Runaway Bride

Chapter 35: Epilogue

One month later

I smile as I see my reflection again in front of the full-length mirror. The dress Darío asked Donatella for is beautiful. He’s like a madman. Crazy in love. It fascinates me and lets me know that everything will be fine. We will be fine, more than fine. In him, I have found a partner, a friend, and a true husband.

“Wow...” Dawson stands in the doorway and watches me with sad eyes. “You are without a doubt the most beautiful bride I have ever seen.”

I don’t know what to say to him. I can almost feel his pain. He fell in love with my sister. And she... she’s not ready to be with him.

“Come in and let me give you a hug.” Even though he’s older than me, when I see him looking at me so sad, lost, and ruined, it makes me feel like I’m twenty years older.

“I’m fine,” he tells me without coming closer.

“You’re going to be. You’ll see.” I’m not going to play along with his game of making me think he is. He’s almost as stubborn as his brother. He doesn’t like to show how much situations affect him.

“I am,” he repeats this time. At least his voice sounds more confident. “How about my nephew?”

“Or niece,” I add, and a smile tugs at my lips. The pregnancy goes from strength to strength. I feel good, happy, and enormously grateful to life for putting Darío in my path. “It will be a long time before we know what it is.” I put my hands on my flat belly.

I know I’ll be round in a few months, but that instead of scaring me or making me anxious, it just cheers me up and puts me in a good mood. A baby grows inside me. It is my own family. Darío’s baby is growing inside me, and I know he will be by my side forever.

“You really are in love.” He approaches and slowly enters my room.

I set up, together with Donatella, a kind of make-up studio where I can do my hair and dress without any problems. No one interrupts me. More than anything, I feel at ease.

“I am,” I affirm without hesitation. It’s something you can tell. You can see it a mile away, miles away. It shows above my skin.

He smiles for the first time in weeks. Even so, the gesture still doesn’t impact his gaze.

Oh, Teresa! What have you done with this man?

“It’s good that my brother found a good woman who really loves him.” I sense he wants to tell me something else, but he stops.

“Dawson?” I encourage him to continue and walk toward him. I hold his hands between mine.

My dress is almost princess cut; it falls as if it has a life of its own. It looks elegant and sophisticated. The fabric is magnificent. I can swear it is pure silk.

According to my mother and Donatella, I must do it right this time, for love and feel good doing it. And I do.

“Do you want to tell me something?”

He takes to looking at me with his gray-blue eyes, as clear as two drops of water. However, now because of the pain and anxiety that consumes him, they reflect more the stormy seawater.

“He’s happy,” he whispers. I don’t know if his personal pain from the separation from my sister is what keeps his voice from sounding as happy as it should. “You make him happy.”

“I’m glad you know that. I love him, and I feel like he loves me. Even though our relationship didn’t start out conventional, I know he loves me. Despite what happened with Arianna, he’s been strong enough to let me into his heart.”

“My brother has always been the best.” He releases my hands and slips them into his jacket.

He is dressed in a dark gray three-piece suit. His shirt is white, and his hair is a little messy, just like his life.

“Here,” he hands me a letter, and I grab it immediately. I know it’s not for me long before he tells me, “It’s for Teresa. Give it to her when the wedding is over.”

“Why don’t you do it yourself?” I suffer for him and her.

“Because I’ll be gone when you and Darío get married.”

“Dawson...”

“There’s nothing you can do about it. I need time to think. I... I tried, this whole month I tried.” He walks away toward the door and watches me glumly. “I thought I could change her mind, but for some reason, she doesn’t want me in her life.”

“She’s just confused and hurt. Someone close to her tried to abuse her.”

“Still, she fell in love with me! Do you think I don’t know that? She was happy by my side! Then, all of a sudden, she decided she couldn’t go on. But I was already to the bottom. I’m already at the bottom.”

“She loves you...” I whisper. I can’t help but let out a tear. “I know. She smiles just by saying your name.”

“Looks like this time, love won’t be enough.” He clenches his fist and impacts it against the door frame, not so much to break it but to vent from his soul.

I hug the letter to my chest as I watch my brother-in-law walk away, devastated.

I ponder how I can intervene to help them reunite, then I hear a muffled scream and run in terror to find Darío. I throw the letter on the bed and forget about it for now.

I find him kneeling on the floor. He has his suit on, and his hair combed back. He has let it grow a little longer, and I like this new version of him.

I crouch down beside him; the tulle of the dress surrounds my feet.

“Love...” I place my hand on his cheek. “Darío, honey, what’s wrong?”

I don’t understand what’s going on. He’s all dressed up, dressed from head to toe. I even see the bow tie in his left pocket. He looks adorable, all prince-like. I can’t help but love him as I do. In short, we are destined.

“Honey...” He doesn’t speak to me. His eyes are closed, and his head is drooping.

He usually despairs when he can’t do something he did before he was blind, but seeing him fixed makes it hard for me to understand what could have shocked him like this.

“Darío, you’re starting to scare me. If it’s because of the wedding, I told you there was no need for us to get married again. I know you love me, and it doesn’t matter that our marriage was for convenience. I forgave my father for that. Besides, I will always be grateful because, had it not been for him, you and I would not be as much in love as we are.”

“Tati, my beautiful dragonfly...”

“Tell me what’s wrong.” I’m already sitting on the floor. I don’t care about the dress and getting it dirty.

“I love your smell.” He looks up at me and wraps his arms around me. My face is left on his pristine chest, and I’m afraid to soil it with the makeup I’m wearing.

“You have a lifetime to enjoy it.” I snuggle into his chest and feel his heart pounding. “What’s wrong? Why did you scream like that? Talk to me,” I plead.

If he doesn’t tell me quickly what’s wrong, I’ll end up going crazy.

“I love your scent. I love everything about you, even that awful lipstick you put on that hide those lips I love kissing so much.”

“This color is not horrible...”

I pause for a moment. Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

My heart begins to race.

My throat closes.

I pull away from his arms and raise my face to look at him.

It can’t be.

It can’t be!

Oh, my God!

“Darío...” I mumble.

I know my makeup will be ruined, just like his white shirt and his black three-piece suit.

It can’t be.

“Hello, beautiful dragonfly.” He tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. He smiles without taking his bright eyes off me. I know he’s about to cry, too. His bottom lip trembles, and he grasps my soft but sure hands. He shows me that he is here with me and that he will not leave. “It’s bliss to see you again.”