Page 7 of Embrace

“You suck.”

“You got to get your dress too, right?” I asked instead of joining in on the name calling.

“Yeah.”

“Cool. Let’s hit up some stores today and then go out for wings and margaritas.”

“Now you’re talking my language. Come on, loser.” She patted my butt and sped walked away from me.

I shook my head. “You always on some other shit, man.”

“You love me!”

“Unfortunately.”

I followed behind my best friend. I’d agreed to do the service because her last nigga made her feel like she’d be single forever. I told her there was no need to rush into a marriage because she was only twenty-five, barely twenty-five at that. However, she wasn’t trying to reason, and we sat down and applied for the service. I felt sick to my stomach when I saw the price, but I was going to commit.

The things I do for friendship.

AT THE ALTAR

“Girl, can you please breathe?” Mari, my sister, asked. She had an amused smirk on her face as she slid her feet into her red heels. Mari was three years older than me, with identical features. People often asked us if we were twins. We had the same golden-brown skin, plump dark pink lips, and small almond shaped eyes. We were both on the thicker side of the scale, which could be thanks to our mother who kept us cornbread fed growing up.

The corners of my mouth turned down into a frown as I crossed my arms over my chest. “Excuse me?”

“She’s right, Susu. You need to calm down. Everything is going to be beautiful. You look beautiful. The venue is beautiful. Breathe.” Mama placed her hands on my shoulders as she gave me the motivational pep-talk I needed to finish the final touches of my look.

Savannah Summers was a mother of two girls. She had just celebrated her sixtieth birthday last November and had become a lot more sentimental. She emphasized the importance of family gatherings to make as many healthy memories as possible.

One thing I admired about my mother was her nurturing and patient personality. It worked well with my father’s protective and logical one. I hoped to have a marriage as strong as theirs.

Today was the day.

My wedding day had finally arrived, and my emotions ran rampant. As time ticked away, my belly filled with butterflies. I held a napkin in both of my hands to combat the clammy surface. The hard thumps from my love organ felt like I was seconds away from a heart attack.

The process moved fast after my call from Lamya a week ago. Lamya told me they found my perfect match while I was in the middle of a graphic design project. Everything I did came to a halt as my heart pounded with excitement.

She said she’d never seen two people fit so perfectly together until she connected us. Seven days later, here I stood in the bridal room awaiting the moment I would walk down the aisle to see my husband-to-be.

Lamya didn’t give me a name, a picture, or any information about the man who awaited me. My imagination ran wild with endless possibilities. I trusted Arranged Hearts, but a smidge of fear and doubt took a spot in the back of my mind. What if we don’t mesh well? What if he isn’t attractive? What if he doesn’t like me?

“What if I get down to the altar and the man waiting for me doesn’t think I’m attractive? What if I look at him and he isn’t cute at all? I don’t want to marry a man I’m not attracted to.” When the words started, I couldn’t stop. My breathing became labored as I felt the fear morph into nausea.

“Breathe!” Mama instructed. She held my hands and mimicked breathing exercises.

I closed my eyes and mirrored her movements until the nerves numbed and the muffin I’d eaten a few hours earlier no longer threatened to coat the floor.

“Do not allow those negative thoughts to scare you away. Every woman is fearful of forever with a man. Hell, you signed up to be married off to a complete stranger. This is new and being nervous is normal. However, you’re a damn good prize and any man would be blessed to call you his wife,” Mama advised.

“Thanks, Ma. I guess I just needed the reminder. You know I get stuck in my thoughts sometimes,” I confessed.

She rubbed my arm and went to finish the last-minute touchups on her look.

“You did your big one with the dress,” Mari commented. “The white material on your smooth brown complexion will turn heads, whew!”

I smiled through my nerves. “Thanks, sis.”

My gaze shifted to the large mirror on the right wall of the room. My dress was gorgeous. It was a fitted sleeveless mermaid dress. My waist was snatched while my titties sat pretty in the heart shaped neckline. The white lace was stitched in an intricate design with a lace tassel that wrapped around my neck like a collar and fell down my shoulders in a cute, webbed layout.

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