Chapter 7:

   Gerard shook his head to say 'No' and Shally sighed and sat on a chair trying to find a solution then spoke: "Your mom is really beautiful and elegant, I can't believe she finds me beautiful", "Me neither, after all you're not as beautiful as she said" teased Gerard and Shally smiled exasperatingly to him then rolled her eyes. Meanwhile, the others were sitting in the living room and Gwen wasn't calm at all, she didn't stop thinking of what could the two doing in the room and what they talk about then she stood up with the excuse to go to the bathroom but she actually went to Gerard's room and as usual she got in without knocking; Gerard unpleased of the action asked: "Do you have a problem with knocking on doors Gwen? Or you don't have doors at home?" Shally unconsciously laughed at Gerard's remark and stopped when she realised she was laughing, Gwen gave her an angry look that Shally got almost scared then looked at Gerard: "I just wanted to see if you're doing well, I worried and I thought...I'd remind you of what I told you months ago, I hope you didn't forget it." She then looked at Shally and gave Gerard a last threatening look then Gerard understood that she was talking of the time she told him that she won't leave him to any woman whatever happens. Gwen left and Shally sighed: "That was so close, I'm surprised I'm still alive." The two burst laughing but that didn't last long, Shally soon realised that she didn't find away to convince Margret to leave, Shally told Gerard that she was leaving and just when she opened the door, she was surprised by Margret standing exactly in front of.

× "Are you going somewhere darling?

× (Hesitating) Aunt Margret, please don't take me wrong but...I really need to leave, I have a fashion show in two weeks and I really need to work, I'm pretty sure that your son is in safe hands and I'll pass see him whenever I get the time to but now I really need to work.

× Oh honey! I like your passion for work, you're a hard worker. Look what came to my mind, why don't you move to live here the period that Gerard is staying in bed and you will work from home, you design right?

× Yeah but...

× (Interrupting)...Okay then! There's no problem of designing at home.

× I'm afraid that isn't possible, I have to design with my boss, we do a pair work.

× That's not a problem, just tell me who your boss is and I'll bring him here too."

Gerard tried to talk and help Shally: "Mom!" but Margret cut him before even he be able to say anything: "Sht! You stay out of this, you said you'll introduce me to her but you didn't and I stayed quiet, now that I met her you stay quiet" Shally took Margret's hands between her hands and turned emotional: "I understand your happiness and how much you want me to stay, believe me I'm happy to meet you too, you're a beautiful nice woman but if I wasn't obliged to leave, I wouldn't insist this much, there's also my old parents I need to take care of." Margret finally seemed a little bit touched by Shally's words and gave up: "Okay fine, I'm accepting this in one condition, you spend the nights here." "Mornings!" tried to impose Shally, "Evenings!" obtruded Margret, "Afternoons!" Shally pressed on and finally Margret let go: "Okay as you wish! I don't want to push you to run away", "And...for only one week, I need the full time in the second week...please?!" added Shally closing one eye as to say 'Ouch! I think I pushed my luck' waiting for Margret to refuse but Margret answered: "You won this time but after the fashion show ends, you have no chance to get out of here." Margret left and Shally left a big sigh of relief as for Gerard he was speechless and eyes widen, Shally questioned: "

× What? Why are you looking like that?

× (In shock) Did you just won in a conversation with my mom and convinced her to agree on what you want?

× I guess so.

× You still have that talent of convincing, I convince everyone but never my mom, you need to teach me how to do this.

× You need to first stop lying on her, then use very strong arguments. I need to leave now, I have work to do, you made me lose enough time.

× Congrats, you have a fashion show.

× Yup.

× Let me guess! Outside the country?

× Yup.

× And you are going?

× Nope, I can't leave my parents like that, Henry is going to take care of that part; I don't know for how long he can take care of that but he's doing it this time. Well then! I guess I'll see you tomorrow since I can't run away of this, take care of your leg."

Gerard waved at Shally and she got out of the room, she said good bye to the one's in the living room and went home; Gwen stood up to go see Gerard and take advantage of his loneliness but Margret asked her to leave him have a rest and not disturb him, Margret liked Shally to the point that she didn't want Gwen to come between them, after all she always knew that Gwen have a crush on Gerard and she even wanted her as a wife for his son once but after seeing Shally, she changed her mind and what changed her mind more is her thinking that Gerard and Shally are dating for two months now which never happened with her son before; Gwen got irritated but tried to not make it clear so she asked for the permission to leave and so did Andrew, since they will leave Gerard to rest; they have nothing to do here. Outside, Gwen asked Andrew furiously if he knew anything about Shally and if Gerard is really dating her, Andrew told her that he never saw him with her after that night, since Andrew and Gerard are partners they're together all the day and Gerard tells him of his plans at night, so according to his knowing, Gerard never met Shally again until today and of course hearing this didn't reassure Gwen, she was doubting in everything.

   The next day, Shally went to work; on her way she was thinking of a way to say the news to Henry but then she didn't think of a better way than telling him the truth, after all he is her best friend, his reaction wouldn't be so bad or would it be? Actually it was worse than she expected, he almost cried (Not to that point actually), Henry got furious after hearing that, he started talking fast and with nonstop: "No, god please no, Shally you can't do this to me, we're in this show together and there are left only two weeks to, you can go see Gerard after and why would you even take care of Gerard in the presence of all those servants? Actually don't answer this, I don't care about it, the only thing I care about is the fashion show that is only 14days away of us, so I need you to work now more than ever, instead of adding hours of work and stay in the office longer, you are going to go out early to do what? To take care of Gerard that has a thousand of servants! And why's that? To not upset his mother that I still do not get the relation between the two of you; no one thought of what will happen to me? Mercy!" Shally kept following him with her eyes while he was moving all around the office screaming these words, he was talking with nonstop that he barely could breath then she finally stopped him: "

× Okay Henry! I think you should relax.

× (Calmly and breathing fast) Yeah I think I should relax. (He then got angry again) Don't tell me to relax, I can't relax in a situation like this, you're letting me down.

× Never, at all, I'm not letting you down I promise I'll work as usual, just without doing the supplement hours in the office, I'll do them at home and send you a picture of every design I do, just for a week, I promise."

Henry looked at her knotting his eyebrows andShally looked at him with soft eyes that he ended accepting it but insisting onher promise, Shally was glad, she hugged him so hard and told him he's thebest. Work will get a bit hard looking that Shally and Henry do the designstogether to make a perfect one, now they have to do it while they're apart.