The Love Complex (Completed)

-11-

"The beauty of the world has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder." - Virginia Woolf

Regina's eyes looked intently at Dylan. She looked haggard from crying so much, but Dylan couldn't find an adequate answer to give her. He couldn't tell her that he had tricked himself into finding an excuse to help her. Though, very deep inside, he thought that the sacrifice he was making would help him as well.

That night, he thought about the real reason that he had been hiding in his heart. What was he getting out of it? He had only one answer. An answer that he wasn't capable of saying out loud because it was shameful and depressing. He thought of his younger brother. The night before he left, he had talked to him in the yard.

"What if dad is right? What are you going to do?" He had asked. Dylan didn't say a word. He didn't want to face it. He wanted to think positively, but those thoughts also filled his head most nights. When they did, the only answer he had found was loneliness. He wouldn't let himself fall in love again.

Marrying Regina would help him. There wasn't any feeling between them. Marriage was a formality to help a dying man. Perhaps, that way he wouldn't be able to fall in love again. Even if Regina permitted it, he knew that his principals wouldn't permit him to cheat on her. Hence, he wouldn't see any woman with the same eyes he had once seen Valentina. He would store his love away and guard his heart to prevent another heartache. Love would never happen again. He'd keep on loving Valentina secretly. That was the answer he had refused to give Regina.

He shook his head. He couldn't say it out loud. It was embarrassing and just the thought broke his heart. 

The next day, Regina had woken up extra early. She ran downstairs and toward the kitchen with laptop in hand. Dylan was standing by the stove cooking some oatmeal. He looked at her a bit surprised over her waking up so early. "I'm glad you're awake, I decided that we have to make a contract for the marriage. You know, a small formality so that we know what can and can't be done while we're "married'"

Dylan chuckled as she airquoted the word marriage. He nodded, turned off the stove and walked over toward her. They went over the contract together. The contract was simple. They would be married for a year and six months. However, depending on Mr. Kendall's recuperation process, it could be shorter or longer. They would remain in the house and would refuse to stay in her parents house so that things wouldn't be awkward between each other.

"I hope you don't mind, but my family is really known in the city. It be best if you don't have a relationship until we get formally divorced. People talk and I wouldn't want you to get pinpointed as a cheater when you really aren't."

Dylan nodded. He knew there wouldn't be a problem over that. "I don't know if you would like to add something?" She asked.

Dylan thought about it for a few minutes, he wasn't sure if there was something he was missing until he remembered his parents. "My parents are most likely going to have to come to the wedding, so I just hope that you can make it so they don't stay with us."

Regina nodded. "Also, it is important that everyone thinks that you are the girl of my dreams; the girl I have been having feelings for since eleven years ago."

Regina nodded as she typed it all. "Okay, anything else?"

"Lastly, I've never been into big weddings. Could we make this private and only with very few people?"

Regina nodded, " I agree, I'll make sure that Lena and my dad don't try to invite the whole city."

She seemed to be in a better mood in comparison to the day before. It almost made him feel happy as well. "By the way, is it okay if we go together to the hospital?"

Dylan nodded. Dylan noticed the heavy cloud of depressing anguish had disappeared in the course of one day. Regina's eyes had lost the sadness that had enveloped them since that night at her father's house. In their place there was hope--blue, vibrant hope that made him feel sure and hopeful about the future.

They talked about the wedding, they needed to find a date that would be suitable for them and that the Kendall's would accept. It couldn't be too soon, because they had to be mentally prepared for it. "How about two months?" She asked.

"Isn't it too soon?" He responded. Six months wouldn't be something that the Kendall's would accept. Regina was sure that Lena Kendall's soon meant in less than six months.

"How about we tell them in six months, the shortest we can let them bully us into can be two months though, probably three." He finally said. Regina liked the idea. Three months would be the safest bet for them. They could make up a story about how they met and not get tricked into having to confess that everything was a lie.

Mrs. Kendall was already outside when they got there. As soon as she saw them she ran up to them and embraced Regina, "I'm so happy to see you two together; I hope you have brought us good news." she said, as she let her go.

Regina nodded. "We do." She looked over at Dylan who was smiling down at his future fake mother-in-law.

"That's great. So, when are you two going to bless us with a wedding?"

"We were thinking a lot about it, and we thought that six months would be reasonable, right Gi?" Dylan said, nudging Regina a little. Regina smiled and nodded. Mrs. Kendall didn't seem to share in the enthusiasm, it was clear that it was too far for her taste.

"Wouldn't it be best to have you get married sooner, I mean, a friend of mine and I talked. There's this great venue and she reserved it for us..."

"When exactly?" Asked Regina.

"In three months," she smiled sheepishly, "darling, I already talked to your father and he said it was perfect. In fact, everything is almost done, we just need a dress for you," she pointed at Regina with a smile, "and a suit for you." she turned to Dylan.

The pair looked at one another for a few minutes. They knew that it was going to be like that, and they had prepared. "Fine. In three months," Dylan agreed.

"Great!" The woman squealed, before excusing herself to go and confirm the reservation for the venue.

Regina looked at Dylan and muttered, " I told you she had it all planned already; my family is extremely predictable."

Dylan smiled amused. Despite the sadness deep in his heart, the Kendall family had managed to draw a smile out of him with their cute antics. A soft chuckle escaped his lips before he turned over to the direction of the elevator.

His heart stopped when he saw her. Her familiar face was looking in their direction. She seemed disoriented at first, but then she looked over and her features showed recognition. She smiled and waved before making her way toward them.