The twinkle from the star lights that graced the ceiling of the lighthouse instantly caught the entering guests’ attention. Vines of ivy intertwined with white gardenias curved up the walls and stairwells leading up to them and created a divine ambiance.
“Oh my goodness… this is simply breathtaking.”
“Hors d'oeuvre, Madam?”
Terri brought her eyes from the angelic set up to the tall and slim server in front of her. His Jamaican accent produced intriguing English dialect.
“Certainly…what’s in this?”
“This is a watermelon wrapped citrus shrimp,” he said with a smile, taking in the elegant and mature beauty of Sasha’s mother.
Terri gasped lightly in intrigue and charmingly took a napkin and appetizer.
“That just sounds delicious.”
“Oh it is,” the server insisted. “And sweet.”
“What’s in that one?” Sasha’s father interjected with a challenge, pointing at a tray a young woman not too far away was holding.
The server darted his eyes to him off guard, not realizing they were together.
“My apologies, sir. That tray has the cucumber lobster tart I believe.”
“And that table. What about that table over there?’
“Cut it out, Bill,” Terri whispered so that the server couldn’t hear.
“That table has the avocado sushi and wasabi crab cakes.”
“That sounds good. Why don’t you go and get me some of that,” Sasha’s father suggested with authority.
“Certainly.” He scurried away.
“Oh my Bill, don’t make a scene.”
“He was flirting with you right in front of my face, Terri. And sweet,” Sasha’s father mocked the server’s accent.
“He was in no such way,” Terri replied with an eye roll.
“Yeah, okay. I know how these island guys operate,” Bill said. “So do you,” he added in a low voice.
“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Sasha’s mother snapped knowing just what he was talking about, and who. But why was he bringing him up after so long?
“Daddy!” Sasha beamed, making her way to them. Bill smiled at his gorgeous daughter. Her long, silk champagne colored gown scooped high around her neck and left her entire back exposed. It fit snugly and then cascaded to a small mermaid pool around her feet. Her hair was upswept into a classy bun and she looked timeless.
“Sasha,” he smiled proudly.
“Ma,” she stated way less affectionately, addressing her mother. Usually not out of the norm for this mother daughter pair, Bill paid it no mind. However, there was a slightly more disdain in Sasha’s voice for her mother than usual and it had everything to do with the news she had revealed to Sasha.
Terri paid it no mind.
“Sasha, this is something else. I mean, I’ve never seen anything like this before. This place is just…oh my god. And the pond out front, with the pink lighting and the beautifullll white geese. This is already the most gorgeous wedding, and it hasn’t even begun. And we’ve been to some lavish weddings. Bill, remember that mayor’s wedding we got invited to, with the horse and carriage?”
“You tell the same name dropping stories, ma,” Sasha accused visibly annoyed as she led them to the back. “Where’s Aubrey?”
“She’s somewhere around here with your Aunt Betty,” her father responded. Her mother stayed on the name dropping comment.
“Well, I may tell them all the time but it’s true…I mean, how much money does Tatum’s husband actually have?” Terri leaned in and whispered to Sasha.
Sasha shook her head.
“You know, for a woman with such bourgeoisie characteristics, you really have no class.”
“Sasha, don’t talk to your mother like that!”
“Let her be, Bill.”
However, as tasteless as it seemed, Terri was telling the truth. If Steven Wynn could blow $10 million on an antique vase and Bradgelina could drop hundreds of thousands on art for their children’s bedrooms, Ree could give Tatum the wedding that she never even dreamed of. A wedding that had to cost at least…
“A million. At least! Has to be a million he spent.”
Sasha sighed as they neared the exit of the lighthouse which led to the beach area where the wedding would take place. Soft violins played by dozens of men in tuxedos greeted them.
“You don’t know that, ma.”
“For goodness sake, Sasha. He flew us all first class and had Bentleys greet us at the airport. Dom Perignon champagne in the car, three day suites for all of the guests. C’mon, don’t be naïve. This is a wedding. Look at that view!” She exclaimed pointing to where the area was set up for the nuptials to take place. “I’m sure you and Chauncey’s wedding will be wonderful, but it won’t possibly top this. You’ll just have to give it to Tatum; she’ll have the best wedding.”
“Jesus Christ, mother what the hell is wrong with you? I don’t have to give anything to Tatum! We’re not in competition! And what wedding? Do you see a ring on this finger?” Sasha snapped, holding up her bare hand. “Do you!”
Sasha’s mother looked shocked for a moment but then just waved her hand at her daughter’s dramatics.
“Oh hush, Sasha. Chauncey will ask you to marry him again. You’re such a drama queen.”
Terri strutted off in her baby pink Chanel skirt suit, smoothing the sides of the cropped cut hair. Sasha rolled her eyes because she knew all the years of people comparing her to Vanessa Williams had gotten to her head.
“Daddy, how do you deal with her?” Sasha whined with a stomp of her foot.
“I ask myself the same question sometimes.”
“This is like a dream.”
“Yeah.”
“This is like a fairytale.”
“Shut up, Tangee. There are no real fairytales,” Chanel spat and Tangee rolled her eyes. They both looked around in awe as they took the three small steps onto the white marble gazebo that had been built onto the beach for the nuptials. Chairs lined both sides with a long row down the middle. White flowers were decorated all around with tiny lights embedded in them. It would probably be twice as beautiful when they started and the sun began to set.
“Y’all just don’t touch anything. Don’t be breaking shit, don’t be messing shit up,” Nikki barked with a sniff of her nose.
“Ma, I’m thirteen years old. I ain’t no damn kid,” Chanel snapped back.
“Well, you act like one. You ain’t no damn kid then get a damn job and help out with the bills, instead of ya fast ass chasing behind boys.”
“I gotta be fourteen to get my working papers in Virginia, remember?” Chanel snapped back, pursing her lips.
Nikki pursed hers right back and rolled her neck.
“Well when I was thirteen I found a way to work. Marinate on that, little kid. And you only two years behind her, so you start thinking on it, too,” Nikki addressed to Tangee.
“Hey girls,” Jayde interjected, stepping up and shooting Nikki a condescending look. “You guys must be Chanel and Tangee. I’ve heard so much about you from your Aunt Tatum and your Uncle Ree. Tatum’s waiting for you guys upstairs so you can change into your dresses. Let’s go! Follow me,” Jayde smiled.
“’Scuse me,” Nikki tapped her shoulder as she started to walk away with Tatum’s nieces. “Can you tell me where the bathroom is?” Nikki gave another long sniff and Jayde studied her with a long stare before she let go of a slow nod. “Yeah…it’s that way.”
“Thank you.”
Clutching her purse firmly, Nikki hurried away. And Jayde knew what it was, she saw it every day, just from the other side of the game.
“Oh my god, look at you two!” Tatum exclaimed with wide arms.
“Auntie Tatum!” Tangee screamed, running into them excitedly.
Chanel tried to remain mature but the kid in her smiled wide and ran to her aunt as well, holding her close and fighting back tears.
“You look so pretty,” Chanel said sof
tly, both of them holding her so tight.
“You guys look so pretty, too. Nikki got your hair done? It looks good,” Tatum smiled, stepping back. She didn’t care if they were close on time, nothing came before her nieces. She would chop it up with them.
“I did it,” Chanel stated proudly running her hands through her own curls before looking at Tangee’s.
“Hold up now! Let me find out you gonna be nice with hair like your auntie? You gonna open up a shop with me?”
Chanel laughed.
“Yeah.”
“Alright cool, but let me ask you something else,” Tatum stated nonchalantly.
“What?”
“Where are the rest of your clothes?” She looked at her thirteen year old niece dressed in short tight shorts with a tank top that was cut too low and showed her abdomen. It even revealed…oh lord is that a belly ring??
“These are my clothes, Auntie Tatum. Don’t trip.” Tatum pressed her lips together and made an urgent brain note to address this issue when the wedding was over. She meant, start of the reception when the wedding was over, not next week.
“Alright, y’all get changed. C’mon, we got a show to get on the road!” Tatum clapped her hands together like she wasn’t as nervous as a hoe in Bible study.
“You want me to tell them we starting?”
Tatum looked up at Sasha, who stood with attitude written all over her face as she asked the question. She couldn’t believe she was going to do this without Sasha’s 100% support, but she was.
“Yeah…yeah, you can do that.”
“Ladies and Gentlemen, if you would all take your seats. We’re about to begin,” Sasha announced. Everyone began to grab their last hors d’oeuvre and find their child or spouse to sit.
Ree’s father patted him on the back with a strong hand as they stood under the gazebo.
“Well, it’s time.”
Ree only nodded but remained deep in thought. Nervous wasn’t in his band of emotions. But he was feeling something in that family.
“You’re really doing it.”
“That I am,” he assured confidently. There was a pause and then his father spoke.
“You know with all these people, there’s a strong possibility this can get back to the States. You’re not exactly low key with this thing here.”
Ree shrugged nonchalantly.
“That’s not important. Like I told you before Pop, we got that situation under control. They can come and take me right now, it wouldn’t matter…they just better let me finish my vows or they’d have to deal with Tatum.” He shot his father a self-assured wink and his father laughed lightly.
“And they don’t want to deal with Tatum. She’s a piece of work!” Leroy Knights noted.
Ree chuckled. “Yeah… this is her day.” Ree had a faraway look and smile in his eyes. “It belongs to her.”
Ree’s father smiled and nodded, happy that his son in the midst of his dark world had found genuine love.
“You ready to do this, playboy?”
Chauncey interrupted, stepping up in his white suit, champagne colored tie and slapping Ree on the shoulder.
“Born ready. Me first, you next,” Ree retorted.
Chauncey whistled jokingly.
“Mannn, I don’t know…” He laughed. “But you right. I’m probably next up to bat. I’m just holding out a lil’ longer.” The truth was Chauncey couldn’t see past all the money he was about to be making, but he knew giving Sasha her ring and wedding was his priority after that.
“Aight, my nigga, just don’t hold out too long,” Ree warned.
“I won’t…I won’t. But this all you right now. So let’s go.”
“Let’s do it.”
Tatum could hear the band begin to play and it made her knees buckle.
“Oh my god! You alright?” Jayde asked as she reached and caught her. Jayde planned to stand on the sidelines and watch the nuptials from a distance and then make sure everything was situated for the reception.
“Yeah…yeah, I’m fine.”
Sasha looked on stubbornly, wanting so bad to console her best friend and tell her how beautiful she looked, how perfect her wedding was, and how she had nothing to be nervous about. But the resentment in her wouldn’t allow it. She patted Aubrey on the head and faced forward.
“I guess…I guess it just hit me you know,” Tatum spoke with a shaky voice and watery eyes. “Like, I’m really about to marry him. He’s about to marry me. Am I ready to be married? Is he ready to be married?”
“Sweetie, Ree’s been married for years…to the game that is. This is his second marriage,” Jayde stated with a chuckle. Sasha turned and looked at her with narrowed eyes not sure if what she said was intended to console Tatum, but Sasha thought it was inappropriate for a nervous girl on the verge of anxiety.
Sasha pushed Tangee out lightly on her cue to start the line. The wedding march would be just for the women, no traditional male escorts. Tatum would walk alone, leaving the empty space for her father’s spirit.
“Oh my god,” Tatum whispered. “You’re right. I never thought I’d say this, but you’re right Jayde. I mean…what was I thinking? Can I marry someone who’s already married to something else? I’m not his top priority. Look how he went back to the streets again after he knew how I felt. Who’s to say he won’t do it again? Who’s to say he’ll even leave this time like he says?” Tatum was rambling hysterically as Chanel reluctantly walked out, looking back at her distressed aunt. Oohs and aahs could be heard admiring her nieces’ dresses but Tatum paid it no mind. She knew the people were probably impressed with them as well as the setup of the women emerging from the fifth floor, walking down the outside spiral steps of the lighthouse and across the beach to the gazebo.
“Is he gonna leave the game alone, Jayde? …For real?”
Jayde wanted to laugh hysterically but she just looked at a pitiful Tatum blankly, giving the impression that she knew something that Tatum didn’t. This is why Jayde had all of these little plans in motion. Playing with Tatum and bringing Ree to herself in a calculating way was so much more fun than just killing the girl.
“Sweetie, I’m sure he will. I really think so.”
Sasha couldn’t take anymore. Jayde using words like ‘I’m sure’ and ‘I think’ was putting more doubt in Tatum’s mind. Sasha knew she was supposed to walk now but she didn’t.
“Of course he will,” Sasha spoke up. “He loves you. Look at this!” Sasha waved her hands around at all that was around them. “He’d do anything for you.”
Those words put a sense of calm over Tatum, one that would vanish with the next ones spoken.
“Tatum, you don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for. Marriage is a big step,” Jayde stressed. “I’m sure Ree would understand if you don’t want-”
“Shut up, Jayde!” Sasha yelled out of nowhere causing Jayde to snap her neck and Tatum to open her eyes wide.
“Tatum, you love him and he loves you. And even though I can hardly stand to look at you right now… you look amazing, and everybody here needs to see that. So follow me down the damn aisle.”
And with that, Sasha stepped out to the beat of the music, before Tatum could even close her dropped jaw to respond.
Aubrey stepped out right on Sasha’s tail, tossing flowers on the ground as instructed.
Tatum knew that Sasha was still upset with her but she was glad that she had intervened. And even though she thought she was still being a selfish bitch, Sasha was right. A minute passed and the band stopped and Tatum heard the sounds of them beginning to play her walking music, so she went to step out. Step out to love. But she just…couldn’t.
The band stopped, and the people stood, and the music started again and the crowd waited….and the crowd waited…and the crowd waited….
“What the fuck is going on?” Chauncey whispered as he and Crush stood on the sides, but he didn’t get a response.
Ree stood with his eyes fixated on the door, having a fee
ling, no, almost so in sync with Tatum that he knew…he knew what she was thinking…he knew what she was scared of and he knew she wasn’t walking out of that door.
TTW 3 ( Thicker Than Water 3 ) Page 12
