Chapter 44: Chapter 44

Anna's alarm wakes us up at seven giving us eleven hours to eat and get ready. My nerves are killing me, I can hurl any moment. Anna remains calm focusing on ensuring we are organized and punctual carrying out all of my mother’s plans.

The hairdresser brings my hair back into a ponytail fastening white flowers in it creating the illusion of a tiara. It isn’t my first choice for a hairstyle, but I know immediately after our vows, Scott and I will be performing our show program so I can’t wear my hair down. My gown is a white silk skating dress covered in real pearls and rhinestones.

It’s the most beautiful dress I’d ever worn and for the first time ever, I wish I listened to mom and tried harder to lose twenty pounds because damn it’s tight. The only thing stopping it from wedging up my ass is my nylons. Anna drives us to the arena and we sneak in the back so we won’t be spotted until the big event. Lara is waiting for us in the senior girl’s locker room with hairspray and makeup to do the finishing touches. I put my skates on and make sure Lara has the ring before we hug each other and go upstairs to the ice surface.

The Wedding March starts playing over the speakers in the arena. The lights turn off and the spotlight shines on Coach Tammy, Jeremy, the officiant, and Scott who are all standing on a red carpet waiting for us. Lara and Anna walk slowly next to me as I glide in my skates. Behind the Officiant on a big screen are mom and Deborah sitting in their hospital room dressed to the nines. It brings tears to my eyes seeing them watch us. Scott and I wave to them mouthing, ‘I love you.’ They start crying before it even begins.

When the Officiant is going to pronounce us husband and wife, we ask if we can say a few words. He pauses allowing us our time and we speak to each other like we are the only ones there. He starts first:

“Isabella, I would have done anything to save your father. All those times I saw you talking to him at his grave broke my heart. When you’re sad, I’m sad and when you’re happy, I’m happy. I want to be there for you the way your father was. I will do anything for you.”

I nod to him mouthing, “I know you will.” He continues:

“You gave up someone you thought you loved just to skate with me and you have no idea how much that means to me. You are all I’ve ever look for, all I’ll ever need and now you are mine.”

The officiant looks at me, “Isabella, did you want to say anything?” “Please.” He nods for me to start:

“Scott, you’re handsome, strong, intelligent, and utterly amazing. You became my partner, my best friend, and sorry mom, but my lover and my rock. You’re always hard as a rock.”

I pause. Lara and Anna giggle because they catch on to the innuendo. Scott blushes and mom and Deborah wag their finger at me.

“Our intimacy isn’t just in the bedroom; it’s also on the ice. You can make love to me just by looking into my eyes. I will love you forever.”

The officiant announces us as husband and wife. Everyone claps while mom and Deborah cry hugging each other. Coach and Jeremy remove the carpet, and they put the lights on. Scott and I remove our guards while Lara and Anna carefully walked off the ice. We take our starting positions and perform our show program to the song: ‘Because You Loved Me. When Scott lifts me over his head it gives me

goosebumps because I can feel dad watching us and when our program is over I’m blinded by my tears of happiness, he wipes them away and kisses me for the first time as husband and wife. We wave goodbye to mom and Deborah before shutting off Coaches computer. Everyone hugs us, then we quickly change to go to the hospital before mom and Deborah have a chance to undress. They don’t know we are coming, so we have the staff occupy them until we arrive.

When they see Scott, me, and Coach Tammy dressed in our wedding clothes, a nurse throws on the wedding march over the intercom, and mom and Anna come out of Anna’s hospital room with shocked looks on their faces. The gesture of us coming to the hospital brings them all to tears. Nurses and patients are lining the hallways to see what’s going on. Everyone is all weepy over the idea that since his mom couldn’t go, we brought the wedding to her. They are still dressed in their gowns and look beautiful.

The wedding song stops and I pull my iPod out and press play as the groom asks his mother for the second dance of the evening. He holds her close as they danced in the center of the hall. He’s doing everything he can including holding the bridge of his nose trying not to cry as he looks over his mother’s shoulder to me mouthing, ‘Thank you.’

Patients watched from their rooms. Coach Tammy holds out his hand, wordlessly standing in for dad. Mom weeps as she watches us dance. Scott finishes dancing with Deborah, then takes my mother into his arms and dances with her. The staff takes pictures for us with our cameras and we group hug each other before having to leave them, visiting hours are over.

The Four Seasons

We are given the choice of a small reception with a closed bar and I mean completely closed or four nights at the most luxurious hotel in Lagos. We chose the no-brainer, inviting Lara, Anna, Jeremy, Johnson, Michael, and Andy back to our room. I didn’t suggest inviting Michael, it was Scott’s doings. He argues, “We can’t invite Johnson and Jeremy without inviting him.”

“It’s going to feel uncomfortable,” I gripe.

“Why? You don’t still have feelings for him, do you?” Scott asks.

“No of course not, it’s just that I think your invitation will be perceived as rubbing his nose in it,” I complain.

“We’re not forcing him to come, but we should invite him. If we don’t, he’ll assume I feel threatened by him.”

“Do you?”

“No, Should I?”

“No.”

There is a plan; they trickle in at 9:30 p.m. giving us time to get back from the hospital. Scott and I order the pizza and wings, they are supplying the booze and absolutely nobody is staying overnight, they can walk home for all we care. We already obtain our pass card for our suite but we haven’t seen it yet. Scott and I are giddy with the day’s events. We are married! He is my old man, worse half, consort, mate, groom, hubby! I was his bride, mate, companion, better half, and most importantly SEX SLAVE. I can’t wait until we were alone, my body’s been missing him something fierce.

He opens the door and carries me caveman style into our suite. Our king-size bed has a plush white comforter with rose petals scattered over it. The sitting room consists of a white leather sofa, matching love seat with a contrasting patterned wing chair. There is a small fridge locked and a beautiful bathroom with a multi-jet tub and a very large shower with jets aimed at all levels of the body. I’m sure we are going to have fun in it.

“Do you like it?” he asks. “I do,” I grin.

He walked over to me and places his hands lightly on my shoulders gliding them down my arms slipping off my fingertips, “What you did for my mother was amazing, I’m never going to forget it.”

He started pecking me. Short little closed-mouthed kisses. They are sexy because I know they are building up, I open my mouth to his peck inviting him in. He takes the opportunity to fill me with his tongue and I tingle with excitement like waking from a deep sleep. I miss my friends but my need is taking precedent and a part of me is wishing we hadn’t planned this get-together. He grabs the elastic holding my ponytail and removes it, placing it onto the bathroom counter. He fists my locks as he comes in for a deeper kiss, then we hear the first knock at the door.

“Damn, I’ll get it, make yourself comfortable.”

He reaches for my hanger bag and hangs it up on the shower door for me before leaving to get the door. It sounds like Lara and Anna. I quickly remove my wedding clothes and put on my Olympic tracksuit, hiding the most beautiful red silk undies with white decorative lace, because after all, it was Valentine’s Day. I can’t wait for Scott’s fingers to peel them off me. It’s going to be a long night.

I open the door and gush, “Anna! Lara!” They come over to me giving me big hugs.

Lara gets to me first, “We’re so happy for you. It was perfect!”

She releases me letting Anna have her turn, “It was the best! I can’t believe the two of you are married!”

“Either can us!” I speak excitedly.

Lara picks up a rose petal, “I wish Jeremy would be romantic and ask me!” she says wistfully.

“You never know,” Anna said. She looks at the door, “Who is Scott talking to?”

“He’s probably ordering the pizza and wings,” I guess.

Lara looks at me with shocked eyes, “I can’t believe you guys invited Michael.”

“Is he coming?” I ask.

Lara grins, “Jeremy is picking him up right now.” “What were you thinking?” Anna admonishes. “Can you believe it was Scott’s idea?”

Lara’s eyebrows lift, “What? Why?” I shrug, “He has his reasons.”

“It’s going to be a very interesting night,” Lara warns.

The door opens, I’m expecting Scott. Instinctively I turn to it to find Jeremy and Michael entering the suite. I freeze; my body starts doing funny things, damn butterflies in my belly, sweaty palms, burning cheeks. I haven’t even had a drink yet. I still have feelings for him, what the fuck? Worse yet, he seems to notice. Would Scott? He stares back at me, his face saying it all, his disappointment conspicuous, anyone can see it. Now Jeremy, Lara, and Anna are staring at us. Jeremy elbows Michael in the gut breaking the tension, “She’s his now,” he reminds Michael. “You blew it.”

Michael can’t peel his eyes off me and he blasts Jeremy, “Fuck off bro.”

“Maybe you guys should go into the bathroom and talk,” Lara buffers. “That will look good,” I say sarcastically. Shit, I made it sound like I want to but I can’t. He probably thinks I want to be alone with him now. “There shouldn’t be anything to talk about,” Anna says.

“There is,” Michael says with a deep voice. Jeremy looks at Michael, “Dude, she’s married now, to my best friend. Try anything on her, and I’ll have to pound you.”

The door opens again, it’s Andy. Andy is Scott’s gorgeous lab partner in bio- physiology class. He has wavy blond hair and blue eyes. His face is so perfect, he hardly looks real. We both think he would be a perfect match for Anna since she’s so particular with whom she dates, the exception being Johnson in my book. It’s an unspoken set-up neither of them is privy too. I had reservations about it since Johnson is going to be here, but Scott insists he’s over her. I can’t even repeat what Scott said, not even in my head.

Anna looks at him, “Excuse me, can we help you?” “Scott let me in,” Andy explained. Using him as a tension breaker I started introducing him to everyone before going to him to hug him. I explain to Anna for the most part, “He’s a friend of Scott’s from College.” Her eyebrows pop up, I take it she’s attracted to him.

“Congratulations,” he says into my hair. “You guys make a great couple!”

Michael is searing, “Where the fuck is Johnson, I need a drink. Douche bag is always late when it’s his turn to bring the booze.”

Jeremy whispers under his breath, “If you can’t take this leave, but you’re not ruining their night.”

Michael holds up both hands like he was surrendering, “It should have been our night Jeremy, she was mine.” He snaps as Scott re-enters the room.

“Pardon?” Scott asks predatorily, clearly hearing what Michael said. “Sorry,” Michael says to me under his breath, he glares at Scott, “You heard me!”

“You need to go,” I insist.

“That’s not what you want,” Michael says confidently. I nod, “It is.”

Scott stares Michael down, “She’s my wife now. You shouldn’t have come if you still have feelings for her, get the fuck out of here.”

“Their mutual,” he says on the warpath.

“I’m in love with SCOTT,” I emphasize, “See! I told you we shouldn’t have invited him!”

“I’m glad you did baby because it gives me a chance to do this!” Michael punches Scott as hard as he can in the gut, but Scott must have locked his stomach muscles because he doesn’t flinch.

Jeremy jumps in between them. Kudos to him, the guy has balls. Johnson comes strolling through the door, “Sorry I’m late, couldn’t find parking.” He looks at us and then asks, “What’s going on?”

Lara asks Jeremy, “Can you see Michael out?”

Michael spits at Scott, “Don’t worry, I’ll see myself out. You don’t deserve her asshole.”

Michael turns to me, “I’ve always loved you, one day you’ll come back to me.”