Wedding Blues
ASHA
“You cannot be serious!”
My mother’s shrill voice echoed throughout the bridal salon shocking everyone who was standing with us. I’d just walked out from behind the curtain and true to form, she couldn’t help but shout her displeasure with my actions.
I saw Sasha cringe with embarrassment and that wasn’t enough to stop the I told you so’s look I directed her way.
“Oh, this is stunning.”
I glanced at Jada who was sitting there nodding her approval, tapping her finger to her thumb as she grinned.
I gave her a slight nod of gratitude but it was funny that she seemed to read the situation as quickly as she did.
Jada was a prime example of how being psychotic didn’t mean you weren’t intelligent.
I was prone to believe that we were probably far more adept at reading rooms and human behavior than people gave us credit for.
“Don’t lie to her. She looks absolutely ridiculous. Who ever heard of a bride wearing something like that?”
Eight sets of angry eyes turned to my egg donor and I couldn’t help but laugh internally.
My mother always felt as though my father’s money insulated her from anyone correcting her bad behavior.
It was clear she thought these women were either going to be on her side or that they would agree with her just because.
Too bad for her this wasn’t the posh upper-class set from London that she was so used to playing by the rules for.
The women here were my peers had met me before and some were even my friends.
She’d gravely underestimated the control she had over this audience.
“I’m sorry, you’re her mother?”
Babette Cannon, who I’d learned would’ve been my mother-in-law had Ori not volunteered as tribute in the game of matchmaker.
, sat forward angrily. As much as I didn’t want a husband, I felt cheated that this woman wasn’t my mother-in-law.
Vanya had revealed her pregnancy and Babette wasn’t going to allow her to travel by herself.
They’d showed up to the bridal boutique arm in arm and I could tell they genuinely loved one another.
Of course, Faith wasn’t proving to be too bad so maybe I’d have this, eventually.
“Yes, what is that to you?”
My mother had already irritated all the staff attempting to discount every dress they had in the store as not being good enough and nitpicking their etiquette and service.
Francesca and Jasmine had held some meeting off to the side and I wondered if it was to determine who was going to get to kill her.
“I think you should more than tread lightly, not only with how you speak to me but more importantly to how you speak to your child. I can tell right now that she’s the type of person she is despite how you are.
Please do not make me bloody this salon and then have my Bijan purchase it for me so that we ensure your murder is covered up.
I came here to have fun today, do not ruin this time with my favorite people.
” She’d spoken with such ease I had to wonder just how many properties she owned because of her violence.
“Excuse me? I’m the mother of the bride, if anyone has any say over what is going on, it is me.
” Jacqueline went to the edge of her seat and it seemed every woman in the salon was immediately on edge.
Nev and Sasha’s eyes were trained on me as though they were wondering if I wanted them to interfere.
I didn’t, interested to see how this was going to play out.
“No, the person who controls the purse controls the wedding. And since Ori and your husband are the ones paying, your voice doesn’t count.
They have both given out strict instructions that whatever Asha wants, Asha gets.
You pushing her out of your pussy thirty years ago and being a piece of shit since you did her that favor doesn’t give you say on a damn thing for her wedding.
” Jada broke down my mother’s argument while she was admiring her manicure.
When she looked up, she tilted her head to the side as if daring my mother, my sister or either of my friends to contradict what she had to say.
All the women who knew her were laughing and those who didn’t seemed stunned at her honesty. None of them spoke up in Jacqueline’s defense.
Her face dropped, the realization that she wouldn’t have her way fueling her indignation. “I’ve never been spoken to—”
“And that’s the problem. You seem to be the kind of woman who needed to be beaten up more for having a slick mouth. A pity. I would never condone violence against women. I feel the need to pay someone to shut you up,” Babette spoke her piece as she fussed over Vanya who happily let her.
Jada reached for her champagne flute and raised it in a silent toast. “No need to pay, Miss Babette. I’d do it for free.”
Babette beamed with pride and blew a kiss toward Jada in gratitude. “Smoke has such a gem in you, Jada. I hope one day we’ll be planning your wedding,”
Jada choked on her drink and Jasmine had to pat her on the back to ensure she didn’t die. “Ewww, who the hell wants to get married?”
“JADA! You’re in a room full of women who are married.” Vanya, the newlywed in the room, was trying to talk sense into Jada and I didn’t understand why.
Jemma Marie and Teegan along with my twin raised their hands almost incredulously. Vanya looked embarrassed by her oversight. “Well, except for y’all.”
“I love your ensemble. It looks perfect.” Nyima was reaching for kindness to calm the storm but that wasn’t going to deter my mother from being a bitch. She wanted to televise her displeasure and one threat wasn’t going to stop her.
“Stop lying to her. Her hips are far too wide to wear something like that. You have plenty of time to lose weight before the wedding. You’ll have to go on a strict 500-calorie-a-day diet—”
Faith looked furious as her disdain for Jacqueline filled the room like a cloud. “How dare you? I might not be the best mother in the world but I won’t let you sit here and disparage this girl needlessly. She looks stunning and my son is proud that she’s going to be his wife.”
“Get. Out.”
My sister’s voice rang out clearly over the trill of my mother’s voice and I was battling another laugh. I hadn’t spoken up because frankly; I didn’t care about her or her opinion. I rarely engaged with her but when I did it was only because I wanted to. Right now wasn’t the time.
Jacqueline looked smugly at Faith as though she were vindicated. “You heard my daughter—”
“Not them. You. Get out, mother. Nobody wants you here. I begged Mira to let you come so that you could show her that you were going to be a decent human. You clearly cannot. I’m not going to stress her and the rest of these kind women who are here to celebrate her by having to endure your presence.
Get out. Pray that you’re even invited to the wedding.
I’m sure that you’ve done nothing but talk shit and also brag about the expense it’s been despite you knowing fuck all about the details.
” It had taken a long time to piss my sister off but my mother had finally done it.
“You sit here and defend her? I’m your mother!”
“And yet you’re not acting like it. Now, since I see it won’t be disrespectful to either of your children to have you removed, I suggest you do so before we have to call one of the guards to do it.
They won’t take too kindly to it.” Jasmine must’ve won the vote when it came to my mother because she’d spoken up with a smile on her face like she dared her to go against her word.
“No one even asked Asha what she wanted.”
Teegan’s voice was soft but I could tell she was trying to calm down the situation and give me power that I didn’t feel the need to wield. Everyone’s eyes turned to me and I kept the bored, unaffected look on my face because I’d mastered tuning Jacqueline out years ago.
“Mother, you’ve irritated father’s business associates and their wives and daughters-in-law. You might want to plead your case to him about how unfair we were to you. I doubt these women are ones to hold their tongues nor should they.”
“I’m already talking to my husband now.” Ms. Babette practically sang out her response as she typed away on her phone.
Everyone had come clad in an array of sundresses to combat the summer heat and I loved the effort they’d put in for the day.
It made me feel welcome despite the circumstances of our marriage.
My mother stood up, the idea of my father hearing of her bad behavior the only thing that could truly spook her. She didn’t care about upsetting him; she was more worried about what restrictions he’d put on her and her shopping as punishment.
“Don’t come whining to me when this event turns out to be a travesty. I’ll be happy my name isn’t on it.” She snatched up her bag, some poor crocodile died to ensure she could have, and stomped toward the front of the salon.
“Now that all that’s done, Asha you look perfect. This is you completely.” The levity was back in Sasha’s eyes and I was glad she wasn’t letting our mother’s absence affect her mood.
“It was actually Jada’s idea.”
“Jada’s?”
My sister looked at Jada as though she were offended. I knew she felt she was the go-to for fashion advice but Jada made an offhand suggestion that ended up being perfect. And since this would be the only time I did this, I didn’t want to simply show up and be surprised with all the guests.