The Greatest Thing

The Show Must Go On

As the weekend came upon her, Estelle found herself sitting in the guest room of Mr. Danvers' home, getting ready for her engagement party. She looked into the mirror to see a woman she didn't recognize. The light in her eyes was gone and she wasn't quite sure she'd ever get it back. Everyone was downstairs waiting for her, but she had to build up the courage to face them, for when she went down there, it would be the beginning of the end. When she went down there, she would be engaged to a man she did not love, while the man she loved was in another country. She would be one step closer towards being another man's wife and having to let go of any dreams she had of a life with Christian. As she pinned a hair in place she sighed.

"So this is the day that dreaming ends," she murmured.

"Only if you continue to think of it that way," her father said from behind her.

She met his eyes in the mirror, "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," he said with a small smile. "I know how you must feel right now-"

"Do you?" Estelle asked quietly, "Because, if you did, you'd know that this is the hardest decision I've ever had to make. I could have been happy."

"You still can be," her father reassured her. "Sometimes, these things take time to grow."

"Its not the same," she murmured, looking down at the scarf she had in her hands.

Her father sighed, "His show is this weekend, isn't it?"

Estelle nodded.

"Well, if his show is still going on, then so should yours," her father advised, taking her chin in his hands. "Smile, and go greet your guests." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead before leaving.

Estelle looked into the mirror one last time, studying her face, and forcing a smile. She made herself a promise. "Inside my heart is breaking, and my make up may be flaking, but my smile still stays on."

She stood, smoothing out her skirts and giving herself a resolute nod before making her way down the stairs to the party.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christian made his way through Grub Street towards William Cavanaugh's house. He knocked rapidly on the door.

"What?" William asked as he ripped open the door. His eyes widened on his friend. "Thompson! You're back in town!"

The two men shared a friendly embrace before William asked the big question.

"Why are you back?"

"Estelle. I need to see her," Christian said seriously.

"It's a little late for that, I'm afraid," William sadly replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Tonight is her engagement party to that Danvers fellow," William said, sadly clapping him on the shoulder. "I'll get the wine."

"No. No, I- I have to see her," he said adamantly. "I came all this way. I can't... I can't lose her without putting up a fight. She deserves that much."

William sighed. "Come on, I know someone who definitely has not left for the party yet who might be able to sneak us in."

Christian smiled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You're mad," Annalise commented when they told her the plan.

"Anna, come on, darling. You know they'd do the same for us," William pleaded. "Besides, didn't you come home to make sure that Estelle was truly happy? Wouldn't seeing Christian again make her truly happy?"