Love-in-Idleness

by Christina Bell

  There was a long pause. Puck hated it when his father laid out a lot of highly charged information and then dismissed them.

  “One more question,” Cam said.

  “Last one,” Miles said sternly.

  “Why was I in love with Chloe last night?”

  Miles pushed back from his desk and began to walk around it and toward the door. Right before he left, he stopped to address Cam, who was now turned in his seat. “Puck put a spell on you. Good night, boys.” And with that, Miles walked out the door, closing it behind him.

  Crap, thought Puck. Here he was, alone with the orphan, busted on the one count he was hoping would slip Cam’s mind in light of everything else that had happened. He looked at Cam and grinned, “Well, I think that went pretty well, don’t you?”

  The two boys sat for a full minute in silence. Puck was aware that Cam’s options were limited. Whatever he did, whatever he said, the facts would not change. He could lash out at Puck, but the consequences would be unfortunate. No matter how physically strong Cameron was, without magic, he would always lose any physical exchange. Verbal confrontation was pointless. Puck was always victorious.

  Eventually, Cam spoke. “Maybe,” he said, “this could be a chance to put this ridiculous rivalry behind us. I know you need reassurance that you are the favorite child. I don’t know if this makes you his favorite offspring, but it certainly takes me out of the running.” With that, Cam stood and left the office, closing the door behind him.

  Puck wasn’t sure why he felt so deeply disappointed. Cam had never held up his end of their feud very well, anyway, but now he was sucking every drop of fun out of the situation. There had always been some satisfaction in torturing his brother, even when there was little resistance, but now Cam wasn’t even his brother. After years of wanting Cam gone, in a strange way, it was almost as though Puck had been granted his most precious wish. He didn’t understand why he wasn’t happier about it.

  Cameron Oberon was sitting in the garden, looking out over Central Park and debating the merits of crying. It wasn’t something he had much practice with. There had been times in his life that it had crossed his mind to do so; times of frustration or disappointment. However, something in his mind always reminded him to step back and find perspective on the situation. A failed test or thwarted crush was certainly fodder for some tears, at least in others. But he was an Oberon. He had never once seen his brother or father cry. The only tears in his household were those of women, and those were often concealed behind closed doors. In time, he internalized the idea that men don’t cry, even though the sentiment was never spoken aloud.

  Today, though, he was no longer an Oberon. Was he now exempt from all of the expectations that went along with his lost lineage? What was expected of him? It was his understanding that he had no blood relatives at all, so was he to rely completely on nurture to provide his parameters? He would never know what elements of his personality were truly inherited. Miles could provide some input, but Cam knew that it would be at least a couple days before Miles would be willing to discuss anything again. That’s what Miles did. He dropped a bomb and let you stew in the news for a while before he revisited the topic. This allowed the recipient to get all of those pesky emotions out of his or her system before Miles had to sit with them again. It was a very time-efficient system. Follow-up conversations weren’t burdened by weeping and needy little questions. Everyone present could settle into the discussion and knock it out in short order.

  Just as Cam decided that knowing when it was time to cry was not a conscious decision, Grace interrupted his musing with a light a hand on his shoulder. He jumped a little at her touch, and turned to see her standing next to him. She was lovely, with the sun behind her, backlighting her gorgeous auburn hair like a halo around her face.

  “What do you know about last night?” she asked.

  “I could ask you the same question,” he answered.

  “You first.”

  “I know that Puck is your cousin, and I know that I’m not.”

  Grace put her arms around his waist and settled her head onto his chest. He reached out to hold her lightly. She looked up at his eyes, and he felt a sense of calm. “I wish I could say I was sorrier.”

  Afraid of going too far too fast, he kissed her forehead lightly. As soon as his lips touched her face, he felt that kick of longing he had felt in the park last night. “And the rest?”

  “I don’t even know where to start. Miles is my uncle. I get a big pile of money. I have a magic ring. You know, pretty mundane stuff.”

  Cam laughed. He could wiggle more details out of her later. One question, above all, occupied his mind. “What happened with Ryder?”

  “We’re not a couple anymore.”

  “But you released him from the spell. Why wouldn’t you go back to normal?”

  “Something about last night gave him some clarity. I’ve been trying to explain to him for the longest time that we shouldn’t limit ourselves, but he wasn’t ready to hear it. When he fell in love with Chloe, he understood me. Yes, he loved me, but not with the passion that you need for a relationship you’re going to let be the only one you ever experience.”

  Cam was hugely relieved. He hadn’t seen them as a couple, but he knew how he felt when he was around Grace. To him, not exploring those feelings would be a tremendous sacrifice. “Was that hard to hear?”

  “Even if it was kind of my idea, it’s never easy to hear that someone doesn’t love you enough to stay with you.”

  Cam didn’t mean to shift away from a heartfelt moment, but he just had to ask, “What’s the deal with Chloe?”

  Grace started laughing, which made Cam smile along. “You know,” she said. “I just couldn’t help it. She’s so awful. I couldn’t stand to walk away without doing something to try to change her. I started to release her, I did, but I just couldn’t resist. Maybe I’m more like Puck than I thought. And being in love with Ryder isn’t exactly punishment. He’s an incredible person.”

  “Where’s Chloe now?”

  “She went for coffee with Ryder.”

  Unable to resist for another second, Cam leaned in and kissed Grace on the mouth. She returned the kiss, enthusiastically wrapping her arms around his neck. “So,” he asked. “Will you be my wedding date?”

  Grace grinned. “Yes, I’ll be your wedding date. I’m not committing to girlfriend yet, but I can handle a wedding date. Ryder and I didn’t break up because of you. We broke up so we can enjoy what the world has for us. Give me some time to soak in all this freedom.”

  Cam didn’t expect her to instantly trade one relationship for another. But he did like the prospect of spending some more time, right here in this moment, letting the joy of holding her balance out the grief of losing his family. They could both start over in some ways. He could learn to define himself by his own standards. She could shake off the responsibility of taking care of someone else’s emotions all the time. Maybe, if he was lucky, she’d let him be with her as they learned to be selfish together.

  August 15, 2009

  Thanks to Miles Oberon, Gianni and Theo’s wedding was everything Gianni had ever hoped for. She was refined and elegant as she walked down the aisle in the strapless white Vera Wang gown. The one concession to her personal style was a huge, floppy fuchsia bow attached to the back. Unfortunately for Gia, Grace was able to make it come unstitched and fall to the floor moments before the ceremony began. Gia never noticed.

  Throughout the planning of the wedding, it was understood that Miles was picking up the tab, a gesture which was written off as a business investment. Weddings were a fabulous public relations tool, and this event would introduce Theo to Manhattan society as a man of good taste and standing in the community. More importantly, it would introduce him as someone whose interests were linked to those of Miles Oberon. However, now that the family relationship between Miles and the happy couple had been revealed, at least amongst those to whom this information held significance,
Theo and Gia thought it appropriate to ask Miles to walk Gia down the aisle.

  The wedding took place in the Champagne Bar of the Plaza Hotel. When Miles initially proposed the idea, Gia was skeptical until she visited the space and saw that it didn’t resemble a typical bar at all. Instead, it was a bright, open space made luminous by the natural light coming in through the elaborate domed wrought iron and glass ceiling. Crystal chandeliers added an extra glow, which was reflected by the white marble floor. Especially enticing for Gia was the staircase. This would allow her to make a grand entrance.

  On the day of the ceremony, Miles Oberon walked Gia slowly down those very stairs, down the aisle, and presented her to Theo, further cementing the union between the families. When Gia was officially handed over, Miles took his place next to the radiant Titania.

  The ceremony was short. When Grace quizzed her on why, Gia admitted that she was bored by excessive attempts at making wedding ceremonies poetic. She love Theo and was excited to cherish him forever, but she thought that too many speeches and readings were hokey. In a rare moment of bonding between the two women, Gia told Grace that she almost burst out in giggles every time a couple wrote their own vows. No, she wanted the ceremony to be short and elegant. Gia was much more interested in the party that followed, anyway, and Theo was inclined to follow her lead. They read tradition vows and skipped extraneous sentimentalities.

  Grace took her place as an attendant in her father’s wedding, alongside several of Gia’s sisters who were also Grace’s mother’s cousins. Grace tried not to over think who know what about their relationship to everyone else. It made her head spin. She was grateful for the simplicity of the proceedings, which spared her more time standing in front of the congregation in a tight, black dress. It was a gorgeous long silk number with a fitted waist and a stylish flair in the skirt. However, because it was sleeveless, Grace was forced to wear a strapless bra, which she was sure was going to malfunction in some embarrassing manner if she stood there too long. She was so preoccupied by visions of it sliding up or down, poking above the dress, or simply unhooking on its own, that she almost didn’t hear the vows.

  Once the ceremony ended, and Gia was now legally a part of Grace’s nuclear family, the reception could begin. Everyone was looking forward to a lavish, entertaining reception. Miles promised a Shakespearean theme for the party and he delivered. The reception was held in the Grand Ballroom, which had a distinct fairytale quality. Every inch of the room, from the lush bronze-colored curtains to the ivory columns and golden walls, glowed with prestige. Waiters dressed as court pages scurried about with trays of champagne and appetizers. On one side of the room the head table was laid out. In the front, two stages had been constructed. On one, the band’s equipment was set up. The other was empty. Grace knew that dinner entertainment was to take place on this stage, but she didn’t know exactly what was in store.

  Many last-minute changes had been made to the seating arrangements in the days before the wedding. Not every family acquires additional members in the days before a wedding, but in light of recent events, Miles, Titania, Puck, and Cam were included at the head table because they were now officially family members. While it was not normal wedding etiquette to include people who weren’t attendants to sit with the bride and groom, Gianni allowed it, and the table was extended.

  For what seemed like an eternity, guests passed through the receiving line. Grace didn’t know very many of them, but she graciously accepted their compliments on the lovely wedding and how beautiful she looked. Upon her release from the torments of formality, Grace lifted a glass of champagne from a passing server’s tray and looked around for her date, hoping to relax a bit before it was time to take their seats for the beginning of the planned festivities. Ryder and Chloe were lingering near their table, talking to Cam. Not feeling quite up to being with Ryder at just that moment, she found Theo instead. He was incredibly handsome in his Armani tuxedo. She remembered an old photo she had kept of his wedding to her mother. It had been a much smaller affair, but Theo’s face bore the same blissful expression.

  “So, you’re happy?” Grace asked, touching his arm.

  “Delighted.” Theo smiled and held out his arms as if he could embrace the whole room. “Everything about this makes me happy. You’re here, and peace is in the works for the people I love. Gianni and I are even more solid without the secrecy. What more could I want?”

  Again, Grace looked out into the sea of guests toward Ryder, Cam, and Chloe. She was still uneasy about the way things had worked out, at least about the abruptness with which she and Ryder had transitioned from being a couple to being friends. That night in the park had taught her a lot about her ability to handle tough choices. A week ago, she would have never predicted that she was capable of taking such a heavy hand with others. Now, she understood that it would have been better to take a more direct approach with Ryder when discussing their future as a couple as soon as she began to have doubts.

  Theo nodded toward the end of table, where the three teenagers were talking. He leaned over and whispered to Grace, “Have you talked to any of them about the other night? Do you know how much they remember?” Despite all instructions from Miles, Grace had filled Theo in on every detail. In the egocentric manner of many wealthy and important men, Miles assumed that Grace would value his esteem enough to follow his orders. While Grace realized that it would be silly to openly defy him, she recognized his arrogance. Miles struck her as untrustworthy and inconsistent, despite his efforts to have her believe that everything he had done was for magnanimous reasons. She had seen him cast out his own wife, lie to his children, and essentially orchestrate the lives of everyone around him. On the other hand, Theo was the most consistently honest individual she had ever encountered. Her relationship with him outweighed every other priority in her life. Why wouldn’t she tell her father, who meant more to her than anyone in the world, every detail of the most bizarre, life-changing night of her life? Grace was too smart to choose a virtual stranger like Miles over her own father. She truly believed that if she began hiding things from Theo because Miles told her to, then she would be doing just that.

  While Theo got to hear every insane, magical detail of that night in the park, Grace was careful with her friends. Perhaps someday Grace would decide that they could handle the whole truth about what happened to them, but right at that moment, it seemed unlikely.

  “They remember bits and pieces. Mostly, when they repeat the story, it sounds like they’re repeating a dream. It’s like they all had a similar nightmare and then woke with a new sense of clarity about who they really love.”

  “One person’s clarity is another’s magic,” Theo observed.

  “The line between truth and illusion lies in a different place for everyone. I sat there that night, with the power to either make my own life easier or respect the individual natures of the people in the room. Cam and Ryder are both very genuine, honest people. I couldn’t bring myself to exert control over them. But Chloe was different. Her whole life was about illusion. She only thought about prestige, whether it was in the form of whom she chose to love or the clothes on her back. Maybe, by putting a spell on her, I was trying to strip away all the bullshit and show her real love. I decided it was worth a shot to give her a new kind of illusion to cling to. Once all her fixation on status and money stopped monopolizing her thoughts, we might get a glimpse of who she was meant to be.” Grace had spent a lot of time pondering the ethics of her choice to use the magic that Miles gave her. After that night, she spent a couple of days wondering whether or not she had done the ethical thing. Now, looking at her friends, she was content with the fact that she had made them all happy.

  “What if you’re wrong?” Theo asked. “What if Ryder doesn’t love her back?”

  Grace grinned. “Miles walked out of the room that night with his grand pronouncements, “I’m finished with this now” and all that. He was so full of himself, he never asked me to return the Love-in-Idlen
ess or the antidote. I still have both.”

  Grace looked out at the wedding guests and saw that people were making a move for their seats, as if responding to some sort of signal. If there was one, she missed it. As she turned to move toward her own seat, she found herself facing Cam, who took advantage of the opportunity to kiss her. She responded enthusiastically, but then held up one finger in warning, “Remember, we’re moving slowly.”

  “I know. I just felt like kissing you.” Cam smiled and Grace’s stomach flipped. She had a good feeling about her decision to give him a chance. Time would be the test of whether or not she was right.

  Because Grace knew that Cam had grown up around magic, and because she assumed that Miles would soon fill the boys in on the whole story anyway, she was very honest with Cam. She gave him a very detailed account to everything that happened, and to her surprise, he was able to laugh at a lot of it. Growing up with Puck, he explained, made a person learn to move on from anger quickly. If he couldn’t eventually find the humor in most situations, he would have ended up as angry and vengeful as Puck.

  Ryder also had only a scant recollection of most of the events of the previous night. Grace and Cam decided not to tell him. If he was willing to move forward and give Chloe a chance, Grace figured that was just the nature of magic, to force us to accept the inexplicable.

  The entire landscape of Grace’s life had changed in four days. After many hours in conversation with Theo, Miles, and Cameron, she had come to believe that it was time to accept this bizarre new existence with an open mind. Because of her connections to so many of the players in this bizarre drama, she saw herself as a middle figure. If Miles was foolish enough to believe that she was keeping his secrets, and Cam trusted her completely, she was in an ideal position. She could look out for the people she cared about.