SUGAR || Lori Harvey x Method Man

-Chapter Twenty-Two-

In the morning we got up and packed bags to get ready for the wedding. Me, Tati and Imani went to the wedding venue to get our hair and makeup done for the day and let the boys get ready at the house.

Imani had a photographer taking pictures of us as we got put together.

"Aw Imani," Tati's eyes watered as Imani stepped into her dress and her mother tied up the back.

"Girl stop, you gon make me cry already." Imani smiled, her eyes watering too. I had to look up to keep my own tears from starting because she really did look beautiful.

"Let's atleast get you to the aisle first before the water works start." I smiled. "You look gorgeous Mani."

"Thank you," She grinned as she looked at herself in the mirror. "I can't believe I'm about to be a whole wife."

The word wife hit way different than girlfriend or baby mama. That was top of the top when it came to dealing with these men. To be the wife of a nigga like James, you had to get through a lot and be prepared to face even more. I could see that Imani was happy, but I knew she was feeling the pressure now too.

We finished getting dressed right before it was time for the ceremony to start.

"Come on y'all, we have to take pictures first. My make up is going to be no good after we say these vows." Imani joked causing the whole room to laugh with her. Typically Tati was the crybaby but today was Imani's turn, and rightfully so.

We took pictures for a few minutes which put us a little behind schedule but we made sure to get her to the aisle. How Deep Is Your Love by PJ Morton ft Yebba started playing which was the cue to start walking down the aisle. One of James' nephews had to step in since Reek couldn't make it, and he walked with Tati down the aisle. Clifford and I stood behind them, arms linked together and followed their steps to the end of the aisle. Once we reached the end we took our seats in the front row. Since this wasn't a traditional wedding and they didn't have many guests to begin with, James and Imani wanted to stand in the front with just eachother.

We all stood as Imani began her walk down the aisle. She had a smile on her face but tears flooded her eyes as she walked down the aisle holding her fathers arm. James quickly wiped his face a few times so that we didn't see the tears, but we knew he was crying, as he should. James and Imani's father shook eachothers hand and her father took his seat in the audience with the rest of us.

I smiled at the sight of Imani's father and James shaking hands. I wondered if there was tension between them like there is between Clifford and my father, and how the hell they overcame it.

The ceremony was short but very sweet. James and Imani wrote their own vows that they recited to eachother, which were so beautiful that Tati cried the entire time. I did catch myself dropping a couple of tears but it was really because I related to Imani so heavy in this situation. The way she and James loved each other mirrored Clifford and I, and it showed all throughout the ceremony.

Clifford rubbed my hand that he was holding with his thumb and kissed my forehead as I wiped my tears away.

After Imani and James jumped the broom we met up to take more pictures with all of us together, and then we went to the reception venue.

The decoration was very simple and classy, true to Imani's style. Each table had assigned seating with a pre-selected dinner menu and a gorgeous glass center piece with lights, diamonds and flowers in it.

Imani and James had their first dance, followed by her dance with her father, which again made my heart happy. She was so lucky.

We were served the three course dinner and then the DJ really started the party. Imani danced around the entire reception all night, forcing us to take shots with her. They cut the gigantic 5 layer cake that was way too big for the amount of people at this wedding and shoved pieces in eachothers face. The smiles on their faces made everyone in the room smile. Their love was so genuine and loud that it filled the room.