The Perfection of Love

by J. L. Monro

  “Ah a lady of mystery. Would you like a drink Dana?’

  “I’d like several.” He led me over to the bar. He quirked an eyebrow when I ordered a double vodka over ice. I was not in the mood to act like an elegant lady at the moment. When I ordered another and a third he looked shocked.

  “I see you like the drink options.”

  “Sorry George. Events like these just make me tense that’s all.”

  “I doubt drinking at this rate will help. Would you like to dance again?” He offered his hand. Just as I was about to take it someone large stepped in between us. Deacon.

  “What are you doing here Dana?” He didn’t sound angry or pleased which just pissed me off further.

  “I was invited. I flapped my invitation in his face.”

  “Excuse me Deacon, you’re taken for the night and I was dancing with this beautiful lady.” Deacon looked at George like he was going to kill him.

  “I know where dancing leads with you George and it’s not happening tonight.” He growled.

  “Now, now Deacon. Two ladies in one night, that is just being selfish. Surely you can manage with just one tonight.”

  “George, you can back away now on your own two legs or I can break them for you and have you carted away. And tell your sister that I won’t be inviting you to any more of these events.”

  “Deacon, don’t be hasty. You know Marie would be upset if you banned me from your events. I generate a lot of business from these shindigs.” I looked at George around Deacons body, which seemed to be now shielding me from George’s sight. George winked at me. “I can see that this argument is futile and you have clearly laid claim to this beauty and I withdraw my name from the hat. Dana it was lovely to meet you. Maybe on another occasion I may be more fortuitous.” Deacon snarled and George backed away quickly, smiling all the while.

  “What were you doing with him?” Deacon had turned back to me and I had remembered who he was dancing with and now I was pissed again.

  “None of your business. You’re not talking to me remember.”

  “Don’t play games Dana.”

  “Just fuck off with that shit Deacon. I came here to talk to you because you were being stubborn and wouldn’t talk to me on the phone. You wouldn’t hear me out. Again, I might add, so I got on a plane to come and find you and make you listen. Instead I find you dancing with some rake like you were ready to fuck her on the dance floor.” Deacon paused.

  “That’s not what it looked like. She won an auction for a dance with the host that’s all. The money is going to charity.”

  “You know what. It’s none of my business. Do whatever the fuck you want to do. I came here to apologize and I was prepared to do whatever it took to bring you back home. But seeing as you’ve already moved on I can see I’ve had a wasted trip. So you can go to hell. Feel free to rot and burn instantly while you’re there.” I turned back to the bar and signaled to the waiter to top up my drink. I felt Deacon moved to my side and I more noticeably felt the erection straining against his trousers being pressed against my hip. He leaned down to my ear. “I love it when you get all worked up. It turns me on so much. I need you. Now.”

  “Not going to happen Deacon so you can just get lost. If it’s bugging you so much go get the rake blond to sort you out.” I grabbed my drink and turned to find the quickest escape route from him. Deacon grabbed my elbow and steered me out of the main hall into a private room to the side.

  “Stop fucking with me Dana.” He didn’t let me go. He pulled me closer to him. “I know you were hurting over Mills but the things you said were evil. You can’t keep finding excuses to push me away. I told you that woman is just a guest. I don’t even know her.”

  “Good for you. What part of I don’t care did you not understand? I can give you an explanation for each word if that helps.” I downed the glass of vodka.

  “You said you came here to bring me back home. Did you mean it?” He was looking straight into my eyes and I squirmed.

  “It doesn’t matter now.” The alcohol was killing the fight in me. Deacon held my face between his hands.

  “Do you still love me Dana? Do you still want us to be together as much as I do?” I nodded because despite my anger at seeing him with whoever she was, I did still love him.

  Someone interrupted our little moment to notify Deacon that he needed to be on stage to give a speech.

  “Perfect.” He said. He had a grin on his face that resembled the one that he had when he was in hospital when he conned me into staying long enough for me to meet his parents.

  “Deacon, what are you up to?” My senses were on alert.

  “Nothing.” He kissed me on the nose and made his way to the stage. Deacon’s speech was inspiring. He had set up his charity to help women who had negative self-image which led to self harm. I was so proud of him.

  “Before I step down from the stage I would like to take the opportunity to thank Miss. Dana Daniels who is here tonight for she inspired me to set up this charity.” His eyes met mine and the mischievousness in them increased. Oh boy. “I would also like to take this moment to ask Miss Daniels a very important question.” Oh shit. “I would like her to become the head counselor at my practice.” He can’t just ask me that in front of all these people. Oh god he wasn’t finished. Was he trying to induce a panic attack? “Oh and one more thing. Miss. Dana Daniels.” He made his way off the stage straight at me. I kept looking around to confirm that everyone’s eyes were on me. I was going to kill him. I really was this time. No messing about. I was going to start digging his grave first thing in the morning. Deacon reached me and took my hand. He got down on one knee. Oh double shit. “Miss. Dana Daniels, would you do me the honor of being by my side for the rest of our lives as my wife?” Deacon Greenwood had asked me to marry him in a room full of strangers. I couldn’t say no it would be humiliating for both of us. Then I realized I didn’t want to say no. I’d come here to get Deacon back and that was exactly what I was getting. “Baby, you’re supposed to answer.”

  “Yes Deacon. The answer is yes.” He stood up and swept me off my feet swing me around. The room erupted into cheers and clapping. I was going to be Mrs. Dana Greenwood. I was going to live my life for Mills and more importantly for myself and Jakey.

  When Deacon stopped hugging me I whispered in his ear. “I have a really perfect hotel room waiting for me. Would you care to join me?” Deacon spoke into his mic one last time.

  “Ladies and gentleman. I just proposed to the woman I love, she accepted and now I really need to go. Enjoy the rest of the evening.” There was even more laughter and Deacon grabbed my hand and tore out of the hotel. He was fidgeting nonstop while waiting for the car to come round. At one point I thought he was going to strip right there and then.

  When we got to my hotel room and entered I was taken back. There were candles everywhere and a bottle of champagne on ice. On the bed was a black teddy with a matching thong and a note. Deacon picked it up and read it out.

  “Dear Deacon, I’m awesome. I know. Thank George as well. I want a raise. Enjoy yourselves. Love Marie x o x o”

  He tossed the note and stalked towards me. The teddy and thong didn’t see any action that night but Marie did get her raise.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  TWO YEARS LATER

  “Woman come on.” I was struggling to keep up with Deacon and Jakey. They were walking too fast.

  “I’m coming don’t rush me.” Like I could rush even if I wanted to. I was six months pregnant with our second child and I was like a walking mammoth. I swear if my stomach gets any bigger it’s going to start swinging between my knees. It didn’t help that I was walking with a tub of ice cream in my hands but I was so damn hungry.

  “Mum, come on. We’re going to miss our flight at this rate.” Jakey was so excited to see his aunts and grandparents again. After Deacon proposed I came back to England but my house was filled with too many bad memories that I couldn’t cope with. Deacon could fly
back and forth between being with me and his practice for a while but it wasn’t a long-term solution so I need to make a decision. So after talking with Jakey we decided to move to LA, providing we came back to the UK during the school holidays, which was fine by me because I would miss my family too much. To be honest I think he was swayed the first time we both went to visit Deacon in LA.

  ****

  “Mum, is that the swimming pool?” Jakey couldn’t contain the excitement in his voice. Deacon had picked us up from the airport and brought us straight to his home as we were both exhausted. Or at least that’s what I had thought. As soon as Jakey had seen the house he had become wide awake.

  “Yeah. Do you want to go swimming?”

  “Can I go in now?” I had to laugh. This was the happiest I’d seen him in a long time. By the time I finished nodding Jakey was rooting through his bag for his swim shorts and was in the pool.

  “Mum, can we stay here forever please?” I laughed and thought to myself that it wasn’t a bad idea at all.

  ****

  The night I told Deacon that we wanted to move to LA with him I also had another surprise for him. In our excitement after the charity ball we didn’t use protection and I’d been so wrapped up in Mills’ death that I hadn’t taken my pill. It was Deacons turn to come and visit us in the UK and Jakey was staying at Ma and Pops for the weekend. It was their ‘man weekend’ so they were off fishing and doing other stuff I cared less than nothing about. We had decided to have a quiet night in with a takeaway and a film to just chill out. I had already had my first scan on my own as Deacon wasn’t in the country and I wanted to be 100% sure I was pregnant before I told him. He was laying out the food in the living room and putting out some cushions so we could sit on the floor to watch the film. I never understood why he went to so much effort when we never ever finished watching a film at home. Actually not even in the cinema. I came downstairs with my dressing gown on and Deacon looked at me like I was strange.

  “Baby, aren’t you going to be hot in that thing?”

  “You’re right I should take it off shouldn’t I?” I peeled off the gown making sure that Deacon was still watching me. I was grinning at the bewildered look on his face as he read the t-shirt that I had on. I had got a t-shirt specially printed with the scan photo on which said ‘Hi Daddy’ above it because the baby looked like she was waving in it.

  “Is that? Are we? Are you?”

  “Feel free to finish your sentence Deacon, I refuse to marry someone unintelligent.”

  He leapt up off his feet and picked me up while crashing his lips into mine. We never even saw the beginning of the film let alone the end.

  Seven months later Helen Melissa Greenwood was born. I named her after my mum first and Mills second. If baby Helen grew up to be half as kind and as loving as Mills I’d be more than proud.

  Deacon insisted on us being married before the baby came. I was less enthusiastic about the idea. Who the hell wants to be a fat bride? I agreed anyway because it would make him happy and he wanted his daughter to come into the world where her family was a complete unit. He was already looking into having Jakey adopted and taking on the surname Greenwood. Jakey was all for it. The wedding was hysterical for the most part.

  ****

  “Lana, why the fuck are you crying now?” She’d already cried over the fact that my small baby bump had ruined the silhouette of her first choice of dress that she wanted me to wear. Now why the hell was she crying?

  “Oh, don’t mind me. You’re living the dream Dana and I’m jealous that’s all. Now let’s get this show on the road.

  I had my three sisters and Saz as bridesmaids and they all looked gorgeous. Skinny bitches. Pops walked me down the aisle. When he came to get me he told me I had made him so proud which made me start to cry. Lana threatened to kill her own grandfather if he made me cry again. Walking down the aisle I thought I was going to throw up and it wasn’t because of the baby. I was going to commit myself to Deacon for the rest of my life. When I saw him turn around to look at me any fears I had disappeared. I almost tried to run to him and I think I would have if Pops hadn’t muttered, “Hold your damn horses and wait till the honeymoon.”

  The ceremony was beautiful. Lana had taken control of everything. She didn’t see why we would pay for a wedding planner when she was so perfect at everything. I couldn’t agree more. It was the most perfect day of my life. I laughed and cried many happy tears. We had a moment of silence for Mills and Joe who had phoned to say he couldn’t make it. I got nervous again when Deacon came behind me to lead me onto the floor for our first dance.

  “Mrs Greenwood, would you do me the honour of gracing the floor with me.” I took his hand and he scooped me up and carried me all the way to the floor. Everyone was laughing and clapping. I hate him sometimes. When he set me down he kissed me before I had a chance to say anything. The wedding band began to start and I couldn’t stop the tears that fell as they sang Every Time I Close My Eyes by Babyface and Mariah Carey.

  We slipped off back to our hotel early and left the guests partying away. I just wanted to spend the night in the arms with my husband. We honeymooned in the Maldives and if it wasn’t for the fact that I had doctors appointments to go to for the baby I wouldn’t have wanted to return.

  ****

  This brought us to baby number two. We were having a boy this time and couldn’t agree on the name. Jacob already had my dad’s name, Fredrick, as his middle name so baby Whoops could have anything. I suggested Deacon junior but Deacon senior hated the idea. Something about infringement on the original piece of perfection. Insert eye roll anywhere at this point. Something told me that we’d still be trying to decide on a name after the baby was born. Deacon had said we should put together a stash of names because he planned on keeping me pregnant, naked and barefoot, chained to the kitchen sink for the rest of my days. I was absolutely done after baby Whoops. I don’t think I could take any more and it had been such a long time since I’d tasted alcohol. So long! Too long! I would like to just enjoy being a mum and focus on raising our kids then getting them the fuck out of our house so we could start enjoying adult time again.

  We made the plane on time and I was glad that the there were no delays. Plane food was not enough to keep me satisfied and before we’d even got half way I was absolutely starving. Deacon hung his head in shame when I asked the gentleman sitting in front of us if he would mind if I had the rest of his less than half eaten flight meal. Jakey joined him in the head hang of shame when other passengers began to offer me the parts of their meal that they didn’t want. I didn’t care. A hungry pregnant lady is an angry pregnant lady. I think I drove him up the wall further with needing to get up every five minutes to go to the toilet. I was sitting on the aisle seat but he and Jakey still needed to help me get up. One to push and one to pull. Who the hell suggested this trip anyway?

  Mara was supposed to be meeting us at the airport but Lana was there instead. The last couple of times I’d spoke to Mara she’d been happy so it must have been something important for her not to turn up. I hugged my sister as best I could with the huge bump I was carrying.

  “Where’s Mara?” I asked.

  “She rang me about two hours ago screaming something about her work being ruined and digging a grave and burying several people in it. You know. The usual Mara flying off the handle and making death threats. Forget about Mara look at you. Your huge. I can’t wait to get another nephew. Jakey’s cute points are running out.”

  “Hey!” Jakey feigned offense.

  “It’s true my boy. Maybe if you do something nice for me, your special Aunty Lana, I might give you some points back. Just a hint, I like foot rubs and people who fetch and carry cocktails for me. Have you been practicing your bar tending skills like I told you to?”

  Deacon pulled me in close to him, “Dana, you need to start keeping your nutty sister away from our kids!” I laughed and kissed him.

  We were staying with Ma and Pops as th
ey insisted. It wasn’t cramped as all my sisters had moved out but it made life difficult for Deacon and I when we wanted to get frisky. Pregnancy hormones were my best friend and worst nightmare. They made me horny at the most inappropriate times and if I was at my grandparent’s house it would be next to impossible to act on them. They adored the fact that they were great-grandparents and I wouldn’t be able to fly again for a while so they wanted to make the most of us being in England. They had a huge dinner planned for my sisters and me. Family dinners were always slightly weird without Mills and Joe at the table. It always felt like the circle wasn’t complete without them. I had no one to defend me from Saz’s outrageous comments and Lana had no one to argue with over anything and everything. There was always the occasional awkward silence where you could tell one of us was thinking about them. Joe occasionally called to speak to Jakey and check that I was ok but I hadn’t seen him since he left after Mills’ funeral. I asked Lana once if she had heard from him and all she said was, ‘As if I’m worth his time’.