Page 30 of Before I Say I Don't
Viangelo ran a hand over his face.
“I’ma just keep it all the way real. I don’t have it right now, Kam. That’s the truth.” His gaze dropped to the floor, avoiding my eyes.
My breath caught. “You… you don’t have it?” My voice trembled, a mixture of disbelief and rage coursing through me. “And how the hell not, Angelo?! You make good money... even after taxes. So you should have at least fifty thousand stashed away, if not more! Not to mention, you’ve had six months to handle this! Six months! And you’re telling me you don’t have the funds?!”
In that moment, I felt a wave of déjà vu wash over me, reminiscent of that meeting when Danica had been scolding Jayla for not being able to hold up her end of the bargain.
The same excuses. The same shrug. The same look of somebody who thought deadlines were suggestions.
What the fuck was going on?I wondered.
I felt like I was in a group chat for an upcoming big trip, and everybody kept bailing at the last minute with excuses like, ‘oh, I’m broke,’ ‘oh, my job won’t let me off,’ ‘oh, I forgot my passport.’ Except that wasn’t Cancun… it was my damn wedding.
Viangelo’s mouth opened, then closed. “Some shit came up.”
I scoffed, sharp and bitter. “Some shit came up?That’syour defense? So this ‘shit’ is more important than one of the biggest days of your life?!”
“Kam.”
He tried to touch my arm, but I jerked away.
“No! Don’t Kam, me! First, it was your excuse of forgetting, and now it’s that you simply don’t have it! So which one is the truth?! Because either way, it feels like you’ve been lying to me!”
He bristled. “Both. But I didn’t lie… I just didn’t tell you.”
“Same thing!” I retorted, my voice rising with indignation.
“Kam, you’re acting like I don’t have it because I’m out here wasting money.”
I stepped closer. “I don’t know what the hell you’re doing! But if you’re not just giving it away, then where the hell is it going?! It certainly isn’t covering the venue, the floral arrangements, the catering, the photographer's fees, or even my bridal gown—all of which I’ve already settled. You haven’t even chipped in for a wedding favor! You were responsible for one simple task, Angelo… justone! Well, aside from your tuxedo, that is. And now I find out you don’t even have the remaining balance for the venue!”
Viangelo let out a heavy sigh, his demeanor dismissive as if my concerns were trivial.
“You’re blowing this out of proportion. I’ma find a way to handle it.”
“Oh, is that right? Like, say… bytomorrow?” I shot back; my arms crossed defiantly over my chest. “Because according to Mariah, if the venue’s balance isn’t paid in fullbythen, there won’t be a wedding… at least not at that establishment... forus.”
He fell silent, the weight of my words hanging heavily in the air.
I let out a dry chuckle, though there was no trace of amusement in it.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll pay it—just like I’ve paid for everything else that’s needed for this wedding.”
“For real, Kam?”
“Shit… am I lying? Because that’s what I’ve been doing since day one, right? Picking up your slack. Masking the truths thatcould unravel ourcarefullyconstructed image, so that we don’t end up looking like fools while you get to play the part of ‘good man’ to everybody else, and I hold my breath, hoping no one else notices the cracks because God forbid we lose the facade of being the perfect couple!”
His jaw clenched. “You’re not being fair.”
“Fair?” I let out an incredulous scoff. "What’s truly fair is that I shouldn’t have to juggle both roles in this relationship—being the steadfast providerandthe doting bride. What’s fair is me not waking up every morning wondering if the man I’m about to marry is actually going to show up for me, or if I’m just signing up to be disappointed for the rest of my life.What’sfairis the peace of mind that comes from knowing I can trust you with even thesmallestcommitments and that you won’t let me down!”
“I messed up, Kam! Damn! But you acting like twenty grand is gonna break you! You got money! Yo’ ass is rich as hell! Didn’t you just win that big verdict?”
I blinked erratically, heat spiking in my chest.
“See, that’s the problem; you don’t even know how this whole legal process operates. A verdict handed down in court doesn’t simply mean a check is magically waiting for me at the courthouse doorstep the very next morning. The defendant has a substantial thirty days to file any post-trial motions, and only after that does the window for an appeal open. Do you have any idea of the time it can take for any form of monetary compensation to actually reachme? We’re talking about a span that can stretch from several months to even years! During that time, these bills, the numerous cases I’m juggling, and the chaos of my life refuses to pause... including this damn wedding! Everything is in a holding pattern, and time is ticking away!”
Viangelo opened his mouth, but I cut him off with a bitter laugh.
