“You’ll get your evidence,” he said over his shoulder. But Nina had a feeling Jio already had the verdict.
η
The next morning, Nina was awakened to doors opening and closing over and over again. The hallway was full of whispers and laughs. She heard a baby screaming at the top of its lungs and a dog barking too. The estate sounded like chaos.
The kitchen wasn’t nearby, but she could smell coffee and bacon, and it made her stomach growl. Nina remained in bed for a little while longer, listening to what it sounded like when a family prepared for a memorable day. She heard a lot of rushing and way more fussing. Nina heard someone ask where the hell was their cufflinks. And another wanted to know who the DJ for the reception was, as if it really mattered.
She didn’t expect Jio to still be in bed with her. He’d been an early bird ever since they got back together. On the nightstand next to her head was a bottle of water, a napkin with saltine crackers, and a pack of Altoids, because she swore that they made her tummy feel better whenever she woke up nauseous.
She had a good man and she loved the way he aimed to please. It required thought because the items didn’t magically appear out of thin air. Jio bought them with her in mind and she was grateful.
A note was written on a receipt from the gas station.
Eat something before you start running around.
Nina rolled her eyes but she did as he told her. He was learning her and vice versa. Relationships require so much patience and a lot more compromise.
In many ways, he had known her better than anybody. He knew when she was anxious before she admitted it. He knew when she was hungry before she got mean. He knew how she liked her coffee, what kind of flowers made her smile, which side of the bed she preferred, and the exact tone her voice took when she was about to start whining or fussing.
She picked up a cracker and bit off a piece before getting up to shower and dress for the day. When she made it downstairs an hour later, the house didn’t look the same. It’d been transformed into a production with the inside of the home being one big dressing room.
Hair stylists and makeup artists moved through the second floor with rolling cases. Garment bags hung from doorframes. Bridesmaids floated in matching robes, some already emotional, others were drinking mimosas and rolling blunts. The older women in the family sat in full faces of makeup at the breakfast table with rollers still in their hair. Nina overheard them gossiping about who looked good for their age and who needed to get a new wig.
Nina took it all in quietly. She wasn’t sure what she had expected from a mob wedding.
Jio told her last night that weddings in his family were different from what she probably was used to, but per usual, he didn’t offer any context. One thing that she appreciated was that even though there were so many staff members running around, wealth didn’t remove or replace the bride’s village. There was a layer of intimacy that wafted through the rooms. Everyone worked together to make today perfect for the bride and groom.
The ceremony space had been arranged on the lawn facing the water. Rows of white chairs were framed with the mostexquisite arrangements she’d ever seen. Nina made sure to get the florist’s business card. At the same time, servers moved quietly with trays of sparkling water and champagne and passed bites nobody was supposed to eat yet, but everybody absolutely did, including her.
When she went looking for Jio, she was able to witness the mother of the bride fasten a button on her dress as multiple generations stood close by dabbing tears away from the corners of their eyes. The dress was gorgeous, but the moment was way better.
She wondered briefly if she would ever get the chance to stand in a room like this with women adjusting her veil, someone praying over her, and another telling her not to lock her knees or to receive something borrowed for her big day. Nina knew that she would probably never be able to experience that with her own mom, but it was beautiful to witness.
The thought was too tender to hold for long, so she let it go. God knew her heart and she had faith that everything she desired would soon come to pass.
She found her baby with a glass of champagne in his hand. He looked incredibly handsome in a cream-colored suit, dark sunglasses, and his goldMarcellewatch. One hand was stuffed in his pocket and the other was reaching for hers before he even said hello.
“Hi babe,” he greeted her with a kiss to her lips.
“Hey baby, you look so good!” she complimented him.
He studied her too. His gaze moved over her face, her dress, and down to the hand that rested on her stomach. Nina noticed him staring and moved her hand so fast that he didn’t even bother to make a comment.
“Let’s take our seats.”
The wedding started shortly after and Nina had chills watching the groom tear up at the sight of his wife coming down the aisle.
The groom cried before the bride reached the aisle. Not a single dignified tear either. The man’s entire face broke open the moment he saw her, and every auntie within a fifty-foot radius collectively lost their mind.
“That’s love right there,” a woman whispered loudly enough for three rows to hear.
The bride laughed through her tears, her father holding her steady as the cool breeze lifted the edge of her veil. There wasn’t a dry eye in sight and Nina took it all in as Jio held her hand.
During the vows, her attention drifted away every few lines. Jio’s family was huge.
Marriage brought everyone together. It braided two families and everything that came with both sides. The good, the bad, and the ugly. The history, traditions, expectations, wounds, and most importantly, a shared love. Marriage was more than dating a person that you liked because they treated you decent enough and the sex was good. It was a big deal. Marriage scared and excited her at the same time. She picked up Jio’s hands and kissed them both as tears fell down her face.
Jio chalked her emotions up to his seed inside of her.
