As soon as she reached the booth where Simon sat, he glanced up and saw her, and his eyes immediately filled with pleasure. And then Allegra saw who he was dining with. She looked familiar at first, and then Allegra realized it was the British director she had seen him talking to at the Golden Globe Awards, Dame Elizabeth Coleson. She was very tall, and very young, and quite beautiful. She had a wonderfully deep, sexy laugh, and she was barely older than Allegra.

Well, hello there, her father greeted her. This is a surprise. He stood up and kissed her and introduced her to Dame Elizabeth, who was completely without pretension. She was very talented and very down-to-earth and she seemed to be having a very good time with Simon. This is my daughter, Allegra, he explained to Elizabeth with a smile, and he explained to Allegra that they were talking about a picture. I've been trying to talk Elizabeth into working with me for months, and so far, I haven't succeeded, he complained, and he sat down again, as Allegra watched them. They seemed completely at ease, and as though they were old friends, and had spent a lot of time together. Her father asked her if she would like to join them, but she didn't want to interrupt his meeting.

That's okay, Dad. I've got to get back to the office in a few minutes. I just stopped in to grab a sandwich.

What were you doing around here? he asked, and she grinned at him, dying to tell him, but she couldn't.

I'll tell you tonight.

That's a deal, he said. She shook hands with Elizabeth and left them, and went back to her own table. She ordered the Caesar salad, and a cappuccino, and fifteen minutes later she went back to her office. As she drove back, she found herself thinking of her father and Elizabeth Coleson. She didn't know why, but she had felt the same thing the last time she saw them together, that they knew each other very well and were completely at ease with each other. She wondered if her mother was friendly with Elizabeth as well, and reminded herself to ask her. And then her thoughts went back to her wedding. Her head was filled with it, and she called Jeff three times that afternoon just to giggle and talk about their secret. She could hardly contain herself a moment longer, and by the time they were driving through her parents' gate that night, she felt as though she were about to explode with excitement. She could hardly stand it.

Take it easy’ . Take it easy’ . Jeff said calmly. But he was nervous too. What if they objected, or thought it was too soon, or didn't like him. He had voiced his concerns to her before they left Malibu, and she had told him he was ridiculous, but he was still worried.

Her father greeted them at the front door, and explained that Blaire was on the phone in the kitchen. She was talking to the architect, and from what Allegra could hear in the distance, it was not a pleasant conversation. He had just explained to her that given the cabinetry she'd chosen, and the tiles, it would take at least seven months to finish the kitchen. And Blaire wasn't shrieking at him, but she was close to it.

Maybe we'll just move to the Bel Air for six months, Simon said, not entirely in jest, as he offered Jeff a drink, and Jeff asked for a Scotch and water.

They chatted pleasantly for a few minutes, and Blaire finally joined them, looking ruffled and irritated and excited.

Do you realize how absurd that is? she huffed at her husband, declining a drink as she ranted. Seven months! He must be crazy. Sorry, darling, she said to Allegra, and then kissed her and Jeff, trying to regain her composure. I just can't believe that.

Why don't we keep the kitchen we have, Simon suggested cautiously, but Blaire said it was out of date and completely out of the question. I'm moving out, he said in an undertone, and his wife shot him a warning look, and they moved on to other subjects. But Allegra could hardly contain herself. And as they sat there, in the lull before dinner, Jeff set down his glass, and looked at both her parents.

Allegra and I have something to tell ‘ er ‘ rather, ask you’ . I I know it hasn't been long since we've met, but ‘ He had never felt so awkward in his life, he felt like a kid again, and Blaire was staring at him in disbelief, while Simon smiled at him. He felt sorry for him.

Are you asking me what I think you are? Simon said, trying to lend him a hand, and Jeff shot him a grateful look.

Yes, I am, sir. He felt like a five-year-old sitting there next to her, asking her parents for her hand. We'd like to ‘ we're going to ‘ he said, trying to sound like a grown-up again, get married.

Oh, darling. Her mother rushed to take Allegra in her arms, and there were tears in their eyes as they hugged each other, and then Allegra looked at her father. His eyes looked damp too, but he looked happy for them.

Daddy? She wanted his approval too, but she could see that she had it.

I heartily approve. He shook Jeff's hand firmly, and both men looked pleased, as though closing an important deal, and it was the rest of Jeff and Allegra's lifetime. Well done.

Thank you, Jeff said, looking enormously relieved. It had been much harder than he thought it would be, though they had made it very easy for him. But it was still one of those ghastly, never-to-be-forgotten moments.

And from then on, everyone talked at once, and they hardly noticed when dinner was called. They talked of nothing else all through dinner. Samantha was out with friends, and they talked only about the wedding.

All right, all right, Blaire said after the first course. Now let's get down to details. How many, when, where, what kind of dress, long veil or short ‘ oh, my God! Blaire said, dabbing at her eyes with her napkin. It was one of the happiest nights of their lives, and certainly Allegra's, who tried to answer all of her mother's questions.

We want about forty or fifty people here, at the house, in the garden, Allegra said happily, nothing too fancy, just very cozy. In June. She beamed at Jeff, and then back at her mother.

You're kidding, darling, of course, her mother answered, smiling. Obviously. But Allegra looked at her innocently, not understanding the question.

No, we talked about it last night, and that's what we want.

Out of the question, Blaire said, sounding like the producer and not the mother. Forget it. No contract.

Mom, this isn't your show, it's my wedding, Allegra reminded her gently. What do you mean, forget it’?

I mean that the garden is going to be completely torn out in the next two weeks. There won't be anything in the backyard except dirt and the swimming pool till the fall, so the garden is out. And you can't possibly be serious about having forty or fifty people. Do you realize how many people we know? Allegra, this is crazy. Think of your clients, and all your friends from school, not to mention friends of the family. And, of course, Jeff and his parents will want to invite people. Frankly, I don't see how we'll manage to get away with four or five hundred. Six is probably more like it. Which means we can't do it here. And you can't possibly mean June. You can't throw together a wedding like that in two months. Allegra, now, let's be serious, dear. Where and when are we going to do it?

Mother, I am serious, she said, starting to look stressed. This is our wedding, not yours, and we don't want more than fifty people. That's the whole point; if you make it a mob scene, we have to invite everyone. With forty or fifty, we just have our closest friends and it'll mean more to us that way, and it doesn't take six months to plan a wedding for fifty people.

Why bother? Blaire asked, looking more upset than Simon had ever seen her. Blaire was overreacting to everything, first the architect and now her own daughter's wedding.

Mother, please! Allegra said, near tears herself. Why don't you just let us organize it ourselves? You don't have to do it.

That's ridiculous. And where will you hold the wedding? In your office?

Maybe. We could do it at Jeff's house in Malibu. That would be perfect.

You're not a hippie. You're an attorney, with a lot of important clients, and our friends mean a lot to us, and to you. She turned to Jeff then, appealing to him, You have to rethink this. He nodded and turned to Allegra.

Why don't we talk about it tonight and see what we can do differently, he said calmly, as Simon watched him.

I don't want to do anything differently. We did talk about it, and we want a small wedding in June, in the garden, Allegra said hotly.

There is no garden, her mother snapped at her. And I'm shooting in June. For God's sake, Allegra, how difficult do you have to make it?

Never mind, Mother. She threw down her napkin and got up from the table, looking at Jeff as tears swam in her eyes. We'll go to Las Vegas. I don't need this from you. All I want is a small wedding. I've waited thirty years for this, and I want to do it the way Jeff and I want it, not the way you want it, Mom. We're the ones getting married.

Blaire looked flustered as she saw how upset Allegra was, and Simon tried to calm them both down.

Why don't we talk about this after dinner? There's no need for anyone to get so excited, he said quietly, and both women looked mollified as Allegra sat down again. But it was obvious that this wasn't going to be so simple.

The rest of the dinner was somewhat tense, with both women saying very little. By the time coffee was served in the living room, they were all up in arms again, with Allegra wanting forty friends, and Blaire thinking they should have five or six hundred. She was suggesting their club or the Bel Air Hotel, and Allegra felt having her wedding there was tacky. She wanted it at the house, and Blaire said she couldn't manage a show and a wedding all at the same time, and trying to do it by June was ludicrous. For at least two hours there appeared to be no possible compromise whatsoever. And then finally, both sides having worn each other down, Allegra grudgingly agreed to a hundred and fifty, while her mother pushed for two hundred, and she said that if they'd wait till September, when she was on hiatus with the show, and the backyard would be finished, she thought she could manage it at the house. Allegra hesitated for a long time over that one, and she consulted in an undertone with Jeff. They really didn't want to wait five months to get married, but he pointed out that he'd be finishing his movie right around then and they could leave for their honeymoon immediately, instead of waiting three months after the wedding to take it. There was a certain benefit there, and although she hated to do it, Allegra conceded, at Jeff's urging.