"So, basically, you have nothing planned yet," Sylvia pronounced. "No venue, no guest list. You don't even know what theme you're going with, if there is a theme."Byron divested himself of Beethoven's jacket, looking relieved to have it off. Despite the family legacy and Sylvia's belief in its lucky properties, Emily thought perhaps he would be happier if he didn't get married in the old jacket. After all, she wouldn't have liked it if someone tried to force her to get married in her grandmother's mothball-scented wedding dress!"I always thought we'd get married on the island," Byron said. "Where we had our first vacation together."Emily hadn't thought of that before, but she liked the idea."Seriously, a remote island in the middle of the Pacific?" Sylvia said. "And you expect hundreds of people to fly there for the wedding and find accommodation?""Uh…" Byron was a bit stunned. "Well, I wasn't expecting to invite hundreds of people."Sylvia's cat settled down on an armchair
Unlike Byron's jacket fitting, the tailoring of Carter's new fashion line went smoothly, and everyone agreed the new designs suited him. They were rugged, masculine, and practical.Emily chose an outdoor location for his first photo shoot. She felt Carter would be more comfortable outdoors rather than in a studio, and it made for an appropriate background for the kind of clothes she had created for him.She envisioned a sort of cowboy or adventurer type like the models from the classic Camel cigarette ads. The design and photography teams met up outside a classic log farmhouse. Horses grazed in the background, and a pine forest stretched out beyond. Katie had to be there of course, overseeing everything. Emily wondered when the kid found the time to do her homework. "If it isn't the face of Freerange Rider," Emily greeted Carter when he arrived on his motorcycle."It's not just the face, but the whole package," he bragged. "All right, you can change over there," Emily said,
Emily needed an ally in the negotiations with Sylvia. If the wedding was going to be in any way less insane than what Sylvia envisioned, someone had to convince her, and Emily didn't want to be that someone. It was too dangerous.Her relationship with her mother-in-law was usually pretty good, but it was like a house built on volcanic soil, always under threat of complete destruction.Luckily, Emily's parents were coming for a visit. They could give her some advice, maybe even talk to Sylvia to sort out the wedding arrangements.The house was filled with their voices and laughter as soon as her parents got in. They praised the house and the décor, and even the dogs, who got lots of affectionate pats. Emily was so proud to show them the place."Is it true that epic weightlifting contests take place here?" her father asked."Yes, and I won the last one," Byron said, his lips curving into a satisfied smile. "He's very strong, but not much in the brains department, I'm afraid," Emil
The next day, Sylvia came over for lunch, and the meeting of the parents took place. Emily found it amusing to see her parents and Byron's mother side by side.Emily mother didn't look as polished as Sylvia, preferring to wear no makeup and casual clothing, but she had natural beauty and much more warmth and laughter than Sylvia did. Her father looked like a macho, slightly balding, and not too sophisticated guy, but he too had a lot of charisma, even if he was at times overbearing. He was almost as bossy and opinionated as Sylvia.Emily couldn't wait to see who would win in a battle of wills."It's great to finally meet you," Emily's mother gushed."Yes, I'm glad," Sylvia said in her reserved way.Emily detected a note of snobbishness. She didn't take offense because it was not as if her parents were singled out by Sylvia to be looked down on. She was snobbish when speaking to anyone. Maybe if Queen Elizabeth came to visit, Sylvia would have been slightly less arrogant."You're
"I think our parents are learning a lot from each other," Emily said.She and Byron were snuggling in bed after a long evening of observing their parents interacting."That's one way to put it," Byron said, making a slight grimace. "I wish my mom would be more open minded.""She is who she is," Emily said, "That's what makes it so amusing.""You find this all entertaining, do you?" He smirked. "Rotten kid.""If we can't make any decisions regarding our own wedding, we might as well enjoy this meeting of the minds." "I see…" Byron tickled her cheek then ran his fingers down a strand of her hair. "Does that mean you're going to enjoy tomorrow too?""I'm going to try."The next morning they all trekked into the mountains for a day trip in Sylvia's car, a classic restored model from the 1950s, which was roomy enough to accommodate both families."This is why having a car is convenient," Sylvia couldn't help lecturing."I could have rented a car," Emily retorted. Sitting with Byr
With her best friend now on her eighth month of pregnancy, Emily didn't get to see her as much as she liked. Pam had been working pretty much nonstop in the last few months until the doctor told her she was too stressed out and needed to go on bed rest."What have you got for me there?" Pam asked, lying back in her bed on a big pile of pillows."Who says it's for you?" Emily teased. She was holding a shopping bag with a paper-wrapped present sticking out of the top."You didn't just bring this present over here to torment me when it's meant for someone else?" Pam said, looking fake horrified."Okay, it's for you." Emily handed over the bag and watched eagerly as Pam unwrapped the shiny gift paper.A long-sleeved dress with cute ruffles emerged from the package."Maternity dress! Thank you, this is just what I need!" Pam said. "None of my clothes fit me anymore. I swear I go up a size every single day.""I'm glad this helps." Emily sat down on the bed and gave her friend a hug.
Byron's company Christmas party was a fairly boring affair. Emily didn't expect anything different. However, she did have a surprise for one of the guests. Byron had taken her advice and made it more of a mingling party with no assigned seating. People moved around, bringing snacks and drinks back to their tables and chatting with everyone in sight.Emily sighted the woman she had been looking for. Stacie, the one who only dressed in black and white. Even though it was a Christmas party, Stacie wore a typical white collared shirt over black trousers. She was selecting some pieces of cheese with a somber face when Emily came up to her."Hi Stacie," Emily said. "I got you a little Christmas present.""Oh, you shouldn't have." The woman looked terrified and perplexed. "I didn't get you anything.""I know," Emily said, "and that's perfectly fine. I just really wanted to give you this…" She pulled out a cherry red scarf from her bag. "I thought it matched your brown eyes."Stacie loo
Emily pulled on the gold ribbon to untie it and opened the little box. Inside was a pair of car keys. The symbol on the keys was a sun radiating curly beams of light."I know my mom's been bugging you to get a car, so you might be annoyed by this. I could return it…""You got me an Inclussa?" Emily stared at the keys in amazement."Yeah," Byron said casually, even though the car cost nearly a hundred thousand dollars. "I thought you might like it. It's the lowest-emission car in the world. Certainly cuts back on pollution. And maybe you could use a car to get around once in a while, like if you need to transport something—"She interrupted him with another fervent kiss. No one had ever given her such a thoughtful present, or two thoughtful presents counting the donation to help otters."So you like it?" Byron asked, catching his breath. "You're not mad at me for getting you a car?""No, it's so sweet! I never thought I needed a car, but since it comes from you, I'm going to cheri
Emily felt such a strong current of desire running throughout her frame. It was always the most overwhelming sensation, being engulfed in the torrent of his kisses. It was one of those times when she was reminded how fierce and powerful her love for him really was. Sometimes day-to-day life interfered and made her forget that there was a man by her side who would do anything for her. When he showed how much he loved her, whether it was with grand gestures and romantic trips or simply the way he kissed her, it felt like the rebirth of a love that was too beautiful for words.Holding him in her arms and knowing how much he desired her nearly made her faint every time. It enchanted every single cell of her being, making the rest of the world a mere blur compared to the hot passion coursing through her body."I love you," she murmured as they rested in the sumptuous bed. "Thanks for always being there for me.""You don't have to thank me," he said, gazing back at her with a look fi
A few days later, Emily woke up to a grey and rainy day, but she was eager to get out of bed. It was the day of their trip. Byron was already up, pulling a tight t-shirt over his muscular torso. He looked way too awake for the earliness of the hour."Today's dress code: motorcycle gear," he said, eyes shining eagerly."It's a road trip?" Emily exclaimed."Yes indeed!"They could have flown anywhere in the world on their private jet, but for some reason Emily was more excited about a trip to the nearby mountains, just like they had always done. It reminded her of the early days of their relationship when they swiftly fell in love, and she had fallen in love with everything about this landscape too. And in some ways, not that much had changed."It's going to be a rugged journey," Byron said, "but don't worry, I've prepared some amenities at our destination.""What is that supposed to mean?" she asked."You don't need to pack too much stuff, just your basic clothes."They left t
Byron poured a lot of funds into the construction of the wave pool, and a few months later, it was built and ready for use.The building looked sleek and contemporary on the outside, while inside it was a warm oasis away from the autumn chill.Mandy swam and frolicked in the waves with her friends, stopping only to sip a bit of juice, then she was back in the water for more splashing. The high ceiling allowed natural light to come in through its numerous skylights, giving the space the ambience of a warm beach. The wave pool was definitely a hit. Emily and Byron watched the kids, lounging on deck chairs by the water."It's not quite as relaxing as a real beach, but it'll do," Byron said as the echoes of children's voices bounced around the vast space. Ripples of sunlight reflected off the water and played over his face."The kids don't seem to care if it's relaxing or not," Emily said, observing them race each other in the waves. "But as long as they're happy…""Do you think Man
"Can I do it when I'm six?" Mandy asked, not letting go of the idea of being on television."No," Emily said firmly."Can I do it when I'm seven?""No.""Ten?""Maybe." Emily hoped the whole discussion would be forgotten after that many years. She never wanted her child on a so-called talent show which was probably rigged anyway.Luckily, Mandy was distracted by her friend, and the two girls went to play outside."She's so talented," Katie said, "You should take her to a music academy. I'll bet she's going to be a sensation."Emily shook her head. "She's way too young. Please don't get excited. I know it seems like showing her talent to the world is a good thing, but too many child stars have started out on brilliant careers only to burn out as teenagers. I definitely don't want that for Mandy.""You're right, Talent Quest is a bit of a freak show," Katie said, "but don't you want her to at least learn as much as she can to reach her full potential?""She's got all the time i
Byron took a long breath. "Okay, don't be mad at me but… I bought Charmers. And now every single branch of Charmers will carry your brand of clothing.""Byron, you promised me you wouldn't do that!" Emily was so disappointed she was hardly even tempted by the creamy pasta."I promised I wouldn't destroy them," he said, a sly smile playing about his lips, "and I don't intend to. I've even kept Simone around, though in a slightly less senior role. She couldn't be induced to resign. The woman is very stubborn, but I know you don't like us to make enemies…""So you took over the company she was running, and you don't think she'd be mad?""Not as mad as I was when you told me she dropped your products," Byron retorted, "But believe it or not she's actually okay with the takeover. Charmers were struggling financially anyway. Believe me, I did them a favor.""Well you didn't do me a favor," Emily retorted. "I didn't want you to get involved.""But—""I'm capable of solving my own probl
"I pet a big white dog!" Mandy announced when they got home.The dogs spun around the new arrivals in a furry whirlwind, and Emily was relieved to be with her four-legged friends. She was glad she hadn't brought them to work that day to be despised by Simone."That's good," Byron said, greeting Mandy and Emily with kisses."I was not so lucky," Emily said."Mommy didn't have time to play with doggie," Mandy said sadly."And on top of that, I lost a really big client…" Emily added. She took off her shoes and collapsed on the living room couch."Lady said the 'f word'," Mandy recalled. Byron raised his eyebrows. "I know I'm not allowed to say it," Mandy continued, "but she didn't know that.""What the heck happened over there?" Byron asked."Ugh! I can't even go into right now," Emily lay back on the couch and closed her eyes, trying to shut out the stress of the day. "Simone made me so mad.""Lady was silly," Mandy said."Yes, she was very silly," Emily confirmed.Byron s
Emily was in a playful mood the next morning. She didn't want to get out of bed, even though she had an important meeting. The date night had ended in a rather passionate episode. Mandy was already asleep by the time they got back home, and they made the most of their time. It was not exactly rare for them to have alone time, but maybe it didn't happen as often as before."You're very giggly," Byron noted. "I thought you'd be tired after last night."He was a bit sleepy but didn't mind indulging her desires when she kissed his face and body all over."Thanks for helping me feel relaxed when I should be nervous," Emily said as she got up to get dressed. "Simone Cather is coming in for a meeting today. I've never worked with her before, but I hear she can be difficult. I'm going to bring Mandy with me to win her over with cuteness."Simone had just taken over leadership of Charmers, the biggest fashion retail store in the country. Emily had a good relationship with the previous CEO
Emily was able to run some errands while Sylvia gave Mandy her first piano lesson. She was glad to have a bit of time to shop, and Sylvia insisted on not having anyone interfere in her tutelage anyway. Emily wondered how Sylvia would cope being left alone with her granddaughter. She had been out a couple of hours, and she hoped they hadn't killed each other.Contrary to her expectations, the house was quiet when she entered. Sylvia and Mandy were deep in conversation over tea and cookies."Mommy! Mommy!" Mandy ran over to greet her."How was your lesson?" Emily asked."I learned to play piano!""She did fairly well," Sylvia said. This sounded like high praise from someone who was more used to criticizing.Mandy sat down at the piano with very good posture to show Emily what she'd learned. She played Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. It was a simple piece that most kids started with, but Emily was amazed that Mandy played it so flawlessly. She kept up a steady rhythmic accompanimen
Unschooling was a little harder to commit to than Emily had imagined. She knew that there were plenty of learning opportunities for Mandy at home, but sometimes work demands, or just wanting a bit of time to herself made her reluctant to teach the kid.It was early September, and the unschooling had been going on for a week. Emily was working on her sketches in her home office while Mandy watched an educational program in the cinema room. It didn't seem like too much time had passed, but when Emily looked up from her sketch, the house felt unusually quiet. She went into the cinema room and saw that Mandy must have finished her program and dutifully turned the screen off. She was an amazingly responsible child in some respects."Mandy!" Emily called, "Where are you, Mandikins?"An eerie silence filled the large house. Emily checked all the rooms, but her daughter was nowhere to be found. Surely she wouldn't have gone outside all by herself? For a chilling moment, she thought the