Chapter Fourteen #2
Behind the stage is a row of palm trees and at the edge of it is an archway covered in ivy along with white, brown, tan, and pale pink flowers.
I take my place beside Arnold and wait for the ceremony to start. The music begins and Evie is the first one down the aisle, waving to a few people as she does. Dani is next, owning the aisle like she’s back on the runway.
I expect the music to change for Amerie’s entrance, but it keeps going and Janelle steps onto the platform.
She looks absolutely stunning. The sun is hitting her at just the right angle, making the bright orange of the wrap dress she’s wearing accentuate her brown skin.
Her braids fall against her bare shoulders in a half-up, half-down style that highlights the column of her neck and the deep slit of her dress demands attention as her thigh keeps playing peek-a-boo with me.
Her eyes never leave mine as she walks down the aisle, sending me a small wave that I return with a brilliant smile.
The song changes to “For You” by Kenny Lattimore and I’m sure Amerie looks beautiful in her wedding dress.
I hear Arnold suck back a few tears so I offer him a comforting hand on the shoulder, but my focus is squarely on Janelle.
I mouth “you look beautiful” to her and she tips her head slightly.
I only look away once Amerie takes her place in front of Arnold.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride,” the officiant announces at the end of the ceremony.
Arnold grabs the sides of Amerie’s face and kisses her passionately, prompting a loud round of applause from the audience.
They hold their joined hands up to everyone and then walk down the aisle to get ready for the reception.
Janelle and I link arms and walk down the aisle after them. “So, what changed your mind?” I whisper.
She takes a moment to consider her answer. “Honestly, I did it for me. I still have hope that Ri and I will find our way back to each other. And if we do, I don’t want to look back and have regrets about not going to her wedding. She only gets one, we hope,” she laughs.
Satisfaction rolls over me at the fact that she’s here for herself more than anything. She’s earned the right to make decisions that serve her and only her.
“Well then, I’m glad you’re here. One of Arnold’s aunts gets really handsy when she’s drunk so now, I can have you fight her off for me.”
“Aww, that’s so romantic,” she taunts.
I drop a kiss on her forehead and lead her to the reception area.
The reception has gone well so far. The food is delicious and everyone is having a great time. Janelle’s mom has kept her distance, I have a feeling at the urge of her husband, and Amerie has been busy mingling. She and Janelle did exchange a hug, however, when she came to our table.
After dinner, it’s time for the toasts and Janelle opts to go first. The emcee introduces her and she takes the mic, standing by the DJ stand.
“Hi, everyone, thank you for being here. My sister is a complicated woman. She’s both loud and quiet.
She’s sweet but she’s not to be messed with.
She’s got a soft center hidden beneath a few hard ridges.
She also likes donut holes but not donuts, so she’s a little weird as well.
” The crowd laughs at that. Amerie laughs as she dabs the corners of her eyes.
“She’s complicated but one thing that’s not complicated about her is her love for Arnold.
She loves him fiercely. She asked me if they were moving too fast when they got engaged three months after they started dating but to me, when your soul finds its tether, ‘ too fast ’ isn’t a phrase that exists.
I knew whoever was lucky enough to marry her would need to be up for an adventure.
They’d need to challenge her. They’d need to be patient with her while she finds herself.
Because she is still finding herself. She’s still growing and learning things about herself every day.
And she needed someone who not only accepted that about her but wanted to help her through her journey. She deserved that.
“ I knew Arnold was the right man for her because he didn’t want to change her or rush her journey or stop it altogether.
He wanted to nurture her and protect her.
Most of all, he wanted to grow with her, because he’s still learning too.
That’s all I can ask for in the person I give my best friend to.
“ Love is not easy. It’s waking up every day and choosing the person beside you. You two have seen each other at your best and your worst and you’re still here, choosing each other. I hope you never lose sight of that. I hope you keep choosing each other for the rest of your lives.”
She raises her glass, prompting everyone to look through their glossy eyes to do the same. “Cheers to Amerie and Arnold. May your ‘for better or worse’ be far better than worse.”
Everyone joins her in cheers. Amerie, her cheeks stained with tears, blows Janelle a kiss and Arnold sends her a nod of respect.
She offers them both a sincere smile and then finds her way back to me, kissing me in front of everyone.
“Nah, that’s bullshit. There were definitely some tears going during my toast,” I insist.
“No, baby, those were leftover tears from my toast. But your toast was cute,” she says, her tone mocking. “You at least didn’t get booed off the stage so be thankful for that.”
“Cute? My nephew is cute. Puppies are cute. My toast wasn’t cute.”
She nods sympathetically. “Oh, right, your toast was grown and sexy. I’m so sorry.”
I lean over in laughter. “She gets a little round of applause and she thinks she’s the shit.”
“Thinks. Tuh. You say you don’t wanna be called cute, but you keep saying cute things.”
I take a forkful of cake and shove it into her mouth. She cackles, some of the cake falling onto the table.
Arnold and Amerie left the reception an hour ago, allowing Janelle to come alive and fully enjoy herself. We’ve been dancing with our friends all night long, only taking breaks to refuel with more cake and alcohol.
I met the famous Wheezie tonight via FaceTime as Janelle and Nova set up a video chat that would allow her to see the ceremony and the toasts. Wheezie wanted to know who the man was that her niece was tonguing down.
We haven’t talked about it, but it seems like a given that Janelle and I will continue to see each other once we get back home. Everyone is treating us like we’re already a couple and she doesn’t seem to be running away from the idea.
I don’t like to assume anything, though, so when Coco Jones ’ s “ICU” starts to play, I hold out my hand and ask her to dance with me.
The look of bliss on her face as she sways in my arms lights a fire in my chest. “So, Janelle Cross, you’ve survived the wedding of the year. What’s next for you?”
She tilts her head toward the ceiling, a smile playing on her lips. “Well, I’ll probably go home and sleep for a full twenty-four hours.”
“Fair.”
“And then I’m gonna call about that building for Labor of Love.”
“Good. I can’t wait to see how that goes.”
“Mhm. And I was kinda hoping that I would see more of this one guy but I don’t know, he’s a very busy man. ” She shrugs.
The visions I have of a future with this woman take flight at that. I don’t know where we’ll go from here. I don’t know what dating will look like for us back in the real world, but I’m excited to find out.
“He’d be a fool to be too busy for you.”
“Eh, we’ll see, I guess. What about you? What’s next for you, Rome?”
“I was thinking that when we get home you’d let me take you on a real date.”
Her teeth sink into her bottom lip. “Is that right? Remind me again, am I still supposed to be giving you all my yeses?”
I grip her hips tighter and pull her in closer. “You’re supposed to be giving me whatever answer feels right to you.”
“Ahh okay. Well in that case. ” She pauses. “Yes.”