"Some way to speak to your mother, young lady."
"Hello mother," I whisper as I make the final arrangements on my sister's
hair.
"I just wanted to see how I could help."
"You can't," Carm says, "so leave."
I pat her shoulder gently and turn to mother just in time to see her nose
wrinkle in disgust.
"Must the two of you be lounging around in your underwear?"
I look down at myself and sigh. Carm and I are both wearing Victoria's
Secret bustiers and matching panties. She's wearing the white lace set
with the matching thong and I got the satin one in ivory.
"We're not lounging," I explain to her. "We're doing each other's hair.
You wouldn't want us to get our gowns dirty, would you?"
"You could at least wear robes."
I see Carm roll her eyes in the mirror and I patiently smile at Mother.
"In this heat? Come now mother, don't be ridiculous."
Mother sighs and sits on a chair by the vanity table.
"Your father is with the boys. I must admit, they look very nice all
dressed up."
"Yep," Carm whispers, "my baby cleans up very well."
"I heard Jean-Claude call Rob his brother. I take it the two of them are
getting along rather well."
I look at Carm in the mirror and we both swallow. This was something we
hadn't counted on telling her right away.
"Mom," I say, "remember how both Jean-Claude and Rob were adopted? How
they look alike?"
"Yes?"
"Well, it intrigued me and Kat," Carm says, turning to our mother.
"So we, well, Rob and her hired a private investigator to look into it."
"You did? And?"
"Well, wouldn't you know it? Turns out our guys are brothers!"
I don't know how to describe the look on her face. She's not happy about
this, that much I can tell... but she's not unhappy about it either. Damn
that old bird... I want to yell at her to cough it up already! Maybe Carm
will be able to get her to talk!
"So, not only are you following in your sister's footsteps marrying
outside of your race, but you're marrying her brother-in-law as well."
I knew it. It really is asking too much of her to be nice to me on my
wedding day. For just a second there, I thought she'd say something kind.
Something positive. But not my mother. Oh no. The woman gets her jollies
off of making us feel like shit. That has to be it. I turn around in my
chair then stand up. Why not make her even more upset? Let her get a full
view of her improperly clad little girl, eyes fired up with anger.
"You can't even do one simple thing for me. Can't be happy for me on my
own damned wedding day."
"You are in a church. I taught you better than that. Using such language
in the Lord's house."
"You know what, Mother? I'm only having the wedding in this church for
Rob. He wanted a church wedding. I was selfless enough to give him that. I
could care less if I ever see another one of these hypocritical buildings
again in my life."
"Such blasphemy." The bitch has the gall to actually cross herself!
"You're here for one thing and one thing only. To ruin my day."
"I'm trying to show you what you're doing."
"I'm marrying the man I love!"
"You're marrying your sister's brother-in-law!"
"I didn't know that when we got together!"
"But you know now!"
Please, please, PLEASE, somebody give me the strength not to strike the
woman. "He loves me. He's a decent man."
"He's related to that man she married. He can't be too much better. What
if he hurts you? What if he--"
Kat starts to move to her and I hold her back. I shake my head at her.
"Don't," I tell her softly then turn back to our mother. "JC has never
laid a hurtful hand on Kat. He loves her. And Robbie would never EVER
touch me. He knows better. I'd kick his ass."
"When he chooses to hurt you--"
"He won't! Dammit, mother, he won't do a damn thing to me! Get this
through your thick skull. No matter what color he is, who he's related to,
Robbie loves me. I love him. Don't you get it? We are in love and I will
not let you ruin our day. If you have nothing positive to tell me, no
support to give, then leave. I don't want you here."
"Carmie--"
"No. I don't want you here."
I take my seat and look back in the mirror. Slowly, I pick up my eyeliner
and it shakes in my hand. That woman works every nerve in my body. She
always has. All I want to do is get married. Be happy. Live my life with
someone who loves me and won't constantly judge me. Do I care that my
husband is white? No. Hell, Mom has never seen me date a black man, so why
would I marry one? Do I care that his brother is JC? I only care because
for all of my talk, I do love that fuckin' Frog. She's not going to stop
me. She's not going to ruin this. I won't let her. I put the pencil down
and lay my forehead against the table. I'll just give myself a few
minutes. I'll be fine after then. Just a few minutes to calm down.
I don't look at Mother as she walks out. I forage my purse for my cell
phone and pull it out, calling Jean-Claude's cell right away.
"You look fine," I hear him say. "Hello babe."
Caller ID is good. "Hey. Listen, I need you to do something and I need you
to move fast."
"Anything."
"Find my dad and sit on him."
"What? What's wrong?"
"Just sit on him, please. Don't let him leave."
"OK."
I hang up the phone and look at Carm, sitting in front of the mirror,
trying to remain calm.
"Want me to get Francine up here to you can beat up on her?"
"Why Francine?"
"Because I'm pregnant."
"You're fucked."
"Yep. Are you okay?" I ask her, watching her slightly trembling hands.
"Yeah. I'll be fine. So what, the bitch tried to ruin my day with her
crazy ramblings. We'll be fine. I love Rob and he loves me."
"Good for you."
"But what about Dad? What if... oh damn, she's going to make him leave,
isn't she?"
"Nope. I got Jean-Claude to sit on Dad."
"Oh cool. He's not going to literally sit on him, is he?"
"Yes," I say as I stick my tongue out at her.
My cell phone rings then and I flick it open. Did I mention how much I
enjoy the Caller ID thing?
"Hey husband."
"Hello wife. I have a little situation here."
"Situation?"
"Yes. Your father wants to stay, your mother wants to leave and now she's
starting to insult me."
"On my way."
I grab my robe and turn to Carm, whose eyes are on me, inquisitive.
"Big sister will fix," I reassure her, "big sister will fix."
I head downstairs, my face set. She almost ruined my day, but letting her
ruin Carm's? I'm not going to let that happen.
I hear her voice before I see her and when I do, I realize she's making a
scene. I'm almost happy that she is. It'll give me a chance to ream her
over and feel justified.
"Mother," I say.
She stops and turns to look at me. I swear she's almost foaming at the
mouth. Jean-Claude and my dad look relieved to see me.
"What?" she barks at me.
"I don't believe you're welcome here."
"I'm aware of that. You and your sister made that plenty clear. As soon as
your white husband gets out of my husband's way, we'll both leave."
"You don't seem to understand. You're the one who's not welcome here. Your
husband is. My sister wants her father to walk her down the aisle."
"And what should I do? Wait outside like a homeless person?"
"To be perfectly honest, you old biddy," I hiss in her ear, "I don't give
a shit what you do. You can go to McDonald's and eat a Big Mac for all I
care. But trust me, if you ever want to see your first grandchild, you
will walk out of here without making a scene."
My father and Jean-Claude are standing back and I swear to God, my husband
is actually grinning at me. Mother is looking at me as if she's never seen
me before. I stare right back at her and wait for her to leave. When she
finally turns around and walks out of the church.
"Are you all right?" Jean-Claude asks me.
"Yeah. I just want to do what's right for Carm today."
"As a husband," my dad says, "I should tell you that you didn't act
properly with your mother. But as a father, I couldn't be prouder. Now,
get your sister ready."
"Thanks," I whisper, pecking his cheek.
I find Carm wearing a groove in the floor of the dressing room.
"Would you relax?" I say with a smile, "I told you big sister would fix,
didn't I?"
It's finally time. I listen to the music play, and watch as my bridesmaids
walk down, their groomsmen looking immaculate. I look over at Kat and bite
my lip. I dont' know why I'm so nervous. I want him, he wants me-- it's
perfect, right? She lays a hand on my arm just before she goes and smiles.
"Stop being so twitchy. You look great." She stands up and turns toward
the door. "Showtime."
I watch her go and can only imagine the look on her husband's face. Will
the look on Rob's be a mirror to that? Will it be like the one on JC's the
first time he saw his bride coming to him? I hope so. I look up at Dad and
nod, letting him know I'm ready.
"You're beautiful," he whispers.
"Thank you."
"Now, let's get you married."
I smile at him and let him lead me to the open door. Rob looks up at me
and his face lights up. My dress hangs to the floor. My shoulders and
upper arms are bare, except for the whisps of hair that fall on them. The
veil hangs behind my head, flowing down my back. I see his lips move in a
single word.
"Angel."
I can almost feel myself blush. We move down the aisle and my eyes are all
for him. I want to run and fall into his arms, but I hold myself back. I
show some reserve. But, for all the reserve I have, when I'm given to him,
I cling onto his hand as though it were a life support. He brings me in
and kisses my cheek.
"Absolutely amazing," he whispers into my ear and I can once again feel my
body heat with a blush.
I barely even hear as my father gives me away and takes his seat. I'm lost
in the beauty of hazel and fall into their depths. It's a good thing I let
him talk me into traditional because I would never have been able to
remember what my lines were. Absently, I speak when necessary and barely
know when the ceremony is over. The last thing I remember besides staring
into his eyes is him sliding the ring on my finger.
And before I know it, his fingertips are on my cheeks. I can't move as he
comes closer to me and finally are lips meet in the sweetest, softest kiss
I've ever tasted. The spell is broken then, and I hear the cheers around
us. I pull away reluctantly and look around as everyone smiles and cheers. I take a moment to wish that my mother had been there to see me reach such
glory, but I shake the thought away. I have a life to start with my new
husband and I refuse to let the memory of an ungrateful woman spoil that
beginning for me.
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