Chapter 15
-CIRCENN
It is the day of my wedding, and as long as I am involved and a significant part of it, I am supposed to be feeling ecstatic, just as everyone else is feeling.
On the other hand, I am experiencing feelings of impatience and
nd cannot wait to leave this chapel.
My old man is sitting in his reserved seat, smiling from ear to ear and giving me every smile of approval as I stand cautiously at the end of the aisle.
1 avert my gare, attempting to clear my mind and focus solely on the fact that my father will be present at today’s ceremony, finally fulfilling his long–held desire. He always wanted me to settle down with a wife and children, and now that I have two sons and a wife–to–be, I expect him to soon grant me control over the family’s business empire, as promised. I fidget with the watch on my wrist, anxiously checking the time, eager for the ceremony to conclude and the next chapter of my life to begin
Having been down the aisle before, Tim not a fan of weddings.
My first marriage, despite in joyful and loving beginnings, ended in heartbreak and shattered promises.
And now, here I am, standing at the altar for the second time, feeling like a hypocrite. This marriage is a sham, a contractual agreement rather than a union born of love and commitment. I see no point in prolonging the charade, and I’m eager to get it over with.
The wedding planner is surely a disappointment.
As I scan the scanty crowd. I’m met with a sea of unfamiliar faces.
The only exception is Mia, Ralph’s fiancée, sitting in the last row of seals,
I had handed the guest list to Ralph, so I didn’t expect to recognize anyone. The emptiness of the chapel is a stark reminder of the lack of genuine connections in my life.
1 do not befriend people.
It’s tiring.
The wedding bells throws me at ease and I find myself turning to the aisle.
alls the air
A delicate veil of smoke drifts across the chapel floor, as a serene instrumental melody fills
The guens‘ heads
Is turn in unison, their eyes fixed on the aisle, awaiting the procession.
My heart is touched by the sight of Jake and Blake, my two sons, walking side by side, each accompanied by a girl scattering lily petals in their path.
The girls vibrant pink dresses create a beautiful contrast with the sleek black suits worn by my sons, whose ties perfectly match my own.
The synchronized movement and harmonious colors evoke a sense of unity and purpose, filling me with pride and a hint of nostalgia.
Immediately, camera starts to f
to flash at their faces.
Unlike the girls, they don’t seem nervous but thrilled.
When they join me at the end of the aisle, Blake hugs my legs and the audience lets out heart–captured noises
I tug at Blake’s cheek and then gently touch Jake.
They make me proud.
I have taken my time to know them and 1 can recognize them even with my eyes closed. While Jake looks everything like me, Blake has his mother’s eyes. It is softer on him and harsh on Naomi.
I should say. I am a bit pleased that despite my lack of trust in her, she still managed to open up to her kids about me.
Unless they would have been looking at me like a stranger.
I don’t know how she has gotten them to even love me.
How does she talk about me to the
I don’t deserve their love. But yet every time I am with them, they love every bit of m
my presence and do not want me to leave.
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Chapter 15
Hoir could I ever pay Naomi back for this!
She is a stubborn lady. She would certainly tell me she does not need to be paid.
I look
to see my old man straining his
is neck to catch a glimpse of his grandsons.
I know he must have heard a lot about them, from the media and maybe from Ralph. Sometimes he calls and threatens Ralph when he feels like I am hiding something from
He must have been thinking I have been keeping the twins away from him all these years.
I wish I was
The smoke around the chapel starts to disappear and that’s when two bridal retinue in pink dresses starts to walk down the aisle with ugly looking corsages around their wrists.
I don’t pay attention to that and just pay more to my
y relief, knowing Naomi is behind them.
As the attendants reach the end of the aisle, Naomi emerges, and the guests rise to their feet in unison.
She radiates elegance in the very same dress we selected from Hannah’s wedding shop, her beauty captivating all who lay eyes on her.
The long veil drapes gracefully over her face, and the subtle trembling of her hands as she chutches the bouquet suggests either the weight of the Blowers or the nervous excitement of the moment
The atmosphere is electric, filled with anticipation and admiration for the bride’s stunning appearance.
There’s nothing to be nervous about.
The twins gush at their mother and when she notices them, I notice how her cheeks pucker from the frail veil
She is smiling.
she gets to the end of the aisle and I glance at the priest to start the ceremony immediately.
He steps in front of us and begins.
Weddings are a pain in the ass, I had to glare at the priest multiple times to cut with his long speech.
And during each vows, it just felt worse
I did the same with Kimberly. Yet we are divorced
The priest clears his throat almost quietly.
“I now pronounce you, Man and wife-
of applause before the priest The chapel scatters in a battle of applause before
priest can enst his words.
And after the applause settles, He demands me
to kiss my
bride.
I glare at the priest oblivious to the fact that there’s a camera man taking a close video of my face.
The priest looks away and I take a step
I take a step forward, and carefully move the veil from Naomi’s face.
Her face comes into a vivid view and I find myself a bit impressed.
Her face is fanned with a shimmery makeover that enhances mostly around her eyes and lips.
More on her eyes, that causes its blueness to be alluring and commanding.
She looks me in the eye and raises her brows
fler entire expression screams. “Kiss–me–and–lets–leave”
I wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her close, and lean in to kiss her.
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12:57 PM d.
Chapter 13
But instead of reciprocating, she remains still, unresponsive.
Her lips don’t move, and her body doesn’t yield
I try to deepen the kiss, applying gentle pressure, hoping to spark some passion, but she remains rigid.
It’s clear she hates this wedding as much as I do.
To make it more formidable to the guests, I hold the kiss for a moment longer, then break away, releasing my grip on her waist, and take a step
back.
Stupid wedding.
The guests start to clap and so do the twins.
Why is everyone so damn elated?
