23. Vani
Three months later….
I stared at my reflection in the mirror, and it dawned on me that in three weeks, I was really about to marry Darius.
We did a photo shoot for the invitations then I had my final fitting for my gown.
We had sent out save the dates, but no formal invites.
Since we had the shoot earlier, my makeup was done.
After the seamstress took all the measurements, I was going home because I was tired.
Thank God, Darius and I were in a much better place because his attitude had improved tremendously.
The door opened, and I was all set to see the seamstress, but I saw Hailey instead.
“Hey, boo. What you doing here?” I eyed her in her blue bridesmaid’s dress and answered my own question silently. Guess we had our fittings on the same day. My head titled, and I studied her. Her face was beat to the gods though, and her hair was done.
When Lo appeared in her Maid of Honor attire and her face made up as well, my eyes almost jumped out of the sockets. My heart raced so fast, I could hear it pounding in my ears.
“What’s going on?” I felt lightheaded.
Lo and Hailey just smiled and ignored me. When Bree appeared clad in a peach dress with Dymand by her side in a pretty white dress, I swallowed hard.
“What the fuck? Somebody talk to me.”
We were at a bridal shop. The shop was large, and it was nice, but it was no place for a wedding.
“Come with us,” Lo smiled.
She turned and so did the others. I walked out into the lobby area, and the seamstress was watching me with the biggest smile on her face.
Outside, the cars and people were moving, the sounds were loud, but I wasn’t focused on any of it.
I followed the ladies three doors down to a luxurious hotel.
When the doors slid open, and Hailey walked through them with Lo and Bree on her heels, I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
It literally felt like my throat was closing.
Four gorgeous women dressed to the nines in wedding attire with their makeup done got a lot of curious glances and smiles from everyone we passed.
The lobby was massive. Hailey bypassed the elevators, and we walked down a long hallway.
The hotel was definitely one that a person wasn’t staying in for anything under $500 a night, and I was willing to bet the bank on that.
When Hailey pushed an exit door open, and we ended up outside, tears filled my eyes.
My makeup was about to be ruined. I saw the guests seated in chairs that were placed on an immaculate lawn.
I heard the violinist. But all I could really see was Darius.
Standing at the altar with no wheelchair.
Hands crossed in front of him gazing at me like I was the only woman on earth.
Makeup done for. Tears streamed down my face as I boo hoo cried.
My man always had the best surprises, but he had outdone himself.
When I left that morning, Darius was in his wheelchair.
Through blurred vision, I saw him advancing toward me, and I cried harder. He was walking. When he wrapped his arms around me, I felt like a woman that had just hit the lottery. This was a plot twist that I could get with.
“Now, we gotta make these people wait so you can go get your face fixed,” he smiled down at me.
“When? How?”
“I took my first steps a month ago. You know how hard it was to keep this shit a secret? I wanted to surprise you.”
“Oh my God.” The tears wouldn’t stop but for the first time in a long time, they were happy tears.
“I love you so much,” I sobbed.
“I love you more,” he chuckled. “You can bet that shit.”
The end!