Danielle Steel - Remembrance

“Together?” Serena looked shocked, and B.J. looked rueful.

“She's marrying my brother Greg in June. That's an interesting development, isn't it?”

Serena watched him closely and dried her eyes. “She's marrying your brother?” He nodded. “Do you mind?”

“Not in the way you mean. What I mind is that I think she's the worst thing that could happen to my brother. Or maybe not, maybe he needs someone to run his life. My mother can't do it forever.”

“Is he really that weak?”

B.J. nodded slowly. “I hate to admit it, but he is, the poor devil. He's just like my father.”

“Your father's weak too?” She looked shocked to hear him tearing his family apart so candidly. He had never done this with her before.

“Yes, my father is weak too. And my mother has more balls than an entire football team put together. I don't think it's made her happy, and at various times it has driven all of us nuts, but there it is. And all that matters, my darling, is that I love you. Now, I have done my duty, I have told my family about our marriage, I'm sorry that they didn't jump up and down with joy, but once they meet you they will, so let's not worry about that, and now let's go Christmas shopping. Is that a deal?” She looked up at him with damp eyes, and attempted a smile.

“I love you.” But she almost instantly began to cry again. “I'm so sorry.”

“Why? For crying all day on our wedding day, for that you should be sorry. Very sorry, especially after that terrific lunch.” He handed her his handkerchief again and she blew her nose.

“No, I'm sorry because I've made your family so unhappy.”

“You haven't, I promise you. You have given my mother something to think about, which won't do her any harm, and the rest of the family will probably think it's great news.” And at that moment, before he could continue, the phone rang, and it was his brother Teddy, calling from the States. “What's up?” B.J. looked vaguely worried and a moment later Serena saw him break into a broad smile. “She's sensational, you're going to love her.… Okay … okay … I'll let you talk to her yourself.” And then without further warning, he handed the phone to Serena with only the brief introduction, “My brother Ted.”

“Hello, Serena, this is Teddy. I'm Brad's youngest brother, and I just wanted to congratulate you myself. I wanted you to know that I'm happy for you and Brad. And I'm sure that if my brother loves you, you must be one terrific lady, and I can't wait to meet you.”

Tears filled her eyes as she murmured, “Thank you so much.” She blushed and stammered then as she reached for her husband's hand. “I hope … so much … that I will not make the family unhappy.…” Brad could hear the terror in her voice. His poor little princess, afraid of his twenty-two-year-old brother. Poor thing, she had really been through the wringer. But never again. He would keep his mother in check when they went to New York for Greg's wedding, if they went at all.

Ted was quick to reassure her. “The only way you could make us unhappy is if you make Brad unhappy, and I can't imagine you doing that.”

“Oh, no!” She sounded shocked.

“Good. Then just know how happy I am for you.”

Her eyes filled with tears again and she said good-bye to her new brother and handed the phone back to Brad.

“Isn't she terrific?” Brad was beaming at her as he spoke to his brother.

Teddy sounded more serious again. “I just hope you're not as nuts as Mom said. Is she really a nice girl, Brad?”

“The best.”

“You love each other?”

“Yes, we do.”

“Then, I wish you the best, Brad. I wish I were there to tell you myself. I wish I'd been there to share it with you.” And Brad knew that Teddy meant it.

“So do I. But we'll make up for it when we get together. What's this insanity about Greg, by the way?”

“You heard it. I guess Pattie figured that if she couldn't have you she'd have him. I'm just lucky she didn't decide to grab me, I guess.”

“Luckier than you know, kid.”

“I suspect as much. I hope old Greg holds up.”

“So do I.” They both sounded worried as they thought about Greg's impending marriage.

“Anyway, I just wanted to congratulate you both and wish you luck and tell you that I love you.”

“You're a great kid, Teddy. And one hell of a fine brother. I love you.” His voice was hoarse as he said the words.

“My love to you both,” Ted said gently, and then said good-bye.

Brad turned to Serena with a look of great tenderness after he'd hung up. “I've got some baby brother.”

“He sounds wonderful.”

“He is. I can't wait for you to meet him.” They held each other close then for a long moment, in the study, as Brad thought of his family so far away, and in spite of the joy of the special day he was sharing with Serena, he was suddenly homesick for the States, and his family, especially his brother Ted. “Do you want to go out now?” He looked down at his wife.

“What would you like, Brad?” She recognized that it had been an emotional hour for them both, and she felt spent, but she still wanted to buy him a gift.

But he looked at her warmly and took her hand. “I'd like to take you out and buy you everything in sight, Serena Fullerton, that's what I'd like to do.” She grinned at the use of her new name. “Come on, let's go shopping.”

“Are you sure?” She smiled at the anxious look in his eyes.

“Very sure. Go get your ugly coat.” She had already given the sable back to Marie-Rose and Pierre. “I'm going to buy you a new one.”

“Not a sable, I hope.”

“Hardly.” But as it turned out, he bought her a luscious blond lynx, and boxes upon boxes of new clothes. When they staggered home at six o'clock, he had bought her at least a dozen new dresses, two suits, half a dozen hats, the lynx coat, gold earrings, a black wool coat as well, shoes, handbags, scarves, underwear, nightgowns. She was totally overwhelmed by the avalanche of expensive goodies he bought her, and her own gift to him seemed so small in comparison, but it had taken almost the last of her savings. She had bought him a gold cigarette case and lighter, and later, after she gave it to him, she would have his name engraved, and the date. She planned to give it to him the following evening, on Christmas Eve.

The driver helped them deposit all their loot in the front hallway and slowly Serena and Brad walked upstairs, arm in arm, as he looked down at her with pleasure again and she turned her face up to his with a look of amazement. Who was this man she had married? Was it possible that he had such means? She had not seen such riches since before the war. It made her wonder if his family would think she had married him for his money.

“Something wrong, Mrs. Fullerton?” He was anxious that she be cushioned from the harshness of his mother's cruelty.

“No, I was just thinking how lucky I am to have you.”

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you.” He stopped her then at the top of the stairs, and picked her up gently, enveloped in her new lynx, which she had insisted on wearing out of the store, her blond hair blending with it, almost the same color, and he carried her over the threshold of their bedroom.

“What are you doing?” She said it sleepily against his shoulder. It had been a long day, filled with emotions and excitement. Their wedding, his mother, their enormous wedding lunch, all the shopping … it was no wonder that she was exhausted.

“I'm carrying you over the threshold. It's an American custom, to celebrate the fact that we're newly married. I can also think of other ways to celebrate the same fact.” She giggled at him and he set her down on the bed and kissed her, and moments later the coat was shed, along with the rest of her clothes and they made love until they were both spent, and fell asleep peacefully in each other's arms. Marie-Rose sent up their dinner that night, on a tray on a dumbwaiter as Brad had suggested, but they never woke up after their lovemaking, or went to get the sandwiches and cocoa she had made them. They slept on like two children to each other's arms.