The roomful of family and friends cheered exactly when the newly bride and groom made their grand entrance to "Moment 4 Life" by Nicki Minaj and Drake. The ceremony took place at the Rosewood Mansion outside in the garden, where the married couple exchanged their vows beneath a light-covered arbor. The wedding planner worked well with getting everything together in such a short amount of time with the beauty of an abundance white and pink flowers.
The lining of the tabletop has lots of candlelight, white satin linens, and low centerpieces featuring white roses and accents of blush. Rose gold chairs completed the space and coordinated with the rose gold-printed menus.
Aqua donned a white, lustrous satin dress that front drapes languidly into a flattering cowl and the bias cut caressing her curves with an extremely low open draped back that shows a generous amount of her skin. The dresses soft hue compliments her olive complexion. Aqua recently dyed her tresses honey blonde and flat ironed her strands in a top ponytail, and hair hanging down passed her shoulders.
Beside Aqua was her new husband, Taveus "Bread" Benson. Taveus's tall and lean build was well-groomed in a double-breasted velvet tuxedo and red bottom, spike loafers. He had a honey skin tone and his dreads neat, basket weaved down his back and a mid trimmed beard.
Aqua had me as her maid of honor and her best friend Jackie as her bridesmaid. We both wore a dusty rose colored silky slip dress with a modern midi silhouette, and a elegant draped cowl neckline and Gold line chain earrings. My hair, sleek and straight, behind my ears. I stood in the nude, red bottom Christian Louboutin stilettos with ankle straps and nursed a glass of the signature cocktails.
I honestly didn't approve of this Aqua and Taveus's marriage. But in support of my sister, I'm here.
I averted my eyes off Aqua and Taveus on the dance floor for their first dance to "Love Changes" by Jamie Foxx and Mary J Blige and realized I finished the berry margarita. I crossed the floor over to the open bar where I found Joel dressed crisp in a tuxedo. He cleaned up nice, trimming his beard, and his silky hair combed back tightly and hung in a ponytail down his shoulders.
"That better be Sprite," I said getting his attention. "Don't want to waste part of my liver I gave you."
A little while after Tanika disappeared, Joel fell sick with alcohol liver disease, in need of a liver transplant and even after everything he put me through with Tanika, for sister's and brother I gave him mine.
Although he pisses me off, I care for Joel, he raised me, and I didn't want either one of us to loss both of our parents.
Joel showed me the glass. "Just some mint ass water. Your little liver in good hands."
I chuckled sarcastically, rolling my eyes and looked at the bartender. "Can you pour me another one of those margaritas? Thank you love."
"Just drink in your recovering father's face why don't you?"
"I wasn't the one that nearly died. You needed to stop." The bartender handed me the margarita and I took a sip of the berry flavor. "What you really need to be focused on is your CDL license."
"I got it back yesterday and I start next week with a trucking company," Joel informed me.
My trust issues towards him kicked in. "Oh yeah, which one?"
"Swift Transport. And yes it's real." He must've sensed my distrust. "Why you always think I'm lying?"
"Uh, because you're Joel—known drunk, thief, and liar."
"Well stated." He drunk some of his water, "But this is real. Look up the company if you have."
"Best believe I will after this fiasco." I gave him a smile.
"Have you heard from your mother?" Joel asked.
"Do I ever hear from her when she disappears?" I retorted and swallowed more of the margarita.
Since I seen Tanika six months ago and she told me all about my birth father, I haven't seen her since and her number was disconnected. I still haven't told anyone about our conversation. Not even Andi.
I really never got the chance to since—
"Don't you look beautiful."
—He showed up.
The baritone rasp pulled my attention from Joel and to Kut.
Kut appeared dapper in a fine wool, teal, shawl collar tuxedo with black embellished velvet loafers. His full, salt-and-pepper beard was clean trimmed, and he had a clean, tapered fade with small soft curls. The Gold chain around his neck shined and the Black Diamond earrings matched the watch wrapped around his right wrist and the ring on his index finger of the hand that held a clear glass of brown liquid.
"Lemme chat witcha beautiful daughter real quick."
Joel leaves us alone and Kut claimed his place in front of me. I took a step backward and swallowed the entire margarita. Kut chuckled lowly and I heard the cup of his thud on the bar counter and felt him take my hand. I placed my empty margarita glass just in time before Kut leads me out onto the dance floor where "Water Runs Dry" by vocal group Boyz II Men. He wrapped an arm around the small of my back and takes my hand in his and begun to slowly sway to the music.
Kut peered down at me, his eyes never leaving mine. It starts to feel like he's put me between two panes of glass and studying me beneath a microscope. "You still struck by me getting out."
"It happened so...suddenly." I responded, "You lied to me."
"And you took in Heidi." He smiled at me, "She like you."
I averted my eyes to the table of food where Heidi and Gunner were assisting Misty with her plate. The girls matched each other in floral, long sleeve blush dresses with their hair in sleek ballet buns and Gunner wore a four-piece tuxedo suit and his ginger hair freshly cut clean in a messy french crop with a disconnected undercut.
I returned my eyes on Kut. "And you had her lie to me."
"Trust me, she was just as shocked as you." I could never tell if he was lying because he knew how to not allow anyone to read him.
"Misty and Gunner have gotten used to her, so. She can still spend the night on weekends."
"She'll 'preciate that." The smile he continued to hold, "You happy bout our families bonding together?"
"Not really." I stated honestly, "Because I'm trying to understand why out of everyone's sister your brother comes after mine and marry her within a short amount of time."
"Coincidence."
"Nothing about this is a coincidence—You getting out, this marriage—there's always a reason for something your family does."
"I suppose that's true. But my brotha really love yo' sister, believe it or not."
"Hm. And you getting out?"
"Let's just say, I have a lot more business to tend to, that includes you."
My eyebrows furrowed immediately. "Includes me?"
The song ended when Aqua came over. "I'd like to dance with my sissy. Come on."
Kut smiled with his eyes, planting a kiss on my hand, then walked away. The DJ announced it would be our sister-sister dance and our favorite song "Best Friend" by Brandy played.
"I know that you're not too excited about me marrying Taveus, but I love you for coming. Please come dance with me."
The glimmer in Aqua's eyes made me dismiss what Kut told me seconds before and put aside my feelings to dance with her.
I remember when Aqua was around seven we made up a dance routine to it and we start to do that exact performance the best way we could in our dresses when the chorus came on. Then we sung to with each other. Gunner and Misty ran out and danced with us. Gunner broke out into the Tootsie roll dance that had everyone's undivided attention and hyped up, recording on their cellphones and the videographer taping angle shots.
Later on, everyone was lined outside the Rosewood Mansion and kept with the tradition, throwing rice at the married couple and I stood at the open passenger door of the white Lamborghini Gallardo. Aqua approached me, smiling wide, and hugging me.
I pulled back, smoothing back her hair. "I want you to have fun in Greece. How long will you be gone?"
"A week, then I'm back."
I nodded and looked over at Taveus, dropping my smile. "And you, keep my sister safe in Greece."
Taveus grinned, showcasing his Gold grill. "Baby kno' I got her," he kissed her temple making her smile.
"Mmhm. Fly safe."
Taveus and Aqua got into the Lamborghini and peeled off with everyone clapping behind. Everyone started to separate to their own vehicles and I went to my Nissan Rogue with Gunner and Misty and our to-go plates when I heard someone call me.
I turned around and found Kut there with a familiar woman with chestnut brown skin and her long and gray voluminous curls styled in an elegant updo on top of her head and she wore a sparkly, off shoulder dress. It was Kut and Taveus's half-Panamanian mother, Cristal Crawford. I haven't saw Cristal in many years and for a woman pushing her seventies, she still looked gorgeous and herself in tact.
"Hi, Ms. Crawford."
Cristal embraced me, and then reeled back, offering me a kind smile. "We've been here this whole time and I haven't seen you. If I wasn't thinking correctly, I feel like you been dodging me."
"No, no, not at all."
"Mmhm." She hummed and released me, "Just because you and my son not together no more don't mean not to keep in touch with me. I live in Tennessee. I'm not dead."
"I'll need your number."
"I'll have Kyan will give it to you. I'm still learning how to work this ePhone."
Kut and me chuckled. "It's called iPhone, Momma."
"Whatever the hell it is," Cristal waved him off. "I know you gotta go lay them kids down, so, how about one weekend y'all come out to my place in Tennessee. I'll hook up some barbecue, and your favorite—Enyucado."
Cristal named my favorite Panamanian cheesecake. "That does sound good. We'll discuss it."
"Bien. Good night kids." Cristal waved at Gunner and Misty.
Kut gave me Cristal's number before he walked away with her.
I started my Nissan when I was interrupted from leaving again, but this time by Aqua's best friend Jackie. "Looks like we're about to be coworkers."
I was too tired for this. "What the hell you talking about Jackie?"
"The laundromat—Klean Laundry—The one Kut and Bread opening on Western."
"The fuck they laundromat gotta do with me?"
"Oh, you must don't know."
Sound of loud music and vibration of the bass interrupted me from asking a further question to her statement. "Say! Com' on, Jackie!"
"Hold on, what don't I know?"
"Night-night Joie." Jackie rushed away, hopping in the fancy car with one of Taveus's friends and left.
The hell do I not know?
Once I got home, and we changed out of the wedding attire, Gunner and Misty were sleep quickly while I was planted in my bedroom searching up the trucking company that Joel would start driving for next week—Swift Transport. And looking into the company I found out who it is founded by nearly twenty years ago.
Lamar Crawford—Kut and Taveus's uncle.
First, Kut tells me he has more business to handle that includes me, then Jackie mentioning a laundromat that's opening by them and claiming we'll be coworkers, and lastly, I found out that Joel was employed by a trucking company that their uncle owns.
No one's giving me any responds.
Genuinely, I'm confused.
"What the hell do you have up your sleeve Kut?" I mumbled.
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