The marriage she had wanted so badly was falling apart. If this continued, it was certain that once the baby was born, everything would be over. The only thing she could think of was reaching out to Camila. Maybe she could talk to her son and figure out what was wrong with him.She arrived at the house unannounced. Camila was with Arlen
Camila entered Daniel's house as she always did: as if it were her own. Deanna was a little surprised to see her. Although the relationship between the two women had improved greatly, Camila was still a little embarrassed about the things she had done and didn't know exactly how to make amends.So when Daniel called her to ask her to talk to his wife and help her, she was happy and glad to be able to do something for her. She arrived with lots of bags, lots of things for the girls. She wasn't very demonstrative, but she was as anxious as she was with any of her grandchildren for the twins to arrive. Anxious like any grandmother.“Dear, how are you?”“Hi, Camila, I'm fine... What are you doing here?”Camila put the bags on the floor.“I came to bring some gifts for my granddaughters,” she said, sitting down across from Deanna, ”and to talk to you.”Deanna looked at her a little confused. Talk about what? She waited for Camila to start. She just sighed and had another burst of sincerity
Deanna's pregnancy began to complicate even the most routine and simple tasks. Her back was killing her, her legs were swollen, and bending over was no longer an option. Even something as simple as putting on a pair of shoes was now a thing of the past. Daniel watched her with concern; although the first few months had gone smoothly, her belly was growing rapidly.She had always been a petite woman with a small waist and a fragile appearance. A single pregnancy was one thing, but a double pregnancy was another, and although she endured it with difficulty, the pain and discomfort sometimes put her in a terrible mood. She began to feel useless and frustrated.The situation was not easy. Every day seemed to bring a new challenge with her pregnancy, and the complications were not limited to the physical aspects. The feeling of helplessness and frustration that overwhelmed her was mixed with the fear that grew along with her daughters. At times, she felt like she didn't know what to do.Da
For his part, Leonard was suddenly facing another aspect he didn't know. His years of marriage had never given him what he now shared with Susan; his countless affairs with young women had not shown him this strange side of himself, which could overwhelm him as much as it enchanted him.After getting engaged, even though they lived separately, Susan and Leonard began to spend more time together, to experience living as a couple. He wasn't used to that kind of intimacy, to the simple, ordinary moments shared on a daily basis. Dear Leonard, in his 50s, was learning new things.Getting married without love, spending years with someone he didn't love and who didn't love him, meant an emotional distance more than a physical one. Because even though they lived under the same roof, for him it was the same as being alone. He didn't participate in anything, he didn't care about anything, and he escaped from that cold place whenever he could, until finally, he stopped escaping and simply disapp
By the time Deanna returned, Daniel and the children had already come back. Meeting Frank had given her a feeling of well-being despite the past. She entered smiling.“Where were you?“ her husband asked her.“I went out for a drink with a friend... It was nice, I hadn't done that in a long time,” she replied happily.For Deanna, it was perfectly normal, but for Daniel, not so much.“What friend?”“Frank. Remember?” she said, sitting down next to him.“The guy from college? The one who cheated on you?”Something in his tone bothered Deanna.“Yes, that one...”“And why?”“He called me this morning, he wanted to talk... He's getting married next month.”“The messages last night were from him. You said you didn't know the number.” And again, that hint of mistrust crept into his voice.“And I didn't know it.”Deanna had honed her patience and temperament. She knew that tone and those mannerisms of Daniel's, and that's why she had put so much of herself into learning to calm him down, to le
Deanna and Jonathan's relationship had returned to normal, the only thing that had changed was that the boy now called her “Mom.” It sounded a little strange to her, but at the same time it made her happy to hear it. She just had to get used to it.“Mom, I'm hungry,” said the little boy. They were sitting in the living room reading a book.Now that he was a little older, he was interested in other things besides stories. So Deanna brought him one of her books about music to answer his questions as best she could.“Dad's making dinner. Are you very hungry?”“Yes, my tummy is rumbling,” he replied, and she laughed heartily.“Well, read a little more and I'll go steal something from the kitchen.”But she stopped at the door when she saw Daniel. She leaned against the frame and looked at him.With his back to her, wearing his apron, he was skillfully wielding a knife. She had become so accustomed to these moments they shared together that now he was the one who turned on the radio to list
“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