At work today, I get a visit from Teddy. He goes on to explain and give me all the information he has on the man Theo wants me to find and take care of. He also says everyone, including himself, was very impressed with my fiancée. Theodore very much liked her business proposition. As I sit here, I suppress the fact that I want to put my hands around his neck and squeeze. Fallon’s right: this proposal of hers is very beneficial to our business. This deal will give us the leverage to own and take over our competition. So, I sit there and let him drool over the night he met the lovely Fallon. We agree and conclude our business.

For some reason, I can’t wait to tell Fallon. She should love the fact that her plan worked. It was genius! I decide I’m not going to wait. I call Zander and tell him I am leaving for the rest of the night and he should take care of the rest.

I pull into my parking spot at Mother’s house. I go in through the kitchen, hoping I will see Fallon soon. She’s not there, so I go from room to room looking for her. Then I find my mother standing in the great room, staring off out of the glass doors.

“Mom.”

She doesn’t answer me. It’s like she doesn’t hear me.

“Mom?”

“Gabriel. You’re here.”

“Yes, Mom. Are you all right?”

She doesn’t say anything; she just goes back to staring outside the door. I walk closer to her.

“Mom, where’s Fallon? I have some news –”

Before I can finish my sentence, she turns and looks at me with something in her eyes I have never seen before: fear.

“Mom, what’s wrong?”

“Gabriel...please, son...I need you to go get Fallon and bring her back home now. I know you’re fighting not to want her, but son, you can’t let Miles have her. Please, not Miles.”

The panic and urgency is something I have never seen in my mother. It’s disturbing.

I grab her arms and ask, “What’s wrong?”

“Gabriel, just get her.”

“Where is she?”

“She’s at the Rollins Mansion. Go, Gabriel.”

I leave her there and hurry to my car. I am so unnerved. What could have her so frightened? Maybe it’s that she thinks I turned Fallon away and she’s losing her to the Rollins. But why? All I know is if Mom is scared, I need to get to Fallon now.

I make it to the Rollins’ mansion in record time. I tell the valet to leave the car running; I won’t be long. I make my way through the house to the dining room. That’s where I see Fallon; she is smiling while Miles is whispering in her ear. It makes me furious, but then I notice Senator Rollins is also watching – not with joy, though; curiosity. I decide to make my presence known and step in where I can be seen.

“Gabriel?” Senator Rollins stands and addresses me first.

“Hello, Senator. How are you this evening?”

“Fine, fine. But as you can see, we are having a family gathering, and I’m sorry, but we weren’t expecting you.”

“I’m not staying. I just came to collect my fiancée.”

I make sure my words are heard throughout the room. Fallon’s back stiffens, and she looks like she is ready to kill.

Angelle stands and says, “Gabriel, what the hell are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about Fallon being my fiancée, and I’m here to bring her home.”

Senator Rollins addresses me again. “Really? Miles and I were not aware Fallon was your fiancée. My apologies.”

“That’s perfectly fine. We just got engaged, and we haven’t officially announced it yet, but she should have told you and your son at least.”

I walk over to Fallon’s chair, then bend down, kiss her cheek, and say, “Dear, it’s time to go.”

Before I can pull Fallon’s chair back for her to stand, Miles jumps up, gets in my face, and tells me she will not be going anywhere. I find this amusing, the boy standing up to me. Fallon stands and puts her hand on my chest, like a warning, yet calming effect.

I smile at Miles. “Boy, you should sit back down before I decide not to listen to my lady’s warning.”

“Miles, sit!” his father barks. At least he knows what I’ll do to his precious son if he gets in my way.

Fallon goes to apologize to Miles, and I send her my own warning glance, which she heeds.

Angelle looks to me and says, “You will be sorry for this, Gabriel.”

I throw her a warning glance back, then lead Fallon out by her elbow. On the drive, we never speak a word. We are both trying desperately to calm ourselves.

Once back at the mansion, I drag Fallon out of the car and into the house. As she starts her rant of cursing me out, I nudge her towards the great room, where I can now see my mom is sitting. She doesn’t say anything to either one of us.

Fallon screams, “How fucking dare you!”

“How fucking dare I?”

“Yes, Gabriel, you have no right!”

“I have every right. You are my fiancée!”

“No, dammit! I am not!  I told you no. When will you get it through your thick, pig-headed skull?!!”

My mother finally takes an interest in our argument. “What the hell are you two screaming about?”

She stands and walks closer to us with her arms crossed, expecting answers.

“I gave Fallon a ring a couple of days back.”

“And I told him no!”

My mother shakes her head. “What are you saying? Why the hell would you do that, Fallon?”

“Because your pompous son gave me a ring without asking me to marry him. He just assumed I would jump at the chance to be his wife. Well, I won’t. I deserve better.”

My mom starts to laugh out loud. “Son, what were you thinking? No woman, not even one I brought for you, wants to be treated like a whore, waiting for her master to give her a treat. Did I not teach you better than that? Damn, son, if you want her to be your wife, then you should at least ask her.”

She goes back to the sofa and sits down to watch the show. What the hell, now I have to perform for the both of them. Fine!

I walk closer to Fallon and kneel on one knee. “Fallon, I know you’re not sure about me, or even about us, but I am. I will do anything in my power to protect you and make you happy. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Instead of jumping up with joy, like you’d expect most women to do with a proposal, she just stands there, shocked, staring at me. Then her head lifts and looks at my mother.

After a few seconds pass, she looks back down at me and says, “Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes, Gabriel, I will marry you.”

I stand, but I don’t know what to do. Should I hug her? Kiss her?                                                                                                     

My mother stands and gives me a hug, then hugs Fallon.

“Mother, I want this wedding to take place in one week.”

“What?” My mom says. “That’s impossible, Gabriel.”

“I don’t care. Do what you have to do, but you do it – or so help me, I will bring her up to the courthouse and make it official. I will only wait one more week to have my bride.”

She nods her head. “I’ll get it done, son.”

“Oh, and Mother, make it small. And the whole Rollins clan will not be attending.”

My mother nods her head again and says “Fine. I will leave you two alone to celebrate.”

I wait for her to leave, then look to Fallon and see she has turned her back to me.

“Fallon, what made you decide to say yes?”

“I don’t know. I guess because you finally asked me.”

“I meant it. I will always protect you, and I will try to do anything to make you happy.”

“I know you meant it, Gabriel.”

“Look at me. I’m glad you have finally realized you are mine, and in a week we’ll make it official.”

“Gabriel, I have always known I was yours, but I hope you realize that makes you officially mine, too.”

“Trust me, Fallon, I know already I am yours. Be ready...in a week I’m coming for you.”

As soon as I hear the door close and I know Gabriel has left, I collapse to the floor. I have no more strength to hold myself up. My fate is sealed. I will be Mrs. Gabriel Stern. With my past behind me, my future is now what I fear. I pray I can survive it.  Tears are now free falling down my face as I cry for my past, my future. I especially cry for the love I might never have from Gabriel.

I didn’t hear her, but I feel her. She wraps her arms around me and pulls me up. In her arms, I’m pulled towards the sofa, where she coddles me and pets my hair; the mother’s touch I have always wanted and needed.

“Fallon, please don’t cry. I’m here now. I will always be here for you.”

“Catherine, I’m so scared. I love him, Catherine. I do.”

“I know, dear, I know.”

“He doesn’t love me, Catherine. He won’t allow himself to fall in love with me, and one day he will resent me for it.”

“No, Fallon, he does love you, he just hasn’t figured it out yet. I know my son, and he has never looked at another woman like he looks at you.”

“That’s lust, Catherine, not love.”

“You’re wrong, child. I know lust, and although he definitely looks at you with lust, if you look deeper, Fallon, there is love, too. I promise you. Look deeper.”

“Why won’t he just admit it and allow it to happen? Why must he torture me?”

“Because he’s scared too, even more so than you. He watched his father dwindle down to barely a man, and he blames me for it.  He doesn’t know the truth, and I don’t want him to know the truth. He’s scared you will have that same power over him. See, Fallon, he is scared you will destroy him.”

“I would never do anything to hurt him. Never.”

“I know, Fallon. His father was not the man he thinks he once was. Gabriel is nothing like him, and once he realizes that, my child, then and only then will he show you how much he loves you.” She stands. “Come on, Fallon, let’s get you to bed. You have a busy day tomorrow. We have a wedding to plan.”

Catherine walks me to bed, helps me get under the sheets, and kisses me goodnight. She then leaves me to my dreams.