Peeling Back the Top Layer 🇯🇲

Epilogue

I beam at Gillian and Ricardo, who are doting on each other like newlyweds. After his little hospital scare, Ricardo swore never to invite another person into their sex life again. The two embarked on rediscovering themselves and somehow that reignited the love and sexual attraction between them.

After the usual speeches and the couple's first dance, the master of ceremony announces that it's time for the bride to toss the bouquet. I opt out of it but everyone at the table is adamant that I go. Samantha and Kimberly practically drag me out of the seat to go with them while Chaunard sits there laughing at me.

I'm standing among about a dozen women with no intention of even trying to catch the bouquet. This whole theory of the 'lucky' person being next in line has never sat well with me.

Gillian looks excited with her cellphone in hand trying to capture what she's hoping will be the moment the baton is passed between friends. At her wedding, Marsha was the one who snatched the bouquet and now she thinks it's my turn.

The MC starts the countdown and Marsha swings her hand up and down teasingly. But when the MC yells go, she turns to face the group of women awaiting the toss. Her grin is wide and her eyes glaze over with tears as she walks over with the bouquet outstretched to me.

"Weh yah do?" I ask in a hushed tone, startled by her choosing to break tradition, and hand the floral arrangement directly to me. She shoves it into my hands and grabs hold of my shoulder and says "A you nex. Turn round," then spins me 180 degrees.

The other maids separate to reveal Chaunard down on one knee with a ring in his hand.

They were all a part of it.

A chorus of "awwws" echoes around us but I am dumbstruck. Words fail me. I cannot even make a sound.

My eyes burn as the first drop of tear slides down my cheek. I glance at a smiling Gillian, who has moved from where she previously stood. I figure it's so that she can get a better angle for her video.

"Will you marry me?" Chaunard asks and all I can do is nod yes. Marsha's guests respond with claps and loud cheers while a few of the maids pop confetti above our heads when we kiss.

"Another wedding is in order," announces the MC, "Give it up for Kelsie and Chaunard!"

At the end of the ceremony, Marsha bids me and Gillian a tearful goodbye since the occasion also marks her official move to the US with her husband. I know some of those tears are due to pregnancy hormones.

"Congrats again Kelz. Please hurry up an married before mi belly start to show," she suggests before pulling me into a hug and then entering the waiting car with Ethan. Gillian and I wave goodbye to her and then to each other.

I am left standing there, watching as the bride and groom's vehicle exits the property when Chaunard sneaks up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. "So Marsha is pregnant too?" he asks.

"You heard her?"

"Yeah, I did. That's two babies you'll be welcoming next year."

"It's actually three," I mumble but he doesn't seem to hear me.

"Babe, can we get married in the next six to eight weeks?" I ask, leaning back against him.

"We can but why yuh waa stress yourself fi do it so quick?"

I pull his hands down to my abdomen and tell him "because I don't want a long engagement and I also don't want to be a fat bride".

"Suh yuh plan fi gain weight after the next eight weeks?"

"I don't have a choice," I tell him, this time moving his hands in circles on my stomach.

He doesn't utter a word for a few seconds and I start thinking that it flew over his head once more. Then he asks, "Yuh pregnant? How?"

"Remember I switched from the pills to the injection because of the mood swings? Well...I was supposed to take the shot every three months but with the wedding and everything, I forgot to make the appointment.

"My breasts have been unusually tender for the past two weeks and I felt bloated too so this morning I did three pregnancy tests and they're all positive. Are you upset?"

"What? Hell no! Mi did waa to do things di right way – get married, have a nice honeymoon and all before a baby but I guess life has other plans and it's all fine with me," he says.

"Sure?" I ask, spinning around to face him. A wide grin is plastered on his face. "Mi know dis might sound corny but believe mi when mi tell yuh seh yuh cyaa find a man happier than me right now." And I believe him.

"I love you Chaunard."

"And I love you, Kelsey," he replies as we lock lips.