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Here's the next chapter for you…
In Sorrow and In Joy - Part 4.
After the first dances were over and other wedding guests were now up dancing and enjoying themselves with the bride and groom, Clarisse and Rupert stood talking to, and laughing with, Larry and Grace momentarily at the side of the dance floor before Clarisse made her way back over to sit with her father and sisters for a few more minutes.
"I'm back for a few more minutes, then I have to go and mingle some more," Clarisse said as she picked up the glass of champagne she had left at the table when she went to dance and took a long drink from it before putting her glass back down on the table. "And if you don't mind, I'm removing my shoes while I'm sat down here," she said as she put her arms down under the table and removed her shoes with a sigh of relief.
"Go right ahead," Philippe chuckled as he watched his daughter. "Give your feet a rest."
"Oh, yes," Clarisse smiled at her father as she brought her arm's back above the table and picked up her glass for another drink.
"Here Clarisse," Elaina began as she leant closer to her sister, "what's with Rupert?"
"He's okay, as far as I know," Clarisse replied as she placed her glass back down on the table and turned her head to look at her sister, "why?"
"I don't know, he's acting weird today, and he keeps looking over at you," Elaina said and watched as Clarisse scanned the room, searching for her husband. "And when you were walking away together earlier, he put his hand on your back as he leant closer to whisper in your ear."
"Oh that, that's all show for today," Clarisse said as she looked back at her sister and watched as she leant closer to her.
"Are you sure that's all it is?" Elaina said in her ear before pulling back to look at her face.
"Yes," Clarisse nodded, "why would it be anything else?"
"I don't know," Elaina shrugged as she sat back and picked up her drink. She knew something was going on, that something had happened between them, but would Clarisse be honest with her. "You tell me," she said before taking a sip of her wine.
After studying her sister a moment, Clarisse looked down and nodded before leaning closer to her. "There was this thing that happened yesterday and it caused a bit of tension between us," she began as Elaina gasped. Looking up to see the expression on her sister's face, she realised how that, what she had just said, must have sounded. "No, not that," she said quickly with a shake of her head. "It definitely isn't that."
"I should hope not," Elaina said quietly.
"I can assure you it's not, but it is something we can't really talk about here," Clarisse said as Elaina nodded, "tomorrow."
"Okay," Elaina nodded while taking hold of her sister's hand, "just promise me that you are okay?"
"I'm fine, I promise," Clarisse nodded and smiled as Elaina let go off her hand and put both of her hands up to frame her sister's face.
"Good," Elaina smiled and tipped Clarisse's head forward to kiss her forehead, she knew that she wasn't being completely honest with her, that there was more to it than what she had said, but decided to drop it for now. "I'm glad I don't need to kick some ass," she said and they both started laughing as their father looked on with a smile.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the lead singer of the band said into the microphone a few moments later, getting everyone's attention. "The bride and groom would like to invite you all to join in with dancing to the next song. So, let's get you all up onto the floor," he said as the band began to play the tune. A modernised version to a traditional Genovian wedding song.
"What's going on?" Elaina said as she looked back at Clarisse, who shrugged in response.
"I don't know," Clarisse said as she turned to look at her sister.
"Come on you two," Addie said from across the table as she rose to her feet, "let's get up there and dance with everyone else."
"I'm in," Elaina smiled as she looked back at Clarisse.
"Me too," Clarisse smiled as she quickly got to her feet and slipped her shoes back on before dancing and swaying her hips in time to the music as she lead her sister's over to the dance floor while bending her arms and holding them up in front of her. Joining in with everyone else, dancing and singing along to the song with the band.
"Mother," Philippe exclaimed in surprise when he accidentally bumped into her and watched as she turned to him. "What are you doing?" He asked while leaning closer to her.
Taking his hand, Clarisse leant closer and reached up to speak in his ear, "joining in and enjoying myself of course," she said while taking a few steps back from him and swayed her hips while still holding onto his hand.
Stepping closer, Philippe said in her ear. "That or you are extremely tipsy?" He laughed while stepping back and watched as his mother put her hand out with her palm facing downwards and shook it from side to side several times.
"Maybe that too," she exclaimed and started laughing.
"Oh my god," Philippe laughed while briefly tipping his head back before looking back at his mother. "This is crazy," he laughed, unable to believe that his mother was up on the dance floor dancing with him. But went with it.
Walking over to her friend later that night with two full glasses of champagne, Sabrina stopped in front of Clarisse, handed her one of the glasses and took hold of her free hand while leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Can I steal you away for a little while, to escape outside with Harry, Joseph and myself?" She asked and pulled back to look at Clarisse's face. Noticing she had averted her gaze across the ballroom towards the open french doors, where Harry and Joseph were waiting for them. "Harry has a bottle of champagne too."
"Oh yes please," Clarisse nodded with a smile and looked back at her friend.
"Come on," Sabrina smiled as she turned to lead the way over to the men, weaving their way through the wedding guests, while still holding onto Clarisse's hand.
Standing across the room with the bride and groom, Pierre noticed Sabrina and his mother making their way over to Harry and Joseph standing by the doors, when reaching them they all stood talking for the briefest of moment's before they turned to walk out the doors together. But as they walked out, Joseph leant closer to his mother to say something in her ear while placing his hand on her back, a move he often did whenever they were out walking together, before pulling back to look at his mother with a smile as she smiled up at him and continuing to follow Harry and Sabrina out into the gardens.
"It's been such a lovely day," Sabrina said as she stopped walking and turned to Clarisse and Joseph following behind.
"It has," Harry agreed as he stopped and turned to them too, "we've really enjoyed ourselves today."
"Good, I'm glad you have," Clarisse smiled as she looked on ahead at her friends. "That's what it's all about."
"By the way, you looked great up there dancing with your sister's and Philippe earlier on," Harry smiled and took a sip of his drink.
"Why thank you," Clarisse smiled and done a little curtsy, making them laugh before Harry and Joseph began to walk on ahead, leaving the women to walk behind. "Can you hold my drink a moment? I really need to take off my shoes."
"Of course," Sabrina laughed while taking Clarisse's glass from her. "Is it that bad? Well yes, I suppose it is if you're going barefoot out here."
"Yes it is," Clarisse said as she brought one of her legs up while putting one hand down, to remove her shoe. Placing her foot down on the grass, she let out a sigh of relief, before removing her other shoe. "Oh god, that feels so good," she said while putting her shoes together to hold in one hand while taking her drink back from Sabrina. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Sabrina laughed as Clarisse took a sip of her champagne. "Why didn't you break them in before today?" She asked as they began to slowly follow the men across the lawn.
"I did, well at least I thought I had but being on them for most of the day has made them really uncomfortable," Clarisse said as she turned her head to look at her friend before looking on ahead to find that Harry and Joseph had stopped walking and had turned to wait for them.
"I forgot to say," Harry began as Sabrina and Clarisse approached them, "Joseph talked to us about the trip earlier and we are up for it, just let us know when."
"Oh yes, I forgot about that too," Sabrina said as she and Clarisse stopped in front of them.
"What trip?" Clarisse asked as she looked from Harry to Sabrina.
"The trip I was talking about last night," Joseph said as everyone looked at him, "for your birthday."
"Oh of course, yes," Clarisse nodded, realising what trip they were talking about. "With everything going on today, I had completely forgotten about that."
"That's alright," Joseph smiled and averted his gaze down to her hand, seeing she had removed her shoes and was now carrying them.
"What weekend were you thinking?" Sabrina asked and averted her gaze to Joseph as he stepped closer to Clarisse while reaching his hand out, wrapping it around her wrist as she looked up at him.
"Either the weekend before or the weekend after Clarisse's birthday," Joseph said as he looked at Sabrina then back at Clarisse. "Which ever one you can make," he said while smoothing his hand down over Clarisse's hand and took her shoes from her grasp.
"What are you doing?" Clarisse asked as Joseph stepped back with her shoes now in his hand.
"Carrying your shoes for you," he smiled and raised his glass to his mouth, taking a sip of his champagne as Clarisse looked up at him.
"Aww that's so romantic," Sabrina smiled as she looked from Joseph to Clarisse and leant closer to playfully nudge her friend's shoulder with her own.
"What a gentleman you are," Harry said while turning his head to Joseph then to Clarisse as she reached her arm out, placing her hand on Joseph's bicep.
"And he's my gentleman," Clarisse smiled at Joseph, feeling elated to finally be able to say that out loud, as Sabrina and Harry smirked at one another.
"And I always will be," Joseph said softly while stepping closer to her and placed a quick kiss to Clarisse's neck as she laughed.
"Come on you two, let's carry on to the pavilion," Sabrina said and gestured for them to keep moving, "or we will never get there."