Bounced By My Brother - S01 E08

3 years ago

Bounced By My Brother - S01 E08

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 8

IN THE NICK OF TIME

Claudia and Manilla entered the church. All all eyes were suddenly fixed on them. The pastor was making an announcement but paused when they entered the chapel but they have heard a portion of the announcement. ….

“Sorry this wedding is postponed. .erhh cancelled until …..”

That was enough to make sense of what nearly happened. Sarah gave Claudia a drugged cocktail de- Fruit drink so that when she finishes drinking it, she would sleep deeply and won’t be able to make it to her wedding ceremony. She then ran away from her duties as the bridesmaid and came to the church to convey a misleading message to the church that Claudia couldn’t make it to the wedding because she was drunk.

The pastor was about to convey the full message to the wedding attendants when they came here.

Actually, it was Manilla who saved Claudia.

She was about to take the drink when she stopped her. After waiting for five minutes and Sarah didn’t return from the acclaimed washroom, Manilla went to check up on her only to discover that she was gone. Manilla then wore Sarah’s dress and told Claudia she will be accompanying her to the church since her sister had abandoned me. She said they must hurry to the church before the wedding was cancelled. By God’s grace, they arrived just in the nick of time to thwart the cancellation of the wedding.

At the end of each seated aisle, jasmine scented candles hung from candle holders. Spread down the aisle was a velvet carpet, as far as the eyes could see, well cleaned with a Hoover power scrub Deluxe carpet cleaner. Her last – minute bridesmaid looked radiant in her sister’s dress. She was her saviour, choosing to side with her rather than her blood sister.

She wondered how she looked considering the fact the crowd still fixed their gaze on them, a gaze betraying their shock. Finally, the pastor came out and asked every to stand. It was her turn! All eyes were still on her. Her flower girl lined the path with white rose petals as the music started.

She only took three steps out before she was greeted by her father. He escorted her down the aisle, which seemed longer than before. He became her source of strength; without him she wouldn’t have had the courage to walk down the aisle.

Suddenly, the crowd became more friendly and lively. The guests looked at her, taking pictures of her dress, waving at her, smiling.

Up ahead she saw him, Martin; Her husband to be. He stood taller with huge shoulders and his gaze was fixed on her. If she wasn’t mistaken she could have sworn she saw tears filled his eyes.

Unlike him, her nervousness kicked in ten-fold. The attention was too much for her to handle. Good thing she only had five more steps to go. At the end of the aisle, her father hugged her, said “I ‘m proud of you” and then presented her to her groom. Her father placed her hand in Martin’s and smiled.

As a couple, Martin and Claudia stood in front of the pastor. Before her father walked away, he patted Martin on the shoulder. That was his way of welcoming him into the family. Standing next to her love felt overwhelming. Was this really happening? Will I soon be Mrs. Martin Donkor? She asked herself.

The minister said to the guests, “You can now be seated”.

My friends and family followed his command.

“Dearly beloved,” he began, “we are gathered here this morning to witness the unification of Martin Donkor and Claudia De-Craft in holy matrimony. “Marriage is a time where two people who find love openly declare it before God and men and invite him to give them the courage and endurance to travel on this long journey till the end. It marked the legal union between the two lovers and….”

He delivered a long marriage speech. Afterward they exchanged vows. Tears filled their eyes. The ring bearer came forward and presented the rings. Claudia placed Martin’s ring on his finger first, then Martin placed hers on her finger as well.

The priest nodded and asked “If anyone objects to the marriage speak now or forever hold your peace”.

She was tensed. She imagined Sarah popping up again and saying, “I object to this marriage in the strongest possible terms because Claudia is a prostitute. She doesn’t deserve my brother.” Luckily, it was just a figment of her own imagination. No one popped up to say a word. The wedding proceeding continued.

Suddenly she caught a glimpse of a young lady leaving the church premise and she speculated it was Sarah. Her nervousness quadrupled and she felt like the ground was giving way beneath her feet. …

“By the power vested in me by the State and church, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Martin leaned in and kissed her, softly like he’s never done it before. Everyone cheered for them as they kissed, however she barely noticed; her full attention was diverted to the mysterious girl lurking in a corner behind the window. Soon after they did the whole candle symbolizing.

The reception was great. At the end of the ceremony, her fears flew away completely. She looked forward to an ecstatic honeymoon after ansuccessful wedding. Beads of sweat broke down on Sarah’s skin when she realized her own sister had chosen to spoil her plans and made her an amity.

She was frightened everyone will see her as an enemy of progress. That was the peak of her embarrassment. When the wedding was over, she received a message on her phone from her sister. It read, “I saw you when you put a sleeping tablet in her drink and ran away. I stopped her from taking the cocktail de fruit. I took your Bridesmaid’s dress because I knew you won’t come back, you are wicked. I will tell dad everything you did from the moment Brother Martin stepped into our house till today.”

Sarah’s heart beat rapidly. How would she explain herself to her parents, that she tried to sabotage her brother’s wedding because she thought he was making a great mistake in marrying Claudia, in addition to the fact that she was in love with him and couldn’t bear the sight of another girl taking him from her?

She thought she couldn’t face the shame so she boarded a taxi and headed towards her friend’s place. She wanted to exile herself from home for some weeks, months or even a year, because she couldn’t stand seeing her brother with that miscreant who had officially become her-sister – in -law.

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“Time is the friend of the wonderful company, the enemy of the mediocre.”-Warren Buffet***