I sat, jaw slack, as I tried to process the words that Jenna and Elias had excitedly said. For the briefest of seconds I thought that the duo were winding Daniel and I up, but as soon as Jenna thrust her hand under my nose, diamond ring glittering in the light, I knew for definite that their announcement was true.
"You're married?!" Daniel bellowed, and not in that I'm-So-Fricking-Happy-For-You! tone of voice. Oh, no. This was Daniel at his angriest, face puce and fists clenched. He stood from the chair and forced his hands into the pockets of his jeans. To be fair, that was probably the safest place for his knuckles to be, otherwise, he would have punched Elias clean on the jaw. Sucking in a long breath, he turned his attention to Jenna. "I hope you're taking the piss. Please, tell me that this... marriage-" it's impossible to describe how bitter those words sounded. "-is a joke. It's not legal. It can't be. No, there is no way you two got married without me there. And especially without Nola there. No, this is a joke."
Unfortunately, I was inclined to believe Elias and Jenna, if only because Jenna had that glow about her and nothing that Daniel said seemed to sour the newlywed mood that hung in the air. Even as Daniel accused them of faking the whole thing, the smiles never faulted. The googly eyes were still very much present, too, and the sickly sweet way they stared at each other made me feel uncomfortable in their presence. It was just a matter of time before they jumped on each other, I could tell.
"There has got to be some laws about getting married in Italy," Daniel continued his rant, trying to find every rational reason that this was allowed to happen. "Aha, paperwork! There has to be paperwork involved."
"It's all been taken care of," Jenna smiles, gazing down at the ring that adorns her ring finger.
"Doubtful," Daniel waves his hand in dismissal. "All his paperwork takes time and it takes both parties knowing about the upcoming marriage. Seeing as you two weren't even engaged beforehand means that it is-"
"But we were engaged," Jenna once again beams. "Elias asked me a few weeks ago and I said yes."
This time, Daniel's rage shifts its focus from Elias and Jenna and find a new target- me. Swallowing nervously, I try to avert my gaze, finding the vase of flowers on the side table fascinating. Pink and blue flowers go really well together and that vase is simply gorgeous. I wonder if the name of the company is inscribed on the bottom. Mum would love something similar for Christmas, surely. If not, I'm almost certain Connie would. Maybe I should get one for Evie, too.
"This is your fault!" Ah, there it is. The accusations coming in my direction now. Without wanting to, I force myself to incline my head ever so slightly so that I'm almost facing Daniel, but not really. "You put them up to this. I knew it. I knew it would end in disaster. Before you know it, they'll have broken up and fighting over which of them gets to hire me as their divorce lawyer! Just to be clear," he says, turning to the couple that is stood in front of him, barely containing their eye rolls. "I'm representing Jenna."
At this, Elias loses his cool. Having sat there as a passive observer, Daniel's latest remark was one too far and he was about to retaliate. Like a car crash that you know you should watch but can't really help it, I watch as Elias advances on Daniel, index finger extended and pointing at Daniel. "That's enough," he says in a raised voice that takes me by surprise. I've never heard Elias shout before, at least, not like this. His voice is authoritarian and commands your full attention as well as your respect. "Never once have I made comments about your relationship with Sophie, so what gives you the right to make comments about mine and Jenna's?"
Daniel's eyes narrow, but somewhat sensibly, he keeps quiet.
"Jenna and I were always going to be the end game, no matter what," Elias says passionately. Instantly, Jenna swoons at his words and a part of me may have swooned with her. "This has been years in the making and you should be happy for us, Dan. Yes, I fucked up, but are you really one to talk? Need I remind you about the hell you put Sophie through back in April?"
At that, even I sat up straighter. Jenna had lost her newlywed glow and Daniel's hands were now at his side and no longer pushed into his pockets. Elias, meanwhile, was too oblivious to the shift in the atmosphere to back down. Instead, he inched closer to his best friend and squared up to him.
"No relationship is perfect," Elias stated, his voice calmer than it was and yet not quite calm as it could be. He gesticulated to everyone in the room, including us all in his commentary. "Mine and Jenna's relationship isn't perfect, just as yours and Sophie's isn't. But that's alright because I don't need perfection; I need Jenna, that's all. I need my family and for the first time in eight years, I finally have that. Why can't you just support us?"
A quietness befell the room, awkward and uncomfortable. The men were still staring at each other and you could sense that one wrong move, or one misspoken word, would trigger the mightiest war between them. Jenna's eyes moved between her husband and her friend and her body was turned at an angle that would allow her to step between the two men should they be embroiled in a fight. I, however, was still seated in the same spot as I had been when Jenna and Elias had invited us into their suite and sat us down as they announced their very special news.
Eventually, the tension dissipated and I could sense Daniel's shoulders relax slightly. Slowly, he backed away from the confrontation before he threw himself down into the chair next to me. With a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. I've argued with him enough times to know that Daniel was retreating from battle and conceding the fight. With that, I finally let myself smile- not for the fact that Daniel had climbed down from his high horse (although that was also a reason to smile)- but because I could finally allow my surprise at Elias and Jenna's announcement show on my face.
I grinned brightly, leaping to my feet and embracing Jenna first. During the past few days, she and I have come to know each other well and I could honestly say that I think I have made a friend for life with her. She was quiet yet strong, fierce yet soft and she would always have your back, no matter what. When I tightened my hold around Jenna's shoulders, I felt her arms loop at my waist, her hand patting my back as she whispered in my ear, "Thank you."
Elias was next on the receiving end of an embrace. "Your support means a lot to us," he pointedly said, more as a dig at Daniel.
At that, I turned to Daniel and gave him a look that said, 'You better get your arse off that couch and congratulate them or there won't be any more Netflix and Chill or acting out any dirty dreams.' It must have worked because as soon as he registered the silent message my look conveyed, Daniel was on his feet and mumbling something that resembled, "Congratulations."
"Great!" I said as I clapped my hands together. Stealing a glance at my watch, I saw the time. "Shit, is that the time?"
Instantly, every other person in the room all looked a the nearest watch, clock or phone to see the time. Daniel was the first to groan. "Already?"
I had decided to skip the final few shows of Milan Fashion week and instead spent the morning packing my suitcase- a task in itself due to Jasmine being in London- and being on the receiving end of a whopping great surprise. Now, however, the time had come for Daniel and I to leave the hotel. Jenna and Elias had extended their Italian sojourn for a few days and had made plans to honeymoon in Venice until the weekend, but for Daniel and I, reality was waiting for us.
"What time is your flight?" Jenna asked, trying her hardest to look remorseful but failing due to that glow about her.
"Two," I answered at the same moment Daniel replied, "Five-thirty."
As my flight to Paris was the earliest, I was practically ready to leave. Daniel had tried to reason with me that he should accompany me to the airport- "I'll have to end up there, anyway."- but it didn't make sense for him to spend most of his afternoon waiting for his check-in desk to open and then waste a few hours waiting to board. It took a fair bit of convincing, but eventually it was decided that I was to head to the airport solo.
I bid my farewells to Jenna and Elias, once again congratulating them on their marriage and wishing them fun on their honeymoon, and took the lift up to the next floor where Daniel and my suite was. Ever the gentleman, Daniel brought my suitcase down to the lobby and waited with me while the town car made its way to the hotel.
"I know the news was a little left field," I say carefully. "But you need to support Jenna and Elias, no matter what. You wouldn't believe how hard they each fought your corner when we argued."
Daniel's guilt-ridden eyes fell to the ground. "I know."
"So, just lay off them, ok?" I suggest, reaching out my hand and lifting his chin so that I could look him in those beautiful green eyes. "Now, stop frowning and give me that adorable smile of yours."
In a heartbeat, Daniel grinned at me, his arms circling my waist as he pulled me in for a kiss. "I love you, you know," he says as he pulls away. His eyes momentarily flit to over my shoulder and a sadness seeps into his eyes. "Your car is here."
"Damn it," I grumble. Reaching up on tiptoe slightly, I kiss him passionately- indecently- and only break away when the driver of the town car beeps at us. Daniel nudges me to the car and helps place my suitcase in the boot before he escorts me to the rear passenger door. Holding it open, Daniel reaches out to hold my hand, leaning down to kiss my forehead. For some reason, my heart fluttered at that, the kiss more intimate than any other we've shared. "I love you, baboon."
"I love you, too, 'gator," he replies. "I cannot wait for the fifth. I need you by my side, always."
"Always?" I tease as I slide onto the backseat of the car and pull the door closed. I roll down the window and watch as Daniel lowers himself to my eye level. He smirks, in that way he does when he's about to say the most charming thing in the world that he knows that I will never be able to resist.
"Always."
Has there ever been a more perfect word than this?