Pleasantly Strange - Chapter 5
Spring came to Pleasantview, and with it came change...
...And new life.
Soon enough, all the snow was gone and all the trees were green once more. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, it was the perfect day for the perfect wedding.
Cassandra's perfect wedding.
She had planned everything so carefully, for so long, and now the day was finally there, and she was standing underneath the wedding arch with her beloved Don, her heart beating hard in her chest as she looked into his eyes, reciting her vows.
"...to love, honour and cherish, 'til death do us part."
With shaking hands, Cassandra carefully placed the ring on Don's finger. He, on the other hand, was steady as a rock. Her father was wrong; Don would be faithful to her, he wanted this as much as she did. She could tell, by the way he looked at her with so much warmth as she sealed him to her.
"With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment."
She took a deep breath. Her part was over with. Now it was his turn.
Still smiling, Don took her hand in his and placed the ring on her middle finger slowly, but with no hesitation. "With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment."
With that, it was done. They were husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Lothario. It was every bit as exciting, as wonderful as Cassandra had hoped for.
The audience applauded as they kissed.
Cassandra turned to look at them. Everyone was cheering and clapping. Even her father smiled at her, which made her feel happy. There they were, all of her friends and family... Well, almost. She felt a small sting in her heart as uninvited thoughts of her mother snuck into her mind. Resolutely, she pushed them away.
"Try to look happy, dad!" Dirk admonished in something between a whisper and a hiss, all the while keeping his own grin on.
Darren didn't feel even remotely happy, though, and found himself unable to force it. All his hopes of ever being with Cassandra had just been shattered. Sure, he had known it was going to happen, but that didn't stop him from clinging on to the tiny possibility that something would go wrong in their relationship and the wedding would be cancelled. Or that Cassandra would suddenly understand that Darren was, in fact, the one for her and change her mind in the last minute. But it hadn't happened. He would have to deal with that.
He watched as Don cut the cake and fed it to his bride. They both did look very much in love. The perfect couple. Cassandra was stunningly beautiful in her lovely white dress, and Don... Darren had to admit Don was a very handsome man, whether he was in a suit or not. Which just made Darren's resentment for him even greater.
The newlyweds sat down at a table nearby, quickly followed by Dina Caliente. Darren could see Cassandra's expression change to one of distaste the second Dina approached them, and it didn't get any better once Dina started chatting loudly, mostly with Don. Cassandra had many times complained to Darren about what an awful person Dina was. Shallow, self-centered, dumb blonde who was only after her father's money. So, Darren decided to spare her this misery on her wedding day, and against his better judgment he went to join them at their table.
"Mind if I sit here?"
"Oh, no, please do!" Cassandra said, a little too eagerly. Dina barely spared Darren a glance, while Don looked up and grinned, which made him even more obnoxiously good-looking. Darren regretted his decision instantly.
"Ah, yes, you're Cassie's friend. Damien, wasn't it?"
"Darren, actually-"
"Right, right. Enjoying the party, Darren? I haven't seen this much excellent food since... well, ever, I think. Cassie's really outdone herself." Don smiled, and Cassandra giggled. "Especially this cake. Almost as tasty as her."
Dina made a small noise in the back of her throat and Cassandra gasped, then giggled even more. "Don!"
"What?" Don grinned, winking at Darren, who was feeling a sudden and violent urge to ram his fork right into Don's stupid handsome face.
"You be quiet and eat your cake," Cassandra said, feeding Don a bite from her own piece. Then they proceeded with a million more cute little actions and words and Darren devoted all of his attention to his strawberry gelatin.
Dina turned to look at him. "Darren, huh? I've seen you around, you live in the house just across the street from my sister and I."
Darren nodded. "That's right. I guess we never were formally introduced after you moved in... I've been sort of busy."
"Working, hm? What's your profession?"
"Um," Darren began. "I'm an artist, actually. I paint."
"Really?" Dina said, with clearly feigned interest. "Where is your art displayed? I'd love to have a look, could talk Mortimer into taking me..."
"Um," Darren said again. "Well... nowhere, I'm afraid. Yet. I mean, I'm sort of in a... dry patch, right now."
"Oh, I see." Dina eyed Cassandra and Don for a second. Don was now licking cream off of Cassandra's fingers. How it got there, Darren didn't (want to) know. "Well," Dina said, abruptly turning back to him. "I do hope it works out for y-"
"Dina? There you are." Mortimer pushed past the other guests and walked over to their table. Dina gave him a wide and much too sweet smile.
"Morty, love! I just thought I'd keep the happy couple some company. What is it?"
Darren looked over at Cassandra. She was glaring again.
Mortimer took Dina's hand and helped her stand up. "I've got something to show you," he said. "It's, well..." He looked at the others around the table and smiled sheepishly. "...a bit of a secret. I apologise for stealing your dining companion." Cassandra didn't look like she was the least bit sorry, and frankly, Darren wasn't feeling too upset about it either, even if it meant staying behind alone with her and Don.
"Oh, Morty, I love surprises!" Dina twittered, and they walked off together to the other side of the house.
Once they had rounded the corner, Mortimer stopped. "Here."
Dina looked around. "Here? What is it you wanted to show me?"
"I just wanted to be away from everyone for this." Mortimer breathed out heavily, then reached up to caress Dina's cheek with his hand. "Dina, my sweet... You brought light back into my life when everything looked dark. I can't thank you enough for that."
"Morty, it was nothing, really... least I could do," Dina said, a little nervously.
He shook his head. "It was everything to me. You made me feel younger again, like I was given a second chance. So..."
Slowly, Mortimer bent down on one knee. He winced just a little as his back protested, but chose to ignore it.
Then he slipped his hand into his jacket pocket, and pulled out a small, black box.
"Dina Caliente, will you be my wife?"
"Oh." It was all Dina said for several seconds as she stared at the huge diamond on the ring in the box.
Then she gingerly picked it up, held it up against the light and then slid it onto her finger.
Mortimer watched her with anticipation. She met his eyes and seemed to snap back into reality, and gave him her most brilliant smile. "Oh, Mortimer, of course I will! I thought you'd never ask!"
Dina threw herself into Mortimer's arms, and he held her tightly. "I love you, Dina," he said.
"I love you too! The ring is just beautiful!"
They decided to announce it then and there, at the wedding party. After Mortimer had raised his glass to congratulate his daughter and his new son-in-law...
...he made a second toast, declaring that there would be another wedding before the summer was over. There was many more congratulations and many more toasts to follow after that, and the party lasted well into the night.
But when everyone had left and the Goth mansion was silent once more, Mortimer went to his bedroom. There, from above the bed, she was looking down at him as always. He thought the mysterious dark brown eyes somehow looked different tonight, even if he knew that was impossible. Somehow... sad. Disappointed.
"Are you upset with me?" Mortimer asked quietly.
The painting obviously did not respond, but Mortimer continued anyway.
"Are you upset I gave up on you?"
"I tried not to... for so long." He sighed. "They declared you dead. I couldn't hope anymore. I wasn't a good father to Cassandra... or to Alexander. Didn't have the strength to do anything, be anything. But Dina... she's giving me some of that strength back. Even if... even if she's not you."
Forcing the tears back, Mortimer closed his eyes tightly. "Bella... I'm sorry."
He undressed, hung his suit neatly in the wardrobe and got into the bed that he hadn't shared with another for much too long.
Just across the hallway, Cassandra was about to share her bed with someone for the very first time.
"Are you nervous?" Don asked.
She nodded. "A little."
"Don't be..." Don pulled her close, and she felt his breath hot and fast against her neck. His hands slid down her body with ease - she could tell this wasn't his first time, though she had already known that. It was to be expected, after all.
The important thing was that he was with her, now.
And she soon found that his experience was a benefit to her, too. She did know a thing or two, and she hadn't expected this part to be completely perfect.
It wasn't, but it was still way beyond her expectations.
Cassandra fell asleep that night happy and fulfilled, with no doubts or fears about her life and future.
Those would all come later.