With her passport hidden in her overnight bag she had kissed her mother goodbye for the last time desperately holding back the tears which had inexplicably risen to her eyes as she had taken a final look at the home she had grown up in before with determination she had jumped onto the bus, Daryle joining her at the next stop.
The wedding had been fast, with two strangers dragged in from the street to be witnesses for them, Daryle giving them money for their trouble. With the licence safely registered for legal purposes the two had flown to the UK where Daryle had organised for a rental two bedroom flat for them both.
That night the two had sat looking so afraid while so excited at the same time.
“I can’t believe we did it” she had whispered to him as he had given her a small groan.
“Now comes the hard part” the two of them pulling out their phones as they had moved into different rooms to make the phone calls that they knew would be devastating to those left back home.
Her father had been furious. Screaming at her in Italian and demanding that the marriage be annulled immediately. For the first time in her life she had held her ground informing him that it was too late for that having to hear as her mother had cried hysterically in the background as her father had screamed such insulting words at her. Hanging up she had sat stock still, shock filling every part of her before she had began to shake uncontrollably.
Savaging her lip she had stared at the phone once more lifting the device as she had called the one other person who needed to know.
“This is a surprise Grace Leotta” his voice full of laughter as she had felt her stomach flip, not sure why this seemed so much harder.
Clearing her throat she had felt her voice come out so weak.
“Alexos…there is something that I need to tell you…and I wanted you to hear it from me rather than…” her voice faltering. She could sense the change in him as his voice had become so concerned.
“What ….are you OK Cara?” Grace once more feeling her whole body start to shake “I…I’m fine…but I can’t marry you”
His tone had become harder as he had bitten out “Why?”
Grace sitting as her legs had felt suddenly so weak “I eloped with the man I love…with Daryle. We married this morning”
The heavy silence that followed had stretched her nerves to breaking point before he had finally spoken
“You will understand if I don’t wish you the best Miss Leotta… and I also hope you will understand that I find your behaviour inexcusable”
With that he had hung up Grace feeling the tears running down her face, not sure why those few words had stung her more than all the insults and hysterics of her parents.
With a small knock Daryle had come into the room, taking her into his arms as he had made soothing noises against her head.
“We knew it was going to be bad…and it is not going to get any easier in the short term…but it will eventually Grace…I promise”
Sniffling miserably she had nodded her head against him, feeling as he had pushed a tissue into her hand as giving a small laugh she had pushed away the tears, smiling up at her friend.
Daryle had not been wrong. For the next week she had received lawyers’ letters and calls from her mother and father all threatening and bullying, her mother in floods of tears each time they would talk. However, as it had become apparent that the marriage was in fact legal, the calls had stopped.
The final communication she had received had been from her father’s lawyer in which she was informed that she had been legally disowned with all that entailed. While the knowledge had torn at her deep within, part of her had sighed with relief. No longer was she of any value to her father, an asset to be bartered to improve his business.
Chapter Three
Daryle had shone in his new position, quickly rising to be partner having agreed to take the position as a fellow to start. This had been a relief as now Grace was penniless and he had born both the cost of housing them and also for her university fees. Grace had painstakingly logged every expense determined in the future to repay every penny, Daryle shaking his head at her insistence.
“Grace you gave up a lot to get where you are and I would never be in this job if it were not for you”
However, pride had made her determined to one day repay him. She had enrolled in one of the local universities which offered a world-renowned marine biology course, quickly excelling in her field with her passion and aptitude for the subject.
Over the next six years she had achieved her qualifications, finally leaving with a doctorate in her chosen career having enjoyed summers as a research assistant on numerous and challenging projects which had given her the opportunity to explore much of the world’s top sights. While she had been offered a teaching role at the university, she had chosen instead to join an organisation specialising in the protection of endangered marine life, the subject of her doctoral thesis.