ALMOST A BRIDE (Open On Annie)

19

I stood at the top of the aisle.

I was exactly like Chris had described but so much better.

Romantic setting sun casting a pale pink light across the warm white sands. (Check)

The sound of tiny waves lapping. (Check)

An aisle of velvety, red petals. (Check)

Warm glow of the candles. (Check)

But what he hadn’t described, what I hadn’t expected were my feelings.

A fluttering in my stomach. Chills, even though it was warm and a light-headedness that made me giddy. Excitement. Nerves.

I looked up from my trembling hands, and saw Chris. Waiting for me.

He was dressed in his crisp, white linen suit- just like he’d said. He looked up at me for the first time and had the biggest smile on his face.

I smiled back and the feelings inside me swelled.

I had to quickly remind myself that this was all fake. It was all for show. But it didn’t feel like it, it felt real. The way Chris was looking at me, as if I was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen...he was either an amazing actor or he was- dare I even think it?

Maybe I would finally be the girl to change his mind about love? Could I?

Our timing was perfect, and I glanced over to see Trev standing on the beach, glaring at us. His jaw was clenched tightly and he was fuming.

His wedding looked quaint. There were a few flowers scattered around him, and a few free standing lanterns lit the way for the bride. Theirs was a sweet little beach wedding. Ours was an uber-beach wedding. A beach wedding that kicked all other beach weddings in the arse. A wedding that would be talked about on the island for years to come. In fact, it was already drawing a lot of attention. A few hotel residence and tourists had gathered. Some were taking photos, and a sweet elderly couple were holding hands lovingly, obviously reminiscing about their wedding day. I didn’t care that people were looking at me. I had no stage fright whatsoever.

And then, just to really rub it in, Sophie walked onto the beach in an adorable pink dress. She’d just learnt to walk, so was still very wobbly and off balance. She took a few steps before tumbling into the soft sand giggling. The audience ‘oohhhed’ and ‘aaahed’ and some even clapped. The sound of adoration got louder when she stood up and threw her basket of Lilly’s onto the sand and started digging in it.

My sister, looking stunning in a pink dress, took Sophie by the hand and walked up the aisle towards Chris and Eric, who was standing in as best man. I didn’t need to look in Trevs’ direction, because I could feel the power of his prickly stare.

And then I heard a gasp. It was Tess. She’d walked onto the beach and into her worst nightmare. She did look stunning though, in her classic white sweet heart wedding dress holding one long stemmed red rose. But she soon turned ugly as an angry scowl contorted her features into something hideous. Our wedding made hers look like amateur child’s play, and I could see she was painfully aware of that fact. 

Out of nowhere a string quartet appeared behind me and started playing the wedding march. Tess’ mouth fell open, and she glared at Trev. The music swelled and it was my cue to start walking.

I took my first step, the roses under my feet felt soft and silky. The warm sand squished between my toes and the flared skirt of my dress swished and swayed as I walked. I looked up and saw that Chris’ eyes were glued to me. My stomach churned with butterflies, my heart swelled to bursting capacity with a million emotions and my body started trembling in anticipation and excitement. I was feeling what a real bride would feel.

Standing next to Chris was a well-built, good-looking man in a black suit. An actor recruited to play the role of priest; he looked fully in character as he said a few words to Chris. And then I was next to him, face to face. My eyes were cast down as the idea of looking him directly in the eye right now, was too intense to bare. But I slowly lifted my head and our eyes met. It was more than I’d imagined. It was electric. It was visceral.  And it felt so, so real.

Chris took my hands in his and the trembling stopped instantly. I felt like I’d come home. Like I belonged here, with him. I allowed myself one last quick glance over at T squared and saw nothing but red, hot fury. Tess even looked like she was going to burst into tears. I smiled at her as if nothing was wrong, giving them a taste of their own medicine. For the last few days they’d acted as if nothing was wrong, as if nothing bad had ever happened, as if they'd done nothing to hurt me. Well it was my turn now.

My turn to get revenge, and it tasted sweet.  As sweet as the elaborate, ten-tiered wedding cake, decorated with a spray of pink sugar crystal flowers and orchids that stood next to our uber alter.

I looked back at Chris. The sound and the sights and smells and colors seemed to disappear. All that was left was Chris. And he was everything.

 “Well do you?” The priests’ voiced pulled me back to reality. I’d zoned out so much, I hadn’t heard a word.

“What?”

“Do you take this man to be you lawfully wedded husband?”

My voiced quivered and I couldn’t help my smile, “I do.”

“And you Chris, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?

Chris’ voice was hushed and soft, “I do.”

He pulled my hand closer and took a ring out of his pocket. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. A large heart shaped pink diamond was poised on a platinum band covered in tiny diamonds that seemed to glow and glisten in the warm light of the lanterns. And then he started slipping it onto my finger and I gasped.

It moved up my finger slowly, and it felt like the most intimate and erotic thing I’d ever experienced. I looked up to see if Chris had heard my breathy gasp, he had. The look in his eyes told me so. The slightly wicked, naughty glint that flashed in them and caused the corners of his mouth to turn up into a tiny smile.

God this felt so real. Was it real? Was I imagining it?

“You may kiss the bride.”

If I was ever going to figure out if this was real, it was going to be now. Kisses never lied. Chris wrapped his arm around me and pulled me closer,

“Annie,” He whispered huskily, before leaning in and kissing me.

The kiss was delicate, soft and slow. His lips tickled mine and a shiver ran up my spine. And then his tongue gently parted my lips and I felt the tip of it enter my mouth, so, so slightly. He tasted sweet and felt hot. He let out a tiny breathy moan before cupping my face in his hands and pulling me closer. I arched my body closer to him until we were pressed up against each other as tightly as two people could ever be. I opened my mouth a little more and invited him in, for a brief moment our tongues touched and --

“Ahumm” My sister cleared her throat. “We have a child here.”

Our kiss was over, but the moment wasn’t. I could taste him in my mouth and on my slightly wet lips. The moment continued to linger as our staring intensified.

I knew exactly what he wanted. He was making no secret of it. And neither was I.

We wanted our honeymoon night together.