It's A Love Story

They're Tryna Tell Me How I Feel

Brie looked up from the pictures Linda was showing her. They were sitting on the couch together, looking at the three options for the wedding China, when the doorbell rang. They looked at each other and shrugged, wondering who would want to talk to them right before dinner.

"Maybe it's Danny," Linda suggested. "He did say he was coming back after work was through."

Brie walked to the door, peeped through the peep hole. Sure enough, Danny was standing there, now in street clothes. "It's Danny." She opened the door, "Hi, Danny."

"Hey, babe!" Linda called from the couch.

"Hi," he walked past Brie and straight to Linda. He sat down next to her, grabbed her hands, "are you okay?"

"I have a headache, and I'm still a little nauseous." Her heart warmed when he kissed her sweetly.

"I'm making rice and chicken," Brie piped up. "Well... only rice; the chicken is a rotisserie from the store. Wanna stay for dinner, Danny? We've got plenty."

Linda nodded, smiling hopefully. "It's really yummy."

"Yeah, I'll stay."

Both ladies smiled, and Brie turned into the kitchen. Danny turned his focus to Linda, "I need to talk to you."

"What's up?"

"It's, um... it's about Tony, and your family-"

Linda groaned, "I was in a pretty good mood."

"I have to talk to you about it."

She frowned, "sounds important. What's up?"

"Do you... how do... you told me that you didn't care about Tony or that he's forbidding you to marry me... but I know that you hold family values highly, and I was wondering what you really thought about all this."

"Tony isn't my Dad anymore. He's only my Dad because I have his DNA, his blood, his genes. But that's it. In no other sense of the word is he my father. I'm disowning him." Her voice was filled with determination, but her eyes conveyed she was beyond hurt.

He hated seeing those blue eyes sad, "you don't... you don't mind that you're going against your father's wishes?"

"I told you- he's not my father."

"Against Tony's wishes?"

"I don't give a damn about Tony. I hope he rots."

"Do you want him at the wedding?"

She looked away, "I hadn't thought about that.... no. Maybe? I don't know."

He rubbed her shoulder, "and the rest of the family?"

She sighed, "do I have to decide now?"

"No, not now. I just needed to know if you still wanted to get married."

"Of course I do! Danny... I love you more than anything. You're the first one in my life who has really loved me... except for Grandma... I wanna hold on to this feeling for forever. I love you, Danny."

He smiled, touched his forehead to hers. "I love you more."

"I love you most."

**********

"Why such the long face?" Danny asked Linda two weeks before the wedding.

She looked up from her lunch, "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"About the wedding. And us. And.... and my pa-" she sighed, looked away. "Tony and Marni."

"I thought you said you didn't care about them."

"I don't, but.... You can only have a first wedding one time- and ideally, that wedding will be your first and last. But it's my wedding, and who's gonna walk me down the aisle? Who's gonna help me into my gown and such?"

"Your grandma, Erin, Mom, and Brie will help with that. And the other bridesmaids."

"That's not what I mean."

"So you want your family at the wedding?"

"It'd be nice."

"I can talk to them, if you want. Try to convince them to come."

She smiled sadly, "you don't have to do that. It'll be fine, really it will." She grabbed his hand, "it'll be more than fine. It'll be magical." She leaned over to kiss his lips.

"You're a lot better person than I am." He kissed her back, cupping her cheek.

She smirked, her lips still close to his, "one of us has to be the good one."

"And can the good one turn to the dark side?" His breath was hot on her lips.

She licked her lip, purposely sticking her tongue out far enough to also get Danny's. "She can be persuaded."

He kissed her passionately, "like that?"

"Oh yes," she moaned, kissing him once again.

**********

"So you're still going through with the wedding?" Wendy asked her sister as she leaned against the doorframe of her bedroom.

"Yes." Linda was hanging her wedding dress up on the back of the door. Seventy two hours; in seventy two hours she'd be Mrs. Danny Reagan, and wouldn't have to worry about her family.

"You shouldn't love him-"

"Why not?" Linda almost yelled, whipping around to face her sister. "Why not?! Danny had treated my like a complete queen, giving me more love than I deserve, and you're acting like he's a complete jerk! You're acting like he's-" she stopped, not wanting to poke that bear.

"Like who?" Wendy challenged.

"Like Peter!" Peter was Wendy's husband; he did not treat her well at all.

"Leave Peter out of this."

"Why? Cause he's such an innocent party? Cause he treats you like you're a ruby or an emerald?"

"That's enough, Linda," Wendy sounded almost hurt.

"Has he hit you recently?"

Wendy set her jaw, "mind your own business!"

"I don't have to- you're doing it for me! I don't care if you come to my wedding or not! If you don't have anything nice to say about Danny.... then you can leave."

"If that's the way you feel, Little Miss Perfect, then you'll get your wish." Wendy stalked out, slamming doors behind her.

"She deserved that," Brie appeared in the doorway. "They're blind, you know. They have to be- anyone who sees how Danny looks at you can tell how much he loves you."

"I have to make a phone call, if you don't mind, Brie."

"Sure. I'm here if you need me."

"Thank you." She dialed a number she knew by heart, and waited for that sweet voice.

"Reagan."

"Danny, it's Linda."

"Hey, babe." He heard her sniffle, "what's wrong? You sound said."

She sighed, her voice close to tears. "They're tryna tell me how to feel. Wendy, Tony, Marni... they're all telling me not to marry you. But they have no evidence against you!" Her voice got louder, and the tears came spilling out.

Danny wanted to hug her, "listen to me, Linda, listen. I'm gonna marry you in three days, even if we have to ditch the wedding and get married in a courthouse. No family, no opinions, no freak of nature is going to stop me from sliding that ring in your finger and saying 'I do'."

"You mean it?"

"I do. Do you feel the same?"

"I do," she sniffed again, "I love you, Danny."

"I love you more."

"I love you most."