A wife for my brother

Daniel’s shadows would light up when he was alone with her. They didn’t go back to the house anyway, the children would go back to stay with Susan. All the years he had spent alone after Emily died seemed so far away now. As if her life had a gap where time had stopped and the darkness of sadness covered everything. Deanna filled everything with her light now.

His office, once upon a time, was also his hiding place where his grief could come out and overwhelm him without anyone seeing. Its size encompassed the entire top floor of the building and was fully equipped, even with a small room that was now dismantled and stored old boxes.

– Your office looks like an apartment… –

– At one time it was –

They were leaning back on the wide sofa that faced the most extensive windows. The city lights were the only illumination coming in and enveloped their naked forms barely covered with a blanket.

– Did you bring women here? –

– I brought some once…

But he wasn’t going to tell her that it had been a woman hired to accompany him.

– I see…

– After Emily died this place became my hideout. There were days when I couldn’t go back to the house and be with the children… –

– I’m sorry… –

She really was, she ached for something she hadn’t been a part of, something that wasn’t hers. But she ached for the children who lost their mother and she ached for him. She met him with sad eyes and an expressionless face and knew he carried an agonizing weight in his soul.

– Forgive me for the way I behave with you… I’m trying… –

– I know… trust me. I will never do anything behind your back –

– I trust you, but I don’t trust them. Reed, “Leonard”, has no shame or respect. He gets involved with women who he then discards like furniture. He doesn’t care about his wife or daughters, he’s disgusting –

– I didn’t know that. But I noticed his intentions when he started talking to me. I have my story too, you know? –

– Yes, but I don’t want to know it… –

– I wouldn’t want to have to hide anything from you for fear of your reactions… I’m not asking you to change who you are –

– Are you afraid of me? –

– No, of course not! But today this place was full of people who know you and work with you and even if you deny it, you know as well as I do that their comments will affect you sooner or later… –

– They all know what I am really like… Since when did you start worrying about that? –

– Since I married you… I feel like I have to play a role every time we attend events like this… Sometimes it overwhelms me… You saw where I grew up, it has nothing to do with all of this –

– You just have to be you, for me. You don’t need to interpret anything. I’m here to take care of you and I won’t allow anyone to disrespect you –

– A real gentleman…

– You’re mocking –

– How I would dare to make fun of my handsome and sexy husband. Hmm?

The night came to an end between chats, jokes and caresses, when they realized the first orange lights of dawn began to sneak through the windows. It was so easy to be with her and fall into a total placidity, without realizing it, he talked to her about almost his whole life. He didn’t know how she managed to make him forget the world.

They left the building cautiously, slipping away from the weekend maintenance workers who were about to arrive, holding hands. They walked to a cafe and the scene caught the attention of the few people walking down the street at that early hour: sitting at a table drinking coffee, she in a blue dress with her hair down and he in a suit as if they had stepped out of another dimension.

At that same hour Harry was lying on the couch, sprawled out and smelling of alcohol again. Laura was watching him sitting in front of the table holding her belly with both hands. She was already feeling heavier and heavier and exhausted. She was exhausted of this whole situation; her dream wedding and her illusions were behind her. Telling Camila about her worries had done no good; what was she going to do? This was not the life she had dreamed of for so long.

Reed was leaving a hotel after finishing the night with one of his many “girlfriends”. But in his head there was only the image of Mrs. Crusher and that continuing feeling of satisfaction of having stepped on Daniel’s territory right to his face. But his little mischief would bring more repercussions than he expected. When the gossip ran all the way to his wife it would set off an uproar. Alice bore her husband’s infidelities with dignity, if that was even possible, but she had her limits.

– How can you be so nasty? –

– Leave me alone, Alice –

– Daniel Crusher’s wife and in front of everyone! You have no respect for anything! –

– We’ve had this conversation many times before. Why do you insist? –

– She must be the age of your daughters… –

– Look, you know how it is… If you don’t like it, then get out of here –

– I’m not going anywhere! You’re tied to me till you die –

– If you already have what you want, why are you annoying me?! –

That was their marriage, a constant discussion about something that made no sense, it had lost it so many times they had had it. Alice wanted to marry him and she succeeded, they had 3 daughters and Leonard inherited his father and father-in-law. He did everything he was expected to do, but that didn’t imply that he loved her or at least cared for her.

But this time Alice’s anger had been unleashed with force because it was Camilla herself who claimed her husband’s actions against her. He found her at the club as she did every Monday and did not hesitate to reproach her for Reed’s scandalous behavior with his son’s wife. But in the discussion Camila had gone off the deep end: “The woman is an opportunist and a climber, if she caught my son, what assures you that she won’t catch your husband? You may get to be alone at 50, Alice.”

Apparently this one was dangerous, the others were just toys, but from Camilla’s words and all the rumors she had heard, Mrs. Crusher was an expert in her field. And if Leonard had set his sights on her it was only a matter of time until he managed to get her into bed. She wasn’t going to be divorced at her age after putting up with him all so he could leave with Daniel’s wife as a trophy. She would have to act.

– Thanks for coming, Laura. I know this is going to sound strange, but I wanted to talk to you about some things I noticed at the company party

– I had an obstetrician’s appointment nearby, no bother. What happened? –ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

– I don’t usually intervene in these kinds of things, but I couldn’t help but feel bad after what you told us about your husband at your mother-in-law’s house… How’s Harry doing? –

– Same… worse… I don’t know what to think anymore, Beverly –

– I see… I’m sorry…

– What did you see at the party? We had a bit of a row with Harry, I couldn’t help it… –

– No, it’s not that. I think your suspicions are well-founded, but it’s not what you think it is. I don’t know how to say it… but… I think Harry’s in love with Deanna… –

– Deanna? No, it can’t be… –

– I’m sorry, I know it’s horrible what I’m telling you, but I watched them that night and from everything you told us it seems to me that’s what’s happening to him –

– But she married Daniel… Deanna wouldn’t do something like that –