by Lila Lacroix
“You do?” she held his face, knowing she’d remember that moment, his bewildered, merrily terrified, hugely relieved expression forever.
“Hell yeah.” he sighed, stroking her back, her bottom, “So typical that you should confess it first. You’re so much braver then me. My god, you are … ”
Kissing him this time: her heart oozed an unshakable, unquenchable sob of adoration. “Oh, make love to me. Show me your love.” She straddled him, threaded her fingers through his, leaned in and kissed his neck, and listened as every one of his groans felt like a stroke of his sex inside her. Panting together, they touched, explored, rolled around, kissed and licked, sighed and pledged admiration and love.
Until she could take no more. Until only one thing would satiate her desire, “I need you, inside me. Now.”
He sat up, moved her easily into place in his lap, then slipped into her slickness with ease. “Ah … Yes!”
She moaned at the glorious fullness, clenching and moving, she used him to message her deepest most sensitive places, both swollen with arousal as they were. Watching his expression change with her every move, she controlled the ride and relished his physical and emotional submission.
Soon, his voice grew hoarse as he rocked harder against her, pulling and pushing her over his shaft, “You’re so beautiful, Julia.” Moving her hips back and forth even quicker, their sweat aided the grind. “This is how I love you Julia.” More and more, quicker, harder until finally, face-to-face, mouth-to-mouth, they reached an incredible emotion fuelled, mutual release.
Julia flipped back her head towards the end of her orgasm, “Ah,” as he ground on her till completion, and admired the beauty of his expression of pure release. “That’s how I love you, Jon.”
“At this, he smiled, pulled her to him, ran his fingers through her hair, and with a sex hoarse voice he said, “All mine, you’re all mine.”
* * *
“We have one week to go and I still haven’t finalised the guest list,” said Julia, stressing out at the seemingly impossible task.
He smiled, leaning casually against the door to their bedroom, “You’ll be there, right?”
“Duh!” she said, chewing the pen.
“As will I. That’s the important ones invited. Steve. Oh and the guy who’ll marry us is invited. Who else needs to be there?”
“Danielle and Ray,” she added, looking at her paltry side of the list, “and the most annoying mother ever of course. I wish we could just leave it at that.”
“I wish my folks weren’t coming either; bet my mother’s worse than yours.”
“Great, two crappy mums, Steve, one dad and us. Oh, and slushiest couple ever. That it?”
“We’re the slushiest couple ever. Who stole our crown?” He jutted his bottom lip out and walked over to her wearing only his boxer shorts.
“Bah! Dan and Ray of course. I don’t ever want to be that slushy. They’re Super-glued together.”
“We can get pretty sticky, don’t you think.”
“Don’t distract me. I’m trying to be organised,” she averted her gaze from his butt as he bent over to pick his laptop case up from against the sofa. “I haven't received an RSPV from your folks, yet. Christ, we’re getting married in a week’s time and we haven’t even met each other’s folks? Isn’t there a law being broken somewhere?”
“They sent it to me. Their RSPV, I mean. Should have said, sorry. That’s their attempt at a snub of course, but my mother’s opinion on anything is of zero concern to me, and should be to you. I have very little to do with them, to be honest.”
“Why? Why don’t I know about this stuff?”
“Oh, we’ve just never been a close family. Maybe you’ll understand that when you have the displeasure of meeting them.” He moved his sexiness into the kitchen.
Not happy with that conversation, I see. “Oh.”
“So, did you order the dress?” he asked from in the kitchen. “You don’t have to worry about my outfit. I’ve sorted that and the hotel and the honeymoon.” He popped his head around the corner beamed, and said, “I’m … excited.” He really was excited.
“Me too, wait till you see the dress! Yes, it’s ready and waiting for me to see at Danielle’s.”
“I can’t wait to see you in it. But after the wedding, I’ll be more eager to see you out of the dress.” He said, his hand casually holding his bulge.
Why do men do that?
“Um, typical.” She grinned, knowing the underwear she planned to wear, or lack thereof, would get him going, let alone the dress. “I better get going actually.”
She picked up her purse and jacket and ran to give him a kiss goodbye, “Here’s the list.”
He checked it out while she hurried toward the door, “Hey, Roger and Susan are on it?”
“You may pay them for their work, but they are still our friends. They’re coming … if they want to.”
He shrugged. “Ok. Don’t be long. We’ll miss you,” she peered around the corner at the Royal ‘we’ to find him pointing one finger to his face, and one to his bulge.
“Classy!” she said before she left for Danielle’s.
He remembered, “Oh, wait.”
“Oh, what now?”
“Roger’s taking you, right?”
Julia didn’t want to tell him she’d lied to Roger about her schedule, “See you later Hun.”
Driving her lovely Mercedes again was bliss. Having a personal driver was very cool, but she missed her independence. No one had seen or heard from Mike for weeks, so she decided not to live fearfully, or to let him spoil their wedding. She still carried her MACE and avoided walking the streets alone, but she went about her business.
Danielle and Julia clinked Champagne flutes, although she would only have a sip to toast the newly arrived wedding gown. Driving and all. A few weeks prior, Danielle had fully accepted the story of Julia’s past, even the discovery of her real name and identity hadn’t marred their friendship. If anything, it brought them closer. Because of her generosity of spirit, Julia had a surprise for to reveal later one. After she’d tried on the wedding dress of her dreams.
“Try it on then,” said an eager Danielle. “It’s so gorgeous hanging up like that, but it’s a bag of washing if it doesn’t fit.”
“I sent them my exact measurements. It’s made to measure. It’s going to fit,” Julia assured her.
Danielle had ushered out poor Ray and set up the living room of their small apartment as a boutique. A long mirror stood in a wooden frame in the corner of her living room, white flowers spread everywhere that did little for Julia but she wouldn’t spoil it by revealing why, and three tissue boxes sat ready on each counter top to mop up stray tears. She also offered several pairs of her own shoes to try on with the dress, knowing Julia wouldn’t even think about them.
“Oh, okay,” she sighed, feeling grateful and a little spoilt. “Help me on with it then.”
The knee-length, form-fitting, cream dress, was made of the finest lace with a silk lining, had a chiffon wrap attached which beautifully framed Julia’s shoulders and cleavage.
Danielle grabbed a tissue, sniffing, “Oh my, you are just exquisite.”
“It is stunning, isn’t it?” smiled Julia, a little overwhelmed by how she looked. Beyond any dream dress shed had, this was pure fairy tale. “Ahem … The dress designer Jonathan recommended did an incredible job. He works for all the big stars apparently. I don’t even want to think about the price-tag.”
“Of course the dress is lovely, but you can’t frame shit, can you?” said Danielle, very matter of fact, looking over the gown with scrutiny. “You make it look so … dreamy.”
Julia sniggered at her friend’s way with words, appreciating her friendship a little more every day.
“I have a surprise for you in the Merc, if you want to go get it.” Julia hoped she would say yes to the favour she wanted ask. It was a big ask after all the lies Danielle had forgiven recently. “Keys are in my bag, su
rprise is in the trunk.”
Danielle didn’t say anything, just grabbed Julia’s bag and rushed out the door, leaving Julia staring at her reflection in the mirror. “Jeeze-Louise, that’s really me … I’m marrying a man I love in one week’s time, and I’m ... kind of a Swan again. Life is good.”
A few minutes later, Danielle burst in carrying a dress bag, the note Julia pinned to it still there. “Yes,” she cried, “I will be your Maid of Honour.”
* * *
The Big Day finally arrived, and Julia felt beautiful waiting to walk down the sandy isle, as did her mother and Danielle.
It was no surprise to find that Jonathan rented the whole beach for the ceremony, despite their intimate wedding party, so no crowd of strangers could camouflage Mike, should he turn up.
The palm trees and the sunshine, the flirty ocean waves, all framed Jonathan in Julia’s eyes view ahead of her. He smiled, shuffled nervously on the spot as she fought the tears threatening to ruin carefully applied makeup.
Jonathan’s family dominated one side of the gathering, compared to her empty side, but she hoped they wouldn’t think that made her any less loveable.
“Married on a beach, how very … cool,” said her mother, Linda, who was giving Julia away in the absence of a father. “Goodness Julia, he’s a handsome man, that Mr. Jergan.” She peered up at her daughter, frowning, as if bewildered. She had never been one to instil confidence. “Let’s not keep him waiting.”
The wedding march began, played beautifully by the five-piece orchestra, all markedly overdressed for the beach. But still.
“Okay Mum. Here goes,” she said to herself as much as to her entourage. “Ready ladies?”
“Damn straight,” said Danielle, smoothing her caramel dress, “Wait till Ray sees me in this getup.”
Danielle walked barefoot behind her, her dress, a flowing chiffon delight, and as they passed Ray, tears glistened in his eyes, his proud gaze glued to Danielle.
Linda gave Julia to Jonathan and sat. They swapped vows and promised each other ‘forever’s and happy ever after’s’ and Julia meant every word. She smiled so much her cheeks cramped. They sealed these promises with platinum wedding rings, and when they kissed, Jonathan actually trembled in her arms. And when they separated to smile at one another as husband and wife, she wasn’t the only one of them with tears in her eyes.
He said, “You take my breath away, Jules.”
They giggled as the photographer took a trillion pictures, and they enjoyed the first dance at the after wedding party, held on an entire floor of the Halekulani Hotel. A large pool, a Big Band playing jazz and show tunes offered entertainment.
Of course, it was marvelous, but all the happy couple really wanted was to be alone in their honeymoon suit. Married at last.
After the first dance, dying to go to the bathroom, she saw her chance and ran to attend to nature’s call. She pulled her dress down after she’d finished and smiled in wonder at her good fortune. I’m married to the man of my dreams, and the man of my nightmares is most likely gone for good.
When she left the cubicle, grinning like the Joker, she found a woman waiting for her, arms folded.
“So, here you are!” said the dark haired beauty. “Hello… daughter. It’s about time we met don’t you think?”
Julia held out her hand, but before she washed it. Fighting a raging blush she said, “Sorry, let me wash first …” Great start.
“Yes, quite! So, how did you meet my son? He never tells me anything.”
Already she sensed disapproval. Typical. “At work,” she shrugged, wanting it to sounds utterly unremarkable so as not to garner the need for details. “Bit of a cliché really.” She dried her hands on one of the rolled up hand towelled and applied the juniper hand lotion provided. She concentrated on its gorgeous fragrance to distract from her anxiety.
“Yes, I imagined as much,” she said, with a British accent as plummy as that of the Queen of England.
Conversation, try for normal conversation. “So, how are you liking Honolulu, Mrs. Jergan? This your first time here?” Julia rummaged in her purse for lip-gloss.
“That’s your name, dear. Not mine!” she waved her hands then shoved one on her hip. “… and Honolulu is far too hot, the people smile too much; no one’s that happy all the time. But this hotel is … nice.”
“Yeah, it’s a great place.” I see why Jon dislikes this cold fish.
“Um.” She looked over Julia with a glare of a hungry wolf. “So, where did you study? Not in Honolulu, surely?” She laughed.
Julia sighed, “Sorry?” At night school for an online certificate, which she totally doesn’t mean.
“Was that a difficult question my dear?” scoffed the cold fish. “I’m sorry, should I rephrase it for you? University—which did you attend?”
Rude! But I’m not afraid of a snob. I married her son, not her.
“I studied design online in my free time while working tables.”
“You have an online certificate.” She frowned. “That’s all?”
Julia offered her a hard smile, “Should I have gone to Harvard to prove myself worthy of your son?”
“Well, there’s no need …”
“Which University did you attend?” Julia’s face tightened, “Did you even graduate high school?”
The woman held her breath, mouth slightly ajar, as if she meant to answer but thought better of it.
Julia continued to fire questions, “How did you earn the price tag on that handbag, for example?” she pointed to the woman’s Chanel clutch. “Or your airfare from England?”
Her pale face shook, “Well, I’ve never been so…”
“What? Assaulted, humiliated?” Julia turned away from her to reapply lip-gloss with a quivering hand, her heartbeat accelerated, “I used to suffer bullies...” She gave up on the gloss and returned it to her bag, but she couldn’t bear to look in the woman’s direction. Instead, she pushed up her boobs, pulled down her dress, adding “… not anymore.”
As Julia passed her, she quietly spoke in her ear, “Ask yourself a few things. Like, is my world so empty I need to fill it in this way? Would I be better off filling it with something that didn’t involve making other people miserable?”
The woman clenched her jaw.
Julia came face to face with another aggressor, one who would have tried to ruin her relationship with Jonathan, but she’d removed her power it at its source and felt amazing, “Enjoy the rest of the night.”
After she left the bathroom, she saw her beloved husband and realised neither of them had chosen to talk of their cold critical mothers.
His mother followed her out of the toilet and approached them.
“Mother, hello,” Jonathan said, looking at the women. “Have you two met yet? Sorry, I should have introduced you sooner.”
His mother looked Julia over once again, eyebrows raised, then replied, “That’s okay, we met in the WC. She’s… quite a girl. We’ll talk later you two.” Then she swooped off without congratulations or ‘how have you been son.’
He looked at his wife with questioning eyes, but Julia asked her questions before he asked his. “Um, what’s her name? She said it wasn’t Jergan?”
He placed his hand on her waist, “Scarlett Blunt. She’s … hard work, but you seem to have her under control. What did you say to her?”
Would he understand, or hate me if I told him what had transpired in there? “Oh, I just think we understand each other.” I kissed him and breathed in the faint icing dust from his top lip. Umm, someone’s been eating cake. “Why doesn’t she share your father’s surname?”
“She had an affair with Dad while she worked as our maid. My real mum wasn’t well and died within a year. Dad never married Scarlett. Doubt he was bothered with all that after losing Mum, but they’ve been together for around twenty years now. She’s the only mother-figure I’ve known, mores the pity. I was too young to remember my real mother.”
He picke
d her up, kissed her nose and popped her down into a cuddle. “Today is perfect. Let’s not ruin it with tales of the evil step-mother.”
“Sorry. I shouldn’t ask. My mum is a bit of a mare too, but I love the old crone all the same.” She glanced around and saw a handsome gentleman, very much the older version of Jonathan. “Shouldn’t I meet your father?”
“Sure. He’s much easier to deal with. And oh look, he’s over by the piano, unsurprisingly. Come.”
He led her by the hand to his father, Rupert Jergen, retired businessman, widower, and long-term sufferer of vile Scarlett. “Julie Jergan,” she said holding out her hand to him. “Honoured to meet you, Sir.”
“Ah, the illusive woman who tamed our wild boy. Call me Rupert, please.” He shook her hand and pulled her into a weak embrace. “We never thought he’d find a woman interesting enough to make a commitment, he complained of being bored from the age of eleven and never stopped.” He chuckled, then gave Jonathan a big bear-hug. “You met Scarlett yet?” I nodded, “She’s a Scorpion. Hopefully you’re not, it’s not easy living in fear of those claws—snap-snap!” he said.
Julia didn’t doubt it, and said, “Jonathan wouldn’t let me snap-snap, would you?”
“You have your moments,” he caressed her cheek, grinning, “as I have mine. But no one is cruel, and no one is ever bored.” He pushed a tendril of her hair behind her ear, which had fallen loose from the pleat.
Julia held his hand, looked at his dear face, and forgot all about Rupert, Scarlett and Mike. She even sighed audibly, then felt immediately ridiculous.
Rupert laughed softly, “Oh, young love. Look at you two. It’s adorable. But a little sickening, do you mind?” He motioned to the piano. “Might have a tinkle.”
“Sure, go for it. You okay for a drink?” asked Jonathan after clearing his throat and offering a bashful snigger.
