Chapter 19
A fter the Wedding
The wedding was perfect, and Paisley made a beautiful bride.
Daddy only cried once, and that was when it was time for him to give her to Jason.
Jason assured Daddy she’d be loved, protected, and provided for, for the rest of her days, and that only made him cry more.
I had a good laugh at his expense, but the words from Jason about my sister’s future made me cry too.
After the wedding, Daddy clung to me more. I didn’t mind, because I knew today was hard for him. Paisley’s things had already been sent to LA. After the honeymoon, she’d be living there with her husband.
The elders were going to be with us for about another hour or so, and then the true turn up would begin. I suspected we’d have to roll both Jason and Paisley out of here in wheelchairs with the amount of drinking they were doing.
My body shivered at the feel of fingers caressing the small of my back. “May I have this dance, sweetheart?” Rasheed asked, wrapping his arms around me.
“It would be my pleasure, Sheed,” I agreed, wrapping my arms around his neck.
Throughout the ceremony, we exchanged looks that said a thousand words and nothing at all. He looked so good in his suit it was hard for me to keep my eyes off him. And now, being in his arms, felt like relief after a long and stressful yet beautiful day.
“So… it’s over,” I said sadly, masking it with a smile. “We all go home tomorrow, and my sissy and Jason start the next phase of their lives.”
“The wedding might be over, but this is only the beginning.”
“Mind if I cut in?” Daddy asked.
“Under one condition.”
“And that is?”
“You go ahead and give me your daughter’s hand in marriage.”
Daddy clutched his chest as if Rasheed’s words physically struck him, making us both laugh. “I just gave away my baby girl. Now you wanna take my princess too?”
“He’s just playing, Daddy,” I assured him, taking his hand and pulling him away from where Rasheed and I were dancing.
“I don’t think he is, princess.”
I looked back at Rasheed as we walked away, and his eyes were still on me. When he winked and patted his heart, I couldn’t help but smile.
Daddy and I headed toward Mama for the toasts we were supposed to do.
Rasheed and Tyler joined Jason’s family to toast as well.
Everything was going great until Grandma said we weren’t going to leave her out of the toasts.
To my surprise, she was on her best behavior and gave an emotional toast about how proud she was to still be here to give another one of her granddaughters away.
We continued to enjoy each other’s company until the elders left, and as I suspected, the music changed, blunts and hard liquor started to rotate, and the real party began.