HEYYYYYY Guys! Today is October 20th, 2011, a year since I posted my first fic and in honor of such, the next three days will be full of updates on ALLLLLLL of my stories and a couple of one shots. I know this one may seem over the top dramatic but I just felt like doing it lol. Enjoy! =D
-NWJ
Someone wise one said; if you have cold feet, get a pair of socks. This, in Wilhelmina's case, would have done nothing to help her. In fact, if you would have handed her socks at that exact moment they would be in your throat seconds later. At seldom times did she get nervous but when she did, it came on strong like a meteor due to the built of tension. And peeking out at her guests helped her none. What she noticed especially did her no good either. On one side of the church sat her family and on the other side, the groom's. The side designated for family for her was subsequently filled with paparazzi, her arch enemies, Divas and press that she had invited just to get them off her back. The other side was filled with estranged family and bachelors that had been acquaintances with him over the years. Claire, nor Alexis or DJ was anywhere to be found. From what she saw, by her being with the man she loved, it had driven him away from his family even the more. She might've been benefiting but he was losing so much and it made her feel guilty. Maybe she didn't deserve him...Maybe by marrying him, she was cursing him and this was just a dream...Was she even making sense? Was this meant to be or was this just long lustful nights on the new conference table...Her desk...his desk...Betty's desk. Despite their history and what they found together, when it truly came down to the wire she was beginning to doubt their relationship, not their love but the motive...The effects and if she considered herself worth losing his family for.
"Willie!" Marc ran down, a frazzled mess as if someone had stole his Dior bag. "You have to get dressed! The ceremony is in a half and hour!" He led her back to the bride's area of the church quickly, closing and locking the door. She sighed, looking back at herself in the mirror as she dropped her robe to just a corset and stockings. Marc held the dress out and held her steady as she stepped into the mermaid style dress, it's ruched material being held closely to her body as it wrapped up to her bust into a sweetheart neckline. Her hair fell gracefully to the very front of her face, a small bang peaking out to the side. "Do you know how long I've waited to get you married off?"
She rose a brow to him through the mirror and he shrugged, recoiling a bit. "Willie...I'm just saying...you're kind of a bitch without a little loving on the side."
She shook her head at the candor of her assistant, smoothing the lining of her dress. As he zipped her up the back, she couldn't help but think about the fire she was getting ready to step into. The criticism of the world was about to drop upon her shoulders along with the uncharted opinions of those closest to her. They would have no one but their assistants, Amanda and Tyler and though they could be of good help...She knew that eventually for Daniel, it wouldn't be enough. She didn't want to wake up one day lying next to a man that resented her for being the reason his family disowned him.
And then there was her image. The persona of the stone cold bitch that was supposed to take precedence over everything else in her life yet lately...things were changing. The media had softened her, compared her to that of a falling era as if she had lost her touch. She was no longer being regarded by who she was used to. Employees didn't cower the same. The media didn't blow back at her breeze of evil when she walked by. Even Claire didn't scowl the same when seeing her. He was losing her family and she was losing herself. And all she wanted to know was...Was it all worth it...Truly...Worth it? Did it...matter?
"Wait Marc..."She attempted to cease his fidgeting of her pristine white dress yet he never stopped fluffing and perfecting." Marc, I said stop!" She yelled, the old her coming to fruition, causing him to step back.
"Are you okay?" He asked timidly, instantly recognizing her tone as one not to be reckoned with.
She shook her head, grabbing her robe from the silver rack in front of her. "I'll be back..."
"But Willie...Your accessories!" He held up the diamond necklace that had been in her family for years and she paid him no mind, tying the silk knot around her as she ran down the long corridor to the Groom's side of the church. Seeing the door, marked Groomsmen, She knocked like a police officer, hard and stern. Over and Over and over she knocked yet to no avail. Finally she just opened the door to find it empty and barren with black ties lying carelessly on chairs next to empty beers. She rolled her eyes at his sloppiness, silently cursing him for not being there...She needed him...She needed...confirmation...She needed...socks.
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Daniel laughed boyishly around the bar, slinging back a shot of tequila as his groomsmen cheered him on. Tyler slapped him on his back and the liquid squirted back on his suit, the others laughing. Daniel cackled hysterically, shaking his head. "Wilhelmina's going to fuck you up!"
The others chuckled endlessly upon hearing Daniel's crazy speech and his loose attitude. Tyler shrugged, smiling. "Uh Uh, that's your lady...I'm taken...That's your battle."
"Trust me...Wilhelmina will tell Amanda and you will be hounded for getting liquor on Valentino!"
The other groomsmen chuckled as Tyler's eyes widened, realizing that that was Amanda's favorite designer. He raised his hand, beckoning the bartender. "Hey can I get a club soda and a rag!"
They all laughed again and Daniel set his glass down, wiping at his mouth. "We don't have time, the ceremony starts in like 20 minutes and all you douche bags don't know how to tie a tie so this is going to take a while!"
The slightly drunk men fell over each other, Tyler grabbing the liquid and rag as they left. Lifting Daniel by his thighs to sit on the biggest male's shoulder. Simultaneously they rushed the parking lot, screaming incoherently. "Let's do this bitch!"
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Daniel stood at the head of the altar, watching as the crowd anticipated the arrival of Wilhelmina, sans bridesmaids since she didn't want a repeat of the Beckham fever. Silently, the crowd stood as instructed by the presider. As the music played slowly, all heads turned in the direction of the door and waited for the bride to arrive. Seconds passed and the maestro replayed the song...and again he replayed the song. She was yet to come and the crowd was beginning to whisper amongst themselves. The groomsmen had ceased their childish giggles, realizing the tone of the atmosphere beginning to change. Daniel's panic mode set in, and when he saw Marc peek his head out the double doors slowly, he knew...She had ran.
He smiled weakly, fixing his collar as he stepped down from the altar and made his way down the long hallway that seemed to stretch out past its extent. Immediately, heads turned to follow him, murmuring trailing right behind him as well while he made his way to the lobby.
"What...the hell...is going on?" His tone menacingly approached a dark one as he advanced towards the confused assistant.
Marc shrugged, looking around. "She's gone...I just-She said she was coming back and she's been gone for 20 minutes..."
What he had feared the most…his nightmare...His worst fear had come true and all the air began to leave his body unmercifully. Like a knock to the chest, he walked past Marc, nearly falling just from the brief contact. Marc sighed waiting a few minutes before working up the courage to push open the double doors and address the wedding crowd.
"Excuse me...Ladies and Gentlemen...our bride is having a bit of a wardrobe malfunction but the service shall resume shortly." He lied, closing the doors quickly behind him. He didn't know where she was or where she could be but he did know that this was in no way good news.
Engulfed in his thoughts, a small speck that enlarged as they neared began to approach. He ran up to them, eyebrows crunched. "Where the hell have you all been?"
Claire rolled her eyes at his shriek and shrugged. "Our flight from Paris was late...I hope we didn't miss anything."
"Did Daniel pass out yet?" Alexis questioned, knowing the state of her brother's anxiety.
"Almost...But not for the reasons you think..."
"What do you mean?" Claire questioned, noticing that it was passed the time of the wedding and yet it was silent, with Marc standing outside the sanctuary rather than walking his boss down the aisle.
"Grandma! Mom! It's Daniel!" Alexis and Claire turned around to see DJ looking up at the hotel towers. They all ran out to the outside of the hotel building to see Daniel standing on the ledge that overlooked the hotel pool. His fists were clenched and his tie was undone. He was going to jump.
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Wilhelmina sat at that big empty bar that once held her fiancée and other manly continuants, nursing a Scotch that seemed to only be a drop and yet it was half of a cup. Anxiety filled her and she had no escape route. As a bartender eyed her closely she lifted a brow and turned around, not willing to talk to somebody about her problems.
"Excuse me? Ma'am..." The young man asked, his blonde cut softening his face to that of a child. Wilhelmina turned around and lifted a brow, eyes piercing him like laser guns. He cowered back, chuckling at himself. "Wow...It is you!"
"Excuse me?"
"I'm sorry..." He shook his head in embarrassment, his hands lifting as if to excuse his actions. "It's just...Well I saw the dress and...Never mind."
"No, no...you started something and as slow as you did it, you peaked my interest so start talking."
"Well...The man you're marrying...I assume that's why you're wearing white." Wilhelmina nodded and the boy smiled, feeling proud of himself. "He was in here about 20 minutes ago...Him and his groomsmen... and he just couldn't stop talking about you...Just by the way he described you, I could tell that it was you and I'm glad you came down because...I wanted to see what he was talking about."
She listened intently, a lone cork in her mind suddenly clicking together. She realized that nothing else mattered...Nothing else mattered! Daniel knew how his family felt with her and still chose to marry her now he was not a child...He made his choice and no matter what her head tried to concoct, her heart had made up it's mind...She loved that man... And big or small...They were both making sacrifices.
"Ma'am." He called out as Wilhelmina began to mess with her dress, to get down from the barstool. She looked up and fell on where his eyes did: The unpaid scotch. She huffed and reached in her ample cleavage, pulling out a crisp 100 dollar bill. The young man's eyes lit up...Not because of the large tip or the fact that he even got a tip, but because of where she pulled it out of.
"Keep the change!" Wilhelmina ran downstairs, not taking the precious time to ride the elevator. She stopped in the back entrance of the wedding hall and peaked through the doors to see that no one was inside...She panicked, thinking that she had missed the wedding and everyone had gone home as a result of it. No, Marc would have come and got her...He wouldn't just let them go home. She went around the front to the lobby to see that everybody was outside, eyes up and terror in their expressions. Wondering what the commotion was, she peeked outside and saw Daniel...standing on the ledge.
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After running up 8 flights of stairs because of her lack of patience to wait for an elevator she busted open their room door that happened to be where she and him were supposed to be staying for the night. Alexis, Claire and Marc turned around, the same look in their eyes as the wedding guests.
"Where the hell have you been!" Marc exclaimed.
"Why is he on the ledge?" Wilhelmina questioned, running forward.
"I knew you would kill one of us eventually." Claire muttered smugly.
Wilhelmina pushed her out of the way and made her way to the widow, leaning into the sill. "Daniel!"
Startled, he looked back and lost his balance, his shoe slipping and leading to his tumbling to the ground. "Wilhelmina!" HE called out as he fell, his voice suddenly ceasing. She lost it. Wilhelmina lost it. Alexis watched as she froze, even her heart stiffening upon seeing him fall. For a split second she thought that she had lost the person she cared about the most...and it was all her fault.
"Wilhelmina...There's a pool down there." Alexis stated calmly, hoping this would calm her down.
Only this just made her bolt out of the room and down the stairs, Marc, Claire and Alexis following her. As tired as she was and as much pain her feet were in from walking in such high shoes, she made her way downstairs and went around the back to get through the gate. She ran to the front of the hotel to where the pool was, an odd place but still, where it was. She watched as a black and white figure bobbed up and down, floating in the water yet unresponsive. Fear touched Marc as he watched her relinquish her shoes and he guessed what she was about to do. Before he could even stop her, she had dove in, not caring about her makeup or hair or Vera Wang dress...because nothing else mattered. She swam to him and pulled him up by his shirt collar, wondering why the hell she could swim and he couldn't. The large crowd watched as she laid his head on her chest as it puffed up and deflated with every intake of breath and her hand slapped his cheek one good time, his eyes opened slowly, coming to.
"You crazy son of a bitch! I was going to marry you!" She scolded him as he woke up, his pillow still her chest.
Coughing up the water that was in his lungs, he sighed, still being held tightly by her. "The-Then wh-wh-why did you run?"
"Because..." She shook her head before holding him even closer. "I didn't know what I had...Until I almost lost it."
He smiled, still weak but not so weak that he could respond when she kissed him, her arms wrapping around him as they bobbed in the water.
Marc sniffled, looking around before realizing that Willie was wearing a custom Vera. "C'mon...Get out of the water and get married!"
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So they did get out of the water and after Daniel's much needed medical assistance, they made it to the chapel. And despite the wait, the guests waited for them. Waited for them to change and for them to come down the aisle even in hotel robes. Yes, they wore hotel robes and many questioned Wilhelmina Slater's sanity at that point but what they didn't understand was that to her...at that moment...After almost losing everything...Nothing else mattered...Not even a pair of cold feet.