Who Gives this Bride? Read online

  “If you don’t mind me being completely honest and in complete love and respect of our dear mom, but she picked a bunch of losers and she was a bit fast.”

  Marissa’s mouth dropped open and she slapped her hand to her chest in disbelief, “Alma!”

  Alma laughed, “Please Mimi, I don’t believe in disrespecting the deceased, but I also don’t believe in manufacturing their past into some perfect lie. Mama loved rough necks which Aunt Faye would be happy to list out for you in great detail. She always picked the bad boy who wasn’t going anywhere in life. The ones that when they finally left, her life was better off because of it.”

  “Wow, you are completely outrageous today.”

  “Look, mama loved Justin and not because he reminded her of the no goods that she used to date. She loved him because he was everything she dreamed for you. She didn’t want you to make the same mistakes that she did and she knew that Justin was a step in the right direction. You should already know that you have a good man and throw all those crazy thoughts right out of the window of your mind.”

  “I know, I just think I’m hormonal.” Marissa wiped at her eyes with the napkin her glass of cranberry juice had been sitting on.

  “Mimi, did you do what I told you to do?” Alma hoped that it wasn’t what she thought it was.

  “I didn’t.” Marissa gave her a sheepish look.

  “What is wrong with you? Is it that time?”

  Marissa nodded as she said, “Just about. My friend will probably be here in a couple of days. Just in time for the wedding.”

  “I told you that you can take your birth control pills to make sure that you’re not on your cycle while you’re on your honeymoon. It would be such a drag to be on the rag this week.” Alma scolded her, but it was clearly too late to turn back the clocks now.

  “I know, but Justin and I have been talking and we want to start our family as soon as possible. Just enjoy each other and pray that it happens in God’s timing. No birth control or anything.” Marissa smiled.

  “Awe Mimi, I know you’re going to be an amazing mother, but it would be nice if you gave yourselves at least a year to just be married and love on each other.” That was the advice their mom had always passed along to her daughters. Not that Alma thought her mother’s advice came from the innocent place of wanting her daughters to enjoy married life. Alma was certain that her mom was wanting them to give their marriage a trial run to see if it stuck before they added children into the equation.

  “I know what mama said, but this is what Justin and I want. I’m excited about it.” Marissa’s face lit up as she spoke and Alma decided not to press the issue. At least the string of conversation had gotten her off the depressing topic of whether or not the Gibson women were cursed. Alma knew that she had had the same fear at times, but she would never admit that to Mimi. Especially not a couple of days before her wedding.

  * * * * *

  Marc typed send on his email and grabbed his keys. It was lunch time and he had a taste for some Indian food.

  He walked past several offices and waved at the handful of occupants who were still seated at their desks. His time at Johnson, Poe, Garner, Jensen & Associates, locally referred to as Johnson Poe, was going extremely well. He had been elevated from the junior associate accountant position he had held when he first graduated. He was now a certified public accountant and an Assistant Director working with the partner track Managing Director, Kevin Giles. The man had become his mentor and given him valuable advice about how to move up the ranks. He was in a small office now, and office was a generous interpretation of the broom closet sized room he worked from, but he expected to be promoted at his next review to a full-fledged Director. That was when he would move into a real office, one with a view of something more than the parking deck. That was if the partners could manage to stay together another year.

  There were rumblings and people had started taking sides, but Kevin had told him to stay focused and keep his nose to the plow. He was convinced that hard work would yield the results he was looking for so he steered clear of the office politics and never ending drama. Kevin had also told him that by remaining neutral and continuously delivering a consistent quality work product, if a split did occur he would likely get offers from both sides. Then he could decide what move might be in his best interest.

  He usually managed to accomplish all of that hard work by eating at his desk, but it was Thursday, nearing the end of a very long week and what was sure to be a very long weekend with the wedding and all of its festivities. Today he felt like getting a little fresh air, sunshine and garlic naan.

  * * * * *

  He resisted the urge to rub his belly, which was now full and pressing against his belted slacks. He swallowed the last gulp from his glass of lemon water and looked around for his waiter. It was then that he noticed the couple.

  Was that…no, it couldn’t be. The woman was standing, but the man’s back was towards him so he could get a look at his face. The woman was pretty with a long sleek ponytail that was clearly a weave. From his position across the restaurant he could tell that she was quite young. She was also quite pregnant. He watched the man reach out a hand and place it on her belly. She smile and placed her hand over his, guiding it, it seemed, towards the baby’s kicks.

  Nah, that wasn’t him…he must just be imagining. The man turned and pushed his chair in as the two prepared to leave. He saw the man’s face and his heart dropped as soon as he recognized him.

  Justin Weeks. The same man that, would be Alma’s new brother in law in a day and half. It would be his brother in law too, if Alma said yes to his intended proposal.

  * * * * *

  “Did he see you?” His dad’s deep voice seemed to boom even just sitting outside on the front porch having general conversation. Marc had left work early and driven the short trip out of town to see his father, who was also a pastor, Reverend Reginald Slade. His dad had given his first name as Marcus’ middle name. It let him be a namesake without the pressure of trying to live up to his legend. Even though Marc hadn’t received any calling to follow in his father’s footsteps, he had great respect for the man whose voice seemed to shake the very foundations of the church when he preached. He needed some advice on what to do with the new revelation he had unwittingly received the day before. Justin had kissed the woman’s hand before the two of them had left. Marc had held the dessert menu up just in case Justin turned in his direction, but he hadn’t looked back to see Marc staring mouth agape in disbelief.

  “No, I’m certain of it. It was so busy that I didn’t even know he was in the same restaurant until he stood to leave. He was way too relaxed to have known I was there.” Marc looked at the squirrel running across the yard. This was true country living. Marc lived and worked in Raleigh, but he had grown up right here in Clayton, NC. The family home rested on two acres of land and it was common for wildlife to frequently venture across the yard from the woods the property abutted against.

  “I feel like if I tell Alma she’s going to go ham and make sure that Marissa knows and then there’s no wedding and I’m the bad guy. I’m certain Marissa would hate me forever because she is soooo in love with Justin. If I don’t say anything and it ever slips that I knew about this then I’m the bad guy and I know that I can cancel Christmas on any idea that Alma and I are going to get married. What am I supposed to do?”

  “Slow down, you need to take a big step back and evaluate what you really saw.” His father looked over at him with deep set eyes hooded by his bushy gray eyebrows.

  “What I really saw was Justin on a date with the soon to be mother of his child.”

  “Now son, you don’t know that. Based on what you told me, you saw Justin eating lunch with a woman that happened to be pregnant. You also saw him touch her belly.”

  “And kiss her hand,” Marc added. That was the crucial fact that had him convinced it wasn’t an innocent date with his co-worker. Nobody, except sappy boyfriends, kissed anybody’
s hand anymore.

  “Yeah, that sounds like a date with his baby mama.” His dad chuckled and the deep rumble caused Marc to join him.

  “Let me give you some advice a good preacher friend gave me that I think applies here. Reverend Eli, you remember him don’t you?” Marc nodded and his father continued.

  “We were talking about the Holy Ghost and how he can give you discernment about a person. Some days it’s so clear that you feel like you can see into their very soul. So Eli says that ‘Insight doesn’t always mean invitation’. That’s a powerful statement. You see sometimes God can give you revelation about a person not so you can run up and let them know what you know, but so you can just be prayerful. Maybe that’s what you need to do here. Just keep quiet and pray. God can sort all the rest out.” His dad leaned back in his chair and let Marc meditate on that thought.

  Marc appreciate his dad’s advice. Praying seemed like a much better option than invoking the wrath of the Gibson girls. Marissa would be heartbroken, but telling her wouldn’t be so bad. Alma was another story altogether.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “Places everyone. Young men I need you paying attention so you know where you’re supposed to be tomorrow.” Alma peeked through the sanctuary doors in time to catch the wedding director fussing at their little cousins as they prepared to start the dress rehearsal. She let the doors close back and enjoyed the peace and drama free atmosphere of the foyer. Justin and his groomsmen were laughing at who knew what. They had been cutting up all night and were gearing up for the bachelor party later on.

  Marissa had completed her spa day and looked completely at ease. Alma and the bridesmaids had each provided a different component to her spa experience and each of them had a chance to spend some one on one time with Marissa that day. Alma had the mani – pedi; Tina, Marissa’s best friend since grade school had the massage; Yolanda, her ace boon coon since college, had the facial; and Cree, her artsy, new age friend from college had awkwardly provided the colonic.

  “She needs to be free of all of that mess. She doesn’t want to carry that into her wedding,” Cree had argued in defense of the colonic. Once Marissa agreed to try it, they had all insisted that the colonic be the first event so the remainder of the spa treatment could help her heal from whatever trauma the colonic induced.

  Now they all reminisced about the day and teased Marissa about what they had planned for her bachelorette party. Alma joined them in time to hear Tina say, “Turn up, turn up.” Before Alma could even think of a response Justin had already stepped in and placed his arms around Marissa.

  “Don’t even think about wilding out tonight with the future Mrs. Weeks. Especially you Tina, you need to leave all that extra you got going on at the altar tonight.” He pointed to the doors in the direction of the sanctuary. “We’ve got a preacher and everything and I’m certain he’s always on duty for prayer.” Marissa laughed.

  “Prayer, how about exorcism, he might need some back up for this one.” Their cousin Ray jumped into the conversation just in time to stir up some trouble. He had grown up in Raleigh with them and even though he didn’t go to school with the girls, he had seen Tina at the house more times than they could count. He laid hands on her forehead just in time for Tina to slap it away.

  “I know you’re not talking Ray ‘cause you know I know you right.” She gave him a look that shut him up. She had enough dirt on Ray that he knew better than to press her.

  The wedding director opened the doors of the sanctuary.

  “Justin, I need a groom at the front. Who’s going to stand in for you?” Justin peaked into the sanctuary and called Marc in.

  “Can you be the groom for the rehearsal?” The wedding director looked inpatient as she waited for the groom she desperately needed to begin the walk through of the wedding.

  “Sure man. Whatever you need me to do.” Justin dapped Marc up and they had barely broke their contact before the wedding director pulled Marc towards the front.

  “Justin and Marissa, make sure you guys watch all of this because this will be you tomorrow. Let me know if you have any questions about anything,” she yelled over her shoulder as she led Marc to his spot up front.

  “Are you going to be my bride?” Marissa looked at Alma with a mischievous look in her eye.

  “I’m already the maid of honor, how can I be that and the bride?” Alma rolled her eyes at her meddling sister.

  It seemed that her family was always looking for every possible hint they could give her and Marc about moving their relationship along and finally getting engaged. It had got to the point of being downright annoying at times.

  “Well, I’d rather someone stand in for you as maid of honor than to have someone up front standing with your man as the bride. How you doin?” Marissa gave her a telling look.

  “Alright, alright. You win that point. I’ll be the bride, but I better not hear Aunt Faye’s mouth talking about ‘when ya’ll getting married?’”

  Marissa threw her head back in laughter. She knew better than anyone how much of a thorn in the side that topic was for Alma. Alma had reached her fill before Marissa was engaged, but when the younger sister was going to get married first, that had just caused the marriage police to go into overdrive.

  “Justin, come up front for a second,” the wedding director barked the order into the microphone. Justin took off into a slow jog towards the front.

  * * * * *

  “Now the bride. Marissa, I will open the doors when the music starts. Alma, make sure you count your first couple of steps so you don’t get up front too fast. Marissa remember that. This moment is all about the bride so we need to give everyone time to savor it.” The wedding director’s voice across the microphone had become grating. She had spoken to everyone in the church using the microphone. The kids that were running, the bridal party, the photographer, and now she was directing her attention to Alma, the stand in bride.

  “Go on Alma, you heard what she said, don’t walk too fast,” Marissa laughed.

  Alma couldn’t help but smile back. Marissa had been effervescent all evening. Alma began the slow walk to the front. She took in Marc standing at the front with a Cheshire cat grin on his face. He did look right handsome in his straight blue jeans with the cuff rolled up and his button down dress shirt. He knew how to put himself together.

  “You look good Alma,” Aunt Faye stated way too loudly. Alma caught her drift and fought not to show her disgust for the completely unsubtle hint.

  “Slow down a bit more and try to keep in step with the wedding march,” the wedding director barked out another order.

  It wasn’t until Alma got close to the front of the church that she became choked with emotion.

  “Stop right there. Now the preacher is going to say ‘who gives this bride’ and your uncle is going to stand and say, ‘her family and loved ones do’.” The director was pointing at her Uncle Earl, but Alma felt so alone standing in that spot. She knew instantly why Marissa had tried so hard to find her father. Her eyes welled up and she ignored it hoping it would evaporate and not call any more attention to how vulnerable she was feeling right now.

  “Now you stay there and the groom is going to go meet the bride. Loop your arm through hers and walk with her back to the front.”

  Marc came to meet her.

  “Dog gone these shoelaces.” He bent down to tie his shoes and Alma shook her head.

  “Those shoes can wait Marc.”

  “Yes, but this can’t,” he got down on one knee and pulled the box out of his pocket.

  “I’ve loved you since the day I met you and I’ve worked every day since then trying to convince you to love me back. You are the reason I look forward to each new day. Alma Leigh Gibson, will you do me the extreme honor of marrying me?”

  Alma couldn’t breathe. She looked down at his smiling face and saw the slightest twitch that told her he was nervous. She nodded her head vigorously and tried to find her voice.

  “Yes, yes, yes
!!!” She shouted out loud and he stood to wrap her in his arms. The tears didn’t bother hesitating and instead spilled forth in a torrent.

  “Yay!!” Marissa ran down the aisle to greet them.

  “I couldn’t hold it in any longer. Thank you so much for not waiting until tomorrow!” Marissa hugged her future brother in law.

  “Isn’t this amazing,” Marissa pulled her sister into a tight embrace.

  “You knew?” Alma was still in a daze. She could hear the wedding director saying congratulations in the background and could see Justin dapping up Marc in her peripheral vision.

  “Yes, I knew. He asked me for your hand in marriage. Instead of throwing the bouquet he wanted me to hand it to you at the reception and he was going to walk up behind you and propose.”

  “You were going to propose at the reception?” Alma caught Marc’s attention.

  “I was, and then when they made me the groom and you the bride, I figured God was saying that now was the right time so I took it. I’ve had the ring in my pocket for the last two months waiting for the perfect opportunity.”

  “Come here,” Alma tugged at his shirt and pulled him into a kiss.

  “Wooohoooo,” the wedding party cheered.

  “Excuse me, this is a wedding rehearsal,” the wedding director was back on the mic. Alma couldn’t believe this control freak was trying to orchestrate her engagement.

  Alma gave an angry look at the director, but noticed that the woman was speaking to someone at the back of the church. She followed her gaze and turned to see a thin older man standing in the entryway at the back, looking lost.

  “I’m here for the Gibson wedding,” the man announced and tentatively began to make his way to the front of the church. Everyone looked around to see if anyone on either side of the aisle was claiming this stranger.

  “Oh my God!” Aunt Faye’s loud outburst validated his presence and raised a myriad of questions. Who was this? How did Aunt Faye know him? Why was he at the rehearsal dinner? What was going on?