FOURTEEN
The room was filled with sweet aura. Everywhere smelled of roses from the air freshener sprayed earlier and the expensive cologne Diane wore. Her cologne was most expensive if not her wears; she delighted in expensive and ocean-like scent cologne. Wedding accessories lay beautifully on the bed while Diane and Shannel took their position beside it, checking them out.
Diane picked a gold rhinestone bracelet.
‘Check this out, this is beautiful.’
‘Yea,’ Shannel collected it. ‘It’s perfect for my gown, with the accessory we bought earlier.’
‘Uh huh and the shoe too, ‘cause of the rhinestone. Anyways, gold goes with any color.’
Diane picked a rich blue heel on the bed and Shannel looked at the other shoe on her leg.
‘Are you sure the gown is exactly the color you told—’
‘Trust me darling; I’m not color blind,’ Diane winked at her.
Shannel giggled. ‘I hope so.’
‘Here, put the other one on, let’s see the beauty.’
Shannel did that and they both admired it.
‘Wow,’ Shannel admired.
Diane chuckled at her expression.
‘It’s like it was made exclusively for you,’ she looked at Shannel’s protruded tummy and exhaled. ‘Are you sure this is a good idea?’
‘What is not a good idea?’ Shannel was confused but then saw she was looking at her protruded tummy, ‘oh this?’ she smiled. ‘I have told you not to worry yourself about this, all that matters to me now is that you guys are finally getting married, not anything else. It has stretched all right, ten years is not a small journey. Moreover, I will be due in less than two weeks, so I have two huge months to rest, huh?’
Diane nodded.
‘So stop all these—’
‘I just think—’
‘Don’t!’ she lowered her voice, ‘think. I’ll be fine; in fact, I’m fine or— wait,’ Shannel furrowed, ‘do you have someone else you want to use already?’
Diane shook her head.
‘Good. ‘I’m going to be your bride’s maid and that’s final, no more word about it,’ Shannel was firm and Diane smiled at that.
‘But do you think it’s a good idea— I mean, a married woman as a bride’s maid; I haven’t heard of that before.’
‘And do you have the single woman you wanna use? Don’t forget I’m the only friend you have,’ Shannel teased. ‘And I don’t care if married women don’t do it, I’m doing this and anyways, there’s a first for everything,’ she looked at Diane, ‘do you even know how long I’ve been waiting for this? C’mon,’ Shannel waved her away.
Diane laughed. ‘Alright; I know you wouldn’t miss this for anything in the world.’
‘No I wouldn’t.’
‘And I’m gonna make your dream come true.’
‘You'd better.’
They laughed.
‘So when are those dresses arriving?’ Shannel asked.
‘Soon my dear, soon.’
‘Please let ‘em, cause I can’t wait to see them.’
‘You don’t worry, jeez Shannel, if you continue like this, I’m gonna change my mind about the wedding,’ she raised her brows at her.
Shannel burst into laughter and Diane chuckled at her laughter. Shannel’s laughter withdrew rapidly to smiles. She smiled at Diane with emotions.
Diane saw her and wondered.
‘What?’
‘You know, it’s surprising how life works.’
‘How?’
‘Remember you used to tell me the kind of guy you would love to marry, your fantasy guy?’
‘Yea?’ Diane smiled thoughtful.
‘Tall, athletic slim, white in complexion, very handsome and can dance, Mario Cimarro and Sean Paul combined,’ Shannel chuckled.
Diane chuckled. She was smiling, ‘yea?’
‘And now, who knew you would end up loving the very opposite of what you wanted like mad, well except he’s handsome?’ Shannel winked at her.
Diane laughed. ‘Well, as the saying is, man proposes, God disposes.’
‘Hmm,’ Shannel digested that. ‘anyways, don’t worry, you could still have him.’
Diane looked up at her sharply, ‘what!’
‘Kidding,’ Shannel laughed and slogged her arm playfully, ‘what happened to the spirit of "don’t give up, when there’s life your wish could still be granted, huh?"
‘Smart; using my words against me. POC it’s don’t worry and— that the wish could still be granted, would happen only in your dreams, got my man already.’
Shannel laughed and Diane chuckled at her laughter.
Everything was normal for the next months, Rick and Diane were happy together, wedding preparations going on, Shannel had her bouncing baby girl, and the christening was fun and successful, Rick’s job still as stressful as ever and the wedding was closing in.
It was a month to their wedding.
Rick was lucky to be home that day. There was not much work to do at the hospital, and he’d slept almost through the day. And at night, he decided to go through some magazine in the living room while Diane prepared some watermelon and apple as dessert for them at the dinning.
‘Err— my love,’ Diane called.
‘Yes love?’
‘When last did you see Vanessa? Will you invite her to our wedding?’
Rick’s heartbeat skipped, he snapped the magazine shut unconsciously as his mind went scrambling for a response.
‘Um— I uh—’ he dusted whatever thoughts away and tried to save the moment, ‘when did you say the wedding planner is coming?’
‘Tomorrow at eight am; you know, I loved the settings at Range’s party then I got her details.’
‘Yeah yeah you told me but did you really like their food?’ he started to walk towards her, dropping the magazine.
‘Oh yes so much and from what I got, they are the best in the state.’
Rick was so relieved he could get her mind off Vanessa. He got over-engaged in the new topic.
‘Really?’
‘Yes baby yes.’
‘Alright then, we will give her a shot,’ he wrapped his arms around her from the back and pecked her neck. ‘You know I love you right?’
Diane smirked, ‘who else would you love if not me?’
‘What!’ before Rick could slap her butt, she ran off with an apple and knife in her hand, laughing. Rick laughed watching her.
It was a new day and the day seemed normal as usual. Diane had woken up so early, freshened up and got set for the day to start rolling in. She was going to be busy today and her appointments this day were going to be about her wedding and her first appointment was with the wedding planner at eight am in the house. But others were at venues she would have to go out or even trip for. Rick had gone out for a meeting with the Pastor, while she waited at home for the wedding planner. The Pastor had requested to see him he told Diane the night before, and she wondered why but concluded it could only be because of their wedding. She decided to go through her schedule for the day again while she waited for the wedding planner. Her phone rang and the caller was the one she would be having her next meeting with; the wedding auditor guy she was meeting at noon. She picked and the call was about changing venue.
‘I got an impromptu appointment this morning close to your area ma’am and I wondered if we could change the venue of our meeting to somewhere around your area so it would be easier on you ma’am and you wouldn’t have to journey for it.’
‘Okay.’
‘Thank you ma’am. Would you pick the venue ma’am?’
‘Err, Spoon and Fork restaurant okay for you?’
‘Awesome ma’am, see you soon. Bye ma’am.’
‘Bye,’ she smiled and hung up. She couldn’t be more relieved that one of her meeting which she had to trip for had been cut short to her vicinity.
Hours later, she was still waiting; it was already close to noon and the event planner still hadn’t come. She walked into the living room and picked her car key on the table just as the doorbell rang.
Diane looked up. ‘Yes come in.’
A young smartly dressed lady with bright eyes entered.
‘Oh Tracy, I’ve been waiting for you.’
‘I’m so sorry Ms. Diane, it was traffic. I’m so so sorry.’
‘Traffic? You know that’s the logo of this state then you should leave time for it; leave home early.’
Tracy was silent.
Diane exhaled. ‘It’s okay, but I don’t know how to go about this right now ’cos I have another appointment in minutes.’
‘Oh,’ Tracy said sadly.
‘Don’t do that, you were supposed to be here at eight in the morning. I have tried.’
Tracy looked down.
Diane felt sympathy for her. ‘Okay, maybe you’ll need to go with me, who knows the other party might come late as you people don’t know what punctuality means in an appointment; then we can have our meeting while waiting for him. What do you think?’
Tracy suddenly flushed with happiness, ‘that’s good ma’am, thank you ma’am.’
‘Alright let’s go,’ she walked past Tracy to the door.
Tracy followed, ‘I’m really sorry Ms. Diane.’
‘Call me Diane,’ she opened the door for Tracy to go out then she followed closing the door behind her.
Diane and Tracy entered the restaurant. The restaurant was busy as all the tables were mostly filled. They had their meeting while waiting for the other party. While they had their meeting Diane felt weird as she had perceived Rick’s cologne all through and Tracy had just smiled at it when she said it.
Many tables away from Diane and Tracy, Vanessa and Rick were sitting opposite each other, talking and smiling with emotions. They looked into each other’s eyes with passion.
Diane suddenly frowned, then smiled, Tracy looked at her.
‘What? You still perceive his cologne?’
‘It’s funny how our men get into our heads,’ Diane smiled.
Tracy looked around swiftly, ‘maybe he’s somewhere around.’
‘Oh no, he’s with the Father now, he asked to see him.’
‘Oh ok. Then someone else is wearing it.’
‘I doubt that, Rick is the only weird person that loves that cologne,’ she chuckled.
Tracy laughed, ‘that can’t be true. Well then, maybe there’s a Rick here.’
‘Oh you may be right,’ she laughed. ‘So I guess that’s it, you have all the details. And please Tracy, don’t fuck that day up.’
‘Heck no, I know what that day means to you and I dare not fuck up. That is why you have a wedding planner; me.’ She chuckled and Diane smiled.
‘So I guess we can have something now that we are through?’ Diane teased.
Tracy giggled and nodded, ‘please don’t blame me, you know it is business first then menu.
Diane smiled, ‘I understand.’
Rick looked at Vanessa with emotions, ‘Van, I realized I can’t do without your love.’ Van smiled. ‘I can’t hide it no matter how hard I try, I love you and I will love you forever no matter the situation. So, I decided to do this,’ he knelt down on one knee and brought out a small box from his side pocket.
Vanessa watched in amazement.
Rick opened the box and there sat a silver ring.
‘Please marry me.’
Diane smiled at Tracy, ‘alright then let’s eat, I’ll order something for us. What would you care for?’ she signaled to a waiter around.
The waiter walked to them.
‘Please can I have chicken and chips—and orange juice?’ Diane requested.
‘Ok ma’am,’ the waiter wrote the order down in a notepad he was holding.
Diane gestured to Tracy, ‘please take the lady’s order.’
‘What would you care for ma’am?’
Vanessa put her palm across her mouth seeing the ring; she screamed in joy and caught every one’s attention. Rick chuckled watching her actions.
Diane and Tracy looked at the direction; they were stunned. Diane squinted at them while Tracy’s eyes widened.
Vanessa screamed. ‘Yes yes,’ she gave Rick her hand and he put the ring on her finger.
Diane’s eyes sparked as she saw him put the ring on Vanessa’s finger.
Tracy looked at Diane in shock.
‘Is that—?’ Tracy was saying and Diane looked at her and her words choked on her, ‘I— I.’
Rick put the ring on Vanessa’s finger. Vanessa looked so happy with tears of joy flowing down her eyes. She jumped up from her seat. Rick stood up and they embraced.
Everybody in the restaurant rose and clapped for them saying “congratulations”. Rick and Vanessa in each other’s arms, got startled from the applause and looked back at the people, they relished the moment watching the people.
Vanessa looked at Rick, ‘what are you going to do about Diane?’
‘I will find a way around it. Don’t worry, she will understand.’
Diane stood up slowly; her strength suddenly seemed vanished and it felt that the air was doing most of the job. She walked weakly in confusion through the people towards Rick. Tracy looked around in surprise at the people clapping then she watched Diane walk amidst them towards Rick. She stood up and followed looking so confused.
As the people sat, Diane and Tracy were revealed. Rick and Vanessa saw Diane and froze.
Rick and Diane stared at each other and Vanessa at Rick; then Diane looked at Vanessa and the ring on her finger. She shook her head slowly with her eyes clouded in tears. She lost her grits slipping into unconsciousness but Tracy grabbed her instantly back to consciousness. She regained her balance, gazed at Rick then tore out of the restaurant.
The people look at them in confusion.
Tracy started to rush after her then rushed back to their table for their bags.
‘Diane! Diane!’ Rick called and started after her but Vanessa held him back with a pleading eyes. He looked at her, ‘wait here, don’t move,’ and he hurried after Diane.
The people looked at him as he dashed after her and started giving different expressions. Confused murmurs filled the room.
‘Rick honey— Rick!’ Vanessa called shedding tears, ‘Ri—’
‘Shut up!’ Tracy snapped at her, their bags in her hand. ‘You scumbag, husband snatcher; oh God,’ Tracy looked away in disgust and back at her, ‘women! women!’ she scoffed. ‘What is your problem? Why do you girls like destroying happy homes? They have— less than a month, just less than a month to their wedding.’
The people exclaimed and the murmurings increased. Vanessa shed tears profusely.
‘Just few weeks!’ Tracy continued, ‘and you want to destroy it all? Shit! This is ridiculous— I can’t believe I’m seeing this,’ Tracy shook her head in disgust, ‘I don’t pity you.’ She was pissed, she felt like pouncing on her really hard but controlled herself, still she couldn’t help but attempt to; she charged forward with her arm suddenly and Vanessa jerked back in fear.
Tracy looked at her in disgust and dashed away in annoyance with the bags. Vanessa cried profusely, sitting back slowly.
People murmured, talked, hissed while some leave the restaurant in anger saying, “God, please forgive me, I have clapped for wickedness.” Some left the restaurant walking too closer to her and hissing just to intimidate her. She cried.