Danielle Steel - the Wedding (2000)

She opened it cautiously, over the dinner they had made. There had been a gorgeous sunset on the beach, and it was their last night of freedom before he started to shoot his movie. Her hands were shaking as she unwrapped the box. It was impossible not to guess what was in it. But when she actually saw it, she gasped. It was a beautiful antique ring, with an emerald as its center stone, surrounded by diamonds.

Oh, Jeff, it's so beautiful. There were tears in her eyes when she saw it. It wasn't just an ordinary engagement ring, it had a personality of its own, and a beautiful design. She hadn't even minded not having an engagement ring at all. They had never even talked about it.

I was going to take you shopping with me, but then I saw this, and it looks just like one my grandmother had. I got this one at David Webb, but if you don't like it, we'll take it back, and get something you do like. He was smiling at her, and she kissed him.

I love it. ‘ I don't deserve this. I love you so much.

Do you like it?

I really do. It was perfect, and he slipped it on her finger. It was the right fit too, and she was beaming. She couldn't take her eyes off it, and it looked impressive on her hand, but because it was an old design, despite its size it didn't seem flashy. It was very distinguished.

They sat and talked for hours that night, about their families, their lives, their plans, and the upcoming wedding. The time seemed to be flying past them. It was already the first of May, and the wedding was only four months away now. Allegra still had a thousand things to do, and her mother kept calling her and nagging her about them. She wanted her to hire a wedding consultant to take care of the details, and Allegra thought that was ridiculous, but the fact was that neither she nor her mother had time to organize a wedding. Her mother was busier than ever with the show, and Allegra never seemed to get a moment's breather from her clients.

They went to bed early that night. Jeff wanted to be at the studio at four A.M., to see that everyone arrived, and make sure that every last detail had been taken care of. She reminded him that Tony and the director would be there too, and the responsibility was not all on his shoulders, but it was his book, and his first movie, and he wanted to be there in case there were any problems.

Who's being compulsive now? she teased, flashing her ring at him. She couldn't stop staring at it. And she didn't even take it off when they went to bed, incredibly early, since he had to be up by two-thirty.

They were asleep by ten o'clock, and Allegra was completely confused when the phone rang at midnight. She had been deep in sleep by then, and it took her a moment to realize that someone was speaking to her in a foreign language.

Mademoiselle Steinberg, on vous appelle de la Suisse, de la part de Madame Alain Carr. She had no idea what they were saying, except that she recognized Alan's name at the end of it. She wondered if he was calling collect or something.

I accept! she shouted into the phone, and Jeff woke up with a start, and then lay back in bed beside her. Hello! Hello! They were losing the connection. Finally, they came back on the line. There was a lot of static, and then, suddenly, she heard Carmen's voice, not Alan's.

Carmen? What is it? What's going on? They were nine hours ahead, so for her it was nine o'clock in the morning. But she figured that something must really be wrong for Carmen to call her at midnight. For an instant, there was a tingle down Allegra's spine, wondering if Alan had had an accident while making his movie. And all she could hear at the other end now was Carmen crying. Come on, dammit. Allegra was losing her patience with her. They had scared her half to death waking her up and now she wanted to know the story. Jeff was wide awake too, he had turned on the light and was listening. Carmen, what happened?

There was a long, thin wail at the other end of the phone. I'm in the hospital’ .

Oh, no. Why?

I lost the baby. She burst into tears again, and it was half an hour later before Allegra could calm her down. By then she had moved into the other room so Jeff could go back to sleep, but he was wide awake and couldn't.

Apparently, she hadn't had a fall, nothing dramatic had happened, she had just had a miscarriage. But she'd been on the set with Alan, and she had hemorrhaged pretty badly. They had had to call an ambulance, and she said Alan was terribly upset too. And then Carmen said she didn't want to come home without him, which struck fear in Allegra's heart. They both had contracts.

Now listen, Carmen, Allegra said, trying to stay calm, I know this is terrible. But you'll get pregnant again. And Alan has to finish that movie. If you talk him into coming home with you, they'll never hire him again. So don't you forget that, and you have to be home on the fifteenth for rehearsals.

I know, but I'm so miserable. And I don't want to leave him. She cried until one A.M., and Allegra finally got her off the phone, thinking of the ironies of life. Here, she wanted her baby so desperately, and lost it. And Sam's was ruining her life, and hanging in there. Maybe she should have given it to Carmen, she thought, being somewhat flip, as she went back to bed, and saw that Jeff was still awake, and he did not look happy.

Carmen lost her baby, she said apologetically, slipping into bed beside him.

I figured out that much, but I'm about to lose my mind. I cannot live in this emergency room atmosphere of midnight phone calls every night, suicides, drug busts, miscarriages, overdoses, divorces, concert tours for chrissake, Allie, what are you? An attorney or a psychiatric attendant?

That's a good question. Look, I know, I'm sorry. She probably miscalculated the time difference.

Bullshit. She doesn't care. They all do it. They call you at any hour of the day or night. I need my sleep. I have a movie to make. I have a job too, Allegra. You have to tell your clients to stop calling.

I know, I know’ . I'm sorry. ‘ I swear it won't happen anymore.

You're a liar, he said, pulling her close to him again and feeling her naked body against his just the way he liked it. You're going to make me an old man if you don't knock this stuff off.

I'll tell them. I promise. But they both knew she'd never do it. It was just the way she was, there for them all the time, whatever their problems.

And two hours later, he left for work, sleepy, and more than a little grouchy. She made him coffee before he left, and went back to bed and called Carmen at the number she'd given her. Alan answered the phone then. He was on a break, and obviously very upset about Carmen and the baby.

I'm sorry, kid, she told him, and he thanked her, and then he walked the phone into the bathroom and told Allegra that Carmen was in terrible shape. She was deeply depressed about the baby.

You have to take care of her when she comes home, he pleaded with Allegra.

I will. I swear. But you stay where you are, and finish your movie.

I know, he said, sounding harassed. I told her all that, but she wants me to go with her.

I'll kill you if you do that. You can't.

I know that. Just promise me you'll take care of her when she gets back there day after tomorrow.

I will. Don't worry about a thing, Allegra reassured him, and hung up, thinking about how complicated life was sometimes for all of them. Carmen, Alan, Bram, Jeff, herself. None of them had chosen easy careers. And yet, for different reasons, each of them liked what they were doing. She was particularly aware of that late that night, as she sat, freezing, backstage at the Oakland Coliseum. Bram had sent his own plane for her, and she'd gone up to see him open. The huge arena was entirely sold out, and the crowd went wild when they saw Bram, and they cheered endlessly when he introduced the new drummer. They did a memorial song, and had a moment of silence for the man who had died. And at the end of the show, twenty thousand fans gave them a standing ovation. Allegra had never seen anything like it, not even at one of Bram's other concerts. And the security had their hands full peeling fans off him. In the end, they played seven encores, and Bram was soaked with sweat when he finally came offstage and hugged Allegra.