Laura’s Loft
8:00 a.m.
The Day after the Disaster.
“Ok. Laura, what do you want to do today?” Abigail said, sitting down on Laura’s bed.
Abigail was aware that Laura was tired because she came back home after 2 p.m. Abigail didn’t exactly know what happened yesterday in Remington’s office, only that her daughter was happy when she returned.
“Well...” Laura said raising her head to look at Abigail, “I still need a wedding dress. Maybe we could find another one today?”
“Good idea, honey.” Abigail’s face lit up. “I see you‘re feeling better.”
“Yes, mom,” Laura said as she sat up next to her mother.
“Good. Get dressed and we’ll go shopping,” Abigail said as she went to the kitchen to make breakfast.
“By the way,” she asked from where she stood at the kitchen counter, “What is Remington doing today?”
In the Middle of Malibu Road
10:00 a.m.
“Where are you taking me Daniel?” Remington asked. He was standing in the middle of Malibu Road. He didn’t know what Daniel was up, to but he let his father lead him along. ‘Yes, my father. I have a father now,’ he thought as he looked at Daniel.
“Soon, you will see.” Daniel smiled as he spoke. He had a surprise for him and for Laura that would be the perfect gift for his son and his new daughter-in-law. “We’re almost there!”
Remington frowned. ‘It isn’t good when Daniel smiles that way.’
He knew for sure now that he wasn’t going to like this surprise.
“Come on, Harry!” Daniel yelled from the other end of the road “You’re too slow.”
Remington moved slowly toward Daniel.
“Why we must leave the car there?” he asked. He wasn’t sure he really wanted the answer.
“Why do you always have to know everything?” Daniel said, turning to look at his son. He watched Remington as he moved slowly, looking carefully around. He was an adult now but Daniel always saw the little lost child in him. They had always seemed to know each other; but now they had nothing to hide, no secrets anymore between them.
‘I don’t like this,’ Remington told himself for the...oh no he didn’t even know which time it was.
“Okay, we are here!” Daniel stood in front of large house. “Do you like it?”
“Yeah” Remington looked at the building. It was the house of his dreams. “Whose house is this?”
“It’s yours!” Daniel wasn’t certain if this was the best way to tell him the news.
“Mine!” Remington was shocked “What are you talking about?” He couldn’t decide whether to kill Daniel now or later when he realized out what was going on.
“It’s my wedding gift for you and Laura” Daniel smiled.
“A wedding gift!” Remington looked from the house to Daniel who now was grinning from ear to ear.
“You know, something you usually need when you’re getting married.” Daniel smiled to himself. It was a BIG surprise.
“You want to go inside, or not?” Daniel gently pushed Remington toward his new home.
Shopping Center
4:00 p.m.
“I told you, mother, I don’t like it.” Laura was standing in front of a big mirror modeling a creamy wedding dress made from silk, cut very low in the back, with long sleeves.
“It’s not that bad, Laurie.” Abigail and the saleswoman were standing behind Laura, sizing her up from head to toe.
“No, you’re right!” said, looking as if she were going to cry, “It’s awful!”
“It’s the tenth dress you have tried on,” Abigail said, trying to hold her nerves in check. “You should just pick one and stop being so difficult.”
Abigail peered at her daughter who was standing in front of the mirror just staring at her reflection.
“What’s the matter with you lately? You didn’t protest when I chose you a dress for your first communion or bought you a outfit for graduation, but now you can’t make up your mind about this.”
“Because it’s NOT a communion, mother”
Laura caught a sympathetic glance from the saleswoman. Her look said, ‘Yeah, I know what you’re going through. I have the same problem with MY mother.’
“Listen, mom,” Laura stated gently. “This is my wedding. I know you’ve always wanted only the best for me and Frances, but I’m grown up now, and I don’t need this kind of attention anymore.”
Laura sat down on the nearest chair, looking quite magnificent as the dress settled in silky waves around her legs.
“Of course you do. You are my child.” Abigail was fighting back tears. “You and your sister are all I have. I’m sorry, honey, but we haven’t had a real talk since...” Abigail’s face reflected her uncertainty at mentioning her husband in Laura’s presence.
“I know, mom.” Laura grabbed her mother’s hand and squeezed gently. “But from now on everything will be different. I thought that Daddy’s leaving and then Wilson’s leaving put me out with life. But then I met Harry...” Laura smiled as she remembered their first meeting—when she saw him and their eyes met...
“Laura” her mother’s voice pulled back to reality. “Why do you call him ‘Harry?’ I thought that his name was Remington.”
Laura started to take off the wedding gown.
“We are going to find a nice quiet place, and I will
tell you everything. I promise.”
Remington’s Apartment
1:45 p.m.
The buzzer interrupted Daniel and Harry in deep conversation.
Daniel turned around and asked, “Were you expecting anyone?”
Harry’s head made a silent gesture ‘no.’ “I don’t know who that would be . . . maybe a neighbor.”
“You will never know, if you don’t answer,” Daniel said as he went to open the door with a laugh. There was a young teenager with the ‘Universal Delivery’ logo on his shirt. ”Yes?”
“Hi” the boy said, chewing something which appeared to be blue gum. “Got something for a Daniel Chalmers.”
“That would be me,” Daniel said. He took note of a long, red box the boy was carrying.
The young man handed the box to Daniel.
“Sign here,” he said, giving him a pen and the receipt to sign.
After signing for the package, Daniel tipped the boy ten dollars.
“Gee, thanks!” the boy said, and was quickly gone, thinking that the older man gave him ten dollars by mistake.
Daniel smiled. The first step in his plan was done.
“Who was that?”
Harry come back from a kitchen with two cups in each hand and almost immediately forgot about Daniel’s answer when he heard the phone ring and went to pick it up.
“Steele here.”
“Hello, blue eyes,” came what seemed to be the saddest voice on the planet “What have you been doing all day?”
“Nothing special, love,” he answered, thinking about Daniel and his trip to Malibu “How was your day? Any luck with a dress?”
“Nope,” Laura sighed, watching her mother prepare to clean her kitchen as she talked. “But I still have hopes of finding one tomorrow.” She turned away, unable to watch Abigail’s actions any longer..
In the meantime Daniel listened to his son’s conversation for only a moment, then headed back to the bedroom still holding the red box. He closed the door behind him. Then, putting the box on the bed, he opened it. There was a letter and something else bigger that was wrapped in the tissue paper. He opened the message first.
‘Dear Daniel, I have everything you asked for. Meet me at the Sunset Hotel. H’
When he unwrapped the package, there was a beautiful veil in the box. Daniel smiled to himself as he pictured Laura in it. He packed everything back into the box, picked it up, and went to open the door. At that moment Harry was finishing his conversation with Laura.
“Did she find the dress?” Daniel asked his son, praying all the while that she hadn’t.
“No,” was the terse answer. “Where are you going Daniel?”
Harry’s suspicious look made Daniel shiver a little; but he tried to look innocent.
“I have business to attend to. I’ll be back shortly.” Daniel said, heading to the door. But he turned around to ask a question. “By the way, did Monroe find Licia?”
“He is still looking for her,” Harry’s expression was furious. “And don’t call Licia, She destroyed my wedding, that stupid bi . . .” He stopped short when he saw his father’s face.
“Calm down. Everything will be all right”
Daniel handed him one of the cups sitting on the table.
“Tea will make you feel better. I will be back soon.”
“What business, Dan. . . ” Harry didn’t finish his sentence, because he realized that Daniel was gone.
Outside the Rossmore building Daniel waved for a cab and gave the Sunset Hotel address to the driver. He didn’t notice the black Jaguar that followed him.
The end of part 6