Page 116 of Shâhzâdeh

Auntie Pat tugged on my braid playfully and looped her arm through mine. “I will figure it out. Now, come on new niece, let me get your measurements before we eat. I feel inspired to create looking at you and all this beautiful hair.”

There was a large box sitting at the foot of my bed when I got done soaking in the bathtub. Normally I wouldn’t use a hotel bathroom, but this place was exceptional. The Warren Hotel in Uptown, a property that spanned an entire city block. From what I could gather from the dinner last night, security had this place heavily fortified. Whatever pull Midas, Xerxes and the rest of the Consortium had, they’d shut down both portions of Tryon and Trade redirecting traffic so that only guests of the event were allowed in. Cars were being checked since there were foreign dignitaries coming and I was positive there was a sniper on the roof and people guarding the hotel from the buildings surrounding us. It wasn’t pandemonium, but it felt like a lot. It was a lot.

Auntie Patricia and maman weren’t wrong about the relaxation they said I would receive. Apparently, pampering the bride was a big deal in Persian culture and they weren’t going to let me skip the tradition. Nevaeh walked in with a glow that let me know Auntie Pat was probably right about her activities. We’d eaten lunch after she took my measurements and then I had the works done in the suite. Manicure, pedicure, light facial and the best deep tissue massage. I’d slept like a baby all night and then woke up to soak before we got down to business today. On my wrist was the delicate gold and diamond butterfly pendant that maman had presented me with after dinner. It was the first piece of gifted gold jewelry that I’d owned besides the gold band that Xerxes had given me. My dress was being delivered by Lira who would stay and help get me ready. Everyone would be here within the next hour and I was excited to get the day started and see Xerxes again. Sex had been on my mind heavy and I was so curious about what it could be and how it might not be so terrible with him.

But back to this box.

I eyed it carefully, noticing the bright gold paper and the large cream and gold bow tied on the front. It seemed to be a box of flowers and I wondered why Xerxes would have them package them up this way.

I opened the paper carefully, trying to yet again savor this foreign feeling of being given a gift. The weight of the wrapping paper was heavy, almost slightly thinner than card stock. I don’t know why I wanted to save it, but I did. I got down to a brightly colored box that was bright purple with a message scrawled across the front:Designed especially for Vanya for her wedding day.

This didn’t seem like a box of flowers and went I went to lift the lid, I got a shock. It was me. Not just me, but me in doll form. Same full lips, face full of freckles and big wild red hair. The doll looked as though someone had taken a photo of me and aged me backward and then cast me in vinyl. Blindly, I reached for the card tucked next to her, not bothering to keep the tears from falling. I could tell by the calligraphic handwriting it was from Babette.

Her note had me in full-blown tears and I wanted nothing more than to find her and squeeze her until I couldn’t any more.

I was ready to run out of the room but Frankie walked in the room with the key I’d given her last night.

“Are you okay?” She was dressed causally with her hair pulled up in a bun. Her eyes were panicked as she saw how I was in distress.

“Where are the mothers? Where is Babette? I need to see her.”

“Why? Are you trying to run away—” I rolled my eyes at her but I couldn’t even get mad because less than a year ago I was trying to help her scale the side of a building to freedom.

I tore the doll out of the package and battled the urge to hug her to me. For a woman to make me feel so seen, so appreciated, I was almost speechless. I had never had dolls to play with that looked like me. I was told that I was too funny looking to have a doll. My job was to take care of the younger siblings if I wanted a doll. But this was a little me, like I was important enough to be represented. “I have to thank her, Frankie. Look at what she did! She got me a doll! She made me a little me! Nobody has ever—”. The sobs took over again and Frankie held me up as best she could.

“Van, I’m getting you a Prozac or a shot of liquor. Your mother-in-law got you a gift. It is a beautiful thing. You know I know a lot about shitty mothers, but mine was actively awful just like the bitch who supposedly took you in. I want you to understand that you are overwhelmed, but these women are wonderful. Look at the men they raised…” she looked off but then shook her head. “Okay, look at them from the non murdery point of view.”

I laughed and then didn’t mind hugging the doll to me. “Isn’t she beautiful, Frankie?”

“Of course she is, Vannie. She looks like you.” Frankie was crying with me and I felt so much joy. Like this doll was the first piece of joy on my happiest day.

“Thank you for this. For being my friend. For allowing me the chance to be in your life so fully that led me to this man. I’m so happy in a way that I didn’t think was possible. I’m so happy I met you in the grocery store. Thank you for being my sister.” She was sobbing now and I grabbed her up in a big hug.

“You helped me when I was down. Loved my baby as your own. I love you too, baby daddy. Now come on so we can get you married.”

XERXES

AFTER THE REHEARSAL dinner…

“Is this going to be a thing?”

The buzz of the needle continued and I focused on the sound of the ink being imbedded into my skin instead of answering the deep, humor filled voice that posed the question. Yacouba’s ass was always talking shit.

“Y’all might as well get your money’s worth. Never thought I’d ever be a tattoo artist on retainer before.”

That caused my face to crack a smile and forced me to open my eyes. Elijah’s head was bent focused on the piece I’d commissioned for him to do before my wedding. Most of my ink had been kept below certain parts of my body for business purposes. That would be changing with this piece.

“We aren’t trying to share. Besides, anyone with intelligence wants to be inked by zhe best. Zhis is far too important to trust wiz someone who might not get it right.” That was all I had to add to the conversation before I went back to zoning out.

“From portraits of the bride, to house emblems to some sayings in a foreign language. Y’all definitely make this shit interesting. But I would only want the best on my skin, too.” Elijah’s ass smirked then went back to shading in the characters on my arm.

“This man tell y’all what he had me do before I got here?”

Midas was leaned back in his seat with a glass in his hand. I’m sure it had something expensive in it because the aromatics reached me from where I was. I was having a traditionalHana Bandanor henna night instead of a bachelor party. We were in theConsortiumbuilding, which had a large lounge area and had flown Elijah up so I could get inked. I doubted the rest of them would let him go without getting something done. Especially Midas’ ass. Once we were done, we’d slide somewhere to relax, but I had no desire to see half-naked women or be in the middle of shit. I wanted to align my mind, body and spirit to what was happening tomorrow.

Vanya Kennedy was joining her spirit, her life, her destiny to mine and nothing would temper the joy of this day.

“It’s clear he not gonna say it so you need to.” Ori, who was next on the list to get married, was having entirely too much fun with this shit. He’d shown up liquor already in his system and if I didn’t know better I would think he was stressed. Nobody wanted to press him too hard because we knew his ass had an explosive temper. Nobody felt like battling his big ass if he got in his feelings.

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