THE DEAL

Sixteen

"You look beautiful," Abigail said to her daughter as tears filled her eyes. Ashanti walked over to her and pulled her in a hug. "Mom please don't cry, you're wearing makeup," she said as she tried to lighten the mood.
Her mother chuckled at her sense of humor and sniffed.
"I swear, I feel like crying right now," Mabel said as she helped Nina zip up her dress. "You guts shouldn't cry. It's my wedding day not my funeral," Ashanti said with a heavy voice. She knew how much she cried when Mabel was getting married.
"Please stop all this sappy speeches. My makeup is too precious to be ruined by tears," Mikayla said as she fanned her burning eyes which made her family laugh.
Then a maid walked in holding a pair of diamond heels in her hands.
Ashanti's mood became sour as she saw the heels. "I don't want to wear those death traps," she whined and her sisters laughed at her as she maid helped her put them on.
Ashanti's braided her was styled in a high bun and a tiara was placed on with with a veil.
"You look like a princess," Mikayla mumbled in admiration.
"I'f Marcel fucks up, I'll kill him with my bare hands," she thought to herself as she admired her little sister.
Abigail noticed that Nina had been quiet all day and it was very unusual of her.
"Nina, sweetheart. I haven't heard a single word from you all morning," she said, making all eyes turn to the girl in question.
The maid excused herself, allowing them privacy.
Nina was sitting at the vanity table. She looked up from her lap and looked at them.
"I don't want to cry so I cannot say anything for now," she looked away and sniffled. Ashanti felt her heart skip a beat as she bunched up her dress abd walked up to her.
"Babe," she said as she pulled Nina up to her feet. "Please don't cry," she said as she pulled her in a hug.
____
Ashanti felt sick as she fiddled with the bouquet of flowers in her hands. She and her father were waiting for the time to walk down the aisle.
"Dad, I'm scared," she confessed to her father. Christopher chuckled at her statement.
"This was the exact thing your sister said when she was getting married," he said to her and she blushed.
"My feet are killing me," his daughter told him and he laughed. "This girl," he thought to himself.
"What if I trip and fall as we walk? Or worse, what if he calls off the wedding? It'll mean I wore death traps for nothing!" Ashanti panicked.
"Stop overthinking, child. You can't fall down as we walk, you're not dumb. I thought you'd be happy if he calls off the wedding," her father said as he raised a teasing brow at her.
Ashanti blushed and looked away as she caressed the ring on her finger.
"Have you fallen in love with him?" her father asked. Ashanti shook her head with a small frown. "I'm not sure I have. We've become friends but he's still an asshole," she said abd her father laughed at her comment.
The double doors opened and Ashanti nearly fainted as she saw the crowd awaiting them.
"This church is too big," she thought to herself in dismay as she held her father's arm and they began to walk down the aisle.
Clicks of cameras from the paparazzi with the wedding song playing filled her ears, making her realize that this was not a dream.
"Fuck, I'm actually going to tie a knot with someone today!" she panicked in her head and she walked with her father.
Her heart skipped a beat when her gaze fell on her husband-to-be who turned around to see her. Marcel didn't understand why but his heart began to swell with pride as he watched her walk towards him.
"She really is a beauty," the priest chuckled silently and Marcel nodded. "A goddess," he added and the priest smiled.
"This is my stop," Ashanti's father whispered in Ashanti's ears as they got closer to the altar.
"I love you," he said and let her go.
She couldn't even turn to the side to look at her sisters, mother and best friend as she walked because she feared she'd trip and fall.
Marcel went fine the four-step stairs and approached herm "Hey," she smiled at him.
"You look beautiful, gattina," he said to her as she held his arm and they walked up the stairs but Ashanti couldn't stop herself from blushing.
They stood in front of the priest and the organist stopped playing the organ.
The priest took the microphone and cleared his throat before speaking.
"We all gathered here to witness the wonderful abd blissful union between Ashanti and Marcello," he started.
"I like his accent," Ashanti thought to herself.
"We've all been waiting fir the day our beloved and most admired bachelor will finally settle down. And now, the day had finally come," the priest said and chuckled filled the air. Marcel rolled his eyes playfully while Ashanti smiled.
The priest grinned teasingly and turned to Marcel. "Do you, Marcello Bianchi, wish to take Ashanti Edwards as your wife, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, for better for worse, to love and protect till death do you apart?" He asked.
Marcel and Ashanti looked eyes and Ashanti held her breath. "I do," Marcel said and she exhaled in relief. Then her eyes widened.
"Fuck, it's my turn!" her brain screamed.
The priest turned to face her with a smile. "Do you, Ashanti Edwards, wish to take Marcello Bianchi as your husband, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, for better for worse, to love and protect till death do you apart?" He asked.
Ashanti exhaled and looked at Marcel who raised a brow at her. She rolled her eyes playfully at him. "I do," she said.
"And now, I pronounce you both as husband and wife. May the lord bless your marriage and make it fruitful," the priest said happily and there was a chorus of amen.
"I introduced to you all Mr. and Mrs. Bianchi," he said to the congregation and turned to the couple,"you may now kiss the bride."
Marcel pulled Ashanti closer and raised the veil from her face before placing his lips on hers.