White Lies and Sweet Compromise( 𝐁𝐖𝐖𝐌💕)

Chapter 51

Sunday night Preston Manor.

The evening had mellowed out into shades of bronze and orange and its cool relaxing breeze added to the tranquil atmosphere that surrounded the festive throng that was enjoying the lively affair of the now-parted Georgia and Adam's wedding reception.

Wendy felt alive and free as she danced with Deacon. If she was intoxicated it was on the sweet serenity that love has brought to her. It was clear to see the happiness that radiated from her, her laughter rang out melodious and infected those who looked at her as she and Deacon attempted to perform a waltz that ended up with her standing on his feet to guide her through it.

She felt like the bride. She felt like the one who had been transformed into love's newest creation. Her once upon a time was here but would she have her happy ending? If this was her rebirth to love when all was said and done would she have a happily ever after?

She looked at Deacon and hugged him closer to her as he continued to dance with her on his feet. Her hug tightens when he pretends to stumble and they laugh as he hugs her tighter.

They were a happy sight and a pleased Cynthia who sat at one of the tables smiled sweetly watching them. She absentmindedly fingered the wedding band that she wore and thought back to the past when years ago she sat in her room and cried when Wendy had come to her a broken and battered wife from a circumstance that she had tried in ways never to let become a reality.

She was never the most manipulative and cunning person and often her attempt to prevent the hurt and pain that faced her daughter led to the contrary. Wendy had been so taken with Brandon, her childhood friend and teenage infatuation but as she watched Wendy's feelings fashion into what she thought to be love she had tried her best to prevent it, but being strong-willed and stubborn like her father the matter escalated into the very outcome she had tried to prevent.

She felt rather than saw when Precilla came to sit by her. When the other woman gripped her hand and squeezed it in comfort she turned to her and smiled.

"This time it's going to be alright," she told her with a reassuring smile.

"I want to believe you are right but my heart still holds the pain that I knew she endured, I just feel so bad that I let her and her father down," she said sadly.

"Hey stop that, Irvin and Wendy would never think that," Precilla scolded. "You might have realised what was going to happen but Wendy had to walk that path of her life. The past shapes the present in ways we're not going to know until it falls in place."

"I know you're right," she smiled as she squeezed Precilla's hand in appreciation. "I just need to know she's going to be alright."

"That is where fate and trust come in," Precilla told her softly and pulled her to her feet and said, "Come on let's dance this is the day to celebrate."

Cynthia laughed as she pushed her chair back and joined her sister-in-law on the makeshift dance floor. The past was gone and the present was here now for them to continue in fate and trust as you count the blessings.

She found herself with her daughter sometime later as Deacon with Precilla now sat at the piano playing and singing as the band had left a few minutes ago. As the evening faded into night the four of them were left alone as the splendid day slowly slipped away.

The married couple had left for the honeymoons a few hours prior, Adam's parents had left earlier than intended as their daughter had gone into early labour, the guests had one by one long since taken their leave and the majority of the wedding staff had already made their leave too so it was just the four of them.

"Is it possible to be drunk on happiness?" Wendy asked giggling as they watched Priscilla and Deacon.

Cynthia took her by the hand and led her to the table where she had earlier set. As they sat she took her daughter's hand and gently patted it then smiled as she said.

"I believe you can."

Wendy smiled broadly back and said, "I believe so too."

"I see a change in you that was not here when you came, it's like you've just blossomed into the true Wendy."

Wendy looked at her mother and then glanced over at Deacon who smiled sweetly at her and she turned to her mother and said, "I am no longer the Wendy that came here. I have bloomed from a circumstance and have now bloomed into a truly happy woman."

"Can you ever forgive me?" Cynthia asks her voice trembling with emotion. "All I ever wanted was to protect you."

"O mother there is nothing to forgive," Wendy said getting up to kneel before her. "I am blessed with a woman who stood on her principles and a mother who did her best to protect me from something she saw but I was too stubborn and naive to see this. I should be the one asking you to forgive me."

"Your dad asked me to protect you and I promise I would but still I..."

"Please don't cry mum, who would have known Brandon would turn out to be such an abusive and manipulative man."

Cynthia swallowed visibly as she tried to control her raging emotions. The feeling of failure was still there and was threatening to prevent her from accepting her daughter's rise from the bondage of her past.

"You did everything you could to stop my marriage to Brandon and it was not out of power or spite," Wendy said then continued after a deep sigh. "I must admit always being the little girl that daddy gave everything and expected so much I thought I owed him, and to pay him for just being a daughter I decided Brandon would be the son he never had."

"Baby you were never just a daughter to your father you were so much more," Cynthia said reaching out to caress her cheek as she lifted her to her feet as she too rose to stand.

Wendy wrapped her arms around her mother as she hugged her to the warm comfort of her frame and offered her solace from the misguided thoughts she had harboured from her childhood.

"Your father believes in your capabilities and as much as how we wanted a son it was never a regret of him not having one," Cynthia assured her. "I am so sorry that you thought sacrificing yourself and marrying Brandon was giving your father something you thought he needed."

"I knew he admired Brandon and how he would light up whenever Brandon was around, Wendy said her thoughts filled with the past. "The hours when they would disappear to man the orchard and how vitalized Dad would be when they returned I just wanted to keep him happy."

Cynthia hugged her once more and Wendy cried on her shoulder. "I told myself I had to make Dad happy and seeing how much he put in the orchard and vineyards I just wanted to keep his legacy. I thought Brandon was the perfect person to help me do this."

"Brandon might have like that growing up but as he turned into a young man he too had responsibilities, and loyalties and his desires changed, "Cynthia told her. "However, being always under his mother's thumb, in the end, he ran to the way you provided him, but his desires started to take precedence over all the hidden truths. His compromise became a bitter whip as he longed for something else and in return, he started to despise you even when you were not at fault, as he made his choice."

Wendy turned to look at Deacon and her heart now raced with a sense of dread; lies and compromise did not lead to happy endings.

𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷

Sup guys 😊?

Well, a few revelations have opened up more can of worms. What will happen in the end when it all comes full circle?

Thanks for the reads and vote 💋