third time's a charm

36

In the bustling kitchen, chaos reigned supreme as cooks and waiters rushed about at breakneck speed to prepare for the rehearsal supper. Gun, known for his perfectionism, took charge, pulling Win, New, Tay, and Gulf along to check the menu. Amidst the frenzy, they couldn't resist pausing to admire the mouthwatering array of delicacies spread out on the table.

"Gun, take a chill pill," Win gently chided his best friend, who was moments away from tying the knot with Off in a Hawaiian-themed wedding right here in Cancun. Though Win found the theme a bit odd, he decided to keep that opinion to himself.

Gun, clearly nervous, grabbed an oversized jar of peanut butter and scooped out a huge dollop with his finger, then stuffed it into his mouth. Gulf and New exchanged disgusted looks at the sight.

"Are you experiencing those..." Tay paused for a moment, then continued, "...pre-wedding jitters? Isn't that what they call it?"

"I'm not getting cold feet, idiot! Off's parents and friends are out there! I want everything flawless."

Win rolled his eyes. "It's just a rehearsal supper," he reminded his best friend, pulling him away from the peanut butter and rubbing his shoulders. "Everything will be perfect. I swear to you. Off's parents adore you."

With Gun finally pacified, they were escorted into an enormous room where the rehearsal supper was in progress, with more than a hundred guests in attendance. Win's eyes wandered from the vaulted ceilings to the frescoed walls, the inlaid floors, and the massive pipe organ above the stone staircase. Oil portraits adorned the walls, depicting ancestors alongside their favorite dogs.

Isabelle, Bright's mother, had risen from the main table and came directly to greet Win, all smiles. "Win, Bright told me about his proposal and that you said yes to marrying him. How wonderful!"

She took his arm graciously. Win looked at her and couldn't help but notice how gorgeous she was, just like her son. "You're not against it?" He blurted out the words without thinking. Somehow, a part of him was instinctively considering other reasons the curse might cause trouble for them both.

Isabelle was understandably bemused by his question. "Why would I be against it? You've made my son the happiest man alive, and for that, I am grateful."

Win could only sigh. It all seemed too perfect. He wished it could stay that way. "I'm grateful for your son's existence too," he told her sincerely. "Every day, he makes me feel like I'm the most precious thing in the world."

"That is because you are," Isabelle assured him and led him away from his friends so they could have a private chat. "Now, let me see the ring..." she gasped as she examined his finger. "My son has expensive taste, but this one, I can tell, is worth more than money. I remember this stone..."

"Is this a family heirloom?" Win asked, noticing the intricate stone in the middle of the band.

"It came from his great, great, great grandmother," the woman explained. "I passed it on to him because..."

"Because?" Win was intrigued when the woman's words trailed off.

She shook her head. "People in our family would often say that Bright inherited her good looks and her skills. Do you know this stone is a combination of garnet and aquamarine? It was fused into a single stone, and it looks stunning on you!"

"Thanks..." Win respected Bright's mother's wish to not divulge information about their ancestry. However, he couldn't help but agree with everything she said about the ring. "The mixture of red and blue is perfect."

"You think so?" Her eyes twinkled at what he said. "I'm glad you like it. Bright kept it like some sort of lucky charm." She looked at him. "It is my fervent wish for you to stay beside my son no matter what happens."