Love Is Won

Part Eleven

Jessica ran the tip of a plum coloured lipstick across her bottom lip. She rubbed both lips together, smearing the product evenly, before blotting lightly with a tissue and dabbing with her pointer finger to ensure that the colour wasn't too strong. She was dressed smart-casual: a powdery blue blouse flowing gently over the waistband of some tight black jeans. Her open toe wedges were high, revealing her painted nails, and she had curled her hair slightly at the ends. She was just easing some pearl studs into her ears when Danny exited the bathroom behind her.

"You look beautiful," he said.

Jessica ignored his compliment and continued to preen herself while he threaded his belt through his slacks.

"Everything okay?" he asked after a minute.

"Yeah, we're just going to be late, that's all."

"It's a party, there's no such thing as late."

"It's more of a...gathering than a party, we can't arrive too late. I want to get there with everyone else."

She hurried past him and out of the bedroom door to check on the girls' progress. Danny shook his head and tucked his floral shirt into his trousers, before securing the button and the zip and buckling his belt. He scrutinised his reflection in the full length mirror, not necessarily nervous for the occasion, but he was eager to mix well with Jessica's family and friends, having only met them briefly a few times before.

Jessica's apprehension for the evening ahead did little to comfort him, yet he understood her predicament. Though they had never discussed the matter, Danny was more than aware of the fact that her previous relationship had ended suddenly and unexpectedly after a long, difficult slog. She was well accustomed to attending functions of all kinds with the comfort of the same partner of almost thirty years by her side. But now that the relationship had been over for a considerable amount of time, she had the daunting task of trying to assimilate a new man into her group. Danny was well aware that he would be under the watchful eye of many of Jessica's nearest and dearest that night, and he also knew that every person at her sister's house had already been discussing her long before the gathering was even planned.

Danny made his way downstairs and into the kitchen, hearing the sound of the shower as he passed the main bathroom and Jessica's strained pleas for Ilse to hurry up with her outfit selection from inside the girls' bedroom. He checked the fridge to ensure that there was another bottle of white wine cooling and placed a wine glass on one of the work surfaces. For himself, he ran the tap cold and filled a plain glass with water. He leant against the counter, waiting.

Ten minutes passed before Jessica joined him. She shot him a look of exasperation and he poured her a glass, filling it considerably.

"Don't stress, enjoy tonight," he said.

He stood behind her and clasped her shoulders between his steady palms, running firm circles into her blades with his thumbs. She relaxed almost instantly, taking long, centring breaths.

"I'm just...I don't know what I am," she admitted.

"You're worried, and you're right to be. Everyone will look at you, but only for a second, because they'll be utterly stunned by the hot piece of ass on your arm."

Jessica spat her wine back into the glass, as his statement caught her off guard. Danny smiled triumphantly, having known that humour was the best way to combat her nerves.

"The thing to remember, Jessie, is that they're your family and your friends and they love you. They've seen you so lost these past few years that they're right to pick apart every piece of who we are together. You're loved and I wouldn't want anything less for you."