Chapter Twenty One
Kemara
I took a deep breath and splayed my hands out over my dress. This is exactly what I’d been waiting for my whole life. I’d never been confident that I would get it, until I met Channing, then I knew that all my dreams could come true.
“Beautiful!” I turned around, when I heard Tameka’s voice. Tameka was dressed in her wine-colored Maid of Honor dress and I blushed as I heard her words.
“Will you help me with my veil?” I asked.
She smiled and picked it up off the chair, then walked over to me. “How’s the nerves, sis?” Tameka asked.
“Honestly? I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous. Is that common?”
Tameka laughed. “I would be concerned if you weren’t nervous.” We laughed, and I felt my hands starting to shake, so I ran them down my dress and tried to focus my attention on my reflection in the mirror. “If it makes you feel better, I ran into Channing out there and he’s nervous too.”
I snickered. We had spent the evening talking, Channing and I. I understood that he was also nervous, but we both agreed that as soon as it was over, then the evening would only bring excitement.
“Well, I’m glad I’m not the only one nervous,” I said, laughing. “Did you see the church filling up with guests?” I asked.
“Phew…kidding me? Looks like you invited the whole town.” She smirked and winked at me.
I laughed. We didn’t invite that many.
“Everything is running smoothly. I told you that I’ve got your back,” she added.
I turned around and pulled her into a hug. We’d come a long way since the first time she knew that Channing was white.
“I love you, sis,” Tameka said.
“I love you!” When I pulled away, I felt that tears could be close behind. “Darn it, I can’t cry, my makeup will smear.”
Tameka laughed. “Girl…I’ve given you all the finest water-resistant makeup I could find.”
I chuckled. “Okay…well that makes me feel better.” I looked at my reflection and she came up behind me.
“See…what did I tell you? Beautiful.”
I smiled at her words. “Thank you!”
We were finishing up the touches, when there was a knock on the door. “Who is it?” Tameka asked.
“Mother!” she responded.
Tameka went over and opened the door, careful not to keep the door open too long. We didn’t want any superstition hanging over us, even if I didn’t really believe in that. I felt like nothing bad could happen between us that would keep Channing and myself from getting even closer. Mom looked at me.
“My baby is getting married.” She already started sobbing and I chuckled.
“Mom…come give me a hug.”
She hurried over and hugged me and then Tameka joined in. I laughed as the three of us hugged one another. “You look beautiful,” she said.
“Told you so,” Tameka said, pulling from the embrace.
I laughed. “Thanks Mom. Everything alright out there?” I asked.
“Yep. The wedding is about to start and I was just sent here to grab the bride. Your father is getting antsy.” I looked at the clock and my stomach started to turn. It really was time for the wedding to start. I couldn’t believe how quickly the time had gone.
“Okay. I’m ready,” I said. She looked at me and I felt a sense of excitement take over my nerves. I was ready to walk down the aisle and claim Channing as my husband and nothing would get in our way.
When I walked out into the hallway, I looked at Dad and he looked so proud. That was something I would never forget. He had gotten to know Channing better over the past year and started to love him as a son. Dad smiled at me. “This is it, baby girl,” he said. “Your mom and I support this choice and we know that Channing will be a good husband to you,” he said.
“Thanks Dad!” He kissed my cheek and I hooked arms with him. “Let’s do this,” I said.
We turned to the sanctuary and they opened the doors. Before we would walk down the aisle, the wedding party went first. Tameka carried the wedding party as she headed it up, followed by my niece and nephew as the ring bearer and flower girl. Then, the wedding march came on. I looked at my dad. This was it. We headed down the aisle as the guests stood to their feet.
Immediately when I saw Channing standing and waiting at the end of the aisle, I could feel tears at the back of my eyes. I smiled and he looked at me in a loving and passionate way. Standing next to him was his best man, and cousin, Jeb. Jeb was someone that gained the courage to get out of the Neo-Nazi group, when Channing broke his ties. That made his bond with Channing even stronger and he truly was the best man that Channing needed.
Jeb was looking at me and smiling and I cast my eyes to where Channing’s mother stood. She looked so happy and I knew that the divorce being finalized was exactly what she needed to make her shine in that happiness. Beside her were her parents, Channing’s grandparents. They, too, seemed just as happy for us. They were all smiling and my heart warmed up. I looked around the church that was beautifully decorated for us and I felt like a princess that was finally getting her fairy tale.
When we reached the end of the aisle, I looked at the preacher. He moved forward and held a genuine smile. “Who here gives this woman to be married to this man?” he asked.
My father spoke out proudly. “Her mother and I do.”
I breathed a sigh and looked up at the preacher, who nodded and dismissed my father with that single gesture. My father looked at me and he lifted the veil covering my face and kissed my cheek. “I love you, Dad,” I said.
“I love you,” he said.
He stepped down and went to sit with Mom. I glanced at Channing and he moved in to take my father’s place. “You look so beautiful,” he whispered.
I smiled. “Thank you! You look very handsome.”
He nodded and chuckled lightly and we turned to face the preacher. He began his sermon by the traditional words of, “We are gathered here today…” and I smiled in thinking that this was my time and I was getting everything I wanted.
Channing and I had opted to say our personal vows, so when the preacher came to that part of the ceremony, I just hoped I wouldn’t fall part. I took a deep breath. “I’m so nervous,” I whispered.
He squeezed my hands. “You’ve got this,” he said, encouraging me.
I smiled, feeling that I could do anything with him encouraging me like that. “Channing…” I started out. “I never knew anyone could be loved as much as you have loved me. We have been through so much to get to this day, but that has made us grow even stronger together. You are the man I want to spend the rest of my life with because you are the person that gets me. You are the person I can laugh with, be myself with, love with all my heart. And nothing can get in our way. You are my everything.”
I smiled to conclude my vows and Channing was directed to say his. “Kemara, when I helped you the day we met by this giving you a car charger for your phone, I never expected that I was looking back at the woman I was destined to be with. You changed me for the good, removed hate from my life and replaced it with love, while showing me how I deserved to be loved. With just your smile, you opened my heart to bigger and better things. I will never be able to show my gratitude to you in the way that I should. I am eternally grateful to you and I will spend my life working off my debts to you. You are my best friend and you make me whole. I love you,” he said, concluding his vows.
So many tears rushed down my cheeks as I glanced up at Channing. I love you more, I mouthed before turning my attention back to the preacher. The sooner we got the wedding over, the sooner we could get to the reception, and the sooner the honeymoon could start.
“May I have the rings?” the preacher asked.
We got the rings and did the part of the ceremony, where the rings were exchanged.
As Channing put my ring on, I was feeling emotional and a couple more tears trickled down my cheeks. He reached up and wiped them away. My eyes went to his and I felt even more love for this man that stood before me.
“By the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.” I looked at Channing and he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a deep and passionate embrace, one that seemed to go on for a while as the crowd cheered behind us. When the kiss ended, he lifted me in his arms and shook his fist in a celebratory fashion. I laughed as he lowered me to the floor.
“I love you, Mrs. Holloway,” he said.
“I love you, Mr. Holloway,” I responded back.
I kissed him softly. We then turned towards the guests as the preacher announced us. We grabbed each other’s hand and walked back down the aisle, for the first time as a married couple.
***
Walking into the reception as a married couple was such a surreal feeling. His arm around me and the crowd excited to see us. On the way to the reception, we rode in a limo. A place that would usually house the wedding party, only carried us to the reception. Tameka and Jeb both agreed we should have the time together alone.
We made a quick decision that the reception was simply a formality. So, when we got into the hall, we looked at one another and agreed that we would dance, mingle, and quickly get out of there to start our honeymoon.
We decided not to even bother eating, because we wanted to make the evening a quick one, which meant getting the mingling out of the way. We first met up with my parents. Channing shook my dad’s hand and it warmed my heart how close they’d become.
“Thanks Mom…Dad…” I said, hugging them as we stayed at their table for a minute to talk.
“It was a beautiful wedding. Not a dry eye in the house,” Mom said.
I smiled and looked at Channing. “That’s because your daughter is breathtaking,” he responded.
I grinned and wrapped my arm around him. “See why I love him so much!”
Mom laughed and nodded. “Yes…I think we do.”
Before we left, Mrs. Holloway came up to the table. We turned to her and Channing spoke to the three parents. “This day wouldn’t have been as special without the three of you,” he said. “It means the world to us both that you all are there in support for us. That goes for everyone. We love you guys so much!”
We stuck around the table for a while and just hung with them. When we walked away, we heard someone starting to clink their glass with their fork, so that we would kiss. I turned to him and he lifted me into his arms and planted a big passionate kiss on me, while the guests went wild.
He lowered me and I looked up at him. “Mr. Holloway, you are giving them their monies’ worth.”
He laughed. “Anything to tide me over until I can get you home, Mrs. Holloway.”
I laughed. “Well, hopefully that will be sooner than later.” I kissed him softly and again the crowd went abuzz. There was some more tapping on a glass and we looked towards the wedding party table, where Tameka was standing up.
I groaned. “Ready for this?” I asked.
Tameka was about to give her toast, and while I was worried, I knew she no longer had concerns about Channing, so I figured she would keep it civil. I was looking forward to hearing what she had to say.
To my surprise, she had all kind words to say, not even a quip. Tameka’s speech was nice and then Jeb said his. Both speeches got Channing and I teary-eyed. He held my hand under the table the whole time they were giving their speech and once the food was served, the dancing was to start. Of course, the bride and groom were the first to take the dance floor.
Our song was Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol. We went out on the dance floor as the song started to play. I looked at him as we danced to the song. “How’d I get so lucky?” he asked.
I smiled. “I ask myself that same question every night,” I said. I leaned up and brushed a kiss on his lips as we continued to sway to the music. He then twirled me around and the crowd clapped. I leaned into him and I heard him softly humming to the song and my heart still raced in my chest for him. When the song came to an end, I looked at him.
“What’s up, baby?” he asked.
“Let’s get out of here.”
He laughed. “And leave our guests.”
I shrugged. “They’ll understand. What’s left for us to really do? We can toss the bouquet and garter now and they can cut the cake without us. Let’s do it.”
He nodded, in total agreement with me. He then went up to the DJ and asked to borrow the microphone. “Hey, hey everyone! Kemara and I want to thank you for being here. Having you all a part of our lives has really made all of this come together. And we would want nothing more than to spend the rest of the evening with you, but let’s get real. I want to get my beautiful bride home.” There were some cheers and the men hollered as I blushed and shook my head. “So, we’re going to do the bouquet and garter toss and then say our goodbyes so the honeymoon can begin.”
He handed the microphone back to the DJ, who was laughing at that point. I playfully punched him when he came back to me and he shrugged. “Hey…we’ll get the job done.” He winked at me and I knew that was the truth.
So, I grabbed my bouquet as they called for all the single ladies. I waited for everyone to show up and turned around. Tameka stood in the middle of the crowd. She deserved her happy ending, so I wanted to shoot for her. The announcer told me to go at the count of three. I let out a slow breath and as the third number was called, I tossed the bouquet over my head. I turned around to find Tameka and a couple other women grabbing for it. I smiled when Tameka ultimately held it in her hands.
“I got it!” she smiled at me and ran off to her seat, leaving a trail of unhappy women behind.
Then, it was time for the garter toss. I took my seat when they pulled a chair out onto the dance floor. Channing walked up to me with a devilish hunger in his eyes. I laughed as he knelt before me and pulled my dress back, revealing just a little bit to the crowd. The men cheered and hollered, egging him on. He moved in and latched onto the garter with his teeth. I giggled as it tickled my skin, sending shivers down my spine. He tugged at the garter, until he had it removed and it was still in his teeth.
The crowd erupted in laughter and applause and he stood to his feet and twirled it around on his finger. I grabbed the chair and pulled it off his stage for the moment. The men gathered around and the same thing happened with him going on three. He tossed the garter and I watched as Jeb easily caught it. I turned to where Tameka was and she laughed when she saw it was Channing’s cousin that caught it. There were a few years that separated them, but it could happen.
When Channing got back to me, I beamed. “Time to say goodbye?” I asked.
He nodded and grabbed my hand.
We went to our closest friends and family and said our goodbyes, once again apologizing for our quick getaway, but no one was upset that we wanted to take off. When we were done, we stood at the door and waved our hand to everyone. They applauded us, giving us a good send off. Channing picked me up in his arms and kissed me, then carried me out of the hall.
He carried me all the way to his car that we had planted there before the wedding, so it could take us to our brand-new home, one that we hadn’t stayed in since that day he showed it to me. We wanted our first night living there to be as a married couple so it would be magical.
He lowered me at the car and looked at me. “Are you ready to go home, Mrs. Holloway?” he asked.
“I’m ready to start my honeymoon as a married couple in our home, Mr. Holloway,” I said, kissing him softly, before he opened the door for me.
“Our first time making love as a married couple is going to be amazing,” he said, brushing the hair behind my ear. “I will never let you down, Kemara.”
I smiled. “I know you won’t.” I stepped into the car and sat down. He shut the door behind me and I couldn’t contain the excitement that was building up inside of me. Our perfect life together was about to begin.
THE END
Continue reading for excerpts for upcoming and new releases from Nayberry Publications!
to get updates on my new releases.