Danielle Steel - the Wedding (2000)

So what do you think? Simon asked her with a sigh. Truthfully, Blaire. Do we approve or not? Just between us. They had already vowed to support Sam and Jimmy in all their efforts.

I don't know why, she said, rubbing a hand over her eyes and then looking at him again honestly, and they're so damn young, but I hope it works out for them. The baby is so sweet, no matter how he came into our lives. It's not his fault. And I really like Jimmy. What a good kid he is. He's been wonderful to Sam. This isn't what I'd have wanted for her, if someone had asked me, but maybe in the long run, it will be all right. It was everyone's silent wish for them. And Jimmy had certainly stood by her, both before and while she had the baby. You couldn't have asked for more if he'd been the father. In fact, most men twice his age wouldn't have been half as supportive.

They're silly kids, getting married like that, without telling us, Simon said, sipping his coffee with a frown. But you have to give them credit for at least trying to sort this mess out. Jimmy's a nice kid. And the baby is cute too, isn't he? Simon looked very tender as he remembered their own babies.

He's adorable, Blaire agreed, and then she smiled sadly. Do you remember how sweet Scott was when he was born?

And Sam, he said wistfully, remembering the wisps of platinum hair and huge dark blue eyes, and then he looked tenderly at Blaire again.

They had come a long way from those memories this year, through no fault of hers. They had just started to drift apart, and he had ventured even farther, but now they both knew that the very fabric of their marriage had been torn. He had thought, stupidly, that she wouldn't notice it if he took some time off. He was still there, officially, but in his heart he had been gone for months. And now he knew how dearly it had cost them.

I'm sorry, Blaire. I know what a rough year it's been. She didn't answer him at first. She was thinking of the not-so-distant past. She would walk around the house and see photographs sometimes, which reminded her of better days, and just seeing them would catch at her heart. She remembered when he used to look at her like that, when their hugs were tight and their eyes for each other were still excited and alive. Now she felt dead inside. She had never known, never expected, never fathomed, how much he could hurt her. I've been so stupid, he said in a whisper, with tears in his eyes as he reached out and took her hand. He felt rotten seeing what he had done to her so clearly. Elizabeth had been a breath of new life for him, and she had excited him, but he had never really loved her, not the way he loved Blaire. And he had never wanted her to know about it. It was all so totally wrong. And now it was too late. He could see in the sag of Blaire's shoulders, in the ashes in her eyes when he looked at her, that what they had once shared was gone. It had made her bitter at first, and angry, and frightened. But now she just felt tired, and sad. He could see that. And to him, her sorrow was worse than her anger.

Those things happen, she said philosophically. They never said Elizabeth's name, but they both knew what they were saying. I just never expected them to happen to us. That was the hardest part. At first, I just didn't believe it. But after a while, I guess I just figured we were like everyone else, battered, broken, and embittered. It was like losing all our magic, she said, looking at him for the first time in a long time, and he spoke softly and took her hand across the table.

You never lost your magic, Blaire.

Yes, I did ‘ when we lost ours.

Maybe we didn't lose it ‘ maybe we just misplaced it, he said hopefully, and she smiled at him. She couldn't imagine things ever going back to the way they were. Too much had changed. None of it was on the surface. Superficially, they appeared to be what they had always been, polite, intelligent, creative, happy people with a great family, and a warm, loving life. But inside, she knew different. She had been totally alone for the last year, abandoned for the second time in her life. It's going to be nice having the baby in the house, he said softly, and Blaire looked sad again and defeated.

If that's what you want, Simon, you can still have your own. I can't.

Does that matter to you? he asked, surprised. He had never even considered that with Elizabeth. Marriage, and certainly children, had never been an issue, just lust and excitement.

But Blaire nodded her head in answer to his question. Sometimes it matters. Having babies was important to me. Now I feel so old. She had gone through the change of life that year, the same year he had chosen to be unfaithful to her with a woman almost half her age, almost the same age as her older daughter. It hadn't been great timing, to say the least. But there had been nothing she could do to stop it.

I don't want other children, Simon said firmly. I've never wanted to be married to anyone but you in my entire life. I never wanted to leave you, Blaire. And I know it was terribly wrong, but I just wanted some time off. I don't know what happened to me, except that I'm old and stupid. She was young, she flattered me, maybe you and I had hit a flat spot in our life. But I've never regretted anything so much in my life. They had paid too high a price for his pleasures. She doesn't hold a candle to you, he said gently. It was hard to be this honest with her, but he knew it was time. There's no one in this world who's even half of what you are, he said as he leaned over and kissed her, and for the flicker of an instant, she felt something for him that she hadn't felt all year.

I'm a grandmother now, you know, she said with a small smile, and she kissed him hesitantly. Just saying it was something of a shock, and they both laughed.

What does that make me? I feel even older than I am. Elizabeth Coleson had renewed his spirit at first and made him feel half his age. But losing Blaire, emotionally, had suddenly made him feel a thousand years older. Come on, he said, standing up slowly, and putting an arm around her. Take this old man upstairs. It's been a long night, I need to lie down. There was mischief in his eyes as he walked up the stairs with her. They were both tired, but he had something in mind for her that he hadn't dared in months, till that morning.

If you ever do it again ‘ she said, with a spark in her eye he hadn't seen in nearly a year, and it made his heart sing just watching her. Her step was light and her body enticing as she walked quickly upstairs beside him. She turned around at the top to look at him again, and there was murder and mayhem in her eyes. You won't get away with it twice, Simon Steinberg. There's no mercy for badly behaved old men in this house. But he didn't need to say a word; she could see all his remorse, and love for her, in his eyes. He had come back to her, in spite of everything. It still made her tremble to think she had almost lost him.

You don't even have to say it, he said to her, as he put his arms around her and kissed her. It will never happen again.

No, it won't. She smiled at him as they walked into their bedroom. The sunshine was streaming into the room; it was a beautiful day. I'll kill you next time. She said it softly. But more likely, she knew it would kill her if she lost him.

Come here, he said, sounding gruff and sexy. They hadn't made love in months, and he could barely wait to go to bed with her now. They bounced onto the bed like two kids, and she was laughing at him, and then suddenly he was kissing her, and she was remembering everything she had tried so hard to forget about him. How she loved him, how sexy he was, and how much fun they had together. She had never thought she could trust him again, or even love him, but as they lay in the sunshine, on the day their first grandchild was born, they both discovered with relief that nothing had been lost. If anything, their love for each other had grown, and they knew they'd been lucky, and Sam's tiny newborn boy had blessed them.