“Why aren't you in your dress?” Naomi asked.
Mona was wearing an all-white pantsuit.
Mona looked at Tania and then back at the bride-to-be. “Naomi, I’m here out of my love for you, but I can’t be in the wedding. I honestly can’t bring myself to do it.”
“Will someone please tell me what’s going on?” Leslie asked.
“We’ll talk about it later,” Tania stated.
“No. Speak now or forever hold your peace, and I mean it,” Naomi warned.
“If I did tell you everything on my heart, would it change your mind about walking down the aisle?”
Naomi fidgeted but refused to answer the question.
“That’s what I thought,” Mona said.
“Alexis, you look so pretty, you should have been a flower girl,” Leslie said, changing the subject.
“Thanks, but I'm too old to be a flower girl, that's for babies.”
Alexis wore a yellow and white polka dot dress to match the wedding colors.
“Auntie Naomi is letting me pass out programs,” Alexis said proudly.
“Well I'm sure you will do just fine,” Tania said.
“Alright ladies, I've got to get dressed. It's almost time for me to march down that aisle,” Naomi said.
Tania and Mona sat nervously but they had to admit that everything was beautiful. The bridesmaids’ wore long, yellow, lace and mesh dresses.
The groomsmen wore black suits with white shirts and yellow, black and white ties. Naomi had told Tania that yellow was her favorite color and black was Zack's so they decided to blend the two. The outcome was a success.
As Lionel Richie and Diana Ross sang “Endless Love,” Tania felt someone touch her arm. DeWayne.
Mona moved over so that he could be next to Tania. Tania gave him a warm smile and he stroked her cheek. She closed her eyes and imagined that it was her wedding day.
Naomi walked down the aisle in her long, satin, beaded, lace halter white wedding dress. The train on the dress wasn't a long one, so she appeared as if she was floating down the aisle.
Both Mona and Tania looked at one another in tears as they watched their baby sister.
She was so beautiful.
Tania saw her Aunt Jean dabbing her eyes as well as her friends, Betsy and Clara.
Rev. McCain asked the couple to exchange vows. Zack recited his vows as if it was The Pledge of Allegiance. When it was Naomi's turn she didn't say anything, she stared into space. Her lips shut tight.
Rev. McCain asked her again and this time Naomi spoke up.
“I can't marry you, Zack, because you're a liar and a cheater. I thought I could trust you but I can't. You have been seeing another woman for quite some time now.”
The congregation gasped.
“Naomi baby, that's not true! I love you! I would never hurt you. Let's just talk about this after the wedding,” Zack begged as beads of sweat popped out on his forehead.
“There's nothing to talk about. My sisters are right. You won't change, you'll only get worse and I deserve so much more.”
Both Tania’s and Mona's faces lit up like a Christmas tree.
“I don't need this drama and I don't need you!” Zack stormed out of the church with curse words rolling off his lips.
All of Zack's family and friends followed him.
Naomi turned to Rev. McCain and apologized. “I'm sorry, Pastor, I just couldn't go through with it.”
Rev. McCain appeared to be in shock and only nodded his head.
Naomi turned to face the remaining crowd. “Well, family and friends, it looks like there won't be a wedding, but there is plenty of food in the reception area. Let's all go there now.” She clasped her hands together.
Mona and Tania rushed to Naomi's side.
“I'm so proud of you. You did the right thing,” Tania said.
“You'll get a Boaz instead of a Bozo soon,” Mona added. “I read that on somebody’s Facebook page.”
Naomi hugged them both. “Tania, I'm sorry I took Zack's word over yours. The truth of the matter is that I should have left him a long time ago.”
“No worries. I forgive you and it's over now.”
“Yeah, it's over now so let's go eat. I'm starving,” Mona said.
The reception area was decorated with black and white striped tablecloths with yellow centerpieces. Naomi's cake was yellow with three tiers and daises on it. Zack's cake was a two-tiered Gucci blackberry and white tux cake.
Tania sat with DeWayne.
“Is your sister ok?”
“Yeah, she's going to be just fine.”
Naomi took the microphone from the DJ. Though still crying, she spoke bravely. “Thank you again for coming to the day that was supposed to be my wedding. I guess I’ll have to return all your gifts to you,” she laughed.
“You can save mine for when you marry your real prince,” Aunt Jean yelled out. “I ain’t buying no nother gift—some of us on a fixed income.”
“Yes, Aunt Jean. I’ll make sure I hold on the gift and give it to myself again when I do meet my prince,” her voice trailed off.
Naomi’s hand swiped her face as she regained her composure. “We aren’t celebrating a wedding today, but I do have something else to celebrate. My sisters. We’ve been separated for ten years. But God has brought us back together again. So I’d like for us to still let’s eat and drink to His glory. As my Aunt Jean would say, hallelujah anyhow.”
“Hallelujah!” Aunt Jean kicked off the celebration and the DJ started up the music.
Tania couldn’t have been more proud of her sisters. And she couldn’t have been more than happy to have DeWayne sitting next to her as she embarked on a new life with her family.
“The combination of colors that they chose are perfect together. What's your favorite color?” Tania asked.
“Purple, what about you?”
“It's purple.”
“See... we fit, babe. I keep telling you that and soon you'll believe it,” DeWayne leaned in and kissed her.
“I already believe it, baby.”
“The DJ is showing out now. He playing my jam. Let's dance,” He said as the DJ played “Before I Let Go” by Blackstreet.
Tania and DeWayne went out on the dance floor and he held her in his arms. DeWayne squeezed her tight and sang in her ear I don't want to say bye bye...
Surprised that he could sing, Tania smiled and joined in, True love is so hard to find.
DeWayne kissed her deeply, and pulled away after he remembered they were not alone.
Tania snuggled in closer to him and held on as if her life depended on it.
When the song ended they went back to the table.
“May I have your attention please,” Naomi said.
“I would like for both of my sisters to join me.”
Mona, who was already at the table stood up to join Naomi, and Tania made her way up there.
“The other day, we were at our house. The house where we grew up. And we started singing a song. We are family. That’s what we are. Family. It doesn't matter how much time has passed, family is family. I am making a vow to my family today to honor them, to love them, to forgive them, to believe in them, to encourage them and to support them. Life is too short and you need a strong family to help you when the storms of life are raging. Please raise your glasses as I make this toast to my family.”
“To my family,” Naomi said.
“To the family,” everyone toasted.
Tania and Mona hugged Naomi as the DJ blasted the Sledge sisters on speakers. “I’m so glad you came back, Tania.”
“Me, too.” Tania smiled.
“I just bet you are. Looks like Mona and I will be coming to your wedding soon. I saw how DeWayne was looking at you while you two were dancing. It was like looking at a movie.”
“I feel like I'm in a movie.”
“Sis, go with it. I see the happiness in your eyes.”
“I'm taking your advice. I'm going to see whe
re it leads me, so excuse me while I go get my man,” Tania said.
Tania strutted towards DeWayne feeling alive. She now knew what it meant to truly feel alive. For years she'd merely been existing, letting life pass her by. Carrying that baggage from the past had truly been a hindrance. She'd heard people say that forgiving someone can change your entire life, and now she was a witness that it was indeed the truth.
DeWayne joined Tania and her sisters in a popular line dance, singing, “We are Family.”
About the Author
CaSandra McLaughlin is a gospel radio show host who has enjoyed reading and writing for as long as anyone can remember. She is the co-author of the bestselling “Blended Blessings” series. A native of Marshall, TX, CaSandra loves God, her family, and Mexican food—in that order! Visit her online at www.CaSandraMcLaughlin.com.
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