A Year and 6 Months Later..
" You're absolutely breathtaking. I'm proud of you amira." My baba said as tears fell from his eyes.
" Dad stop, you're going to make me cry again." I said as I looked up fanned my eyes with one of my hand while the other one held my bouquet of white roses.
" You're right, I'm sorry. Let me get myself together." He said as he nodded his head wiping his tears.
" Please." I said laughing.
The all black Orchestra began playing " Why I Love you" by Major. Which was an indication that it was almost time for me to walk down the aisle.
" You ready amira? Cause if not we still got time to walk outta hea." My baba said me as he looked at me.
" I'm beyond ready. I couldn't walk out on that man even if I tried." I said truthfully as I locked arms with him.
" 3...2...1! Cue the doors." My wedding planner Monica said in her ear peace, and signaled us to look ahead.
* Top is the ceremony & the bottom is the reception*
I took a deep breath, and the double doors opened. Every seat was filled with guest, but the only person I seen was Markeyvius. He wore a white and black tuxedo with black Christian louboutin dress shoes that matched. Me and my father began walking down the aisle, and we made eye contact. The tears ran down his face as he watched me getting closer and closer. Once he put his head down as Fat patted and rubbed his shoulders giving him the strength to look back up at me. My tears started to fall as well. Thank God, my makeup artist made my makeup waterproof.
" Who gives this woman away?" The pastor asked.
" We do." My baba and momma said in unison.
My dad kissed the side of my head before handling me away to Key. I passed my bouquet to Ashley, as I joined hands with Key.
" You look beautiful." He said sincerely.
" Thank you. You don't look too bad yourself. But come on, we both can't be up hea crying now." I joked causing everybody to laugh as I wiped his tears.
" You right. You right." He said as cleared his throat.
" Dearly beloved we're all gathered here today to witness the union and celebrate the love of these two beautiful people have for each other, and to give social recognition to their decision to commit their lives and accept each other totally." The officiant said.
( Ian even finna hold y'all. I don't know shit about no wedding ceremony, so let's just skip to the important part😂)
" Markeyvius, do you take Caliana to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her, for as long as you both shall live?" The officiant asked him.
" I do."
" Caliana, do you take Markeyvius to be your lawfully wedded husband to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?" He asked me.
" I do."
" By the power vested in me by God and man, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." He said as Key grabbed my face kissing me, and of course I deepened the kiss by adding my tongue cause this my husband now.
" Ight now. Do forget we still in the front row." My baba said causing us to pull away from each other as we laughed.
" I give to you Mr. and Mrs. Cathey." The officiant announced as all of our guest started clapping and cheering as we walked down the aisle in hands.
" So what the hell we suppose to do now?" Key asked me once we walked out.
" See if you would've been paying attention to Monica when she told us numerous times of how today was going to go, then you would know." I laughed.
" My only focus was getting to the alter to marry you. None of that other shit matter to me." He said causing me to smile.
" We're going to take our pictures with the wedding party, and by time we finished that it'll be time for us to walk into the reception." I said causing him to nod.
" Can we just skip the reception, and just head to the airport, so we can start our honeymoon?"
" No, we cannot. What you in such a rush fa?" I laughed.
" You know why. Ian seen you in 24 hours. I missed you." He said as he rested his hand on my ass.
" I missed you too." I said as I kissed him.
Before Key could say anything our crazy ass wedding party finally caught up with us.
" Let's hurry up and take these pictures, so we can get to the fucking liquor." Jaliyah said excitedly bouncing her shoulders.
" Shhhhh! Y'all don't hear that? Somebody calling my name." Woo asked.
" Hear what? Who?" Kennedy asked as we all looked at him.
" That m'fin Deleón!" Woo sung causing me to shake my head.
" I'ma gone and head let y'all know now. When I get in this reception I'm showing my whole ass. I'm going to take advantage of that free open bar." Fat said calmly as he nodded his head.
" And I agree with Fat ass." Mia said causing Fat to frown.
" I don't this bitch just didn't." Fat said to Pjay as he pointed at Mia.
" Don't even do it to ha Fat. She can't fuck with ya." Pjay said.
" And she can't!" Fat said as he playfully mushed her upside the head.
" Ight, keep playing with me and watch I karate chop yo ass in the neck." Mia threatened.
" Ok guys, let's we're on a tight schedule. So, let's get these wedding party pictures knocked out. And then you guys can go and enjoy the reception with the rest of the guests." Monica said as she rounded all of us up to go the location outside.
After an hour of taking photos, we finally were walking in the reception. Our wedding party was already introduced and now it was me and Markeyvius turn.
" Introducing for the very first time Mr. and Mrs. Cathey!" The DJ yelled over the mic as Dreams and Nightmares by Meek Mill began playing.
" Seen my dreams unfold, nightmares come true
It was time to marry the game and I said, "Yeah, I do."
If you want it, you gotta see it with a clear-eyed view
Got a shorty, she tryna bless me like I said achoo" Key rapped.
" Like a nigga sneezed, nigga please, 'fore them triggers squeeze
I'm gettin' cream, never let them hoes get in between
Of what we started, lil' nigga but I'm lion-hearted
They love me when I was stuck and they hated when I departed" I rapped back to him.
Next thing, I knew our whole wedding party was rapping and hyping each other up like we were in the damn club. We literally partied like we were all in highschool again. Taking countless of shots around the clock, and the only reason we sat down was to start eating, and to hear some of our wedding party give speeches.
" Wazzam y'all! As most of you may know I'm Ashley Janae Richard. I go by Ash or Godmom to the one and only A'Kyrie. Hi papa! And I'm also one of Caliana's best friends. The first one she's ever had. No disrespect to Kenn nem. I love you guys." Ashley joked.
" But I've known Caliana since we were 12, and we've always been very close. I'll never forget the first time I met Key. Cali, Trey, and Ms. Erica had came back to New Orleans fa the Thanksgiving holidays. It was through via FaceTime. Me and Cali was sitting in the car, and Trey came out the house with his phone and opened the door giving it to Cali. She was talking to somebody who I now know as Fat. And he asked her to show everybody in the car, but me and Cali was the only people in the car. So I told him to show all of dem, so I can see what they all look like." She said causing me to laugh cause I remember the day she talking about.
" I remember pointing at Key telling Cali girl dat's the trade of the group right there! And she looked at me with the straightest face, and said Ash he got a girlfriend. The tone and the look on her face told me everythang I needed to know. But before I could even speak on, Fat took it upon himself to let us know dat his girlfriend broke up with him cause he drove Cali home from some Halloween party." Ashley said.
" She sure did! Left my boy high and dry fa nothing!" Fat yelled out before he took another bite of his food.
Everybody laughed cause he's a fool.
" And Cali I know I say I won't say nothing, but I feel like this is the perfect moment to let everybody know this now. You cool with dat?" Ashley asked me and I nodded my head as I kinda knew where this was headed.
" What Key nem didn't know is once she hung the phone up, gave Trey his phone back, and waited until Trey went back into the house. She looked at me, and goes Ash I think I like Key. I said you think or you know? She said I know, but I don't wanna like him. And of course, I asked her why. She said cause I'm not ready to be in a serious relationship again. It's like I'm down playing my feelings for him, and I know it. Cause whenever we're alone together I feel this connection to him, we vibe, and he has the soft side to him that has me yearning for more. But I'm scared to feel like this for somebody I haven't known dat long. The look on my best friend face let me know she was truly scared. I gave her the best advice my 18 year old self could give her. I told her not to rush it, and wait it out cause we're still young. So they got time to figure it out, and look at dem now. They've gotten it all figured out. Nobody deserves a better ending than my best friend cause she's been through a lot, so to be able to stand here and give this speech today it's a blessing and an honor. And I couldn't be any happier for the both of you. I love you bestie!" Ashley said into the mic as she wiped her tears. She had the mic back to the DJ before walking over to hug me.
" I love you too." I said as I hugged her tightly.
We released from our embrace as she returned to her seat.
" Excuse me! I'd like to make a toast." Fat said into the mic with a glass of champagne in his hand.
" Who gave this fool the damn mic?" Pjay said shaking his head.
" Whatchu mean? He da best man. He suppose to do a speech. Ashley just finished her Maid of Honor speech." Ari said.
" Yeah, but I told that nigga not to do one cause ion need him speaking fa me." Key said shaking his head.
" And he been drinking too? Yeah, Fat finna show his ass." Woo said laughing.
" Mane ass bound to say or do any damn thing. Somebody better go get the mic before he start beat boxing or some shit." Dolph laughed.
" I'll go get the mic from his ass. Cause y'all know Fat ain't got no damn sense." Kennedy said as she was finna get up, but I grabbed her arm.
" Quickly! Matter of fact, do that shit expeditiously." Trey shaking his head.
" No, y'all cut him some slack, and leave him alone. I wanna hear what he finna say." I said causing Kennedy to sit back down as we all turned our attention back to Fat.
" That's risky as hell." Jaliyah said.
" Right, but it's yo wedding boo." Mia said as she took a sip of her drink.
" Ion know if a lot of y'all know this or not, but this was suppose to be me and Cali's wedding. Ain't that right Glock?" Fat smirked looking over at table towards Key.
" Fuck no! She friend zoned yo ass with the quickness. It ain't my fault she didn't like yo ass." Key yelled causing everybody to laugh.
" Anyways, I just wanna say nun of us would be here today, if it wasn't fa me. I was the first one to meet Cali and I introduced her to our group, so look around cause I created this. All this happened cause of me." Fat said proudly causing everybody to laugh and shook their heads.
" Famarkius!" Tameika said calling Fat by his real name, and looking at him with a boy either say some serious or sit cho ass down look.
" But nah fa real tho. I just wanna say I'm really happy fa y'all. Nobody deserves a happy ending more than y'all two. My best friend since elementary and my favorite person in the whole world finally married. Ion know bout y'all, but I been praying fa this day cause ian want Glock with nobody else, but Cali. Cause if you know, you know! Fav you bring out a side of Glock, ian neva seen before. You changed my nigga fa the better, and I couldn't be anymore prouder than I already am. May God continue to bless y'all, and bless your marriage. Y'all my family fa life and I love y'all. And umm, I just wanna say thank y'all from the bottom of my heart fa allowing me to be apart of y'all love story. So, with that being said cheers to the Mr. and Mrs. Cathey, AKA The Glocks." Fat said as he wiped a tear before raising his glass in the air.
" Cheers!" Everybody said with their glasses raised.
Fat handed the DJ the mic back before he came over to us. I quickly got up, and hugged Fat.
" Thank you Fatty, that was beautiful. We love you too." I said as I kissed him on his jaw.
" And I meant every fucking word Fav." Fat said as we released from our hug before he dapped up Key next.
" Preciate it Fat." Key said as they had a long brotherly hug.
" Y'all deserve it bruh. Congratulations." Fat said as they released from their embrace.
" Ian even gone hold you Ash, Fat speech was way better than yours." Trey said.
" No it wasn't." Ash said.
" Girl boo please, I ate you right on up!" Fat said cockily.
" You might be use to eating and clearing plates, but when it comes to speeches. We all know mine was better. Cut the bullshit." Ash said.
" Oh you late. Cause the bullshit was cut once you past the mic back to the DJ after that weak ass speech you did, and I had to come in and clean up behind you. So, you're welcome sister girl." Fat said as he patted her on the shoulder causing her to frown as the began bickering back and forth.
Some shit just will never change..
" Now can we have the bride and groom to the floor for their first dance?" The DJ said as Key grabbed my hand guiding me to the dance floor.
1+1 by Beyoncé started playing as me and Key began our first dance. My arms wrapped around his neck while his wrapped around my waist. We stared into each other's eyes as we danced. I poked my lips out for a kiss, and he quickly obliged as he placed one one my lips.
" I love you Mr. Cathey." I said smiling.
" I love you more Mrs. Cathey." Key said with the same smile on his face just like me.
Omniscient POV
Despite everything that happened to her and life knocking her down multiple times. She's still as beautiful on the inside just as she is on the outside. She didn't let what all she's been through keep her from growing. She's the true meaning of Roses That Grew From The Concretes.
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How y'all feel about this book now that it's finally finished😢? It's kind of a bittersweet feeling cause I'm going to miss the personalities of the characters and the bond of the whole friend group🥺😭! But I'm also happy cause they was getting on my nerves in real life😂! But who y'all think had the better speech? Ashley or Fat😩? Let me know in the comments😌! Make sure you vote it, comment, and follow me💯! Love y'all💞! And I just wanna say thank you guys so much for supporting me and my books, y'all love and support never goes unnoticed at all🥰🫶🏾!
The bonus chapters for this story will be released on Saturday.. And the cast release plus the first chapter of the new Nardo Wick story will released Saturday🥳!!!