Once a De Vil, Always a De Vil

thirteen

"Jane! There you are, my dear. Everything looks
beautiful, my love. We just need to ladle out the punch before the sherbet melts." FGM said after she walked over to Jane and Carlos.

"Mom, I have a date." Jane said.

"A date? Really? Do you have a date, too?" FGM asked as she looked at Carlos.

"Yeah."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Mom." Jane said before she held Carlos's hands.

"Bippity boppity. Oh!" FGM smiled.

"After you." Carlos said before they went to the dance floor.

"The future Lady Carlyn!" Lumiere called before everyone gasped at the blue and yellow gown.

"Okay."

"You work it, girl." Lumiere said before Carlyn laughed.

"Yeah, Lyn!"

"Lyn!"

"C!"

"Hey, Ben is on his way and you look beautiful." Adam said as he helped Carlyn downstairs.

"Thank you."

"I know we were shocked at first, but you are exactly what Ben needs." Belle said.

"Lucky for me, she doesn't go by first impressions. Of course." Adam said after they noticed Mal and Evie.

"Hi!" Evie smiled as she and Mal grabbed Carlyn's hands.

"Hi."

"How are you?" Mal asked.

"Sorta feel like I'm gonna throw up." Carlyn said.

"Yeah? Okay. That's okay." Evie said.

"We're right here with you, okay?" Mal said as Carlyn nodded.

"King Benjamin!" Lumiere called before Ben walked out.

"Go get him." Evie said before Carlyn smiled and walked to the end of the steps.

"Carlyn, I wish I had time to explain." Ben said after they bowed to each other.

"Uma?"

"I'm sorry. It all happened so fast. Something happened to me when I was on the Isle with Uma. A connection." Ben said after Uma walked out.

"What are you saying?" Carlyn asked.

"I'm saying—"

"It was love. It was. I realized how alike Ben and I are, you know?" Uma said.

"We are."

"I know."

"You're so beautiful." Ben smiled.

"Ben. Ben, did you go back for her?" Carlyn asked after they looked at her.

"He didn't have to. I dove through the barrier before it closed and I'm an excellent swimmer." Uma said.

"You are."

"Aw, thank you. Carlyn, I just really wanna thank you for everything. Thank you. Thank you so much." Uma said as she hugged her.

"Don't you see, Carlyn? You were right. You knew that we weren't meant to be together. That's why you never told me you loved me." Ben said before he started dancing with Uma.

"Come on. It's okay. It's okay. Not too thrilled I risked my life for him." Carlos said after he led Carlyn to the group.

"We're with you, Lyn." Lonnie said as she put her hand on Carlyn's shoulder.