*ARAMINA*
This was the fifth time my phone rang interrupting our little ceremony. I cursed under my breath and looked apologetically at Blake. He seemed pissed, well he had a right to be. His vows to me had been interrupted five times now.
"Answer it or turn it off," he said releasing my hands so I could grab my phone. I really thought I had it on silent. I looked at the screen and saw Luther's name pop on the screen. I smiled. It had been long since I had talked to the guy. I apologized as though he could hear me and turned it off and proceeded to intertwine my hands with Blake's once more.
Honestly if someone told me that I would be getting married to Blake a few months ago I would have laughed in their face. What the hell was I doing? Well, it was a little impulsive, I had earned it considering I had never gotten the chance to be impulsive in my life. All the same, it was more than that, I had actually grown to be affectionate to the man standing before me.
I smiled to the official marrying us as Blake looked at me questioningly. "Are you alright?" I nodded to answer his question and squeezed his hands reassuringly.
"Shall I proceed?" Blake nodded and I smiled. It was my turn to say my vows.
"Jésus Bryann Blake, nobody said that this was going to be easy. I had not prepared a speech like the couples in the movies do before their wedding day. All I was and am sure of is that I want you in my life forever and nothing else matters because I love you." He smiled back the sparkle back in his eyes as we exchanged rings and signed the marriage certificate. Exchanging rings was usually part of the church marriages but Blake was insistent and who was I not to comply?
"Now in the name of society I now pronounce you husband and wife," said the official as Blake and I rubbed our noses together giggling. After signing the documents of our official civil marriage,we thanked him and left the building.
"So where would you like to go, Mrs Blake?" He asked. I could not get an answer at the moment since I was busy trying to switch on my phone. When it finally complied and was about to text Luther, I felt the phone leave my hands as Blake grabbed it.
"You are not going to be one of those husbands that control their wives and snoop through their phone are you?" I asked feeling a little protective; okay maybe a lot.
"What? No. I just wanted to get your attention. I asked you a question and you completely ignored me," he pouted.
"Aaaw, I'm sorry husband it was never my intention to do so," I said wrapping an arm around his neck and kissing his nose as I grabbed my phone back.
"I asked where you wanted to go"
"For our honeymoon?" I nearly shrieked.
"Well, I meant lunch but we could also talk about that too," he said making me push lightly against his chest. He did not even budge. It wasn't expected anyway.
"Well I could take you to the hotel round the corner as we talk about our honeymoon. What do you have in mind?" He asked as we got into his car and strapped our seatbelts.
"Well, I don't really know considering we kept this whole thing a secret, don't you think we'll be missed?" I slumped in my seat.
"What? Champagne, you lost your job to your brother and I am co-head of the department back at my place of work. Daniels will gladly fill in for me as he likes being in charge all the time. So I'm sure he's beyond excited that I haven't been showing up to work lately. Anyway my point is, we'll only be gone for a few days and will be back in no time; nothing will have changed," he said coughing the engine.
"Yeah well I guess you are right. We did not even have witnesses to the civil wedding we just had. I'm a bit bummed"
"You can't be serious Champagne. I mean, who would you have asked to be our witnesses? Is it your damned brother? Or is it your parents? You have trust issues with Alexis and I have trust issues with mine too"
"I do not have trust issues with Alexis! I just said that my father got her the job so in terms of professional input, she will be on my father's side seventy five percent of the time. Wow Blake, five minutes into marriage and we are already arguing," I said brushing loose strands of my hair off my face.
"We were not arguing. It was just two people having a difference in opinion-"
"Yeah with raised voices," I muttered as I tapped Luther's name on the screen to call him.
"Hello Luther..... Yeah?..... Okay.... Totally..... I will..... Give me ten," I said before ending the call.
"Drop me off at the hotel Elegance near Elm Street," I turned to Blake.
"I thought we were going to have lunch to celebrate our marriage and be husband and wife"
"We will. It's just that I haven't seen Luther in so long and I need to talk to him too. Don't worry, he won't know a thing about us," I said winking.
"Just always be careful around him okay?"
"When am I never?" I asked as i alighted from the vehicle and headed to the hotel's entrance.
****
*LUTHER*
I sat patiently waiting for Aramina as I heard the doorbell chime and she walked in. She looked elegant in her red dress that had an illusion of a ball gown with a little flair near the bottom. Well, I certainty was not used to her dressing like this.
"What's the occasion?" I asked after greeting her and offering her a seat opposite mine.
"What?" She seemed scared for a bit.
"Oh, it's nothing. I just wanted to try something new," she said clasping her hands together. I could not help but notice the magnificent diamond ring that covered her finger not forgetting the other that sealed it in at the top. I raised my brow and quickly masked it by gulping the cup of water already at the table. So my brother had finally made the move? Well father was not going to like this one bit.
"Tell me, what's up?" She innocently asked moving her hands quickly from the table before I could notice the rings but too bad; Oh baby girl I had noticed them the minute you walked in. I decided to keep my comments to myself not to compromise my position.
"I just wanted to apologize for not showing up to work for the past few days. I have had a terrible time since I came from Los Angeles. Joanne is brain dead and I signed the organ donation forms"
"What? I thought she only had a brain tumour. She was scheduled to have it taken out right? What happened?"
"It was taken out but days after the operation there were no signs of any brain activity. The tests were ran for a few more days and the results were the same. I just feel so hopeless," I said tears falling from my eyes and I quickly wiped them away. I was not just about to allow the whole hotel to see me in tears. "I don't even know how to raise Trish without her."
Aramina squeezed my hand reassuringly. "You can do this Luther. You are strong enough and have help from your family members and friends. Come on, the whole time we were in L.A you took really good care of her. I watched as your bond grew closer. You know you can count on me for anything. Actually, I will help with the bills and funeral," she kindly offered.
"Demetria already took care of the bills. Thank you for your help though. You have always been an amazing friend," I said looking at my watch then adding, "I'm so sorry for keeping you I'm sure you have lots to do at the office."
She shrugged which earned a puzzled look from me. "I don't work there anymore."
"What?"
"My brother took over. You remember Oliver right? Demi's chauffeur in L.A? Turns out he's my brother and my father made him CEO so I no longer have privileges there."
I looked at her in disbelief. "Wait, so you knew this whole time?"
"No, my father explained it to me after we left Demi's house. I know you are worried about your job but don't worry, I can handle my brother," she said and I sighed.
"So anyway about Joanne, we'll have the wake at your house then we will proceed to the funeral arrangements," she said delicately. I nodded and half smiled. "Luther, it's okay to be sad. She was your companion. You deserve to have feelings."
I took what she said to account and allowed myself to feel. She moved her chair so as to scoot over to me and her body covered me from the people at the hotel. Luckily for us, we sat at a corner so I just let go.
****
After leaving the coffee shop with Aramina, I called my father and we agreed to meet up at our usual meet up place; behind the old buildings at Blueberry street. I arrived there seconds after my father.
"You know I always admire your punctuality Karev," he praised taking a puff from the cigar that never left his lips. "So what was this urgent thing you wanted us to talk about?"
"I told you father that Emilio cannot be trusted," I said, just the mere roll of his name from my lips made me feel disgusted. I knew it was not normal between families but I loathed my brother.
"You might as well state your reasons boy," he spat. I knew he always loved Rafael Emilio more than he loved me but that was going to change after the information I was about to give him.
"The arrogant fool married the daughter of the man you despise," I felt satisfied tarnishing Rafael's image in my father's eyes. I knew it made me fucking sick but that was just how damaged I had become. No one could blame me, I just lost the love of my life.
I watched as father's face turned to a scowl. "What do you mean married?"
I smirked, "I called Aramina to meet up with her. She showed up dressed differently than usual and her left wrist bore the magnificent rings he claimed her with."
"What makes you so sure he's the one that married her?"
I chuckled sarcastically, "Come on father, it's not that hard to put two and two together. I told you right from the start that he was a liability. Ever since he dropped her off at the airport it was not that hard to guess. I mean, even a blind man can see it."
"I'm sure it's all part of some plan that he'll tell me about soon"
I looked at him disbelief etched on my face, "Are you even listening to yourself father? You always defend him!"
The hot smack that landed on my face proved my point. "Don't you ever raise your voice at me boy! I call all the shots and I thank you for the information. There is always a solution to every problem."
"He has always been the impulsive one of us all and yet each time you always cover his tracks. I have done everything you've asked of me to the letter and yet you still don't trust me to be your right hand." The bile that rose in my throat almost choked me.
"Karev, my son, your jealously to your brother Rafael will be your undoing if you don't have it under control," He said cupping my cheek with his right hand. I felt a tear escape my right eye and clenched my jaw. I was not supposed to cry in front of him. It was never supposed to hurt this bad.
"We will meet again soon but first, I'd rather you get over your jealousy fits. I will want you to be clean when we execute our other plan," he said and with that, he got into his posh car and left, his goons securing the area before they left. I wiped the shame stained on my right cheek and decided to head home.
****
*ERIC MENDOZA*
I could not believe this. The one and only son I fully trusted not to be stupid enough to bind himself to another did exactly the opposite of what was expected.
"Where to sir?" asked my chauffeur.
"Take me to my mansion," I ordered angrily and seconds later, the car was in motion. I quickly dialed Rafael's number full on pissed.
"Damn Rafael, you really know how to give the element of surprise," I chuckled lowly trying to suppress the anger that rose inside of me.
"What are you talking about father?" He seethed through the cell.
"You know I did not think you were that stupid," I said venomously.
"If you are going to call me names then I'd rather you did it with reason," he bit back. Rafael Emilio Mendoza was the only child who was stupid enough to challenge me. He knew I loved a good challenge and so did he.
"Did you think I'd not find out?"
"Find out about what?" I could tell he was becoming pissed. Touché.
"Your marriage to the wrong girl"
The long silence that followed after confirmed my thoughts.
"I don't know what-"
"How shallow do you think I am? You know after this whole issue would have been resolved I had big plans for us. Reuniting our family once more after each one of us was satisfied but I see we are most definitely not on the same page." Betrayal was the worst kind of truth.
"Father you do not understand-"
"Oh I understand. I understand completely," I said an idea coming to mind.
"Can I at least have the chance to explain what happened?"
"Oh no. Don't bother. I know how these things go. You know the whole falling in love thing, how it was never your intention blah blah blah... Save it"
"You are being unreasonable.. "
"The next time that you go behind my back I suggest that you not be too sloppy about it. What happens next will be on you," I threatened while furiously ending the call.
~°~°~°~°~°~°~