CHAPTER 3

          Before entering back to the room filled with guests, Isabelle saw a person coming out of nowhere, blocking her way in. She startled for a second but immediately started to smile when she saw who was in front of her.

‘Oh, Ted, hello!’ she said softly and smiled a little embarrassed remembering Shawn’s words while they were dancing.

‘Congratulations, Isabelle...’ he said in a strange tone. The look in Ted’s eyes was a bit disturbing. ‘Thanks for the invitation to this important event...’

‘It's a pleasure to have you and your family here. Marie and Lucy went above and beyond to make it special for us and for all of the guests too,’ she added smiling. ‘I hope you are enjoying yourself...’

‘Oh yes, it’s quite… pleasant. I am sorry to have lost sight of you during these last months. I would have loved to see you again before taking this step...’ Ted finished drinking the champagne and stared at her insistently. He came even closer to Isabelle than he should have. ‘I found out what happened to your father, but before I could come to visit you, you were already here, at the Graysons’ villa…’

‘Yes,’ she replied, looking around for some kind of an escape from this situation without being rude, ‘they have been very nice to me and invited me here...’

‘Shawn especially, from what I've heard... At the party, you couldn’t look at him without feeling repulsion, and now... Your logic is a bit strange, dear Isabelle...’ he added trying to keep his balance.

          Isabelle felt someone's hand on her shoulder and turned quickly, thinking it was Shawn. She faced Dr. Peter Jones. In the past few weeks, he had been away, at the ‘New York-Presbyterian Hospital’, to help an old friend organize the neurosurgery department and to hold some seminars. But he had promised Isabelle to attend her wedding, even for a little time. Seeing him hugging Isabelle, Ted mumbled something and then walked away.

‘Wow!!! You’re gorgeous!’ Peter said admiring her from head to toe. ‘You are one of the most beautiful brides I have ever seen,’ he added kissing her hand.

‘You’re exaggerating! Peter, I'm so glad you're here! Let's go find inside and find my husband. I have to warn him that he just lost the bet. You arrived just in time to make me a winner!’ Isabelle replied laughing.

‘I have literally a few seconds to say hello to your husband, but then I have to run to the hospital... Duty calls!’

          They approached Shawn saying goodbye to Billy who was getting ready to go to the airport. Peter asked for a ride and Billy gladly accepted. Isabelle was sorry to see them go, especially Billy, who had been absolutely fantastic during that week. After Chris left the company, keeping the promise made to his wife, Billy had taken his new role very seriously. This meant traveling very often.

          Marie, Chris, Lucy, and Shana joined their small group. They were what Marie had been calling ‘the extended family’, given what they had been through together the past weeks. Peter said goodbye to everyone, promising to call as soon as he had some free time, and went away with Billy.

          After Billy and Peter's departure, it was Lucy's turn. The stressful week was beginning to get the better of her and she wanted to go home and rest. She was staying with Shana, so her granddaughter helped her to prepare.

‘My sweet girl, we will stay in touch, all right? And after your honeymoon, come and see me,’ Lucy said hugging her. ‘I am so happy for you... Seeing you with the man you love, married to him, it’s such a joy for this old heart,’ she added again and stroked Isabelle’s face.

‘You are so dear to me, Lucy. Never stop being my angel, even if we are not leaving in the same house anymore,’ Isabelle whispered kissing her old hands.

‘I’ll never stop, baby girl!’

          Isabelle said goodbye to her and Shana. It was so strange to see Lucy leaving without her. There had never been a moment in her life, happy or sad, when Lucy hadn’t been next to her. And now, she was leaving her to go and stay on the other side of the city, in someone else’s house. She had to do something for Lucy, to show her all her and appreciation. Isabelle decided that when she got back from the honeymoon, she would go and see the lawyer. Once she will get the money, Isabelle would give half to Lucy. This was her money too, the payback for all those times she had been insulted by Andrew, that she defended her from her father, for all the times she had protected Isabelle and her dreams.

          Marie approached Isabelle and took her aside. She wanted to say goodbye to her in private, away from everyone. Isabelle had become not only part of her family but part of her heart too.

‘What is it, Marie? Are you alright?’ Isabelle asked slightly worried.

‘Yes, sweetheart, I am. I’ve wanted to say goodbye since you and Shawn would be leaving soon. I am sorry to see you going away from this house, I got used to having you around.’

‘I will never be too far away to come and see you, you know this, right?’ Isabelle asked Marie, squeezing her hand to comfort her.

‘When you and Shawn get back from the honeymoon, come and see me at the foundation. I would like to work with you on a couple of projects very dear to my heart. I know you’ll love them too. What do you say?’

‘It’s a done deal!’ Isabelle exclaimed and the two women hugged each other.

          After greeting everyone, Isabelle and Shawn got into the car and went to their love nest. She could not wait to be alone with her husband, to start their life together. Shawn took her in his arms and, as the tradition requested, he carried his bride over the threshold. Once inside the house, instead of letting her down, he held her tighter, kissing her gently. Their first kiss in their new house.

‘Welcome to our sweet home, Mrs. Grayson!’ he whispered, sending shivers down her spine.

          Shawn's eyes captured hers, and Isabelle was able to read everything he was thinking, everything he wanted to do with her that night, and all the other nights they would spend together. Being in love with him made it so easy and what she saw was so passionate… Isabelle’s heart was beating so fast that she could hardly breathe or speak or even think for that matter.

‘I love you! I wish you could see how much...’

          He interrupted her by slightly touching Isabelle's mouth with his. It was a brief gesture, but its simplicity touched her deep inside in a way she never thought was possible. And his words almost made her cry with joy.

‘I know it all so well, my love! I feel the same way too.’

          Isabelle smiled and then looked around to see their home. She had never been there before. On the kitchen counter, there was a basket full of delicacies: different types of cheese, caviar, champagne, fruits, and dark chocolate, Isabelle's favorite. There was also an envelope with a greeting card, signed ‘The French Graysons’.

‘It’s from Richard, Christine, Frannie, and Diana,’ she said smiling and feeling nervous for no reason in particular. ‘With all our love. Bonne chance!’ Oh, so lovely of them!’

          Shawn carried Isabelle's suitcase into the bedroom and then went back to his wife. She opened the box of chocolate and tasted one. She closed her eyes and savored it. Shawn took her in his arms and kissed her mouth slightly.

‘Exquisite!’ he whispered, touching Isabelle's mouth with the tip of his tongue. ‘Better than the wedding cake... Hmm… so much better because I can taste the chocolate directly from your lips.’

          Isabelle smiled and felt the urge to abandon herself in his arms. But she wanted this time to be different from the other times she had made love to him. And she already knew what she had to do to make that night special for both of them. Shana had helped her find the right… outfit.

‘Shawn, sweetheart, just stay here and relax for a bit... I will be back in a second...’ she said in a very vague tone.

‘Where are you going, baby?’ he asked puzzled.

‘I have a surprise for you... Wait for me here, please,’ she added and after giving him a light kiss, she disappeared into the bedroom.

          Shawn opened the champagne bottle and poured some into two glasses. Thinking about the night he was preparing to spend with Belle, he smiled, took off his jacket, and threw himself on the couch waiting for... his wife. She was not just a warm body, like the other women that he had been with, but she was also an intelligent, beautiful, wonderful woman and she was all his. He still could not get it into his head that he was married to Isabelle.

‘Love, I am waiting for you!’ he exclaimed looking towards their bedroom. ‘Do you need...’ But Shawn stopped when he saw Isabelle's pale face. ‘help...’