Danielle Steel - the Wedding (2000)

The ring. Her engagement ring. Why didn't you tell me? She looks mighty proud of it.

Sam? Allegra looked horrified. She hasn't said a thing. She's engaged Since when?

Since yesterday, she said, Alan said innocently, and then suddenly Allegra remembered.

You shit. April fool, right? she asked hopefully, but he was laughing at the other end. I hate you.

You believed me though. I should have kept you going a while longer. You're terrific.

You're an asshole. And I hope you have quadruplets, she said vehemently. He got her every year, and she always believed him.

She called the studio after that and told them the news, and they weren't thrilled, but they were grateful for the early warning. They assured her that the contract would remain in place, which was good news, and they would have a meeting with the director as soon as possible to figure out how to shoot it and work around the problem.

We really appreciate it, Allegra said.

Thanks for telling us early, the producer said. She was a woman whom Allegra liked very much and had worked with before, though not with Carmen.

I'll reassure Carmen that everything is okay. I know she'll be pleased. She was very worried.

Sometimes you just have to work around Mother Nature. I was working with Allyson Jarvis last month, and she'd forgotten to tell us that she was nursing. She must have worn a forty-eight double D, and I swear I thought we wouldn't even be able to get her chest into the picture. They both laughed, and Allegra called Carmen to reassure her that she hadn't lost the picture.

And by the end of the day, when she went home to Jeff, she wasn't sure why, but she was drooping. It hadn't been a bad day, and things had worked out for Carmen, despite her pregnancy, but nonetheless Allegra felt let down somehow, and she wondered if it was because of their baby. Maybe she was jealous of them, she suggested to herself as she drove home, but that seemed really stupid. It was just that their lives seemed so fulfilled, so complete, and hers always seemed like a work in progress. She was still seeing Dr. Green, who seemed very pleased with her. She was impressed by the relationship with Jeff. And Allegra reminded herself of how happy she was with him, as she let herself into the house in Malibu. She had never had a relationship like this with anyone. She had never loved anyone as she did him. He was really everything she'd ever wanted.

Anyone home? She shouted toward the back of the house where his office was. And half a minute later he came out, with a pencil behind his ear and a grin on his face. He'd missed her all day, and had been working hard, and he was dying to see her.

He swept her into his arms, and kissed her long and hard, and any mild dissatisfaction she might have felt with her life, disappeared on the instant.

Wow! What was that for? Either you had a great day at the typewriter, or a really bad one.

A little of both, as usual. I just missed you. How was your day?

Pretty good. She grabbed an Evian out of the fridge, and handed him a Coke, and told him about Alan and Carmen's baby.

So soon? That was quick. It must have been fun in Bora Bora. Maybe we should try it for our honeymoon.

By the time I get married, she smiled at him, she was feeling a lot better, and she knew he was just kidding about the honeymoon, I'll be so old I'll need a wheelchair, not a baby carriage.

What makes you say that? He sounded interested, as they both sat down on the stools at the counter in his kitchen.

I'm almost thirty, and I've spent a long time building my career, and I'm not there yet. I haven't made full partner yet, and I have a lot of things to do. I don't know, I haven't thought about marriage in a long time, she said honestly. She just rolled along from day to day, and took things as they came. It seemed a more realistic way to look at her life, than sitting around waiting for Prince Charming and a white wedding.

I'm kind of disappointed to hear you say that, Jeff said, looking surprised, and somewhat mischievous. She figured she was in for another April Fools' joke, like Alan's.

Why? Were you planning to ask me today? she asked with a grin, turning it around on him. Ha! April Fools' Day!

But he just laughed when she said that. Actually I was. I figured that April Fools' is a great day to get engaged. No one really knows if you're serious or not. I kind of like that.

Very funny. Alan already beat you to it, she said, looking very relaxed as she sipped her Evian. It was always fun coming home to him. They had such a good time together.

He asked you to marry him today? I think that's in really poor taste if his wife is pregnant.

No, you goof. She laughed at him again. He said Sam got engaged yesterday. I actually believed him. I should know him better than that after all these years. He does this to me every year. And I always believe him.

Jeff was smiling at her, as they sat in his comfortable kitchen at sunset. Would you believe me if I asked you to marry me today? he asked, leaning closer to her until they were almost kissing. And she laughed at him softly, thinking about what he had said.

No, I wouldn't believe you. She played the game with him, and he kissed her and then shook his head.

Then I guess I'll have to ask you again tomorrow, he said, pretending to look crushed, and she laughed again, and kissed him again, but something in his eyes suddenly made her tilt her head to one side and look at him strangely.

You're not serious, are you? This is all a joke, right?

Actually, being married to me probably would be something of a joke ‘ but, yeah, I mean it. What do you think? Too far-out, or would you like to give it a try for fifty or sixty years? I've got the time, if you'd like to try it. He was looking at her with such tenderness that it took her breath away as she realized he meant it.

Oh, my God ‘ oh, my God! ‘ She put her hands on her head and almost screamed as she looked into his eyes. You mean it?

Of course I mean it. I've never proposed to anyone in my life. I just figured this might be a good day to do it. You'd always remember.

You're crazy, she said, and threw her arms around his neck. It was incredible. She had known him for a little over two months, and yet it felt completely right to both of them. She had had other relationships for years, and they had hemmed and hawed, and kept her at arm's length, and avoided any real intimacy. And here she was with Jeff, and it was as natural as could be. It was amazing. I love you so much, she said, with her arms around him and kissing him. She had never been this happy. And even Carmen's baby seemed unimportant now. This was so much better. Jeff wanted to be with her for the rest of her life. It was what she had always wanted. It was a dream come true, and it was all so easy. It wasn't work, and it didn't have to be ironed out, and they didn't have to try or give it some thought. She didn't need therapy to figure out if she wanted him, and he didn't need ten years or two or four to figure out if he loved her. They loved each other, and it was right, and they were getting married.

You haven't answered me, you know, he reminded her, and she gave another squeal of delight, and ran around the kitchen like a kid, and he laughed and watched her.

Yes, I have. The answer is yes ‘ yes ‘ yes ‘ yes ‘ yes! And then she ran over and kissed him.

April fool! Just kidding, he said, but she laughed and didn't believe him.

Don't even try to get out of this one. And as they were talking about it the phone rang, and it was her brother. Hi, Scott, she said casually. What's new? ‘ Not much ‘ oh, nothing ‘ Jeff and I just got engaged ‘ no, seriously. Not April fool, for real. She sounded so casual, he didn't believe her, and Jeff was laughing as he listened.