Tonight’s meal would be in Wyndemere’s Grand Hall. Gia realized it as soon as Nikolas gently steered her toward the left hallway instead of their normal pathway through the guest wing. In the first three months of their marriage she and Nikolas had hosted at least a dozen formal dinners in the Grand Hall. There was a seemingly unending list of family and associates in need of some personal time with the Cassadine Prince and his new Princess.
In the beginning, the protocol of such dinners irritated Gia immensely. It was apparent that she was meant to be nothing but beautiful ornamentation for the room. Gia quickly grew to appreciate the outdated practices. With every formal function they hosted, she gained more and more knowledge of the world Nikolas commanded. In silence she watched and listened and learned. Her confidence about her place at Nikolas’ side had never been greater.
And then came the bombing in London. Gia quickly steered her thoughts away from that painful subject. “So,” she asked as they reached the door to the Grand Hall, “how many people will there be at dinner tonight?” The banquet table was fifty feet in length and easily accommodated sixty-three people.
Nikolas grasped the ornate door handles in his hands. “Let’s see.”
Gia stared in shock at what Nikolas’ actions revealed. The enormous Grand Hall of Wyndemere was decorated for a wedding. Not a large formal wedding like the one she and Nikolas shared. No, the Grand Hall was intimately decorated for a quiet little affair like the one she had imagined as a child. Over the years, Gia had stopped sharing her wedding dream. Everyone she told laughed aloud at the irony of the high maintenance supermodel who longed for a simple exchange of vows. “You were listening,” Gia whispered. She turned wondering eyes toward her husband.
Nikolas nodded. “I listen to everything you say. Perhaps,” he quickly admitted, “I don’t pay attention to the fashion conversations. But all the rest…” Nikolas’ dark eyes seemed to bore all the way into her very center; Gia shivered at their intensity. “Gia, I went to London out of loyalty – to Dawn and to Carlotta.”
“You shut me out,” Gia replied quickly.
“And I am sorry about that.” Nikolas visibly considered his words. “Cassadines don’t talk about the bonds we feel for one another - family, loyalty, love…” His voice trailed off. “We just assume that the other people in our lives know that the bonds are there and that they are unbreakable.”
“I love you, Gia. I can’t imagine my life without you. I don’t want to.” Nikolas glanced toward the door of the Grand Hall. “In a few moments the rest of the family will come through those doors expecting to sit down to dinner. As you can tell, I have something else in mind.”
“Gia Campbell Cassadine, will you give our marriage – and me – another chance? Will you marry me all over again?”
