Mirage | 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙚𝙡 𝙅𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣

Chapter 26

"Where's the dress?", Michael asked curiously, realizing that there was only a picture of him in the fitting last week. He had an annoyed expression as we wore a simple but expensive black tuxedo and bow tie with luxury shoes. 

There was even a few pictures of Ashe, Taylor, Janet, Abena and Lulu in soft pink bridesmaids dresses. But no sign of Louisa's wedding dress.

Ashe smacked the back of his head. "It's supposed to be a surprise", she said and Michael sobbed his head, glaring at her.

By the end of the week, the sisters (that had adopted Janet as if she was one of them) were looking over the venue. The barrels, wine bottles, tables, chairs and flowers were in their place as they were checking if everything was done.

It had been the first time since they moved in together that Louisa was sleeping in a separate bed from Michael. She was staying at Mrs. King and Janet's home in Bel Air as it was tradition for them to be apart the night before the wedding.

"Good morning wifey, you should get up before mother beats the fuck out of us", Louisa heard Janet's voice by her side. After all, they slept together in her room. "I can hear her anxious steps and honestly, it's scaring me"

It was true, Mrs. King's steps could be heard all over the house as she was letting everyone in. The hairstylists, the dressers, the Oak sisters, preparing breakfast and telling everyone to get a shower before getting ready.

Thinking about marriage, Louisa remembered how Michael had asked her to marry this soon since both of them had lost a lot in life and wasting time wasn't something he'd like for their lives. And she had told him he was right. After their engagement, they went to visit Louisa's parents and Michael's dad.

Even though the sun was up, the greenery was beautiful and the blue sky signalled a good day; they felt a bit gloomy inside. The most important people in their lives weren't there to meet each other. But they had agreed that presenting themselves like this was a good idea.

"It's been a long time since the last time I've been here", Michael had said, looking down to where his dad had been buried. Kneeling only to clean his name, he felt at peace.

"How old were you the last time you've been here?", Louisa asked him, standing close to him. There was this odd feeling of fulfillment in both of them, as if everything was falling on place. 

Standing up, but still locking his eyes on his father's name, he replied: "I was eighteen years old", he said and then looked at Louisa, with a sad smile. "My graduation day, when I promised him I'd come back when I had avenged him for good", she took a few steps closer to him, hugging him from the back. "But how fool I had been, I never needed any of that"

He looked at Louisa that smiled warmly at him. "Well, life is a hell of a teacher, isn't he?", she simply said, making him smile.

"I used to think life was so unfair, but in reality, I have so much more than other people—I will use everything I have to make other people's lives better", Michael vowed, making another promise, this one was increasingly better and something that would be easier to accomplish. "Anyways, papa, this is Louisa Ronan—remember her? She's Mr. Ronan's kid, the smartest and most beautiful woman I've ever met", he said, making her laugh at his cheesiness. "Papa, you know how I can't handle being like this, so please, give us your blessing and greet Georgie for us, would you?"

Louisa smiled at Michael, looking at how he was talking to his father as if it was a normal day and he was just a few miles away from them. She had realized how it seemed that he had finally found closure in his life. 

"Oh, and please bless us with 14 beautiful kids—", he said teasingly, but Louisa knew he meant it, as she elbowed him in the ribs. "Chill! I was just kidding"

The next step had been harder. Michael doesn't remember Louisa talking that much about her parents, but whenever she did, she was short and precise. He enjoyed watching her put some sunflowers over her mother's grave and white roses over his father's.

"Hi mama, hi daddy", she whispered, sighing and pulling some undergrowth from the sides of the gravestone, where her mother's name laid. "I'm sorry I haven't been here lately to clean this mess up, next time I'll come prepared, I promise"

He watched how she sat in between the gravestones and he stood out of her way as she looked at the hills coming down in front of her. Curiously, he stood behind her as she was speaking.

"I'm getting married soon... cha-ching!", she flashed her ring at the sky and laughed. "He's a good guy very deep inside, I promise", she chuckled, making Michael snort. "I'm doing good now, I'm planning to open a business, the flower shop you guys always wanted to open"

Michael was slightly surprised hearing that, but he was happy to hear that she was planning to do something she'd love to do. A flower shop? He's in. Maybe he would enjoy watching her flowing through the shop with flowers in her hands, breathtakingly beautiful. He would enjoy the rest of their lives if a peaceful life like that was in store for them.

Louisa giggled, making him come back to reality. "His name is Michael Jackson, and yes! He's Mr. Jackson's son, you used to joke all the time about matchmaking me with him", she giggled again and Michael laughed, deciding to seat next to her and listen to her talk to her parents. "This is him, by the way"

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Ronan, I hope you're resting peacefully wherever you are", Michael said, looking up to the sky, where his fiancee was looking at. "You might remember me, but I'd still like to introduce myself to you—and don't believe whatever mean things Louisa say about me—I am a good person and I intend to love her and take care of her for the rest of my life", he said and Louisa took his hand, lovingly looking at him.

"See? He might seem mean, but he's a softie in the inside", Louisa said, making him roll his eyes with a smile on his face.

"Mr. and Mrs. Ronan, is it okay if Louisa walks home today? So she can tone her sassiness down", Michael said as Louisa once again elbowed him softly. "Nah, I'm just kidding—I'm actually here to ask your blessings and to thank you for giving life to such a wonderful person", he said and then added: "She might be the only woman in this world that can handle me, actually—"

The memories of that beautiful day were still intact in her mind as women all around Janet's house were either cackling, yelling or in despair. She was the only one that was calm as the makeup artist was working on her face.

"You have a very lively family", the makeup artist said when Abena started laughing out loud at something Taylor showed her on her phone. 

Louisa smiled. "Yes, I love my family", she said just as Janet was whining at her mother's request of her wearing her hair up.

"But I HATE wearing my hair up, mama! My head is big! It's like an apple!", she was whining from the other side of the kitchen as Louisa snorted.