The wedding reception was at the same hotel where the brides had gotten ready. A grand decorated ballroom, tables arranged around a dance floor, and a head table where the four newlyweds would sit. A grand event for what was supposed to be just a family dinner.
Gradually, people filled the place, greeting the parents of the newlyweds. The two couples arrived a bit later; Deanna insisted on just making a quick appearance, and Daniel agreed because he couldn't stand being the center of attention.
"Deanna! That was beautiful," Susan exclaimed.
"Thank you."
"Really wonderful. Did you know she could sing like that, brother?"
"No, I didn't," Daniel replied while Deanna blushed.
Daniel was waiting for her standing as she returned after her "show." She walked as if nothing had happened, slightly out of breath and trying to fix her hair."Come with me," he said in a restrained voice."Where?""Just come."She followed him until they left the ballroom into an empty room with stacked tables and chairs."What was that?" he asked, closing the door behind them."What was what?" Deanna crossed her arms."That... 'show' with Harry," he pronounced the word 'show' as if it burned his tongue."We were just dancing," she replie
Harry and Laura left for their honeymoon not far from the city; they would return in a few days, leaving her completely alone in her new role as wife. Alone with Daniel and the children trying to adjust to her new life and the family's daily routine.In the morning, the children went to school and Daniel to work, which left her with most of the day wandering around this big house not knowing what to do. She spent most of her time in the small room he had arranged to resemble a music room. They had even put in a piano and some other instruments. The acoustics were good and Deanna could sing without the sound traveling through the rest of the house.That first week she decided to stay on the sidelines to observe how she could fit in. In the morning they all had breakfast together, and then Daniel would drop the children at school on his way t
Daniel also felt guilty; he had made progress with her and then taken two steps back. He didn't know how to contain the torrent of emotions he felt towards Deanna. He didn't know how to approach her or treat her in the best possible way, tangled between his feelings and his logic. He denied what he felt because in his mind, a relationship with a woman like her was out of the question.With the singing lessons, it seemed Deanna was starting to smile more again; perhaps he should free her a bit from the "obligations" and be more flexible with the rules.He found her sitting outside, covered with a blanket and listening to music. He approached and, without saying anything, sat down beside her. They had already developed that habit."I'm sorry about what happened the other day with your lessons," he murmured without looking at her."Don't worry, I understand what you told Harry.""But I'm glad you found another teacher.""I wanted to ask you som
"It's more than obvious, Harry, how can't you see it?" Susan stopped in front of her brother."I don't know what's obvious, Susan. Daniel is taking this too far.""Harry, Daniel likes Deanna.""Impossible.""Why? It's clear as day that he's smitten with her, it's like you don't know him.""Don't be ridiculous, Susan. Daniel doesn't like anyone.""Why do you think he told you it was your fault? It's because you're close to her and it bothers him, he doesn't know how to approach her the same way. It bothers him to see you together, he must think there was something between you and he's jealous. Come on, Harry! You can't be this blind."This wasn't supposed to happen, it was just a marriage for show. Deanna was everything his brother didn't want in a woman, let alone a wife."Susan's right, dear.""You think the same, Laura? I can't understand it... Deanna isn't even close to being the right woman for my brother.""Anything's possible, Harry. Why does the idea bother you so much?""Becau
He stared at the ceiling trying to calm himself. He had to stop the wave of reactions in his body, stop his thoughts. He should get up and leave, but at the same time he didn't want to; he wanted to enjoy this, even if just once. Just a little longer, he probably would never have an opportunity like this again.She surely wouldn't remember anything, and at least he would have something to keep from all this charade.It was so pleasant, as if it had always been this way. Her sleeping peacefully on his chest and him watching over her. His own body was betraying him and suddenly a deep sadness invaded him.There was no point in yearning for her. Everything was a lie: the marriage, her drunken words, this moment. She would never see him that way.
Deanna woke up to gentle knocks on the door. It was Susan who had come to check on the child. Startled, she looked at the time: nearly nine."Susan, come in... Jonathan is still sleeping.""Sorry to disturb you, but yesterday mom told me the child wasn't well so I came to check on him.""Not at all, come in. Ethan and Naomi must have already gone to school, I overslept.""Yes, they've gone. Daniel too."He had preferred to let her sleep, surely the night caring for Jonathan must have been eventful. When he returned home, they would have that pending conversation.Jonathan was better now, the fever had broken and he was resting pe
She couldn't move, pressed between his body and the wall, and she didn't want to. If she had known he was just as on edge as she was, she would've acted sooner. But she kept holding back, not wanting to rush things."I'm so done with trying on clothes," she whispered, her voice barely audible."Hmm...""Let's get out of here," she turned her head slightly towards him."Are you... sure?""Definitely."He buried his face in her neck, breathing her in. He was about to lose it completely. She was just as worked up as he was—he could tell from her shaky voice, from every tiny movement. No woman had ever been this forward with him before, so openly showing her desire. This wasn't some fling. They lived together, shared everything. If they crossed this line, there was no going back. And he knew it—knew that tasting her skin just once would undo him forever."We can't go home," Deanna whispered. "The kids are there.""No, we'll find somewhere else...""Right..."But he was frozen, rooted to t
"Have you heard? The Ice King Daniel Crusher married some young girl - bet she's after his money." "That marriage won't last - he's way too cold to keep a young wife happy." "Word is she had a thing with his brother before landing him."That was the kind of gossip making the rounds in their social circles, and Camila heard every whisper.Daniel's mother now had to deal with the awkward silences and hushed conversations whenever she walked into a room. She'd seen this coming - had warned her son countless times. But no, he was too busy falling for that gold-digger who'd eventually make him look like a fool. It was just a matter of time. She wasn't about to let her son become the laughingstock of their so
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