An Unwanted Fairytale - vii - FINAL

Chapter Seven.

They all chatted so relaxed at the restaurant. It was a girls' night out and the boys' night in with the baby. Georgia and Ara decided to try the restaurant that had recently been re-opened.

"Winnie, why the long face?"
She shrugged, "Just thinking..."
The other two looked on in anticipation.
"Of what?" They prodded.
"Oh, you know... What if..."
The two leaned in closer, and just as she began to feel uncomfortable with all the attention, the server came with their drinks.
"Never mind..."
"No, really. What is it?" Georgia encouraged.
"This is where he proposed and I accepted."
"Aw, honey- are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I have to learn to live with my decisions, right? Which is why I told you guys to call me, Winnie."

Her two friends encouraged Winnie to get any other stories out that were haunting her. Her eyes were full of unshed tears; happy tears that is, because every moment spent with her best friend was always that.

And finally, when dessert was ready to be ordered, she was asked by the two to recount why it was she let him go.

"Daniel was the world to me and I knew he would be only man I'd ever want to marry and have that fairytale ending with. We had a scare. I never was completely regular with my menstruation's, but when I got older (these past few years) I've gotten regular. Except one time, it hadn't come for three whole months. I started to worry that may be I was pregnant or something. I got it checked and the doctor said, it's quite likely I won't be baring children so easily as I thought.

"My heart broke into pieces and when I stared at the ring on my finger I felt like a fraud. I couldn't tell him..."
She began to sob. Her friends each took one of her hands and sympathized.
Lost in the moment she asked aloud, "How should I have told him that there would possibly never be a baby in our future? I'm such a coward... I love him to pieces, but I'f rather him be with someone who can complete his dreams. Than be stuck with me and nothing else."
"What if he would have been ok with just you, Winnie?"
Taking her hands back, she wiped her face with her napkin and kept her head in her hands.
"I'll just have to deal with the consequences..."
"So you're not going to tell him?"
"Tell him what? That I still love him but refuse to marry him because I want what's best for him?"
"Mmm.. At least tell him why?"
"It doesn't matter. He'll find someone who'll be better for him."

Suddenly, the server appeared and tossed the sundae on the table causing Winnie to look up for the first time at her server.

Boy, was he one very irate server.
"My own mother doesn't meddle with my love life. Why wouldn't you give me the chance to even weigh OUR possibilities?"

Winnie wanted the ground to open up and spit her out anywhere other than here. He was furious.

"We're best friends, Win! Why couldn't you tell me?"
Finding her voice she yelled back, "Because I want the best for you!"
"But you're all I needed. I've always been at my best with you."

Winnie's tears flowed freely as he continued to look down at her half angry, half sad.

Angeline walked over, put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention and whispered in his ear, "Hey Danny, wanna take it outside? You're freaking out your customers."

Adjusting his mind back to reality, he blushed as he remembered Winnie's two friends.

"I'm terribly sorry ladies. I'll leave you to your dessert."
"Are you guys ok?" Ara asked looking on between Danny and Winnie.
"We're done here," he stated flatly as he walked away.

Shocking herself, Winnie shot out of her seat and followed him out of the restaurant.

"We are not done, Daniel."
"Aren't we?"
"No... I don't think? Are we?"
Stopping and turning around to face her he asked, "Weren't you the on calling the shots without letting me in on anything? Now you're asking me? Make up your bloody mind, Win!"
"I did what was best for you..."
"You keep saying that, but who here is happy, Win? Are you happier without me? Because I sure as hell, am not!"
"You'll learn to be..."
"I didn't want to marry a martyr."
"Neither did I."
"When was marrying for love not enough, Win?"
"You had dreams, Danny. You had a dream of the wife, life and children. I can't complete that for you.."
"No, Win... WE had those dreams. And we still do. Don't shut me out. You'll always be my woman. I want nothing to do with anyone else... Just you. Get it through that stubborn head of yours."

He took hold of both her hands as she fell silent to his little speech.

She couldn't look him in the eye at all.

He yanked lightly at her hands, willing her to look him in the eyes,

"Do you not love me anymore, Win?" He asked quietly.
She looked up at him appalled.
"Would I go through all this if I didn't?"
"You're not answering my question."
"If I said yes would you finally move on?"
"No," he shook his head, "Wouldn't change a damn thing."
"Why?"
"Because you're the only one I want. And unfortunately, if you don't love me, I'll just have to live my elderly years alone. What did you plan on doing?"

"Well, I thought the prospect of growing old alone wouldn't be too hard. But that's for me, not you."
"Nope, I refuse to have anyone but you."
"Well then what's the point of giving you up if you're not even going to chase your dreams?!"
"OUR dreams, babe."
"Oh..."
"The way I see it, we're better off together if our futures look pretty lonely."
She laughed.

Somehow it became too simple.

"Anyway," she chuckled, "I will need someone to tie my shoes for me when I'm older."
"We'll buy you some nice velcro shoes."
"Good idea."
"You still haven't answered my question... Do you love me?"
She moved in to kiss him on the lips only to have him stop her.
"Answer the question, honey."
Blushing with embarrassment she answered, "Yes, I love you Daniel."
"I love you, Winnifred. You must've known that. Don't leave me, OK?"
"OK," she answered.
"Now where were we..."
He leaned in for the kiss and he sneaked the engagement ring back on her finger. Winnie squealed in delight still locked in his kiss as she felt the smooth band glide into place on her finger.

"I'll take that as a yes," her Adonis of a man stated.
"Wait!"
"Wha! What? Why?"
"You have to answer me this."
"Go..."
"You're prepared to never have children?"
"Yes.. Anyway, I'm sure we can figure something out.."
"Don't dismiss this. Its important!"
Calming her down with a hand on each side of her face he spoke gently,
"Shh... I know it's important to you. We don't need to have children. All I care about is having you beside me. And if we end up wanting kids, we can try and try..." He wiggled his eyebrows mischievously and continued after she jibed him with her elbow, "or adopt or just babysit."

"Really?"
"Yes of course!"
"Ok, because we're starting this Saturday!"
"Really?" He asked in turn, wiggling his eyebrows.
"Not that! We're babysitting Chari!"
"Ooh... I'm up for it," He said holding his fiancée the way he used to.
"I've missed this so much," he said.
"Let's get back."
"They know you're not coming back."
"What makes you say?"
"I spotted Ma, Georgia and Ara in the window a few seconds ago giggling like little girls."
"You think they planned this?"
"I have no doubt!"
"I don't mind, do you?"
"Not at all, babe."
"Good."

Texting goodbye messages to each of the three ladies, they left the mall to start up plans which had been put to a halt a little over a year ago.

Fairytale endings aren't always perfect. They're as perfect as you allow them to be, she thought as she squeezed the hand she was holding. "It's not the end," she said loud enough for him to hear.
"Of course not, it's just the beginning," he replied, scooping her up in his arms and kissing her until they both couldn't breathe anymore.

They laughed all the way home with the promise of a happy beginning in the air.

-- Note --
I've been quite busy and sick these past few weeks. )= Unfortunately, I wasn't able to put as much time into this novella than the others. Hope you enjoyed it, anyway. See you next round, hopefully. ♥VJM.