The Invitation



It was around March when Shannon started spending more time at Nick’s house. Nick really enjoyed having her there as did she. So one could truthfully say their relationship was progressing quite well.

Nick was flipping through channels as Shannon put highlights in his hair. The blonde streaks had faded and she was much better at restoring them than he was. He stopped flipping channels when he came across Entertainment Tonight. Rianna was standing with Mark on the red carpet. They must have been at a premier of a new movie. Shannon was just tilting his head to the side when he turned up the volume and listened.

“Hollywood’s most adorable couple, Vin Diesel and Rianna Ramón have announced that they are in fact engaged and plan to marry this July.” They cut to footage of the couple at this particular premier.

“So, is that what I think it is on your finger?” A reporter asked. Rianna raised her hand and let the reporter hold it in the camera’s view.

“Yep, it’s exactly what you think it is.” Rianna answered with a smile. Mark slide his arm around her waist and put his head to hers.

“We’re thinking about pulling it off in July.” He added.

“.....yeah, on his birthday.” She said, making yet another addition to the initial statement. They kissed again and the footage stopped, going back to the anchors on the set of ET. They went onto another story. Something about love being in the air because Tom Cruise was talking about marrying Penelope Cruz.

“She never told me.” Nick said, turning away from the channel to something else.

“She’s probably looking for the right time. When would you tell your ex-wife if we were to get engaged?” Shannon was right. He probably wouldn’t make Rianna the first or tenth person he called with news like that. Even though they were still friends, marriage was a sore subject. Especially when its either Nick or Rianna with someone else.

“I wonder if she’ll invite us.” Nick thought out loud. Shannon had finished her highlighting and led him toward the faucet in the tub to rinse.

“That’s ridiculous. Just out of the question.” She said as she rinsed his hair out. When she was done, she put a towel over his head and Nick stood upright.

“It is not out of the question. Watch, I‘ll ask her.” He went over to the phone and dialed “Memory-5", Rianna and Mark’s number. Selena answered the phone.

“Hey Daddy.” She said, as she always did. She was a caller ID fanatic.

“Hey Selena, how are you?” Nick asked, still towel drying his dripping hair.

“I’m good. How are you?”

“I’m doing fine. Listen, I need to speak with your mother. Is she home?” There was a moment of silence, and then he heard....

“HEY MOM! PHONE FOR YOU!” Selena screamed up the stairs. Rianna soon picked up and Selena hung up.

“Hello?” Rianna said in a soft voice.

“Hey there, girl.” Nick said. Rianna sat up in her bed. She had been napping after doing housework.

“Hi, Nick. What’s up?” She asked, her voice still calm from just having awakened.

“I just saw on TV that you and Mark and tying the knot.” She played with the engagement ring on her finger. She had totally forgotten to tell him.

“Yeah, we are. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to tell you personally.” Mark was lying right beside her, still asleep. So she got out of bed and went into the hallway to talk.

“Nah, it’s cool. I was just shocked that’s all. I knew you two were gonna get married someday. I just had no idea it would be so soon.” Nick said. And after he said it, he thought about it, and it came out wrong.

“You think we’re rushing things?” She asked, slightly defensively.

“NO! Not at all! It’s just that time goes by so fast. It seems like only yesterday we separated, You know?” Rianna got quiet for a moment.

“Yes, I do know. But I’m ready for this. We’re ready for this.” Their dog trotted up next to Rianna and flopped down in her lap.

“So, are we invited?” Nick asked, just for the sake of asking.

“I didn’t think you’d wanna come to my wedding. But I see no harm in it. Sure, I’ll add you to the guest list.” She heard the toilet flush in the bedroom and knew that Mark was up.

“I should probably go. Do you wanna talk to Selena again?” She leaned on the banister looking at the giant chandelier suspended from the ceiling. It was lit and had no reason to be, so she went to the light switch and cut it off.

“No. I’ll call her again tomorrow. I can tell she’s watching something interesting on TV.” He knew this because she called up to her mother instead of just running up the stairs and getting her.

“Yep. Probably her little appearance in Mark’s last film. I swear, she plays that DVD all day long.” Nick smiled, he loved hearing little things about Selena. No matter what they are.

“Ok then. Talk to you later.” They both hung up and Nick turned to Shannon who was looking in the mirror and picking at the curls in her hair to make sure they were perfect.

“We’re going to a wedding this summer, baby doll.” He announced, towel wrapped around his head, turban style. She turned around to face him and pulled the towel down, checking the color in his hair. It was a highlighting job well done.

“I don’t think we should.” She responded. Nick got a sour look on his face. Both of confusion and disappointment.

“And why not?” He lifted her up onto the counter and started to kiss her neck and jaw bone.

“Because. It’s their day. Our presence will make it weird. If not for Rianna, then for Mark.” Nick pulled the spaghetti-straps of her top down from her shoulders and kissed them as well.

“If Rianna...*kiss*.... came to our wedding.....*kiss*..... with Mark......*kiss, kiss*..... that is, if we get married.....*kiss, kiss, kiss*..... would you feel weird?” He continued kissing her soft skin and taking in the fragrance of her lightly perfumed flesh.

“Now that I think about it, no. I would not feel weird.” He picked her up again and carried her back into the bedroom. The TV was still on and he managed to grab the remote and click it off before carrying her to the bed.

“Neither would I. We’re going.” He laid down on top of her and started his slow trail of butterfly kisses at the hollow between her collar bones, working his way downward.

“Well, when you compromise like this. How can a girl refuse?”

~*~*~*~*~*~


Rianna went back into the bedroom and put the cordless phone back on the receiver. Mark took one look at her and could tell something was on her mind.

“What’s wrong, babe?” He asked, lying back down on the bed and patting the space next to him, bidding her to lie down there.

“That was Nick. He wants to come to the wedding.” She lay where Mark wanted her to and rested her head on his chest.

“Why?”

“I have no idea. But I said yes. I hope you’re ok with that.” She looked up at him and he nodded.

“Sure. I have no problem with it. Are you sure he’s not going to try something, though?” Rianna thought about it.

“No. He’s bringing Shannon. Even if Nick didn’t want us to marry, he would never embarrass her like that. Besides, I really do think he loves her. She’s good for him.” There was a brief moment of silence. “Enough about them. We still haven’t decided where to have this wedding.”

“Puerto Rico. I was thinking about it just now, before you mentioned it.” Mark suggested. Rianna’s eyes lit up.

“Puerto Rico! Oh, Mark! That is such a good idea. It is beautiful there. Especially in the summer!” She was so overwhelmed with happiness that they’d be getting married on the gorgeous tropical island her parents were from that she couldn’t contain herself. She leaned in and kissed him.

But only minutes had passed before anxiety kicked in. They were really getting married. Her second time. She couldn’t help but wonder if maybe she was making the same mistake she made with Nick. When she and Nick were still engaged, she had no idea that they’d be divorced within six years. In fact, if someone had told her that then, she’d had laughed in their face.

But Mark was different. He wouldn’t cheat. They wouldn’t fall out of love. She’d learned from her previous marriage to be a better judge of character. This marriage would have to work! Right???


Chapter 36 ~ Contents Page ~ Stories ~ Home