Chapter Twenty-four
The next day was very important for Juliette and Xavion. It was their wedding day. Juliette wanted to wait for Xavion to return from the bar before going to bed but her aunts sent her straight to her room. It was a strict order from her dad. No one wanted dark circles under her eyes on her wedding day. As if a few hours would make so much difference. Why did old people make such a fuss on the night before your wedding? She hated these traditional beliefs that the bride and groom shouldn't meet the night before their wedding. But who could argue with everyone?
Reluctantly she went upstairs cursing Xavion for forgetting her after getting his booze and his friends. She changed into her pajama shorts and a short top and lay down on her bed staring at her ceiling. She thought about how her life would change from tomorrow. She would be shifting into Xavion's house as his wife. She would be married to him. A smile of satisfaction spread on her face.
Lost in her thoughts, she closed her eyes. However, suddenly a knock like sound alerted her. What was that? It wasn't a tap on her door. She tried to listen properly. It was coming from her window. Getting up, she went up towards her window and opened it to inspect.
There, standing on the ledge of the window below hers was Xavion, throwing stones at her window. What was he doing there? Was he so drunk that he forgot to come through the door?
"What are you doing here Xavi? Are you crazy? You'll fall down and we wouldn't be able to get married," she said with rounded eyes and a worried expression.
"Shut up and help me up," he said, grasping hold of a pipe and climbing up. She rolled her eyes. How could she pull him up?
"I can't help you. You weigh like a hippo," she said, jumping up and down, nervously. Why couldn't he sneak in through the door like a normal human being? What would she do now?
"Don't jump. The whole house will know that I'm climbing up to kiss you," he said and Juliette's eyes went rounder. She gaped at him. He was taking so much trouble for a kiss? She would kiss him anyway tomorrow.
"You just want a kiss? We will kiss anyways tomorrow, " she said in bewilderment.
Xavion grinned. "A kiss amongst other things, " he said, with a wink as he looked up when he could finally haul himself up successfully.
"You could have sneaked in through the door. Why are you climbing?" She asked, confusedly. He really was impossible.
He jumped into her room finally and whispered, "Because your aunt Stacy's sleeping next door with her door open to catch anyone passing by, especially me. She warned me that I shouldn't meet you tonight, only at the altar tomorrow."
"Oh, I see, but aunt Stacy sleeps like a log. She wouldn't have woken up anyway even if you jumped on her," Juliette whispered back.
"But she's awake now," he whispered back.
"Oh in that case just kiss me and go back the way you came, " she suggested and Xavion looked down the window with round eyes. He gulped in fright.
"Ooh, I came up that way? It looks so dangerous. I think I'll sleep with you tonight. I'll sneak out of the door when aunt Stacy is asleep at 3 o'clock in the morning, " he said and Juliette nodded in agreement.
"I was waiting for you. Why didn't you come in earlier?" She asked in a whisper.
"I was solving Jaden's love problems. I've become an expert at it," he boasted and Juliette rolled her eyes.
They climbed on to the bed and made love as silently as possible. "I've become so addicted to you, baby, " he said, giving small kisses all over her.
"Yeah me too," she confessed. "Don't give me any hickeys please. Everyone will know." He rolled his eyes.
"I wish we could marry without relatives. They make our lives so complicated. I want a wedding with just you and me," he said.
"No, I want dad and my siblings too," she said and he nodded.
"And Angela too," she said he just pressed his lips to hers to quieten her.
"Hmm. Don't wear lipstick to the chapel," he said when he finally released her. She looked at him with a weird expression.
"Why?" She asked in confusion.
"I've requested for a first look and I will obviously kiss you. Do you want a groom with lipstick on his face?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows. She laughed at the silly image it conjured up in her mind of Xavion. Xavion glared at her. "Are you imagining me in lipstick?" He asked.
"Yes," she said, laughing heartily. "Ok, I will apply lipstick after the first look. Happy?" She asked and he grinned nodding his head vehemently.
"Now sleep else you'll look like a zombie wife," he said with a laugh.
"Shut up. With all that drinking you'll be a zombie groom with a hangover, " she said and he laughed more.
"Ok, let's both sleep. Good night, my beautiful bride, " he said, kissing he4 forehead.
"Good night my impossible groom," she said and they cuddled and slept happily.
A loud knock woke them up. Juliette woke up with a start. Who would knock so loudly so early in the morning? She looked around and found Xavion sleeping like a log, sprawled beside her while there was someone at the door. She looked at the clock. It was 7 o'clock in the morning? Xavion was supposed to leave her room at 3 o'clock in the morning. She panicked and covered him fully with the blanket. But he was huge and it looked like there was a mountain on the bed. She just hoped it wasn't any of her aunts. How would she explain the mountain that was Xavion? She felt frustrated that he could sleep through the sound of the loud knocks.
The knocks grew louder so she had to rush to open the door. She opened the door to a small gap. There stood Jade to her relief outside her door with her breakfast in her hand. She opened the door properly and took the breakfast from Jade's hands and pulled her inside the room. She was glad that it was only Jade and no one else. She locked the door back.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Asked a confused Jade, eyeing her to see if she had gone out of her mind.
Juliette kept the tray of breakfast on a side table. "You've got to help me, Jade. Tell me what everyone's doing now?" She asked as Jade looked at her suspiciously.
"Why do you ask? What's up Juliette?" She repeated.
"Please tell me first. I'll answer your question later, " answered Juliette, impatiently.
"Everyone's having breakfast. Now tell me else I'm not going anywhere, " Jade said, stubbornly. Xavion who was awake and listening to their conversation, jumped out of the bed. Thankfully he was fully clothed. Jade stared at him with a shocked look on her face.
"Xavion, you're here? Everyone is hunting you down. You weren't in your room so everyone is searching for you everywhere," she said. How did it escape her mind that Xavion obviously would be with Jules?
"Oh, will they murder me if they see me? Maybe they're thinking I escaped my wedding, " he said with a laugh and a wink. He strode towards them.
"Very funny. Now go before aunt Stacy comes in," said Jade, and Xavion kissed Juliette's forehead and opened the door, to sneak out. Thankfully he could escape to his room unnoticed.
The bridal party got ready at Juliette's dad's house while the men got ready at Jayson's house. Karen came over and gave Juliette her beauty bath to get her ready for her wedding. The wedding planner had a hairdresser and makeup artist to get them all ready. Juliette wore a sleeveless wedding dress with a mesh tulle flared skirt and embroidered lace overlay bodice. Her hair was left untied and set in waves giving her a romantic and carefree look. A matching mesh veil with an embroidered lace border was fixed on her hair. Her dad had gifted her a beautiful set of diamond and pearl earrings that had belonged to her mom, to wear with her wedding dress. She kept Xavion's mom's heart-shaped pendant on her neck as always. Xavion had gifted her a diamond bracelet last night to wear with her wedding dress.
"You're looking beautiful, Jules. I wish I could get married too," said Jade, staring at her.
"You will sweetie, soon," said Juliette and Jade gave her a sad smile.
Her bridesmaids also wore sleeveless white dresses with tulle skirts and lace embroidered bodices. They all had floral accessories on their hair. Jade as the maid of honor wore a light cappuccino colored dress which looked the same as everyone else's. Her long golden locks were also left untied just like Juliette's.
Baby Daniel was also dressed like Xavion's groomsmen in a beige tuxedo. He was the ring bearer. Everyone cuddled him as he looked the cutest.
Juliette's father came into the room to share a moment with his daughter. They all left for the church to get Juliette married.
The Sacred Heart Chapel was decorated in a simple white theme. The archway created at the entrance was decorated with white roses and tulips intertwined with vines and white dahlias to create a dramatic effect. Small white dahlia pots were neatly arranged in a row all along the path that led up to the chapel on either side.
Juliette was whisked away to the women's dressing room to get her ready for the first look.
"I don't want a lipstick now, please, " said an embarrassed Juliette as Angela giggled and Jade just stared at her.
"Why? You're looking so dull without it," she insisted not understanding why she would want to look dull and colorless.
"Jade darling, she can put it on after her first look," said Angela, and Jade stared at her for some time. Then realization struck her and she grinned too, leaving Juliette alone.
Juliette went to the beautifully manicured flower garden at the corner of the chapel for her first look. Xavion was waiting for her looking absolutely gorgeous in a beige tuxedo with a white silk shirt and a matching dark tie and a small red rosebud fixed as a boutonnière. His hair was combed nicely and he stood with the sun's rays casting a halo around him. He looked like her prince Charming just like in a fairytale.
"You're looking, exquisitely beautiful baby, " said Xavion.
"You're looking gorgeous too, Xavi, " she said and he grinned.
"Where's my kiss wifey?" he asked in desperation. Juliette stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. He turned his face and claimed her mouth. It was a gentle kiss promising her love and togetherness forever.
Then touching his forehead to hers, he whispered, "I love you." Three simple words but they held all the meaning in the world upon which humanity depended.
"I love you too," she replied back. They stayed in that position for a moment in silence, locking the precious moment before they would unite as one. They couldn't believe that the day that they'd been waiting for had come and they would finally become one in the eyes of God.
Finally, he let her go. Kissing her forehead, "See you at the altar, baby," he said. Juliette smiled watching her go and he blew her a kiss and disappeared. She went back to the dressing room, feeling overwhelmed and emotional. She completed her makeup wearing her dark scarlet lipliner and lipstick. Angela fixed her dress and veil with a grin.
"A gentle one or a devouring one?" She asked with a wink.
"Gentle one now and devouring ones later," she confessed and they laughed together. Jade rolled her eyes at them.