Chapter 1 A Crazy Idea

Deanna did not like what Harry was proposing at all. He had to be crazy to have such an idea.

"What you are telling me does not make any sense. Did you hit your head before coming?"

"I know, but we need your help. I do not know who else to ask."

Harry's girlfriend, Laura, was saying nothing, but she was getting more and more nervous. The situation of both was not good: they were still studying, they were young, they were madly in love, but they neglected themselves. Laura had confirmed her pregnancy barely three days ago.

"Believe me, I understand you, Harry, but no one is going to believe it. They do not even know me in your family."

"But I talked to my brother and he has agreed. Please, Deanna, help us."

Laura dared to intervene with her eyes full of tears:

"We would not ask this of you if it were not something so important for us. Our families are very strict about it. They will not let Harry marry me if his older brother is still single. And my family will not allow me to keep the baby if I am not married."

Seeing Laura so distressed made Deanna begin to doubt.

"I cannot believe that even to this day they continue with those old rules. But I do not know your older brother except by photograph."

The proposal with which they had arrived was simple: for Harry and Laura to be able to marry, Daniel-who had been widowed five years ago-had to remarry. Deanna was Harry's best friend and the only option they had left.

"Neither do I believe it. It seems we continue living in the Middle Ages. It is all I could think of to solve it, and Daniel is willing too."

"But what is your family going to say? Will they agree? Am I just going to show up one day and announce to them that I am your brother's future wife?"

"We can figure that out as we go. The important thing is for you to marry as soon as possible; then we will, and we can have our baby."

Deanna had to be as crazy as Harry because this whole demented idea began to seem viable to her. She had a lot of affection for her friend, and seeing poor Laura so distressed about her baby on the way finally made up her mind.

"Fine, but..."

"Are you serious, Deanna?! This is great!"

"Wait, Harry..."

"You have saved us, friend! You are the best! Laura, we are going to get married!"

"Harry! Wait, please... At least introduce me to your brother first."

"Of course! I will arrange a dinner so you can meet him. Just the four of us."

Laura started to cry without consolation. She was so happy that she could not stop. Harry hugged her and kissed her face with great affection, trying to comfort her. Truly, those two were very much in love; they were endearing. It was a pity that they had to resort to devising such a crazy plan to be able to stay together.

This made Deanna think that she had put herself in the lion's mouth. What kind of family has these kinds of traditions and respects them to the letter? But she could not refuse such a request. She had known Harry since he started studying at the University of Art; they immediately became classmates, sidekicks, and ended up as good friends.

It was a bit difficult for Laura to accept her as her fiancé's friend at first, but over time she realized that they loved each other like siblings. The three of them began to share a lot together, despite having such different origins.

Harry and Laura came from wealthy families, a traditional elite with complete generations of successful professionals. Deanna, on the other hand, had been raised by her mother and grandmother, and she was the first in her entire family to step onto a university campus.

In fact, she had a part-time job in a clothing store to be able to afford some expenses and not burden her mother so much with the costs of sending her to study in the capital. Deanna had shown a natural talent for singing-perhaps inherited from her father, whom she did not know-and both women decided to make one more effort to give her the possibility of having a higher education.

Harry and Laura, on the other hand, did not have to worry about trivialities like money, although it cost him a lot to convince his father to let him study music instead of being a lawyer, doctor, or businessman like his brother. But since Daniel was already in charge of the family business, he was more flexible with his youngest son.

"My family cannot find out," Deanna told them.

"Why?" Laura asked her.

"It is just the three of us. I do not want them to think that this marriage will last forever and then see me divorced. I promised them I would finish my degree first."

"Do not worry, friend, we will keep it as discreet as we can."

The baby on the way would arrive in less than eight months, so they had little time before it began to show on Laura. They had to speed everything up. Once Deanna and Daniel concluded the wedding, they were going to "romantically" elope to seal their love. They would return after the child had been born, and no one could say anything about it anymore.

Then, Deanna and Daniel would declare that they were not compatible and would separate, as if nothing had happened. It was the most normal thing in the world, right? Many couples dissolved after living together for a while because they discovered that they did not really get along so well. No one would be hurt or harmed, and Deanna would gain a nephew or niece to spoil.

"I will call my brother to tell him the good news and see when he can meet with us."

"Does he know who I am?"

"Well, he knows I would ask a university friend. It did not make sense to tell him it was you because he does not know you either."

"I see."

"But you should not worry about that, he will surely like you. He is not as 'difficult' as everyone says."

"What do you mean by 'difficult'?"

"My brother-in-law is a bit... special. But Harry is right, he is not so bad once you get to know him," Laura tried to lighten things up.

"Why do I suddenly feel like I am getting into terrible trouble?"

Harry and Laura looked at each other and smiled. It was true that Daniel was somewhat complicated in certain aspects, but he was a person with a good heart. Perhaps a little strict and diametrically opposed to Deanna's cheerful and carefree personality, but he was willing to help them for the sake of his future nephew. Although he had made a fuss when he found out, he would not allow anything to happen to his brother, his sister-in-law, and much less the child.

"By the way, you do know that Daniel has three children, right?"

"What?!"

"Yes: Ethan, Naomi, and Jonathan."

"Weren't those your sister's children?"

"No, Susan is not married yet."

"Oh, my God!"

"You will be a great stepmother."

"Do not push your luck, kid, lest it break."

"You cannot back out now, you already said yes."

"Try me."

Laura was happy, very happy. She watched them fight as if they were two small children and could not help feeling very lucky. Deanna was more than willing to do this for them. She was going to be a mother, and the man she loved would marry her. She only hoped that everything would go well and that Daniel would behave like a gentleman.

That night the three of them went out to dinner together at the food stall near the university that they used to frequent quite often. Deanna and Harry were able to drink a few beers... too many because they ended the night almost dragging themselves to take Deanna back to her apartment and then take a taxi.

Once in her apartment, the "Mighty Dean"-as Harry called her-fell like a rock onto the bed. She had no idea of everything she was about to experience just for trying to help her friends.