Chapter 19: Chapter 19

All my life, I have always attended big weddings, ate to my fill without caring if the bride and groom are actually in love or something. Now it is my time to be wedded. It is my time for young girls to feast on my wedding foods without giving a flying fuck if Alex and I are compatible or if the marriage will last.

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It is quite fascinating how the reality you know and must have adapted to, changes-- flips like a freaking pancake in a grilling machine. The day before and yesterday, I was single and today, I'm getting married. Although I'm happy to be getting married to my true love after dating for two years.

I no longer work at the bank after I discovered that I am four weeks pregnant last week. My mother's store has been expanded to something ginormous-- to a shopping mall. It has always been her dream and Alex helping mother to actualize the dream only made her love him the more and became prouder of me.

My brother has been sent to one of the best universities in the united states of America; Harvard University to study his dream course. Law.

Harriet finally settled for a rich business tycoon she met in Italy when she travelled with an Alhaji. She dumped the sugar daddy before anyone could spell Jack Robinson and got engaged to the Italian billionaire.

Kasali finally got married to a decent girl and she recently just put to bed a few days ago, he no longer works in my practically empty house.

Good news and congratulatory messages were exchanged by the people I know-- the people I'm acquainted with and I'm happy for everyone who got their dreams fulfilled.

I stared at the huge Anglican church that awaited my response and slumped my shoulders. "I'm afraid I can't do this, mom."

"Ehen, nibo?" She exclaimed dramatically and held her gele in place to avoid it falling off.

"I'm scared mom, what if something happens?" I pouted and stared at the huge mahogany church.

"Nothing is going to happen, my daughter, you have worked so hard to get here so why give up now?" She touched my jaw and turned it to face her.

"Look at me," she commanded and I raised my eyes from my gown to stare at her piercing black eyes.

"You are a queen, a strong one who strived so hard to get here." She sniffled, pumping motivational words into my blood pipe.

"You will go in there like the queen you are, you will slay them all because you are the legitimate daughter, you are a Coker, and we are goal-getters." She held my hand and squeezed it tightly.

I grinned at mom, "I love you mother, you are the best I can ever ask for." I kissed her forehead.

"You have always been the best daughter I could request for so go in them and get your man before all this yeye slim girls do your job." She eyed the slim girls with exposed dressing and professional makeover, they were dressed to kill in my own wedding.

"Never," I stood up quickly, feeling my inner Lagosian spirit ginger me and with mom, I walked towards the church.

"One more thing," mother said as we approached the door.

"You are the beautiful woman present and I can't help but smile when I remember the labour pains I experienced when giving birth to you." She smiled, a tear slipped from her eyes.

"Mom, why are you crying, you will make me cry." I wiped her tear with my finger.

"Every stabbing pain I felt that day was worth it, Tife." She nodded and smiled brightly.

"And I can't believe you have finally grown into a woman and you will be doing what adults do." She said making me chuckle.

"Mom, " I waved her off and blushed. "Don't make me cry."

"If you let a tear slip from your eyes ehn, I will beat devil that wants to ruin your glamorous makeup out of you." She threatened and the door finally opened.

The book of love by Peter Gabriel served the speakers with his alluring and intoxicating voice and with one heavy exhale, I walked in following the pace of my mother who led me towards the aisle.

"Shoulders straight, and smile." Mom instructed without sparing a glance.

I adjusted my previously slouched posture and heard loud gasp hovering from the congregation as they checked me out in awe.

"The wedding gown is a bomb, let me take a picture and give it to my tailor." A slay queen said.

"She looks beautiful." Another muttered.

"I look better than she does." Another argued and on and on went on the whispers as people pushed their heads forward to steal a glance at the bodice of my wedding gown that swept the floor as I walked towards the aisle. The idea that someone wants to frustrate an innocent tailor by giving her a picture of my gown made me laugh internally. Naija people no dey carry last.

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Alex point of view (POV)

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She looked different, I don't know if it is my mind playing tricks on me or something. Her cheeks look more contoured and highlighted giving her a different flawless look entirely.

Seeing her walk down the aisle did crazy things to my heart. She is draped in the most beautiful wedding gown I ever laid my eyes on and the gown sparkled from miles away like they were adorned with real stones like diamonds and silver.

She placed one step after the other, walking slowly towards me without breaking eye contact. Memories of how we met two years ago flashed by and I can't just help but smile as tears welled up in my eyes. I pray and hopes she doesn't trip. I can't wait to fly her to her dream country, Paris for honeymoon and fuck her senselessly. I can almost hear her excited screams when she finds out.

Her smile looked so bright that one could mistake it for the sun since it radiated from miles away, creating a spark that drove everyone nuts. Every step she took on the red carpet that matched the blazing red matte lipstick on her pouty lips turned me on. My chest tightens harder as the nerves that previously gathered dissipated. All my brain could scream was, 'yay! Here comes your best friend, personal assistant and the mother of your growing foetus and she looks happy to be marrying you.'

How did I get so lucky to finally get a grip on the woman and label her as my wife? I definitely deserve a Guinness record.

She finally reached the front of the alter and I rushed to pick her up by extending my elbow to her.

"You look absolutely breathtaking, Tife." My voice came out rusty.

"And you are the most gorgeous homo sapien present today." She winked.

The priest cleared his throat and began the ceremony.

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Tife's point of view (POV)

After the multiple prayers, preaching, reading of hymns and reading verses from the bible. It was finally time to exchange vows and rings.

With joy and glee in my heart, I exchanged the words that I had carefully memorized for months and let them roll off my tongue as practised.

"Does anyone have any reason why this couple shouldn't be joined together, they had better speak now or forever hold their peace." The priest announced and everywhere became silent. I can feel blood pumping into every part of my body as I prayed the one minute expired immediately.

A hand was raised from the back. I can feel sweaty forming on my forehead and a fat one tickle at my nape. I kept exchanging murderous gazes at Alex who maintained a strong expression like he didn't understand what the hell was going on.

The whole congregation gasped in shock, some brought out their phones to start videoing. My stomach is churning terrible that I feel like I might need to use the toilet any time soon.

"Did you knock up someone's daughter?" I glared at Alex as a short man made his way forward.

"Of course not, I don't even know who the hell invited him." He hissed with gritted teeth.

"Can you now spill why they shouldn't be bound together?" The priest gave the microphone to the man.

I can see dots dancing in my vision, my body getting weaker and paler in shock. I can't bear any form of embarrassment or shame on my wedding day. This better be a stupid prank.

"I can't see from the back so I had to relocate to the front." The man shrugged and dropped the microphone before heading to a seat at the front.

"What the hell was that?" I whisper yelled at Alex.

"Trust me, honey, I have got no idea." He whispered back.

"With the power vested on me, I now pronounce them husband and wife, you may kiss your bride." The priest declared, the congregation wolf-whistled and clapped, I blushed and cried and moved towards my boss turned husband to plant a matrimonial kiss on his lips. We are one now-- we are now a flesh-- an item-- a couple-- a family. Somebody better whack me across the face with a saucepan so I can't confirm this isn't a dream.

HONEYMOON

My honeymoon was the best any woman could ever ask for. As a wedding gift, my husband bought me a 2020 Maserati. We toured five different countries where we took different pictures, had mind-blowing sex with different styles, we practised different cultures and traditions. When I got to France, we took a lazy walk at the temple and had a mandatory kiss in a ship. A kiss that was believed to bind couples together for life but I knew it was mostly superstitions.

We toured Canada, France, India, Italy, and finally Senegal. It was a two-week baecation. Alex gave me access to his MasterCard so I did a lot of shopping.

And when we were in Italy, I went to see my best friend and turned out she was also pregnant. By the time I returned back to Nigeria, my stomach was beginning to pop and I still wanted to work. So I started a blog and did freelance writing. The money wasn't much, but I earned $5000-8500 per month. We lived happily but not ever after because conflicts came in. Fights popped up, but irrespective of it all, we learned to manage our differences and compromised so we could meet at the same angle and understand one each other better.

SEQUEL

There is a sequel for this book. It will feature Alex and Tife's, kids. It is going to be a celebrity love between the star and the manager. The blurb has not been written but you should grab popcorn and soda and wait for my brake light. By the power invested in me as an author, I now draw down the curtains and give a vote of thanks.

THE END.