“Only you would read it during a wedding,” she retorted.
“Touché.” He reached for Leah’s hand. “I’m happy for you, for both of you, for all of you. You earned this love. Don’t blow it.”
He congratulated them and strolled over to a group of women standing at the bar.
Alex reached for her hand and pulled her Leah to the dance floor. “Are you really enjoying this?” he asked.
Leah caressed his cheek. “How could you doubt it? This is the best day of my life.”
Alex looked relieved. “I promised you a wedding at the Taj Mahal, not a beach at the Hamptons.”
“The Taj Mahal is overrated. This is perfect. I was willing to marry you in Vegas at a little chapel.”
“I wasn’t feeling the Elvis impersonator presiding over the wedding.”
“Such a snob,” Leah teased as she nipped at his lips. “This wedding is more than I could have ever hoped for. I’m surrounded by friends and family, and even Rose hugged me. At first I thought she was going to attack, but she actually embraced me and thanked me for making you happy. Today is a day of miracles.”
“We deserved a miracle. You are my miracle.. ” Alex held Leah’s face in his hands as he bent down and kissed her. “Speaking of miracles…” Alex pointed to Leah’s mother, who was laughing with Tristan and Claire.
“Do you think it’s a midlife crisis?” Leah asked, puzzled by the joyous expression on her mother’s face.
Francesca looked up and saw Leah. She moved through the crowd with her sophisticated eloquence. She was absolutely radiant in a pale pink strapless lace dress; her dark tresses flowing freely down her back. She looked youthful and romantic. This was so unlike her normal, formal, proper appearance. Without her husband and her usual crowd of social snobs, she flourished, letting go of the restraints and allowing herself to relax and just enjoy simple moments. Although she still suffered from the occasional uncensored inappropriate comment, Leah was learning to embrace that side of her mother as well. Even when she would be offensive, she would often be quite amusing.
Francesca Rhodes was changing so much so fast. On one hand, Leah was grateful for the transformation, but a part of her worried that her mother was hiding something. Leah suspected that her parents’ marriage might be in trouble. The façade of perfection they created was finally starting to show some cracks.
Every time she asked her mother, she denied any problems and assured her daughter her marriage was as it always has been. Leah had her doubts. She just hoped one day her mother would open up and let her in. She was still so closed off at times and Leah hated the idea that her mother might be suffering alone.
Today, Francesca looked like a fairy princess rather than her usual ice-queen persona. Her green eyes glistened as her smiled brightened her face, as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
“You’re so beautiful, Mom,” an awestruck Leah acknowledged as her mother approached.
“She’s exquisite. Magnificent. Yet my mere words fail to describe how truly captivating she is.”
Leah turned and saw Deverson standing behind her, his eyes perusing Francesca as they always did whenever the two were in the same room.
Leah glanced at her mother, who showed no outward reaction to Deverson’s words. Her eyes did not betray any hint of mutual interest. She stood their stoically, watching this man watch her. There was no snippy remark nor any words laced with contempt. Francesca said nothing under the heat of Deverson’s intense gaze.
Leah wondered how her mother really felt about this man who was so unlike her and the world she inhabited. Could she possibly return the attraction Deverson so openly expressed?
The tension in the air was making Leah uncomfortable. She tried to lighten the mood or at least divert Deverson’s attention from something other than her mother.
“Thank you for making this wedding happen and for everything else you’ve done for us.”
He finally faced Leah. “My pleasure, ma petite.” His eyes returned to Francesca. “There is nothing betting than a love story with a happy ending.” Deverson smiled lasciviously at Francesca before walking away.
That was weird, but Leah didn’t want to dwell on the obvious undertones. Not today. Her mother acted as if nothing had happened and Leah was more than willing to do the same.
“I’m so happy for the both of you,” Francesca exclaimed. “I regret I ever tried to break this up. I know this won’t make much sense to you, but Alex, I always cared about you even though I never showed it. I always thought you had potential for greatness, but that you also were at risk for self-destruction. I know I’m not explaining this well, but I was torn. I wanted to help you but I wanted to protect my daughter from you. I let my husband convince me to focus on the latter. I’m not proud of how I behaved, but I did do a few things right by you. I knew you needed my daughter and so I never stopped you from sneaking into her room at night.” Francesca’s lips curved in a knowing smile.
Leah gasped. “You knew?” Leah couldn’t believe her mother knew this secret the whole time and did nothing to stop it.
“I knew. I knew Alex needed to feel safe and, at least at night in our home, he had a safe haven. I couldn’t take that away from him or from you. You guys were so young so I wasn’t worried about any funny business between the two of you so I let it go on. I never told your father or anyone else until now.” Francesca stared into her daughter’s shocked face. “You see Leah, I wasn’t always blind, cold and empty. I wasn’t always like this.”
Francesca looked so desolate and defeated. Leah had never seen her mother like that and it scared her. She wanted to embrace her mother, but before she could, she scurried away and walked over to Tristan, who had managed to wrestle Sienna away from Claire.
“I can’t believe she knew all this time and never said a word. Everything about her is such a contradiction. I wish I understood her. I wish I knew what was really going on with her.”
Alex wrapped his arms around Leah. “One day she will let you in and hopefully the rest of us. I think your mom just needs to be loved.”
Leah looked at Deverson whose eyes never left her mother. “Maybe she’s already loved.”
About the Author
J.E. Hopkins is a practicing attorney in New York and an avid fiction writer. Hopkins holds a Juris Doctor from St. John's University and a Bachelor of Arts from New York University.
J.E. Hopkins published her first novel, The Broken, in 2007. For more information about this author and upcoming works, please visit www.jehopkinsauthor.com. You may also contact J.E. at [email protected] or follow J.E. on Twitter @jehopkinsauthor.
Other Works By This Author
Misfits of the Lore Series
Lover’s Betrayal
We Shall Rise
Arctic Prison
For the Love of Alex Page 25
