Before We Knew

by Wasowski, Mary

  When we got back to the house, Hallie waited for me to walk around and open the door for her. Once we were inside the house, I dropped my keys, and then let out the breath I was holding.

  She kept her distance and gave me the few minutes I needed to get my thoughts together. How am I going to explain and make it clear to Hallie that she needs to just quit this crusade of hers and accept that there is no relationship to save when it comes to my father?

  “Ben, I’m sure you haven’t eaten, and you were probably there to pick up breakfast for us. Can I make you something?”

  “No, I’m good. I lost my appetite the moment I saw you with my father,” I answered curtly.

  “Ben, I’m so sorry,” she began to say, and then I couldn’t hold back any longer and pulled her to me. She hugged me back and pressed her cheek to my chest as I breathed her in. “Ben…”

  I cut her off again and placed a hard kiss to her forehead before stepping out of her embrace. We needed to have a conversation about my father.

  “What’s it going to take for you to finally hear me?” I asked with my hands positioned at my hips.

  “I don’t know what you mean by that.”

  “Sure, you do. I’ve been telling you since we met that I don’t want you anywhere near my father, and now that we know all he has done, it’s even more vital for him to keep his distance. Hallie, all you know is love. You want to see the good in people and trust that they are capable of change, which is admirable. It’s one of the many qualities I love about you. However, when it comes to my father, he is just not redeemable. Oliver Chapel makes his own rules, because he invented the game. I have been a pawn on his chessboard for far too long now, and I don’t want that same fate to happen to you.”

  “Oh, Ben, the way you talk about him sometimes scares me. Do you really hate him so much?”

  I let out a breath and then said, “Hate takes up too much energy. I’d rather give it to someone deserving of it. It’s you, Hallie. It takes all my energy to love you in the way you deserve to be. So, what’s it going to take for you to believe in that love? What’s it going to take for you to trust me to know what’s right when it comes to my father? Because, Hallie, what happened today can never happen again.”

  “The way you are looking at me right now is all I need to see. I understand now, Ben, and I promise you with all that I have that I will respect your wishes from now on. Please forgive me, Ben. I need you to forgive me.”

  “There’s nothing to forgive,” I said and then hugged my girl until we both were so tired, we walked back upstairs to take a nap.

  This time, when I woke up, she was with me, all nestled into my side where she belongs. Her eyes were closed, and there was a slight smile to her sleeping form. My girl needed peace, and I knew the only way I could bring it to her was to find a way to completely get away from my father’s chokehold on my life.

  I left her asleep while I got dressed and walked downstairs to make a call. I needed help, and it was clear that what I was doing wasn’t working. I could call Harry and ask for advice, but he’s the last person I should be bothering now with his wedding happening in less than a week. No, I had to reach higher and call my godfather, Peter Hallsworth. He’s a good man. We’ve always been close, but since I’ve been here in the U.S., I don’t get to see him as often as I used to.

  I dialed his number and waited for him to pick up. I got his voicemail and left a message, “Hi, Peter, it’s Ben. I need you to call me as soon as you get this, and please, don’t tell my father that I reached out.”

  28

  A wedding and a proposal

  Hallie…

  It was wedding week for Leah and Harry, and I couldn’t be happier for my big sister. We celebrated each day by doing something special and just for us. She promised when it was my turn, she would return the favor. I laughed and probably snorted too when she mentioned marriage for me. I love Ben. In less than a year he has become my entire world, but it hasn’t always been easy.

  His father continues to make it challenging for us to be happy, and he hasn’t gotten the hint that Ben doesn’t want anything to do with him. After the Coffee House disaster, I promised Ben that I would no longer interfere in his relationship with his father. All I cared about was Ben not being angry with me, but he put that worry to rest by holding and loving me. He treated me with such care and understanding. He respects me first and cherishes me as his lover. Yes, we Whitman girls won the lottery with landing our amazing men.

  And now today I get to be witness to my sister marrying her prince. After a morning spent at the spa getting massages, manicures, pedicures, our hair, and lastly makeup done, we were ready. The limo was due to arrive at any moment, and that’s when I took the time to just admire my sister without her knowing I was watching. She was standing in front of the floor-length mirror and twirling like she used to do around our living room. Daddy always pretended to be the King of the castle, and we were the princesses. He would make a grand show of bowing to us, and then he would take our hands and twirl us around the room. Mom would always be there with her camera to capture the perfect moment.

  Leah looked stunning today. She wasn’t walking on cloud nine, she was floating. I thought at any minute she was going to sprout wings and just take off toward heaven to bring my parents down for her big day. It was the one missing piece that truly would have made this day perfect. We know they are with us in spirit, and as long as we hold onto that, we are okay.

  I wiped away a quick tear threatening to fall, and then I walked in all the way and stood behind my sister. I placed my arms around her and said, “Let’s get you married.”

  She paused for a second and then let out a breath. “I miss them, Hallie,” the words caught in her throat. “I want daddy to walk me down the aisle and mom waiting with tissues in her hand.”

  “They’re here. I know they are.”

  “Okay, let’s get this show on the road,” she said as she wiggled her foot, showing off her sparkly shoe.

  While Leah danced with her new husband, it was my turn to take a spin with Ben. He looked handsome, wearing a tux similar to Harry’s. Leah kept the dresses simple and easy to dance in. I loved it actually and knew I would be wearing it again. It wasn’t the typical bridesmaid dress.

  “You look beautiful, Hallie, so gorgeous,” Ben told me.

  “Thank you, but have you seen yourself? I need to start carrying a bat to beat off all the women who flirt with you.”

  “No chance at that happening. All I see is you. You’re the one, Hallie, and I just know that I’m going to love you forever.”

  I looked into his eyes and knew he was telling the truth. I told him, “I love you too, so much.”

  We danced to two more songs, and then our parents’ lawyer and a family friend cut in and asked to dance with me. Ben kissed me on my forehead and walked over to where Leah and Harry were.

  “Thank you, Hallie,” Mr. Doyle said.

  “For?” I asked as we began to dance.

  “Your ability to forgive. You know, I’ve been friends with your parents since college, and I was there when you girls were born. So, to think one day you girls wouldn’t be in my life scared me. I’m sorry I had to keep certain things from you, but I believe it was for the greater good. I promised your mother, and with your dad already gone, I just couldn’t say no.”

  “Mr. Doyle, I really don’t think this is the best time to have this conversation.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry, but if you can just give me a few minutes, I would appreciate it.” He looked serious, and my curiosity was now on high alert.

  “How about outside on the terrace? Let me tell Ben, and I will meet you there.”

  “Thank you, Hallie. Thank you.”

  Ben was laughing with Harry when I walked up and hugged him from behind. He said to me, “Hey, beautiful, ready to dance?”

  “Yes, but I need to do something first. Can you give me a few minutes?”

  Harry raised his eyeb
row up in confusion and then asked, “Are you okay?”

  “Mr. Doyle wants to talk to me in private.”

  “For what possible reason?” Harry questioned.

  “I think it’s about the accounts and his part in it. I promise, I will make it quick.”

  “Hallie, you don’t have to talk to him about this right now. As far as I’m concerned, you and Leah made your peace with it.”

  “I know, but he asked, and now I have to know. I will sound the alarm if I need you guys, okay?”

  Harry wasn’t happy and neither was Ben, but they let me go.

  “Okay, I’m here and away from the reception, which I have to return to soon.”

  “I know, and again, I’m sorry. Listen, I just wanted you to understand that all the trusts and accounts are secure and untouchable by Oliver Chapel. What was established by your mother and then the additional funds that were deposited by me are secure and ironclad.”

  “Good to know, but I wasn’t worried. Harry has gone over all the accounts, and now that he and Leah are married, her part will be switched over to their accounts and mine will be separate.”

  “Yes, it’s true. I guess I just wanted to make sure you were aware of the new changes and how it affects you as an individual. Oliver Chapel is a ruthless man, and I’ve dealt with my fair share of men like him, but having said that, he’s also unpredictable. I just want you to keep your eyes open when it comes to him.”

  “Mr. Doyle, has he threatened you? Because if he has, then you should tell Harry right away. He’s a D.A. and can help.”

  “No, he didn’t threaten me, but we did have an uncomfortable conversation. He wants his son, and whatever he’s planning for Ben, I just don’t want to see you hurt and caught in the middle of it. Please be careful.”

  “Thank you for the advice, but I’m okay. I have Ben, my sister, and Harry looking out for me, and you too. Oliver can throw all the tantrums he wants, but he’s going to have to do it without me or Ben. I promise you that we are okay, and if anything happens, I will tell Harry, I promise.”

  When I returned to Ben, I said nothing about what Mr. Doyle told me. I just wanted to enjoy Leah’s wedding and dance until my feet ached. I knew he would ask me about it later but understood now wasn’t the time.

  Photos were taken inside and outside the venue. We took dancing photos, cutting the cake, and throwing the bouquet. I helped Leah change into another dress and got her ready to leave. Harry didn’t want to prolong the honeymoon, so they were leaving on a red-eye flight to Los Angeles and from there to Hawaii. They would be gone for two weeks, and she told me to be good while she was gone. We hugged and laughed, and then it was time.

  Harry was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. He changed into a casual suit and wore the smile of a very happy man. The car was packed, and all he needed was Leah. She stopped at the second-to-last step and then launched herself into his arms. He kissed and twirled her around as the guests applauded and whistled. Harry didn’t put her down and carried her all the way to the car. He placed her down to give us hugs, and then with one final goodbye, we waved them off.

  “You happy?” asked Ben.

  “Very much. It was a beautiful wedding.”

  “That it was. He’s a good man and will be even a better husband.”

  “You are a good man, Benjamin Chapel.”

  “You didn’t have to say that.”

  “Yeah, I did. You are an amazing person, and I’m just lucky.”

  “How are your feet feeling?” he asked, looking down at them.

  “All good since I changed to flats.”

  “Good. Walk with me? I want to show you something.”

  He took my hand in his, and we followed the path down to the lake with the fountain in the middle of it. It was decorated in white lights, and flowers were floating in the water on lily pads. “This is beautiful. I can’t wait to see the wedding proofs when they come back.”

  “Yeah, they picked a perfect spot for their wedding,” I said.

  “So, you mentioned earlier that I was amazing and you were lucky to be with a guy like me, right?”

  “Yes, I believe I said something on the lines of that.” I smiled and stood on my toes to reach up to kiss him. His eyes twinkled more than the lights above us. “I love you,” I said.

  29

  Say yes to a future with me

  Ben…

  “I love you too. So, if you love me and you know I love you, then how about being Mrs. Lucky and do me the extreme honor at becoming my wife?” I happily sighed and then waited for Hallie to react.

  She was unusually quiet but didn’t look surprised by my question.

  “Just so you know,” I added, “this is real, and you can answer the question whenever the mood strikes.” And as the words passed over my lips, I pulled the ring I had chosen for her out from my pocket. I bought the ring and held onto it since we had our break from each other last year.

  I always knew we would have this moment, and there was no better time than tonight to ask her. I opened the box and held it in the center of my hand.

  She put her hands to her mouth, and then I saw the tears, which I prayed were happy ones.

  “Please, baby, you are killing me. Say something.”

  She touched the ring and pulled her hand back. My god, she was adorable. She tilted her head to one side and then wiped away her tears. “You’re not joking? This is real, right?”

  “Yes, very real, because we are real. I love you so much that I think about you all the time. When you’re not with me, I wonder what you’re doing, and I do the countdown in my head until you’re back home with me. I know most people don’t understand us, but we do, and that’s all that matters. My only regret is that I didn’t ask you sooner, because I have been in love with you from the moment you said yes to going out with me. My father is an asshole and is probably working on cutting me out of the will, but I don’t care. I’ll make it on my own, and since you and I are a team, how can we fail?”

  “My heart says yes, but it’s my mind that needs help catching up. I have school to finish, and your…”

  “My father? Is that what you were going to say?”

  “Yeah, he’s never too far from my mind. And he was the topic of tonight's conversation with Mr. Doyle.”

  I closed the ring box and put it back in my pocket. “I’m sorry. I’m doing this all wrong and should have thought it through and made the night incredibly special for you.”

  “No, Ben, don’t do that. I loved the proposal and the ring. And, of course, I want to marry you and be Mrs. Lucky. Having said that, I also don’t believe we can make any plans for our future until you resolve matters with your father. You need to talk to him and figure things out, and then there’s your mother, who you haven’t mentioned to me in weeks.”

  “That’s a yes, right? Because I believe I heard a yes in there somewhere, and I just want to make sure that my hearing is good.”

  She laughed and covered her face, which was now red as a strawberry. “Yes, Ben, my answer is a firm yes to marrying on a date still yet to be determined.”

  Before she could change her mind, I reached for her and pulled her close to me. “Thank you for loving me the way you do. You are a warrior who fights the good fight, and I promise things with my father will work out. I’m going to take care of it, I promise.”

  “I believe you. Just be careful.”

  “I will. Now, let’s go home, so I can get you out of this dress and we can make love and celebrate our engagement, but first…” I opened the box and put the ring on her finger. “A perfect fit for the perfect girl.”

  We fell into bed together and made love for hours until we both succumbed to sleep. She found her spot on my chest and stayed there until we woke up close to noon the next day.

  After she spoke with Leah, we shut our phones off and didn’t turn them on again until Monday. I had a meeting with my new team at Innovate Now, and then once I was done, I was going to mee
t up with Peter, who had flown in to see me.

  “Ben, thank you so much for coming in today. There are a few developments we wanted to share with you.”

  “It’s no problem, Van. I’m excited to get started at Innovate Now.”

  “Yeah, about that. The partners and I got an unexpected offer to merge with a big and broader tech company. The deal was unbelievable, and we could not pass on it. So, we signed the papers this morning.”

  “Which means what?” I asked. “Oh, I get it. The big company buys a small company and then an even bigger restructuring happens, and they bring in some of their people, which means some of yours have to go. Am I close?”

  “I’m sorry, Ben. I wish I had better news, but the VC’s had a list of requests, and we didn’t have a lot of room to negotiate with. We couldn’t pass on it.”

  “Yeah, so you’ve said and now twice. May I ask you a question?”

  “Sure, shoot.”

  “Who bought you out?” As if I didn’t already know the answer.

  “A venture capitalist out of the U.K. who specializes in American start-up companies. Look, Ben, his firm can take Innovate Now to places we probably won’t get to until ten years from now. It was the right move for us.”

  “Yeah, I get that. Okay, Van, good for you. Good for the team. I hope you did your homework on the VC from the U.K., because he’s a shark and will smell the chum from ten miles away. And when he’s done with you, I promise there will be nothing left of the company you worked hard to create.” I wanted to get the hell out of here before I punched Van in the mouth. What a fucking sell-out!

  “Ben, do you know something I don’t know? Because I never gave you the name of the investor. You make it sound as if you speak from personal experience? Am I wrong?”

  “I was merely speculating. I mean, come on. This is a big world littered with even bigger companies knocking down the smaller ones to add another notch to their corporate empire.”