A Love That Will Last - Chapter 2

Betty woke up the next morning feeling better than ever. For the short time she had been in London, she felt as though a ghost had been following her around and yesterday she came face to face with her ghost in the middle of a busy London square. And then went to dinner with him and by the end of the night he wasn't a ghost anymore, he was her boyfriend. Well she wasn't exactly sure what he was, but it was definitely different. After she had come back in her apartment she was tempted to call Christina and tell her all that had happened, but figured she would wait until she knew for sure what was going on between her and Daniel. Which she would most likely figure out later when he came to her office to take her to lunch. Betty was both excited and nervous, much like she had been the night before, to see what their new relationship looked like in the light of day. And in order for that to happen she had to get to work. When she came in she made sure to avoid Diane as much as she could, the last thing she needed during this delicate time was someone asking her a bunch of questions she had no answers to. She managed to make it as far as her 10 o'clock meeting before she heard her name being called in an all too familiar shrill tone.

"Betty!"

"Oh, hi Diane."

"I have been looking all over for you. These arrived for you this morning." Diane said as she handed Betty a familiar looking yellow bouquet.

"And there was a card." she said as she handed Betty the small white envelope. All thoughts of keeping Diane's questions at bay flew out the window as Betty practically tore the envelope open to reveal a card in a handwriting she knew all too well. It read 'If we're really doing this, then I wanted to do this right. See you at lunch. - Daniel'

Betty was too touched to speak, but that didn't stop Diane.

"So, am I correct to assume those are from your 'friend' you had dinner with last night?"

"Yes they are." Betty said as she took a whiff of the sweet smelling flowers.

"It went well then?"

"Very, we actually decided to see if things can work between us as more than friends."

"Betty that's great news. Obviously you must be quite smitten with him, you're practically glowing."

"Actually I don't exactly know how I feel yet; we've been friends for so long. I mean it's not like I never thought about it. I just never really entertained the idea because I never thought he would see me in that way, ever. But last night he was the one who practically insisted that we give this a try. And he is an amazing guy, and I can't remember the last time I felt this happy, no scratch that I'm not just happy I feel very peaceful. Like everything is right in the world, I only ever felt like this once before and come to think of it he was there for that too. I don't even know where these feelings are coming from but ever since last night I've been looking back and realizing that things have been different between us for a while now. I can't even find the right words to explain it and trust me I can always find the words."

"I know you just went on there for a good five minutes."

"I'm sorry; I've just been keeping this in for a while now, probably longer than that."

"Well I couldn't be happier for you." Diane said just as she exited Betty's office. Turns out the way you get Diane to not ask any questions is if you giver an overwhelming abundance of answers. But now that Betty had gotten started she couldn't stop. It was like her mind was on overdrive, and she was enjoying every minuet of it. Lunchtime couldn't come soon enough.

At almost exactly 12 o'clock on the dot Betty's heart did back flips when she heard someone knock on her door. She looked up from her laptop screen to see Daniel standing in her doorway.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"My how the tables have turned. I remember when I was the one behind the desk and you would walk into my office."

"Yes well, your office was much bigger." Betty said as she stood up and walked around to the front of her desk.

"Well it's not the size of the office that matters; it's how you use it. I see you got the flowers."

"Yes I did, they're beautiful. Thank you Daniel, I love them."

"Good."

Betty hadn't noticed how close Daniel had gotten and before she knew it they were almost face to face.

"Hi." was all she could find to say.

"Hi." he said right back "You ready for lunch?"

Betty had almost completely forgotten about lunch, and it wasn't like her to forget about eating. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts about seeing Daniel; the reason for their meeting had completely slipped her mind. So she simply replied with a nod and linked her arm in his and they were off.

"So, where would you like to go?" Daniel asked as they walked through the door and out on to the bustling London street.

"Well, there's this really cute bistro around the corner. I eat there practically everyday, I mean they don't know my name or anything but they do know my lunch order."

"Sounds great, I'm happy to see you've really made a life for yourself over here. You're really embracing it, although I don't know what else I would expect from you. You've always been adaptable."

"Yes and speaking of which, how are you adapting? Any headway on that journey of self discovery?"

"I've been looking into some things."

"Which means you haven't done anything yet, come on Daniel I know you. Who do you think you're talking to here?"

"I'm glad to see that us dating has in no way affected your ability to call me out on my crap."

Betty didn't know why but as soon as the words left Daniels mouth, she froze. A second ago it was business as usual between them with even a little bit of flirting put in, but once the word dating came into the picture Betty was reminded of everything she had been thinking about since she woke up that morning. Her head started to swarm again but the sound of Daniel's voice pulled her out of it.

"Betty?"

"Huh?"

"You spaced out there for a second, is everything okay?"

"Yeah fine, I was just thinking. Um, well I was thinking that if you wanted I could set up a meeting with my boss, Mr. Dunne. I mean you do want to go back into publishing right? It is what you're good at and he is the biggest name in publishing over here so that makes the most sense."

"You're right it does, which is why I have a meeting with him next week."

"You do?"

"I do, because I knew that you would try and set something up but I wanted to do it on my own. Like I said yesterday, I want to earn it myself, although a glowing recommendation from you wouldn't hurt. Isn't this where you usually say something encouraging or squeak-like."

"Honestly I'm speechless, Daniel, I'm so proud of you. You said you were going to do it on your own and you did. I can't wait to see what happens next."

Betty didn't realize how true those words were, but after they came out she realized she wasn't just talking about Daniel's interview, she was talking about their relationship as well, and just like that the words dating and relationship didn't seem to scare her anymore.

The drapes on Betty's windows were about to be permanently damaged with the amount of times she pushed them aside to look past them, but she couldn't help it. She was too excited, and for multiple reasons. The first was that Daniel was on his way over to tell her how his meeting with Mr. Dunne had gone earlier that day, Betty had tried to get it out of him but he insisted that he wanted to tell her when they were alone. Another reason Betty was so eager for Daniel to arrive was because tonight they were celebrating their two week anniversary as a new couple, and what an amazing two weeks it was. Betty smiled to herself as she remembered all the moonlit walks and late night talks, as well as all the other romance she and Daniel had managed to squeeze into the short span of two weeks. Daniel said it was because he had to make up for all the time they had wasted not being together although if you asked Betty she liked it better that they evolved into this and that it wasn't a spontaneous get together but rather a substantial one. But probably the biggest reason Betty was pacing a whole in her floor, was that it was Family Call Day. Before Betty had left she made a schedule with her family to video chat once a month so that they wouldn't miss each other so much and so they could fill each other in on all the new and exciting things happening in everyone's life. So tonight when Betty made that call she would finally tell her family about Daniel. It wasn't that she was keeping her new relationship a secret, she just wanted to make it special and what could be more special than announcing it on Family Call Day, or rather night on her end.

The call from her family was scheduled to come in at 8 o'clock her time, it was ten minuets to now and Daniel wasn't there yet. At five minuets before Betty received a text from her boyfriend, she got butterflies every time she said that, saying that he was running late but wanted her to start the call without him. At 8 like clockwork she received a request to video chat from Justin Suarez; she figured he would be the one most likely to grasp the concept. She clicked accept without haste, and was soon greeted by the smiling faces of her sister and brother-in-law, her nephew, and her dad all saying hello at once.

"Hey Everybody!" Betty said loudly in response to them all.

"Okay Aunt Betty I have some big news for you." Justin announced over the rest of the family.

"Yeah, but mine's bigger so you are gonna have to wait." Hilda chimed in after.

"Hold on, one person at a time." Betty instructed, she didn't mind playing mediator for her family again, it felt just like old times.

"Okay Justin, what is your big news?"

"Well, I got the lead in my professional acting class' big final production. They're doing this play called,"

"Yes Justin we are all very proud of you but my news trumps that. Okay so Betty,"

"Not fair mom, okay so like I was saying."

"Elena is moving back from California!" Ignacio hollered over everyone.

"Okay okay that's it!" Bobby finally cut in.

"Hold on Chipmunk, I got this. Alright listen up, we're gonna take turns one at a time to talk to Betty, cause all this screamin' over each other is givin' me a headache. Okay Justin's up first, then you Mr. Suarez, and me and you will go last okay Hilda?"

At that moment she was so glad that her family had Bobby there to take care of things on her behalf. She sat and listened as Justin told her all about his leading role and his love life, things were going great with Austin. Next up her father told her how Elena, his nurse girlfriend, was moving back to New York and was going to be living with him in their house in queens. Betty couldn't be happier to hear that her dad would no longer be alone in that big house ever since Hilda, Bobby, and Justin had moved to their great Manhattan apartment. Finally it was Hilda's turn to talk.

"Okay so, get ready because Bobby and I have some pretty big news for you."

"Great, I actually have some pretty big news for you guys." as if by fate, right after the mention of her big news the doorbell rang.

"Hold on guys."

Betty got up to answer the intercom.

"Daniel?" Betty whispered, not wanting to spoil her surprise.

"Yeah, why are you whispering?

"Because I don't want my family to know who it is, I didn't say anything yet."

"Okay well buzz me in already. I brought champagne."

"Okay well when you come up knock on the door and that way when I open it, surprise you'll be there and we can tell them together."

"Got it."

Betty ran back to the laptop, trying to think of what to say.

"Who was it?" her sister asked as soon as she sat back down.

"Nothing, okay so you were going to tell me your surprise?"

"Yeah well … I'm pregnant!"

Betty and Hilda screamed at the same time, making all the ears of their family members start ringing.

"Oh my god, you're pregnant! Congratulations!"

"Thank you, we found out a couple of weeks ago. I would've called sooner but with everything that happened I just wanted to make sure before I said anything, you know?"

Betty could barely believe the irony.

"Trust me, I completely understand. But yay! That is so exciting, I'm so happy for you Hilda, you too Bobby."

"Thanks chipmunk, okay so what's your big news?"

"Actually, that's my surprise knocking on my door."

Betty got up and practically ran to answer the door. She opened it and there was Daniel with a bottle of champagne in one hand and a briefcase in the other.

"Hey." he said

"Hi." Betty said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss hello to which he gladly reciprocated. Betty had to cut the kiss short, as much as she didn't want to.

"Come on." Betty whispered.

"Betty who's at the door, come on already don't you know it's rude to keep a pregnant woman waiting?"

"Sorry Hilda, I had to open the door for …"

"Me! Hi everyone." Daniel said as he stepped out from behind the open door.

"Oh my god, is that Daniel? What are you doing in London?" Hilda said as Daniel took Betty's place at the laptop while she shut the door.

"Actually, I'm here to see Betty. Well actually I'm seeing Betty. Uh…"

"What Daniel's trying to say is that he came to London to see me and we started dating. We're dating. There I said it."

At the announcement of that everyone stopped talking. Daniel was the first one to break the silence as he whispered to Betty,

"They're not talking, is that good or bad?"

"I'm not sure, they're probably just processing. Hilda, Papi, Justin? Did we lose you?"

"Well it's about time!" Hilda said surprising them both.

"What?" Betty and Daniel said in unison.

"Yeah Aunt Betty, I mean it was totally obvious that you guys had a thing for each other."

"It was?" Betty asked.

"Oh yeah, even I noticed." Ignacio added.

"Really Papi, you too?"

"Oh come on, you two had to know this was gonna happen eventually. Betty you spent almost everyday together for four years." he replied.

"Yeah but we were just friends then, these feelings are brand new."

"Very new." Daniel chimed in.

"Maybe to you guys but everyone knows that you can't be just friends with someone of the opposite gender, or same gender, well it all depends on which one you're attracted to. Feelings always develop it's the law of nature." Hilda explained.

"Yeah, you think I planned to fall for my nurse. It's just what happened." Ignacio said in agreement with his eldest daughter.

"And obviously it was Daniel who had feelings first." Justin said after.

"How can you tell?" Daniel asked.

"Um duh, you flew across the ocean to find her; you don't do that for 'just a friend'."

"That's true." Bobby finally spoke.

"Okay, so I'm taking this as you guys are okay with this?" Betty asked wearily.

"Of course! We love Daniel! And besides he's rich, handsome, and a good kisser." Hilda said.

"Yeah I know." the words were out of Betty's mouth before she could stop them and the smug look Daniel was giving her wasn't helping.

"Wait how do you know that?" Bobby asked, suddenly curious.

"We made out at a fashion show like 3 years ago, it's no big deal."

Betty could see that things were getting crazy on the other end of the video chat so she decided it was time to say goodbye.

"Okay well I love you guys and I'll see you next month, okay bye." and with that she practically slammed her laptop shut.

"Sorry about that."

"No it's fine; you know I love your family. Even if they can get a little…"

"Spirited. I love them to pieces but some days I don't think one ocean is far enough." Betty said as she got up off her kitchen chair and made her way to her couch. Daniel took off his coat and sat next to her. Betty leaned her head on his shoulder they both reeled from all that had just happened. After a minute or two Betty suddenly remembered that Daniel hadn't told her anything about his meeting yet.

"So, we're alone now."

"Yeah."

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Yes I am happy two week anniversary Betty." Daniel said as he went in for a kiss.

"Oh no you don't, not until you tell me how the meeting with Mr. Dunne went!" she said as she blocked his lips with her hand.

"Oh right, well I went in, we had a really great talk and …"

"And?"

"Are you sure you don't want some champagne first?" he said as he got off the couch and headed for the bottle of champagne that was in the fridge.

"Oh no, he didn't offer you a job? But I wrote you such a great letter of recommendation! It put your YETI one to shame. How could he do that?"

"Betty.." Daniel said as he removed the foil revealing the cork of the champagne.

"I mean you were an excellent editor-in-chief at Mode. I mean it, Daniel and anyone who doesn't see what I see is just a waste of your time."

"Betty…"

"Honestly, if he didn't hire you then, he's not as smart as I thought he was. Maybe I shouldn't even be working for him."

"Well don't hand in your resignation just yet. He did offer me something and I accepted. You are looking at the newest Managing Editor of the Men's Lifestyle magazine."

"Daniel? A managing editor? that's amazing?" Betty said running and jumping into Daniel's arms. He happily wrapped her in his embrace and swung her small frame around in a circle.

"Yeah, and he said I'll have my own column in each issue called 'An American in London' it's gonna be a comparison piece. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am, and I owe it all to you Betty." Daniel said as he put the champagne bottle down and took Betty's hands in his own.

"Me? But you're the one who took the initiative and scheduled the interview."

"You inspired me to do it, all of it. Leaving Mode, coming out here, I'm perusing all of this because of you. And not just because of our new romantic situation. You've been inspiring me for years."

Betty was too choked up to find the words. Instead she just pulled Daniel close and placed her head on his chest. It wasn't the first time that Daniel had said something that had left her speechless but it was the first time there was so much weight behind it. She turned up and looked deep into his eyes, once again not the first time she had seen the look he was currently giving her but now she saw a flicker of something different and it touched her to her core. It was at that moment she and Daniel shared a different kind of kiss than they ever had before. The other kisses had been the beginning of a romance, but this kiss was the beginning of something that went much deeper … love.