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"I'm going outside to smoke," Marcel announced, closing the space between us.
"You're that stressed, huh?"
"Not about marrying you," he flirted, brushing my lips with a kiss. "This wedding shit is a lot."
"I didn't know putting money in my hand was so stressful," Marcel wanted this big extravagant wedding, yet I was doing all the leg work. Thankfully, my best friends, Niyomi and Denim, lived for things like this and had been keeping me sane. I would've preferred to go to the justice of the peace.
"Shit, you're expensive. You know how much I've spent on this wedding?"
"Your mother is expensive. She's the one who wanted to invite the whole hood, which you've left me to deal with." My eyes lapped, thinking about how often I had to remind Lillian that this wasn't her wedding. She didn't care. Lillian would wait two days before calling with another outlandish request adding to my stress.
"She's already talking about a grandbaby."
"You kept your word and promised not to get me pregnant before the wedding." Marcel snaked his arms around my waist, planting kisses along my jaw. He never skimped on physical affection.
"Of course. A real nigga always keeps his word."
"Oh really? How's that backup plan coming along?" I challenged, causing him to smirk. I was always on Marcel about what was next. The only retirement plan that came with the hustling was death or a jail cell. I was patient with him because I understood he didn't grow up like me. My childhood wasn't perfect, but Sadie worked hard to keep a roof over my head and clothes on my back.
Marcel and Lillian struggled a lot, and without a father figure, he found solace in the street. I never in a million years thought I'd fall in love with a hustler, but his charisma won me over, and after a few dates, we were inseparable. Marcel wanted a baby, but I refused to give him one until we were married, and he was out of the street altogether.
“Aye, Cel, I need to holla at you for a second,” Brandon interjected on cue as if he knew Marcel needed an escape.
"I'll be back."
"Hmm, I bet," I fussed, causing him to kiss my lips before strolling out of the banquet hall.
Shaking my head, I turned back around, trying my hardest to calm my nerves. Planning this wedding had me on edge, and despite the finish line being so close, it felt extremely far away.
"I can't believe my baby is getting married," My mother admitted, taking a seat on the window sill.
"I'm twenty-five years old. I'm not a baby, mom."
"You'll always be my baby," she smiled, tugging at the curls I planned to style into a bun to expose the detail of my wedding dress. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?"
"I don't know. You tell me," Sadie urged, not wanting to put words in my mouth.
"I'm fine, woman. Relax.” Sadie didn't buy what I was selling, but it wasn't her style to push or pry. When or if I were ready, I would come to her because I always had, and she trusted that.
"Let me go check on your grandmother. She looks like she's about to start cursing."
Peering over my shoulder, Michella had that look in her eye. She would let anybody have it and didn't give a damn where she was. She and my mother couldn't have been more different. Usually, I would've batted my eyelashes and calmed Michella down, but Lillian, Marcel's mother, appeared to be her target.
After making my rounds, I decided to search for Marcel. Today was chaotic, and I wanted a few moments alone with my fiancé. I strolled down the hallway, checking the empty rooms hoping to find him. Finally reaching the end of the hallway, I heard voices on the other side of the door- mainly Marcel consoling somebody about being patient and begging for more time to tell me.
I pushed the door open, and my eyes bucked at my fiancé. "Marcel!" My voice shrieked at his lips on somebody else. Of all places, here- at our wedding rehearsal.
"Hailo!" Before I knew it, my feet were moving across the room, and my fist was flying. The other adulterer had sense enough to run, leaving Marcel to deal with the aftermath of their actions. Ultimately the only person I could blame was Marcel. After all, why get down on one knee and propose to cheat?
"Are you fuckin' crazy! At our wedding rehearsal?" I ranted, throwing punch after punch in his direction, "I hate you! I fuckin' hate you. How could you do this to me?"
"Calm down, Lo! I can explain." Marcel rattled off, ducking underneath my fist to wrap me in his arms.
"Fuck you, Marcel!"
"Please calm down. I'm so sorry."
