EPISODE 22
…Pathetically she lamented in her text on how she had loved me so
dearly but never understood why I hated her so much. She never thought I’d be going out with Vincent even after her instincts had given her reasons to. I read her text and deleted it without a tinge of guilt. Just as I was about to leave my hotel room to the waiting car, another text came in and it happened to be part of the first message that was hanging. It was Nelly telling me if only I had told her, I’d never have made the worst mistake of my life. Mmmmmmmmm! I became so scared and thought and thought of
calling her back to know what she meant but
before that a knock came on my door. I was running out of time.
“Will you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded
wife, to love and cherish, in sickness and in health,
for richer for poorer, and for better for worse, till
death do you apart?” The priest asked him.
“Yes I do,” Vincent replied​ with a broad smile.
“Will you take this man,” the priest turned to me and started reciting the creed. “To be your lawfully
wedded husband, to love and to cherish, in sickness
and in health, for richer for poorer and for better for
worse, till death do you part?” I stood meditating on Nelly’s text earlier. What if I say no and ran off from the church? What if I
refused to marry Vincent and flee to safety? Safety
from what? What did I know Vincent did wrong to
Nelly? Why was Nelly so pathetic about my union with him? What could it be I was missing? My heartbeat switched rhythm and eventually lost rhythm. “Nomsa?” Vincent’s voice startled me. I had been
engrossed in my meditation I didn’t realise everyone was waiting for me. “The priest is waiting.”
“Oh, okay.” I turned to the priest and smiled sheepishly.
He frowned and growled under his breath but loud
enough for me to hear, “the response is ‘yes I do’.”
“Oh, Yes I do. Sorry about that.” I turned and smiled
apologetically at Vincent who didn’t find it funny at
all. He kept a wrinkled temple even through to the reception while I smiled and remained cheerful. I had
resolved to put my fears behind me and enjoy my
day. It was only meant to come once. By dusk, it was all over and we were back in our hotel room. It was over and marriage had begun. The post
wedding party, according to my husband was for a
caucus. I was wondering what he meant by that but
he explained I should wait and see what he meant.
“But I have friends who’d want to be part of it too?” I
fussed “Of course you do but how much is your own
contribution to everything today? Tell me, what?
Have you not heard that he who pays the piper
dictates the tune? Don’t even try bringing anyone or you’d end up embarrassing yourself.”
While he was speaking he’d been undoing his
clothes. He started for the bathroom and paused at
the door. “And by the way, what was that stunt you
pulled there before the priest?” “What is that?” I asked. “Don’t even play dumb with me. You know, the ‘yes I do’ part? Like you hesitated.” I forced a chuckle through. I see that’s why you have been frowning all day. Hey, I was just overwhelmed. It
happens to a lot of ladies, especially those who can’t
believe they are marrying their dream man.” I angled
my head and smiled.
Oh really. He disappeared into the bathroom while I
sighed and collapsed on the bed, tired. We walked out to a loud roar from the ladies and gentlemen present. It was a casual cocktail and poolside party. The men had jeans and t-shirts while the ladies wore skimpy dresses. Why did I call them dresses? Some had bikinis, what I call just pants and bra. Every man had a girl or two by his side and some even had three, I could finger about three of them like that. I was the holiest in a pair of bum shorts and a tang top. Altogether, there were about thirty people. “Alright ladies and gentlemen, with me here is the man of the day with his Cinderella,” a guy who had introduced himself to me as Bright at the wedding announced. “So we’re gonna be making a toast to their arrival so the party begins in a earnest.” short strapless prom dresses
His words were met with another loud roar of praises and healing. Vincent smiled and waved them while I followed suit.
After the toast, he said a few words of appreciation
for honouring him on his wedding and presented me to them as “Our Wife”. I shot him an inquisitive stare but he never bothered to look at me. The ladies kept smiling and staring at me with an aura of acknowledgement. Somehow they kept me
uncomfortable.
Music came on and the dance floor opened. Some
people plunged into the pool and floated with the help of the rubbers on the water. A lot of people began approaching me and kept saying “welcome to the family.”
M What family were they talking about? I was wondering when a still small voice from the back of my mind whispered to me, “don’t you think you’re playing Nelly’s tape in your head? Do you like to keep this veil over your face? Can’t you see? These people are beautiful and love you so much, they are family. Just tell yourself, welcome home and put Nelly to shame.” The word Nelly injected vigour from nowhere into me. I felt doused with courage and regretted being deluded by Nelly’s text. From then onwards, it was grin upon grin, hug upon hug and pecks upon pecks from the gentlemen and ladies. I felt unleashed and ready to mingle. As I was basking in this new trend, unfortunately something very terrible happened…
EPISODE 23 - Coming soon.
What do you think happened?