"The Tennant?" She frowned. "What are we doing there?"
"Let me surprise you.”
When we parked, I opened the door and held out my hand. The Theater was dark, but we didn't have to unlockit. When I opened the doors, the Theater was completely lit, and the sounds of an orchestra warming up filled our ears.
"Come," I said, taking her hand and leading her to the hall. I paused at the door and turned to see her reaction.
Daisy's expression was one I wanted to recreate every single day if I could.
"You brought in a full orchestra for me?" she gasped.
I nodded. "Shall we pick our seats?"
She lurched forward, giggling as she picked a seat in the front row. Realizing how loud it was, she had us stand and search for better seats. Her good mood eased my nerves, and soon we were laughing together as we moved from seat to seat, looking for the perfect spot to enjoy the concert. Only when she finally settled did the conductor turn to face us. I gave him a thumbs-up, and he smiled politely before turning back to his orchestra.
In a gradual crescendo, the room filled with beautiful music. They started with songs from her favorite ballets and then moved to songs played in both film adaptations of the story that started our love story.
Even if today, right here, right now, we abandoned the silly nicknames we gave each other as teenagers, The Great Gatsby would be forever embedded in our lives. Even before the intentional parallels we'd created, me with my parties, her with Max, we were always destined to be star-crossed lovers, hopeful for a second chance.
But that was the difference between the Gatsby from 100 years ago and the Gatsby I was today. I would be getting my green light.
Daisy snuggled into me as the orchestra played the most beautifully depressing music I'd ever heard in my entire life. Once the performance was over, I took her to my home, and in the empty dance hall, I spun her around to the same music we'd just heard live.
"I wish we hadn't lost so much time," she said as I twirled her. Her dress flew up, reminding me of the graceful ballerina she was.
"I don't see it as lost," I said, tugging her back. "I needed that time to get all this."
"Yes, but..." She shook her head, her eyes growing shiny with sadness. "I never asked you to, and the world thinks you're a monster."
I flinched.
"So? What if I am? Would you still love me?"
"I don't think not loving you is an option, Gatsby."
Flashes of my victims, in their final moments, on dinner tables surrounded by dinner rolls and decadent sides flashed in my head, but I shoved them back with a smile.
"Remember those words, Daisy. For one day, I may have to remind you of this promise." I kissed her deeply, and only when the music stopped did I pull back for air. I stared deep into the beautiful eyes, a dark caramel shade that made me downright feral. I wanted to fall into them and never come out. I wanted to drown in everything that ever was and ever would be Daisy. “I’m a monster.”
"You're my green light," she whispered.
"And you're mine."
"I never thought I'd see you again."
"I never worried for a second." I grinned. "And you'll never worry again. Because I'm not going anywhere ever again, Daisy, my dear Daisy!" I stepped back and shouted, my voice echoing through the large room. I turned and stretched my arms out.
"Every second I sat in jail, I knew this would one day be my future. I took it all, the horrible things people said about me, the lies they told-- and turned them into something positive. Even my own fucking mother sold me out, but I didn't care. I knew that it all would lead us back to eachother, and that I could finally be someone worth being by your side."
My words, meant to be romantic and from the heart, came out like a confession. Was I ready to show her the truth? What I'd done since I'd gotten out of jail? Could she handle knowing that maybe the rumors about me weren't all that far off?
My eyes flicked to her, and it was in that moment I could feel the mask slipping completely off. Gatsby was gone. Emile was back, ready to show her exactly what she was getting into by loving me.
Could she still love both parts of me, Emile and Gatsby?
Chapter 41
Daisy
