“Don’t you dare,” Zoe gasped.
Kenny turned and left the room with a soft chuckle.
Athena, Gabriella, Julia and Jessica came in right after to help her dress. The wedding dress was slipped over her head and she was sat down. Jessica did her makeup and Gabriella dealt with her long hair, brushing it until it was shining.
****
The chapel was filled with guests. Their murmurs drifted outside the chapel doors to Zoe who stood nervously holding a bouquet of gardenias.
She wore a floor length strapless dress made of organza. The bodice hugged her tightly to her waist then flowed out in waves of soft fabric down to the floor. Her hair fell down her back and small white flowers decorated it. The short veil over her face was pinned with a silver diamond comb. Athena had outdone herself, because the dress was stunning, and she looked so beautiful. It certainly paid that the tailors over at Vera Wang had spent so much time taking measurements and pricking and prodding at her months before.
She wore her promise ring and no other jewelry. Her feet were in delicate white sandals. She had insisted on them for comfort.
“You’re beautiful,” Thaddeus said. “Are you ready?”
Thaddeus stood beside her in a fitting silver grey suit that matched Kenny’s. Holding out his arm for her, Zoe smiled.
“Yes.”
She slipped her right hand into the crook of his left arm.
“Are you?” she asked.
Thaddeus looked at her and shook his head. “I’ll never be ready to give you up, but I can share you. So be happy.”
“Uncle,” Zoe said. “You’re the best.”
“I’m glad you know it. Alexis would be so proud of you,” he said suddenly. “I’m honored to have been your guardian in his place.”
“I’m proud to call you papa.”
“Good.” Thaddeus winked and as if on cue, the music inside the chapel changed and the doors opened.
Gabriella appeared, herding Zan, Terrence and Sarah followed by Jessica. They were the wedding party, and they started down the aisle one by one. Athena hurried in from talking to the priest and came to stand beside Gabriella.
The wedding march began and Zoe tightened her hold on Thaddeus. Thaddeus patted her hand reassuringly as he led her down the aisle. Zoe’s gaze found Robbie’s and meeting it, her courage solidified. She couldn’t look away as they walked down the aisle. She would never look away, she realized at that moment. Not in this life or the next. There would never be anyone else but him.
****
Chapter Twenty-One
“It’s time we left,” Julia announced a week later.
She was seated in the dining room at Villa Thermopolis with Gabriella. She was helping Gabriella write thank you notes to the guests who’d sent gifts to Zoe and Robbie for their wedding.
“September hasn’t started yet,” Gabriella said, picking up another card from the unused pile. “The kids are having fun, don’t cut it short.”
“School starts the last week of August. That’s next week.” Julia sealed the card she was holding. “Besides, there is nothing else to do now. Zoe is not coming to the hearing, Sandra and I have to find a way to deal with this.”
Gabriella looked up at that and met her sister’s gaze. “What are you going to do about the twins?”
“I must tell them the truth.” Julia let out a sigh.
She was having sleepless nights from thinking about it. How would she even start the topic? She’d once told them that their father was gone. Telling them that he was a criminal and dangerous was going to be harder than she imagined.
“I wish that I didn’t have to.”
“Zoella is just starting to be happy.” Gabriella abandoned her work and let out a frustrated breath. “I can’t make her go there. It isn’t right.”
“I know.” Julia placed the last card in the box they were using and looked around the home that Athena and Thaddeus had built for themselves.
Zoe was happy now, that mattered. Was it right to keep imposing on her? No. It wasn’t right. “Let us go, Gabby, this will be easier on everyone if they don’t feel obligated to help.”
“Are you sure?” Gabriella asked. “I can come along.”
“No,” Julia shook her head. “This will be hard enough.”
“Fine,” Gabriella said with a shrug. “I’ll call the pilot, but tonight, we have a large family dinner. Zoe and Robbie will be arriving from the Island. I want the family to have one last night together.”
Julia smiled and nodded, although her stomach was feeling like a hole had been punched in it.
****
Dinner that night was a lively affair. Athena sat yet again at the end of the table and watched the animated faces of her family with a light feeling in her heart. They’d come a long way to this. Zoe laughed at something Sarah said to her and the sound of it made everyone smile as she retaliated back to Sarah and made the girl laugh with her.
Robbie sat beside Zoe, occasionally urging her to eat her food, the action so natural to him, that Zoe found herself eating without realizing it. Kenny and Tevin traded barbs across the table, while Gabriella listened to Ron and Mick as they amused her with their travels.
Gabriella’s gaze caught hers and they exchanged a smile of understanding. Nodding to Gabriella, Athena turned and saw Julia discreetly bring a napkin to the corner of her eyes. There was a happy ending for everyone but Julia, Athena thought sadly. She wondered what could be done about that, since forcing Zoe to a place she couldn’t go would be cruel. Finally meeting her husband’s gaze, Athena felt a wave of love wash over her at the expression on his face. She would go through it all again, just to see it, she decided. His family seated around him with no one fighting or angry, it was the only thing he had dreamed of for as long as she had known him.
“I love you.” She mouthed the words and smiled widely when he mouthed them back to her.
****
The penthouse in London was still as they had left it. Nothing had changed, Zoe thought, as she curled on a couch in the living room. Sipping on chamomile tea, she wondered when Robbie would be back. He’d gone out to the studio because Christine wanted to set up a new project with Haden. Kelly was running in and out, because the advertising process for the gala due in two weeks was making life difficult for her. Something about rights and terms of contracts, Zoe wasn’t sure what the problem was.
Maria strolled in from the kitchen and brought her a plate of oranges. Placing it on the coffee table, Maria sat down beside her. “Why aren’t you in the music room?”
“I’m tired.” Zoe rubbed at her shoulders, and met Maria’s gaze. “I’ve been thinking actually. I was wondering about Sarah and Terrence, and how they are doing. Julia took them away so fast after our wedding; you could have thought they were being chased away.”
Maria, who now knew the reason why Zoe had left, sighed. “May be it was better that way for her. She’d gone to Greece hoping for a positive outcome. You realize she now has to brace herself and her children for the possibility of that man coming out.”
“It will be hardest on Sarah,” Zoe said quietly. Moving her feet over the couch to the carpeted floor, Zoe looked at Maria. “What would you do Maria?”
Maria met dark eyes that were begging for answers and wondered how she’d never seen the pain of the past in Zoe’s eyes before. Even now when she was so obviously happy, and married, the past still lingered. Zoe was a strong woman. Stronger than most, Maria knew, because the girl had managed to live and live fully after all that.
“What would you want for your daughter, Zoella?” Maria asked. “If you were Sarah’s mother and a monster like that one was going to be let out, what do you think you’d do?”
Zoe paused at that question. Steve Harden was Sarah’s father. And if he’d been able to do that to Zoe, what would he do to his own daughter. The man had no heart. He was a violent animal with no mo
rals. He wouldn’t hesitate to hurt Sarah.
Zoe closed her eyes and willed her courage to be stronger. She would have to sit across him, and look him in the eye to do this. She had to do this.
Maria reached out and rubbed her shoulder in reassurance. “The hearing is in three days, you must make a decision soon.”
Zoe shook her head at her inability to be strong and watched as Maria left the dining room to continue her chores. Robbie came in soon after, not giving her a chance to dwell on the fear that was growing inside.
“Hi pixie,” he greeted, coming to sit beside her. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her thoroughly, until she was seated on his lap.
“Mmm…I could get used to this.”
“I am used to it.” Zoe kissed his jaw and wrapped her arms around him. He was an anchor. He grounded her. “The hearing is in three days.”
“I know.” Robbie rubbed her back, and lay back on the couch, just holding her. “Your music is back, we can play all night for the next three days, you won’t think about it.”
“But Sarah,” Zoe said quietly. “What happens to her? She’s still young, and so full of potential, this will destroy her. I’m sure aunt Julia will have to tell them about Harden once he’s out. He will go looking for them.”
“Zoe,” Robbie said quietly. “Whatever you decide, I will back you up. You know that right.”
Zoe nodded and clung to him. Her decision was already made. She knew it in her heart. Pulling back, she sunk her fingers into Robbie’s dark hair, and pressed her lips to his.
*****
Julia stood outside the courthouse on the day of the hearing, holding her cell phone in one hand and her handbag in the other. She nervously paced as her gaze moved around the people walking up the steps into the courthouse with desperation. Sandra was late, and they needed to hurry before the hearing started.
Glancing at her cell phone again, she wondered what was taking so long.
Her phone rang and she answered it, “Where are you?”
“We just parked the car, please try to relax,” Sandra said calmly.
“Who’s we, are you bringing someone else?” Julia asked. “You know it’s a closed hearing.”
“You’re really nervous. I don’t think it’s good for you,” Sandra teased.
Julia couldn’t help the scoff. “I’m glad you’re so calm. Excuse me while my life is falling apart around me.”
“Don’t fret,” Sandra said. Hanging up, she watched as Julia paced back and forth. Shaking her head at the picture the other woman made, she walked up the stairs and stopped on Julia’s path. “Good morning.”
“Sandra, it’s about time.” Julia looked at her phone again. “We’re going to be late.”
“No,” Sandra said. Taking Julia’s arm, she said, “I called the board, the hearing has been pushed back a few minutes. There is someone you should meet.”
Julia frowned at this and turned with Sandra to see who it was she was supposed to see. Her mouth fell open in surprise at the sight before her.
Zoe and Robbie stood there grinning at her.
“Hi.” Zoe waved a hand at her, and Robbie smiled.
“What are you doing here?” Julia asked in shock.
“I understand there’s a hearing.” Zoe looked at Sandra. “You did say there was something like that?”
“I know that.” Julia waved her to stop. “You came.”
“Of course,” Zoe said. Holding Robbie’s hand tightly, she pulled off the dark glasses she wore to hide her face and put them in her bag. “It’s time to face the past and put it behind us.”
Zoe moved then and came to hug Julia. “Don’t worry, Aunt Julia, I’m here now. That bastard will never see the light of day.”
********
The End
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