FIFTY-EIGHT
The last month had gone by quickly, but so much had happened in their lives. The first shock had been when the lawyers for the Jaeger estate visited Hilde to inform her that Lina had left everything that she owned to her. They also gave Hilde the brief written message telling her what she already knew, that Lina had wanted so badly for her to be her daughter. She mentioned nothing of the underhanded way she had gone about seeing that accomplished, and if Hilde did not know the truth, she would be touched by the emotional note Lina had written. Still, the truth was that without her machinations, Hilde would not even be there. After everything Lina had done, not just to her, but to countless others whose lives she had made miserable, Hilde would not keep the Jaeger fortune. She donated the money, investments and the property in Sector 1 to the people of the colony. In the last month, Lina's garden had become a popular attraction and Hilde knew that the woman would be infuriated to see outer sector men, women and children trampling through her garden. For many of them, it would be the only chance they would have to see real trees, plants and flowers as well as the insects imported to keep them thriving in the artificial environment.
Despite what had happened, Duo wanted to live at the Schbeiker residence, because it was his father's home and because Hilde had grown up there. He wanted to give her a chance to make happy memories of it. She had been anxious about returning there after what had happened, especially in the study, but Duo convinced her that it was just a room where some unpleasant things had happened. That was an understatement, but she could not deny him what was essentially his heritage. Otto Schbeiker would have wanted him to have the home because it was his son's legacy, and he had been proud to claim Duo as his son.
They had been living there for two weeks since enough of the renovation had been completed to make it habitable although there was still much to be done to update it to Duo's standards. She had an eerie feeling when she went into the study that Duo had made his workspace. It was the place where he had met and spoken to his father only once, and yet that conversation had changed all their lives. There had not been windows in the study, but Duo had added a large picture window that overlooked a garden and play yard that had yet to be finished. Duo wanted to be able to look away from his work to watch his children playing. He kept the many books that his father had collected as well as the toys he had purchased for Duo that he now intended for his own children. When she sat in the study, she could imagine their child playing with those toys on the plush carpet that covered the wood floor that only weeks ago had been red with blood. While many aspects of the study were the same, it was so different that Hilde was finding it easier to step inside without remembering what had happened there.
During the redecorating of the study, Duo had found the document Otto Schbeiker had received proving that Hilde was not his daughter among the pages of one of the books. They were both surprised to find that he had his suspicions about Werner and had secretly tested his DNA against Hilde's. Throughout her life, he had known the truth, at least that Werner was her father if not how that came to be. Whatever bizarre revenge Lina hoped to get by diverting Hilde's affection from Otto to Werner had failed miserably. The only person she had hurt was Werner, and Hilde knew that Lina did not care about his feelings.
When she and Duo filed for their marriage license, Hilde presented the document to the officials at the government center so that there would be no objection to their marriage based on their biological relationship. She expected the news would be inundated with the revelation that Werner Richter was her father, but in this instance, the government official who had handled their license kept the truth to himself. The news reported that they were not siblings and that their license had been approved. That left the media with no choice but to speculate on who might be her father. Even though the first families had lost considerable power, they dared not point the finger at any of those men, so they reported on Ingrid Schbeiker's less than sterling reputation after her husband's death. They dared to suggest that her behavior had been at least as bad before and during her marriage, but it had been covered up. Ingrid probably did not deserve to be denigrated as she was, but despite the fact that she was living a lie with Otto Schbeiker, she was still Hilde's mother and could have done something to show her that she cared for her own child. She chose to ignore her existence as much as possible and to revile her when she was forced to interact with her. Now that she knew the truth, Hilde released herself from feeling resentment towards Ingrid.
Today, the park in Sector 5 was crowded with people waiting to watch her exchange marriage vows with Duo Maxwell. If they were on Earth, they would have to worry about unpredictable weather ruining their plans for a wedding in the park. But here on the colony, they knew that the temperature would be perfect, and that they would have just the right amount of sunshine.
A string quartet was playing music as Hilde sat in the small tent erected at the edge of the park for her convenience to prepare for the wedding. There was a similar tent on the other side of the park where Duo was getting ready with his groomsmen, Heero, Quatre and Triton. A photographer snapped pictures from time to time as her husband did the same in the men's tent. Hilde thought the excessive amount of photography was silly, but Dorothy assured her that she would enjoy looking at the pictures in the future.
Wearing only a slip now, Hilde sat still on a padded stool as a makeup artist applied a small amount of makeup while a stylist worked on her hair. Although Relena thought her hair should be arranged in some fanciful updo that required dozens of pins, Hilde only agreed on a loose knot with a few curled wisps to frame her face and just enough makeup to cover any blemishes that her hormone inundated body had produced recently.
Her bridesmaids, Relena and Dorothy, were already dressed wearing gowns of their own choosing – Hilde thought the tradition of wearing matching attire was also silly – and they sat talking on a silk covered couch sipping champagne as they chatted. Nearby Mia and Jamila, also wearing elegant dresses, were having a tea party with their toys. The two girls had roles to play during the wedding. One would toss flower petals while the other carried the rings on a satin covered pillow. Jamila wanted to carry the rings, but Dorothy suggested it would be more symbolic if Mia carried them since they were the rings that would bind Hilde to her father. She would never admit aloud that she did not trust Jamila to get them up the aisle.
"I think Heero looks best in the tux," she heard Relena comment.
Dorothy laughed. "You wish he looked best. Quatre wears a tux better than any man I know."
"Hmm. I do like his new hairstyle. How did you convince him to let it grow to his shoulders? I like that look."
"That was his idea. He got it after I made a remark that I liked how long Triton's hair had gotten."
Hilde laughed although the makeup artist frowned at her because she was trying to apply color to her lips. "Why are these guys so jealous of Triton?"
Relena also laughed. "Heero is always looking at him suspiciously and I have never done or said anything to show interest in him."
"Has Heero asked you to marry him yet today?" asked Dorothy.
"Not yet. I'm expecting it while we are dancing." Both women snickered, and while Hilde wanted to join them, she did not.
"When are you going to put him out of his misery and agree to marry him?"
"When I think he actually means it."
Hilde was sure that he meant it and that Relena might end up regretting refusing him over and over, but she was not going to offer her opinion. Her own road to this day was filled with bumps and turns, and she sometimes felt that this was a drug-induced dream.
"I know he loves me," said Relena, "but we aren't ready yet. I want to be able to devote myself to him, and there is still so much to do throughout the colonies, and on Earth."
"There will always be so much to do throughout the colonies," remarked Dorothy. "They can't rely on you to put out every fire that starts."
Relena sighed deeply and out of the corner of her eye, Hilde saw that she was watching Jamila and Mia play. Nearby Quasim was cooperating by taking a nap curled up with his favorite blanket on a pile of pillows. "I envy you both. I wish I had the time for children."
"You have the time if you make the time," Dorothy told her.
"I don't have time for the morning sickness and the fatigue of a pregnancy."
Hilde knew why she brought that up. She was staying with her and Duo and Hilde had often suffered from both on many days in the last month. Fortunately, in the last week the symptoms had eased, and she felt fine. She had worried that she would vomit on her own wedding gown, but it was no longer a concern.
The women preparing her for her wedding finished what they were doing at the same time and left her alone. When they had exited the small tent, Ellie came in to help her put on her gown. Ellie was her third bridesmaid and one she had surprised herself by suggesting to Duo. She had no hard feelings towards the other woman, nor could she be jealous even though Ellie was stunning in the blue gown she was wearing. She could be wearing sackcloth and she would still draw attention to herself. She was also over the initial illness of her pregnancy and seemed to be glowing. Hilde doubted she looked as good.
When Ellie finished zipping up the wedding gown, both Dorothy and Relena exclaimed over how beautiful Hilde looked. They had time for the matron of honor, Ellie, to hand out glasses of champagne and make a toast wishing Hilde happiness in her life with Duo. After taking a small sip of champagne, Ellie announced that it was time for the ceremony to begin. Relena and Dorothy hugged and kissed her and then left the tent, Dorothy taking the still sleeping Quasim who she handed off to Margie Milton. Ellie was going to join them after taking Mia and Jamila out to wait for the ceremony to start so they could play their roles, but Hilde stopped her from leaving.
"Wait, Ellie. I want to say something to you."
Ellie looked anxious, but she stayed back.
"You have been such great help this last month," Hilde told her. Ellie had cut short her vacation to return to the colony, and despite being every bit as sick and fatigued herself, she had done everything she could to make sure that Hilde and Duo did not have to face endless news conferences. She had scaled down the ground-breaking ceremonies and made it so they could have time to heal from what had happened. Despite still feeling a little intimidated by the past she shared with Duo, Hilde was glad that someone had seen the potential in Ellie because the other woman might have ended up in an outer sector prison.
Ellie reached out to take Hilde's hands. "You don't have to thank me. You are Mia's other mother. And I am acutely aware that you have no reason to forgive me for what I did to Duo. I don't deserve forgiveness and I am fortunate that Duo is the kind of guy he is. You are so lucky that he loves you. We are all lucky to get a second chance to make our lives better."
"I am going to thank you anyway." Hilde squeezed her hands. "If anyone would have told me this would happen the day that I defended you in court, I would have laughed in their faces."
Ellie grimaced. "Let's forget about that day. I was a bitch."
"You were," agreed Hilde with a laugh. "But now you are my friend." She put her hand on her belly that was only slightly rounded and probably only noticeable to her. "I think our children will be friends."
Ellie touched her own belly. "I'm sure of it. Now we had better do this or Duo might wonder if you are changing your mind. The men are already waiting with the justice of the peace."
She stepped out of the tent, and Hilde checked how she looked in the full-length mirror one last time before she picked up the bouquet of flowers that had been collected from the Jaeger estate garden. This was the one concession she made to the woman who had raised her. She found Lina's plans for her wedding and decided to use the bouquet design. Lina probably would not thank her for wasting it on Duo Maxwell.
Before she could even take a step to the tent opening, Ellie stepped back in and Hilde was alarmed by the worried look on her face.
"I'm sorry, Hilde, but there is someone here to see you. He's not insisting, but I think you may want to talk to him."
Hilde did not have a chance to tell her to ask him to wait until after the ceremony before Ellie disappeared out of the tent again and she was stunned when Werner Richter ducked through the opening.
For a moment neither of them spoke. Hilde did not know what to say. She did not even know how to feel, but she was more than a little upset that he would come to her now of all times when he had an entire month to speak to her and chose not to. She had accepted that he would not be a part of her life and she understood why. He had never agreed to what Lina had done, had even refused to participate when Lina wanted to use a surrogate to give them a child. Hilde was the product of a gross violation of his personal rights.
"What are you doing here?" she finally asked when he said nothing as he stared at her.
"I had a speech planned," he finally said with a half-smile. "But you look so beautiful and happy that I forgot what I intended to say."
"Whatever it was, you could have waited," she told him. Being angry with him was better than giving in to the many other feelings that threatened to undo her at the moment. "As you can see, I am about to get married. My future husband is waiting for me."
"I know," he said. "It's because of him that I am here."
Her brows shot up and surprised and shock overtook any other feeling. "You are here because of Duo?" Duo did not malign Werner, but Hilde knew how he felt about him. How could he not dislike him after what had happened because of him, not the least of which was the harsh sentence he had given him for a crime he did not commit.
"He came to see me yesterday." When she had been having a celebration with her bridesmaids at Le Beau Papillon which Rogelio, Madame Chantal's former head chef, now owned. She was nothing less than shocked that Duo would visit with Werner when he had told Hilde that he wanted nothing more to do with him.
"Why would he do that?" she blurted.
"Probably to get me to open my eyes and see reason."
"He tried to do that last month, but your silence since then proved that you did not want to have anything to do with me." Hilde inwardly cringed when she realized that she sounded exactly like the petulant child that used to say the same things to Otto Schbeiker. She did not know how that man held his tongue all those times when he could have thrown the truth back at her. He had been a truly good man and she was happy to be marrying his son.
Werner sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Since the last time she saw him, she was sure there was more silver than black. "I was angry by what he said to me, more angry at myself than at him." He met her gaze and she saw that his eyes were watery. She looked away quickly because she could not afford to cry. There wasn't time to call the makeup artist back.
"We can't have this conversation now," she told him.
"I should have done this sooner, but I wasn't ready. I don't know if I am yet, but I did not want you to start your new life without having closure on your old. I've spent the last month grieving for a woman that didn't give a damn about me. Maxwell made me realize that I should have been trying to make amends with a woman that did want me in her life. He told me that if I let this happen without reaching out to you, I might lose any chance at all of a future with you in it."
Hilde could not believe Duo had gone behind her back to speak to him again. She would have some stern words for him when they had a chance to be alone again. "His visit made you change your mind?"
"I would probably still be shut away in my family's ancestral home lamenting everything I've done the last twenty-five years of my life if he hadn't come to talk some sense into me. After he left, I had no choice but to think about you and what you meant to me." He held out his hand to her, but she did not take it, so he dropped it to his side. "I know how hurt you must have been. I was shocked to learn the truth. I was shocked again yesterday when Maxwell told me that Otto knew all along that I was your father. Yet, if he had told me, I never would have believed him and he knew it. Otto wanted me to have a relationship with you. There were times that he encouraged me to be there for you in his place. If he could be here now, I would thank him for giving me the chance to know you as I have."
Hilde did not respond. She felt too many emotions to even speak. Her throat was closed up and she was afraid she would cry.
He took a deep breath and said, "I would be honored if you would allow me to walk you down the aisle. Otto and I were friends, but I let Lina come between us. I know that he would be so happy that our children were in love, and today he would have been proud to call you daughter in truth when you marry his son."
Tears welled in her eyes, and seeing them, he quickly took a handkerchief from his pocket to hand to her so that she could keep her makeup from becoming smeared. She quickly dabbed at her eyes to stop the flow, and she was comforted when he put his arms around her. As he held her against him, she realized for the first time that he was wearing a tuxedo and she drew back to look up at him.
"You were sure that I would agree."
He smiled down at her. "I think I know you better than anyone save your future husband."
Hilde had to admit that he was right. Throughout her life, she had shared more of her thoughts and feelings with him than any other person, even Lina. She stepped back and picked up her bouquet before taking the arm he held out to her. "Did Duo also tell you that we are expecting a child."
"I suspected that when you refused the drink that I offered you when you came to speak to me in my office," he told her as he patted her hand. "Although he did warn me that I would regret not being a part of my grandchildren's lives. I cannot believe I am saying this, but I am fortunate that he came into your life. He is a very special young man."
"I have always thought so." They approached the opening of the tent, but Hilde stopped before they exited. "Once you do this, everyone will know the truth," she warned him. "Are you sure this is what you want?"
He leaned down to kiss her cheek and then he looked into her eyes. "This is what I want. I am proud that you are my daughter. I've had time to think about everything you have done, and I am not ashamed of anything. I will accept any blowback I receive from Teutons. I don't give a damn what any of them thinks. It's time for a change, and I think we have what it takes to make that happen."
Without another word, they left the tent together. With the strains of the wedding march playing, Werner Richter walked her up the aisle, smiling proudly and ignoring the wide-eyed stares of the people gathered to witness her wedding ceremony. There were plenty of whispers as well as a glare or two that were easy to ignore. Hilde did not care because she could not be happier than she was at this moment. Her father accepted her, and she was going to join her life with the man she loved.
When they reached the spot where Duo waited with the justice of the peace with his groomsmen standing nearby, Werner took Hilde's hand and led her to him. "I know that you will take care of my daughter. No man deserves her more than you."
"Thank you," Duo told him, and Hilde knew that he was thanking him for making this day and her life complete by what he was doing. She could not love him more. "You will never have to worry about her."
Werner nodded and stepped away.
Hilde looked at Duo. "We have something to discuss."
"Can it wait until later? I think we have something to do first."
The ceremony was short, but the reception line after they had repeated their vows seemed to go on for hours. Ellie took her away at one point so that they could both use the bathroom, but after taking a short break she rejoined Duo who was standing with her father and they both seemed at ease. She realized that Duo could forgive Werner for anything except his rejection of her. She was glad, because as Otto's lifelong friend, Werner could help Duo know the man his father had been.
When the last person had finally offered their congratulations, they sat down at a table for a meal while the guests were served a picnic style lunch provided by Le Beau Papillon. The entire staff had come to see the wedding as invited guests. There were many toasts for their future happiness and Hilde was glad that Duo was not drinking too much, especially since she could not drink anything. Werner did not drink much either. His drinking habits had changed dramatically after Otto's death. He probably wondered if he could have prevented what happened if he had not gotten so drunk that he passed out that night. He had not known what had happened in Otto's study and accepted Lina's version of the story, that Otto had killed himself. Hilde suspected that if he had tried to stop Lina, she would have killed him, too.
Once the meal was over, the orchestra started to play and by that time the chairs provided for the ceremony had been cleared so there would be room to dance. Despite the stares and shocked whispers, Werner came to claim Hilde for the first dance. As he held her in his arms and led her through a slow waltz, she remembered when he had taken her to the father-daughter cotillion in Sector 1 when she was sixteen. Otto had not even gone to the event and Hilde pretended not to care that Werner stood in for him, but she had cried herself to sleep that night after he took her home.
"This reminds me of your cotillion," he remarked, proving that they were thinking of the same thing. "Otto told me that he had too much work to do on an important case going to trial and that he could not spare the time." He smiled sardonically. "I was happy to take his place thinking he would be upset because it proved that I was more your father than him."
Hilde sighed. "I'm sorry you have that memory of that night." Her own was miserable.
He stopped dancing and put his hand under her chin to raise her face to his. "I want us to agree on something here and now, Hilde. I will stop remembering our times together as ploys to hurt Otto because I suspected that my wife loved him, and you will stop remembering them as proof that Otto did not care about you."
She smiled sadly at him. "Pretending won't change the truth."
"No, but sometimes looking at the past with rose-colored glasses can make it easier to live with." He caressed her cheek. "How could I have ever admitted even to myself that I wished you were my daughter in truth? Maybe if I had, things could have turned out differently for us all. The truth is, Otto cared about you more than you knew and we both owe him gratitude for giving us a past together."
She put her hand over his. "Thank you for being here for me, and for all the times you were there when I needed a shoulder to cry on."
"I will always be there for you, but I don't think you will need me." He released her to step back and Hilde realized that Duo had come to cut in.
Before Werner could leave, she put her hand on his arm and she leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "Thank you, father."
As he turned away, she saw that there were tears in his eyes. Duo took her into his arms and brought her close to dance with him. "This is our first dance as husband and wife."
She relaxed against him as they waltzed with the orchestral music. They were the only two people dancing for now, and many people were watching them, but she had eyes only for her husband. "You told me that you wouldn't speak to Werner again."
"I changed my mind. I wanted to give him another chance."
"You're all about second chances," she said. She leaned forward to kiss his lips. "I'm glad that you gave me a second chance, Duo. After getting out of prison, I wouldn't have blamed you for being bitter."
"If Mia hadn't been there when I got out calling me papa, maybe I would have been bitter." He looked past her, and Hilde turned her head to see that others were joining them in their dance, the bridesmaids with the groomsmen although Robert Cameron was watching anxiously as Ellie danced with Triton. They made an attractive couple, but by the annoyed look on Ellie's face, Triton was flirting with her and she did not appreciate it. Duo was watching Mia and Jamila who were dancing together, and Hilde knew that the girls would be lifelong friends.
"What did you get for my wedding gift?" Duo asked. "You already got mine."
"Getting Werner here was your gift?" she asked with surprise.
"It's not every day a guy can give his wife a father."
"Then that shop I bought in Sector 8 pales in comparison," she lamented with a sigh.
His brows shot up. "You bought my old shop?"
"You've been busy with your work for the Phoenix Group, and I worried that someone might buy it before you had any time to wonder what happened to it." She was gratified by the happiness she saw on his face and knew she had given him the perfect gift. "Don't get any ideas about spending our honeymoon in our old apartment over the shop. You promised we would spend a couple of weeks in Barbados."
"No surfing lessons," he said with a glance at Ellie and Triton. Robert Cameron had enough and was cutting in. "Bloom isn't coming on our honeymoon."
Hilde laughed. "You don't have to be jealous of Triton. He is just a friend."
"I'd be more at ease around him if he had a woman to keep him on a leash."
"Am I keeping you on a leash now?" she teased him.
Duo leaned down to kiss her. "I don't need a leash to stay with you, Hilde. I love you, and today is the happiest day of my life."
She stopped dancing and put her arms around him and returned his kiss. Every day from now on would be the happiest day of their lives.
