Flora
Inserting the pin of my criss cross crystal and pearl earrings in the holes pierced of my ears, I gaze at the reflection of a woman modeling in an XXL spaghetti strapped chiffon maxi dress with a bold floral print washed in vivacious colors of blue, indigo, marigold, a bit of magenta, brick red, coral, and scarlet. My hair has been styled in loose curls and my makeup is in a minimum. Applying my mascara on my eyelashes, I mutter along the radio to the classic "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes that I was introduced to when I was three years old when my mom and I went to the Surfside Diner with my maternal Aunt Jillian.
I close the cap of the mascara and slip my feet into my pair of turquoise and white bedazzled wedge sandals in jewels. I pick up the remote to make sure that I've set record on Marrying Mr. Darcy that would air tonight on the Hallmark channel. I gather my phone along with the keys and walk to Celeste's bedroom door, knocking on the door. "Celeste, sweetie? Are you ready?" I ask.
The doorknob twists and the door opens to Celeste in her ivory layered skirt dress with a white sleeveless top that has embellishment in the waist area, matching a pair of ivory sandals to show her pink pedicure. "I'm ready, mommy!" Celeste grins and I smile at my little girl, who is skipping to the door. My hand grasps onto the doorknob just as the door is opening for Celeste and I to be greeted by the balmy afternoon. I unlock the car for Celeste to sit in her car seat with a seatbelt before I enter the vehicle.
Two hours and twenty seven minutes have passed and the afternoon is dawning into the evening by the time I pull up to the United Church of Christ in Fort Lauderdale. I get out of the car with two things in my hand while I help get Celeste out of her car seat. After that, I lock all of the doors of my car and lower the volume of my phone thoroughly just as we make our way to the church through the packed guests that taking their seats on the pews that are embellished with ivory roses. Celeste and I take our seats on the second row pew on the left.
"Hey, Cousin Flora!" I turn to my Cousin Brandi along with Aiyana, Tricia, and my Cousin Morgan sitting beside me.
"Hey, you guys!" I greet them with a hug and they greet Celeste with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"The decorations in here are beautiful! I love the arch that leads you to the aisle!" Cousin Brandi comments and I turn around in my seat to gaze at the arch full of ivory and fire roses. My eyes avert to the pastor walking straight down the aisle with a bible tucking under his arm, standing center. Once everybody that is cordially invited to the vow renewal, the soft, delicate strum of the Spanish guitar plays from nowhere as the familiar voice sings so subliminal in fluent Spanish. I realize that the woman who is singing happens to be Magdalena the same time her youngest nephew, Ether teeters with a bible prior to her preteen nephew, Dalvin is carrying not just a tray, but a silver tray of thirteen gold arras or coins. Subsequently, her precious seven year old niece, Emily sprinkles the ivory rose petals prior to "Here Comes the Bride" playing on cue for the entire congregation to stand from the pews to gaze at Mrs. Fernandez walking swiftly down the aisle arm to arm with her father lethargically. In spite of her father's ailing heath, it is such an honor for her to walk down the aisle with her dad just like every girl's desire to dream about the day they get married.
By the time Mrs. Fernandez stand beside her groom of thirty years, the officiant informs us to sit back down on the pews and starts off with the word of love and marriage. "Montego and Criselda, it is a pleasure to share today's wonderful occasion with you. Many people believe that entering into marriage is the final step in a romantic relationship. A couple meets, get to know one another and fall in love, decide they want to spend their lives together, and then take the final step—marriage. But marriage is hardly the final step in a couple's relationship; rather it is the beginning of a grand adventure! You have shared the joys, blessings and challenges of married life for thirty years. Today you want to reconfirm your commitment to working together and ensuring your marriage blossoms for years to come. May this renewing of the vows you took to become husband and wife remind you that despite the stresses inevitable in every life, your love, respect, trust and understanding of each other will continue to increase your contentment and heighten your joy in living." The pastor then recites his sermon in Spanish.
"Please join hands." Mister and Mrs. Fernandez face across each other for them to intertwine their fingers. "Who has the arras?" The pastor asks.
"I have the arras." Dalvin answers as he comes forward between Mister and Mrs. Fernandez and the pastor.
"Dear God, bless and sanctify Montego and Criselda in your love. May these arras be a symbol of their mutual fidelity and help. We pray that they never forget the words. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Help them use their resources in service to their family, and the community, and those in need. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen."
"Amen." The entire guests, including myself reply simultaneously. The pastor then hands them to the blushing Mrs. Fernandez who places them in Mr. Fernandez's cupped hands. The coins are then placed on a tray. A middle aged woman stands up from the right side of the pew with a microphone in her hand. My eyebrows knit utterly.
"That's my mom's sister aka my Aunt Mona and she's gonna say a prayer of blessing in Spanish." Magdalena explains in a sotto. I nod understandingly as I listen to Mona praying in Spanish.
"Montego, will you continue to have Criselda as your wife and continue to live in this marriage? Do you reaffirm your love to her, and will you love, honor and cherish her in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?" The pastor queries. Mr. Fernandez replies in Spanish with an affirmative nod, indicating that he does.
"Criselda, will you continue to have Montego as your husband and continue to live in this marriage? Do you reaffirm your love for him, and will you love, honor and cherish him in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?" She agrees in Spanish.
"At this time, Criselda and Montego will be bounded by Montego's sister, Penelope with the lasso to symbolize the inseparable nature of the married couple. Penelope walks towards the bride and groom of thirty years with a lasso embroidered with ivory flowers, bounding the duo around the necks and shoulders.
"On your wedding day, you exchanged rings as a symbol of the never-ending circle of love. The rings are served as a reminder of your vows to each other and your commitment to live in unity, love, and happiness. At this time, reconfirm the meaning of the rings you wear. Please join your left hands together." The officiant orders. Mr. Fernandez's hand is on top of Mrs. Fernandez's left hand. "Montego, please repeat after me."
"Criselda, I wear this ring you placed on my hand as a symbol of my love and commitment to you."
The pastor says, "Criselda, please repeat after me."
"Montego, I wear this ring you placed on my hand as a symbol of my love and commitment to you."
"I ask that you each continue to cherish each other as special and unique individuals and that you respect the thoughts and ideas of one another. And most of all, be able to forgive each other and not hold grudges against one another. Live each day in love with each other, always being there to give love, comfort, and refuge, in good times and bad. Montego and Criselda, today you have renewed the vows you made to each other on your blessed wedding day. You have symbolized the renewal of your union by the joining of hands, the taking of vows, and by the wearing of your rings. It is with pleasure that I conclude the ceremony of renewing the vows of marriage that joined you and binds you as husband and wife. Please celebrate this renewal of vows with a kiss!" The pastor declares as Mister and Mrs. Fernandez wrap their arms around each other while they kiss. Penelope removes the lasso from the bride and groom as soon as the recessional is being played on the organ.
Right as the guests are emptying out of the church, I pick up Celeste before the ladies and I exit the church as well as the pastor when further in the distance, I observe Mrs. Fernandez scolding Vinnie for throwing a paper plane at her, slapping him by his shoulder. We chortle at the incident, making our way to our individual cars to the ballroom that will take place at the Riverside Hotel in Fort Lauderdale.
**********
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, if I could please have everyone's attention." We turn our attention to the deejay. "It looks like our bridal party has arrived!" The deejay announces.
"Welcome to the beautiful Riverside Hotel here in Fort Lauderdale! I'll be your host for the evening, Fernando Diaz from the Elegant Entertainment DJ and Video Services. And now... if I could please direct your attention to the entrance way, it is time to introduce our bridal party!" We cheer eagerly as the fast pacing Merengue music cues.
"First, we have the flower girl, Emily being escorted by Vinnie!" The deejay introduces the same time Magdalena's older brother, Vinnie escorts Emily hand in hand while us guests clap to the beat. "Next, we have the bible bearer, Ether being escorted by the Arras giver, Dalvin. Let's give them a big hand!"We applaud at the small wedding party. "And now, here they are! Being introduced for the second time as husband and wife; please give them a nice standing ovation; the new Mister and Mrs. Fernandez!"
"Whoo!" The entire guests and I cheer at the same time as Mister and Mrs. Fernandez stroll their entrance of the ballroom with Mrs. Fernandez in her mermaid cut white wedding dress.
"We would to like to bring out our newlyweds, Mister and Mrs.Fernandez to dance their first dance as husband and wife. Let's give them a hand!" We applaud as the bride and groom move to the dance floor with the spotlight aureate at the couple just in time for the soft guitar to be strummed on the Latin influencing song. The more I listen to the song, I speculate that is "You Are My Home" by Chayanne and Vanessa Williams from the movie, Dance With Me. I grin warmly at Mr. & Mrs. Fernandez's graceful performance on the dance floor. A chemistry between two people intertwine with their souls as they glide across the room athwart one another. When a bride and groom are swaying and spinning on the floor, their undeniable body language of love shows; both of them beaming at each other as the recall some of the good... some of the bad.. All I know through my parents' marriage is all give and take; there are willingness to accept suggestions from your spouse's ideas and give up some of your own.
Three hours later...
Subsequent to having a blast at Mr. & Mrs. Fernandez's vow renewal, I just tuck Celeste in her soft bed since she's induced with the you-know-what itis after eating a piece of the tres leche cake. Right now, I feel like taking a warm, relaxing bath to sooth my aching feet after wearing these wedge sandals and then I'll eat a cup of the chocolate chip cookie dough while I watch Marrying Mr. Darcy on the Hallmark Channel that I recorded before Celeste and I went to the vow renewal.
Disrobing my dress from my apple shaping figure; my foot dips into the warm, bubbly seven inches of water. My back length tresses is put in a messy bun and I close my eyes shut to the slow authentic 80's instrumental mix titled "S.W.A.K. (World Class)" by Luxury Elite that I discovered on YouTube five weeks ago. This song reminds me of making love at the end of the previous day as well as the beginning of a new day with the lights twinkling through the windows of the building. I sink into the tub as the bubbles delicately graze my chin. It really feels fantastic to take a bath while you have the music playing in the background without distractions. I begin shaving my legs, hands, feet, and arms prior to washing myself with the anti-stress body wash from Dove. This is what I need— removing all the clutter shit of Declan for trying to commit embezzlement on me. Declan and I have been married for five years and I was the one who divorced his insatiable-for-the-money ass last year after discovering that he not only want my money, yet he tried to file for sole custody of our daughter. Celeste is not for sale. I am being dead set against Declan's greed for the green paper.
Soon after taking my bath, I saunter to the kitchen to make my cup of ice cream and return to my master bedroom in my gray embroidered tee and a pair of pink velour shorts with black prints of a teddy bear's head scattering on the shorts. I'm enjoying my ice cream in a plastic cup while I'm being entertained by the original movie and by the time I finish my ice cream, I sit the empty cup with the spoon on the table beside my bed to situate my Dell Inspirion 15.6 inch laptop, so I can see if there are E-mails from brides that are notifying me when I catch a sight of the first alarming E-mail. I click on it to read;
'Dear Ms. Fairchild,
I have discovered that my son is all set to tie the knot with the woman I don't consider as my daughter in law. I love my son unconditionally, but he's marrying the wrong woman. I didn't know he's marrying her because he was settled with his previous girlfriend that I thought that he would marry because they were both happy together ever since high school. His fiancée is the zit to me, but I will discuss about her when we meet face to face. My son marrying his fiancée is not merely the constant worry; planning a wedding for twenty eight days is! I don't understand why you have to plan a wedding at a hasty schedule due to the fact that we plan our weddings in six months! I understand that you have a busy schedule to meet up with brides as the bridal stylist, so I will be consistent when you contact me and meet up physically. I already spoke with their wedding planner and she agreed to plan their wedding here in the state of Florida. So please notify me if you want to arrange the meeting, so we could meet face to face.
Sincerely,
Carole.'
I ponder over the E-mail over and over again and wonder why a mother disapproves her son marrying a woman in twenty eight days—I mean, doesn't she want her son to be happy in his relationship with his fiancée? Even though I work at an active wedding company in the state of Florida, I consider hitting her up.