The Love of Lady Dimitrescu X Female Reader || One-Shots

Love Among the Waves

Cassandra glided across the slick deck while carrying her plate of hot pizza. Smiling to herself, she flopped down on a sun lounger in between her sisters. To her left, Bela let the sunlight bathe her to help her achieve her dream of what a tanned figure ought to look like. To her right, Daniela had her nose in her book, finishing the last chapters of her epic romance.

Turning her head, Bela glanced over her sunglasses at Cassandra. "What number is that? Isn't that like your sixteenth slice of pizza?"

"I shall have you know that it is, in fact, my fourteenth slice of pizza!"

The melted cheese stretching out of her sister's mouth made Bela's nose scrunch. "My bad for not knowing how many slices you've inhaled. You realize you've been eating pizza nonstop since day one? It's been four days. Have you even tried their desserts?"

"Can you blame me?" Cassandra talked with her mouth full. "I'm on a cruise ship that offers an all-day menu of sandwiches, pizza, appetizers, and so much more. I am taking advantage of it! So, let me enjoy my food utopia for a couple of more days, okay? You know what happens when we're at Mother's house. It's salads every night, and she won't even let us add croutons or cheese to them."

"Such a crime," Bela said with sarcasm. "Our mother feeds us nutritious food, how will we survive?"

Glowering at her, Cassandra pinched off a bit of her crust to toss it onto her partially exposed chest. "Judge my food choices all you want, but you ought to know better than to sunbathe like you have for hours! I did my research. Too much time in the sun isn't healthy for you. You'll wind up with melanoma later in life."

"Oh, my God, guys!" Daniela chimed in, setting her book face down on her lap. "Remember what we talked about before the trip? We promised each other we wouldn't argue." Ever since the divorce, Daniela had been far more sensitive about engaging in or hearing any arguments, for she hated everything about them. They did nothing but tear her family apart.

For her sixteenth birthday, you and your ex-wife had agreed to surprise Daniela and her sisters with a week-long luxury Caribbean cruise. Knowing how rough these past couple of years had been on them, you and Alcina hoped the trip would do them some good after all the stress they had endured. Although the both of you knew better than to think that a surprise trip would erase their heartache. Life never worked out that way.

"Sorry, Dani," Bela apologized. "You're right, we did make a promise. No arguing from any of us." As the oldest sister, it was her job to keep her sisters together, despite feeling like she failed to keep you and her mother together. "Cass, I hope you continue to enjoy your pizza galore."

"Thank you!" Cassandra smiled at her. "And I hope you enjoy your time in the sun, even though it's still going to cook you. Your body looks finer than golden toast."

"Guys," Daniela spoke, "do you think there's any chance that Mom and Mother will get back together on this cruise?"

"We've already discussed this," Cassandra said, frowning. "This isn't the Parent Trap. They're not getting back together. When this trip is over, we'll stay at Mother's house for about a week, and then we'll stay with Mom."

"I hate this," Daniela muttered. "I just don't want to do another year of double Thanksgivings, double birthdays, and double Christmases again. Do you guys remember that one Thanksgiving we had when Mother burned the turkey?"

"And Mom dropped the cream pie?" Cassandra added. "Yeah, that Thanksgiving was hilarious!"

Bela rolled over onto her side to face her sisters. "Double everything is hard on all of us, Dani. I know it's difficult." Next year, Bela would graduate from high school and then she'd eventually leave for college, which meant she'd have to leave her sisters behind. She dreaded it because that meant she'd be alone. Left all on her own to support herself emotionally as she grieved the separation of her parents. "But we've still got each other. As long as we stay together, we'll be okay."