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Daniel waits until she’s alone in her room to approach her. He’s not sure why he’s doing it. He was sure he had lost the ability to give a shit at least a decade ago but apparently one meeting with Alex’s bride-to-be is all it takes for him to find a kernel of something he hesitantly calls hope. He’s not sure if it’s merely hope that Grace could pull Alex to a better life with her or if it’s hope that maybe she could be the one to burn down this miserable family once and for all – him with them.
Either way, he knocks on the door and waits. As her clear voice rings out, so pure and untainted by what’s to follow, Daniel sighs and walks in.
“Last chance, Gracie dear,” he says in lieu of a greeting. She looks up and watches him in the reflection of the mirror, a bemused smile on her lips.
“Sorry, no chance,” she answers easily.
Daniel shrugs and walks over to lean against her vanity. He’s looking directly at her now and he maps out the reasons why he’s doing this. She’s young, she’s smart, her smile is brighter than the fucking sun and Alex loves her. She deserves to live.
“Look, I know it’s not quite standard protocol,” he begins. “But I got you a present. Consider it your… something old, new, borrowed and blue.”
Grace looks surprised but she still manages a laugh. “All four?”
“It works on many levels,” Daniel quips. “I told you. I’m a man of many talents.”
“I’m sure you are.” She shifts the chair and angles her body towards him. He realises in some far recess of his mind that they’re positioned in a peculiarly intimate setting for supposed in-law’s and yet he’s reluctant to move. Whether she notices or not, she doesn’t either. Daniel thinks that’s what he likes most about her. They have an uncanny ability to challenge each other and he hasn’t wanted to rise to a challenge in many long years.
Daniel reaches in his suit jacket and pulls a white cloth-wrapped package. He places it gently in her hand and lets her unwrap it first before he says anything more.
At first, she just looks at him but then she begins to pull at the string and unfold the cloth to reveal a long dainty-looking silver pin with a round intricately winding top. A sapphire blue gem sits nestled at the top of the outermost curve. Grace tilts it this way and that, watching as the light glimmers off the pin, before she turns back to look at Daniel.
His heart is in his throat but he remains as impassive as he can manage, still leaning languidly against the vanity table. “Did you know in the 1900′s when women are approached by unwanted men they stab them with a hatpin?”
Grace laughs with a start, surprised by herself and at his words. “What?!”
“I’m just saying,” Daniel shrugs, a smirk on his lips. “If you’re going to join my family then it’s my job to protect you. As Alex’s older brother. When neither my brother nor myself are around then – well, here you go.” He points to the tip. “It’s real sharp so be careful where you point that thing.”
“Daniel, this is insane.” Grace places the hatpin on the table and sighs. “It’s beautiful. Thank you, but I mean – really?”
“Look, humour me, alright?” He stands up then and pats down his trousers for creases. “At the very least, you can wear it in your hair or something for the ceremony since it’s blue, I’m letting you borrow it, and it's old but new to you. C’mon, Grace. Call me superstitious but I think you should wear it for luck… Fuck it, fine. Just do it for me?”
She laughs and pats his arm gently. “Alright, alright… For you, since I don’t believe in all that shit anyways.”
Daniel smiles, relieved, and takes his leave, wondering if he just did the right thing and if it’ll make any goddamn difference at all.
It’s when she drops onto the step beside him hours later, covered in blood and sweat, and places the hatpin in his own bloodied hands does he think, ‘yeah, he did the fucking right thing for once’.