Jack and Lynda looked back out on the floor as the dance was coming to an end. Ben and Sophia were the only ones dancing as everyone else was just watching. “He dances beautifully,” Lynda sighed and Gabriella nodded as she got up to go to him.
Jack was connecting his discussion with Ben the previous night to Gabriella’s confession. Ben hadn’t told him who the monster of his childhood had beaten to death. Just that he was terrified he was following in the man’s footsteps. Jack felt deeply relieved he’d gotten through to Ben to make him realize he was his own man and shared no other significant traits.
Sophia was trembling with joy as she and Ben stilled themselves on the last note. “That was so wonderful Ben! Thank you!” she gasped. He smiled and bowed to her then released her fingers and moved towards his table.
The sweetly familiar notes began to play and the silky smooth voice was next:
“When I fall in love it will be forever
Or I’ll never fall in love…”
Ben’s feet stopped moving as his heart seized in his chest. He couldn’t breathe from the fresh anguish he felt at her loss. Following Dr. Granger’s instructions, he closed his eyes and took deep breaths as he told himself it was pain from the past. It didn’t belong in the now. He felt a soft body press against his side and picked up the scent of Gabriella’s delicate spice perfume. He opened his eyes but let her guide him out into the hall and down to the grand room where Catherine got married this very day.
He sat down and she took the next chair. Trish walked in having seen them leave and Catherine rushed into the room with Tina in tow. Lucy, Gretchen and the twins were right behind. They took chairs around him and he held up his hand to make them listen to the words to the song as it drifted down the hall after them. He found himself singing along but he did the music no justice.
“And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I’ll fall in love with you…”
He looked into their eyes and they saw the pain and wonder in his. “This was our song… and now I understand. Now that I can hear the words and not get swept away, lost in my memories. After all this time… I finally understand what makes me fall so deeply and completely in love. It’s in the words of the last song she ever gave to me. Our song.” He smiled gently though his bottom lip trembled.
Chanel walked in and saw the group. He gestured for her to come closer. She stood next to Catherine and touched her shoulder. Cat reached up and took her hand.
“I’m sorry for being a nuisance on your beautiful evening. I’m just having a grand epiphany about the importance of this song. I think you two should also take its words to heart… though to me I think you already have,” Ben said.
Chanel and Catherine smiled at him and nodded.
“As a wedding present I was going to give you two an all-expense paid honeymoon to anywhere in the world but maybe this song is as good a gift?” Ben asked as he looked questioningly at them.
They looked back at him in shock.
“I’ll take the trip please!” Catherine blurted and Chanel nodded rapidly as they began to giggle.
“Fine! Trip it is. If you change your mind, just let me know,” Ben said seriously with a raised eyebrow.
Catherine leapt up and wrapped her arms around Ben’s neck and gave him a very nice kiss. Chanel hugged them together.
The music picked up in tempo but it was still an oldie. Ben’s muscles twitched in response. “Oh! I have to dance to this one!” he said with a grin. Smiles encircled him so everyone got up.
And they danced.
Ben and his family spent a quiet day on Sunday just relaxing at home. In the late afternoon they had a visit from Gabriella who joined them in the living room. She pulled up the ottoman before his chair to speak to him.
“I heard from Monique Lemoine. Wendy’s interview was broadcast in Italy last night. It will be re-broadcast tonight on at least two major US networks. Are you ready for the trial tomorrow?” she asked Ben.
He nodded. “I was speaking with Walter a couple of hours ago. He’ll meet us at the courthouse at 10AM. He assured me there is no merit to her case but we will get a legal dissolution of the marriage at least.”
Gabriella smiled and took his hand. “Are you ready for meeting Wendy tomorrow?”
He looked down at her hand in his and smiled gently. She loved him. He knew it. He felt it. He saw it. He looked at the faces of the women in the room with him and they were all smiling at him. He was surrounded by love. He nodded. “Yes. I’m as ready as I will ever be. It needs to happen. I need closure.”
“Did you have a good time last night? When did you leave?” she asked.
Ben grinned as he looked at Tina across the room who blushed. He’d had to carry her out to the car and into the house as she’d exhausted herself dancing the night before. Now that she had the cast off she thought she could leap right back into things but she discovered she couldn’t.
“We had a lovely time and danced the night away. We were one of the last to leave. I think the twins and I were the last ones on the dance floor. It was a beautiful wedding and a wonderful party!” he said with a smile.
“I’ve seen the pictures on Daniel’s tablet. They’re gorgeous! Catherine and Chanel are going to love them!” the mother gushed.
Ben grinned. “I look forward to seeing them too!”
He watched the pride on Gabriella’s face and felt the warmth of her hand in his and a pang went through his heart as he realized she’d be going back to Europe soon. He needed some alone time with her before she left. “When- when are you flying back to Milan?”
“I’m not.”
Ben looked at her. He must have misheard. “Sorry, what?”
“I’m not going back to Milan. I’m home to stay,” she said with a happy smile.
“What?!? What about Brezza? Your CEO position?” he gasped suddenly afraid she’d done something wonderful but terrible at the same time.
“I never accepted the position. I got them back on their feet, with your generous help, but I came to realize that… Brezza wasn’t mine. I didn’t build it from the humble beginnings to the company it is today. The CEO position sounded exciting at first but I want to make my own company grow and thrive,” she said with enthusiasm.
“But won’t they still need you?” Ben asked, trying to contain his explosive joy.
“Oh, I’m still on their payroll but as an independent consultant. I left the company in good hands. Before I left I set up an executive steering committee which I have a seat on. I can cast a vote on any decision they feel they need my input on. I want to concentrate on building my own fashion distribution network business. It’s small now but with the contacts I’ve made and the experience I just went through it’s going to grow fast- EEEEEPP! MMMMmmpphhh!”
Ben lifted her off the ottoman up onto his chest and kissed her passionately as he wrapped his arms around her.
The other ladies in the room began to giggle.
When she finally managed to come up for air her head was spinning and her body was tingling madly. “Ben! Put me down! For Heaven’s sake!” she sputtered but secretly she was delighted.
He gazed deeply into her beautiful green eyes. “I’m so glad you’ve come home!”
She managed to slide down his body, feeling some wonderfully hard muscles and other hard things along the way, until she could get back on her feet. She tugged her dress back down, making her breasts seem to rise up and almost burst out of the deep V of the neckline. His eyes flared with hunger and a rush went through her body making her tingle all over.
“It’s good to be home!” she said as she gave him an equally hungry look. She gave herself a shake as she had things she needed to do today and rolling around in bed with Ben, as delicious as that sounded, would have to wait. “I just wanted to check in on you and suggest you not watch that interview tonight.”
“Not to worry, I won’t. I’m getting a haircut tonight apparently. Ashley cornered me at the party last night and told me its length had become completely scandalous and I shouldn’t delay any longer,” he said seriously.
Gabriella snorted happily. She knew the woman also had a major hankering for Ben. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the courthouse then.”
Ben got up and walked her to the door, helping her put on her boots and coat. He pulled her close and kissed her amazing lips until they both had to stop to breathe. “I love you so much Gabriella!” he said softly.
“I love you so much too Ben!” she whispered to him as she smiled joyfully. She headed home and Ben locked up.
Walter changed his mind about meeting Ben at the courthouse after the interview was broadcast. He’d called Ben to ask him to drive to the law firm’s office so they could all go together. He’d spoken to a few contacts he had in the press and discovered there was going to be a significant increase in the press outside the courthouse. He didn’t want Ben driving through that mess. The broadcast had apparently returned the public’s attention to him in a big way.
Ben was wearing his serious business suit. The dark charcoal grey one that gave him confidence. He thought he looked pretty good in it and with his short but stylish haircut he thought he cleaned up pretty good. Tina and Lucy liked his haircut too but that didn’t stop them from teasing him about how his haircuts always included an overnight stay.
He recalled Ashley’s happy smile that morning and felt warm all over. He’d put up with the teasing.
Tina and Gretchen went with him and they all drove in a black limo from the law office to the courthouse. As they approached they saw a madhouse out front. Reporters and camera crews were set up and as the limo got closer Ben saw they were doing interviews. “What the-”
He spotted Gabriella speaking to one of the major nightly entertainment reporters. His eyes widened when he spotted the rapper Killah D with his girlfriend Brooklyn on his arm speaking with another reporter on camera. The big man had a serious expression as he spoke and Brooklyn was nodding.
La’Shia was a little further along the sidewalk working the crowd and taking selfies with the surprised fans.