Даниэла Стил - The Affair

“How did you manage to get divorced without noticing it?”

“I just forgot about the papers, and then we got back together and that seemed more important.”

“You’re probably right,” Venetia said, bored out of her mind. She had a drafting table over her bed in the daytime, so she could continue working. “So what do you want me to do?” Venetia thought the whole thing was funny.

“I want you to design a fabulous dress for me. A total fantasy. I wore such a serious one last time. It was beautiful, but I want to have fun this time.” She had worn an ivory peau de soie gown with a lace coat over it and a ten-foot train, which they got at Bergdorf’s. “I want you to go crazy with it.”

“Well, we could go little farm girl, or Heidi, if you’re going to do it at the château, or we could go totally nuts with a giant tulle ball skirt,” she suggested off the top of her head, but she could envision it on Nadia.

“That sounds better. I want to look and feel like Cinderella.”

“Oh my God. Are you on medication? Maybe you should be. Now you’re divorced, then you want to give a fantasy wedding. Are we dressing Nicolas like Elvis, or Prince Charming?”

“He can wear a white linen suit. He has ten of them. I want my dress to be special. Lots of tulle skirt, I think Galliano did one like that once for Dior. I think it was yellow or pink or something.”

“Are we doing white or a color?” Venetia was beginning to enjoy it and doodling as they spoke.

“White. And cute little white organdie dresses for the girls.”

“I can’t wait for this wedding,” Venetia said, giggling. “I have to figure out what to tell my workroom about who this is for. I’ll pick some fabulous rock star. I’ll send you a sheet for your measurements.” They talked about it for half an hour, and afterwards, Venetia continued to text her questions, which she answered, about how the bodice should look, sleeves or no sleeves, how long the train should be, pearls or tiny rhinestones. Nadia texted back “Both.” No veil since it was a second wedding. Venetia thought a tiara. She was having as much fun with it as Nadia was. It took the sting out of having discovered the day before that she was divorced. Nicolas had decided that was funny, but it still made Nadia uneasy. What if they never got around to getting married again? She didn’t like that idea at all.

She and Nicolas picked the third Saturday in June, and they were able to book the small country church near the château. The priest faltered for a minute when Nicolas told him they were divorced, and he explained that divorced people could not get married in a Catholic church, and Nicolas explained to him that it was a technicality, and they were marrying the same people as the first time.

“Ah, like a renewal of vows.”

“Exactly.” It was the brief ceremony at city hall that would actually bind them together legally again. The church ceremony was more about religious tradition, and Nicolas mentioned to him that there would be a baptism too.

“The bride and groom’s baby?”

“Actually, the groom’s, not the bride’s.” The priest decided to ignore that. Nicolas reported to Nadia that everything was in order with the church. She had to go off to meet clients then, and she could hardly keep her mind on the project at hand. Suddenly, their unorthodox, very eccentric wedding seemed more exciting.

Nadia sent Venetia her measurements, and the gown got under way. Venetia sent her emails showing her the sketches for it. They were going to make the bodice out of six layers of white organdie, and she’d be corseted in tight, with gossamer sleeves, and the tulle ball skirt was in fact enormous, with a hoop under it, so it would swing like a bell when Nadia walked.

Nadia had extended the weekend invitation to her sisters and their partners and children, and her mother. Rose wanted to know if they were having a big party or a family event. And Nadia responded that it was a family party.

“What do I wear?” she wanted to know.

“Something summery and dressy.”

“Long or short?”

“Whatever you like.”

Nicolas had hired a local quartet to play chamber music, with a violinist. Nadia was going to do the flowers herself the morning of the wedding.

They had everything lined up by the first of May, when Venetia called her at two a.m. in Paris, eight p.m. in New York. “I’m in labor. They said they’re not going to try and stop it this time. I’m only three weeks early. I didn’t even think I was in labor, I thought it was something I ate. But it’s getting bad now.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, just scared. I hope she’s going to be okay.”

“She’ll be fine,” Nadia said in a strong, encouraging voice. “You’ve done this three times, you know how to do it.”

Venetia called Athena and Olivia too, and she kept calling Nadia every half hour to report in, until Nadia saw the sun come up. It was one in the morning in New York by then, she’d been in labor for six hours, and had finally stopped calling. Nadia walked into the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee, waiting to hear from her, when Nicolas walked in.

“No news yet?”

“I hope she and the baby are okay.”

“I’m sure they are.” He knew how close she was to her sisters. They were always there for each other. Olivia was at the hospital with Venetia, and Rose was waiting to hear at home.

Venetia finally called at eight-thirty. It had taken longer than they expected. The baby had been turned the wrong way and they had to shift her, and she was a big baby, considering that she was born early. She weighed eight pounds and Venetia sounded like she’d been beaten up. But she was euphoric, and said the baby was beautiful. They were calling her Valencia. Ben sent a photo of her a minute later. The girls had already gone to school, and Nadia promised to show them later.

“Congratulations!” Nadia said with tears in her eyes.

“I think I’m going to stop at four,” Venetia said, exhausted. “Four months in bed was way too long.” But she had gotten a healthy baby out of it. And Ben sounded happy too when they talked to him. Nadia called her mother and congratulated her. She had seven grandchildren now.

“I can’t wait for your party next month,” she told Nadia.

“It’s just family, Mom. But we wanted to make it a special occasion. We all have a lot to celebrate.” Olivia and Harley’s marriage had been saved. Venetia and Ben had a new baby. And Nadia and Nicolas were back together after the worst year imaginable, and a divorce they were planning to trade in for a wedding, even if no one knew it yet.

Chapter 15

The timing in June turned out to be perfect for everyone. The network let Athena take the time off. Seven weeks after Valencia’s birth, Venetia was back on her feet and feeling fine. She was almost back to her normal weight, and looked beautiful. Olivia and Harley had planned a trip for right after the weekend at the chateau. Nadia finished installing an apartment in London a few days before. Planning for the September issue had started but wasn’t insane yet for Rose. And this year’s September issue would be a breeze compared to last year.

Nicolas had rented two vans to get them to the château, and everyone was in high spirits when they got there. He had sent their regular nanny to Brittany to bring back the baby with her. He had found some of the family christening gowns in a cedar chest at the château. They were beautiful, ornate, handmade gowns, and Nadia picked one that fit Benoit. It was the first time that she had seen him, and she held him for a few minutes as he cooed and smiled at her. Seeing him was the final hurdle she had to clear after the last year. She made it over smoothly, as Nicolas watched her hold him.