Prelude to kisses

Chapter 27

Angie looked gorgeous, in a green sequin dress that hugged her in all the right places. Her hair left in an afro, she looked breathtaking, her eyes seemed to shine under the lights. They had arrived an hour late, running around town trying to find the perfect gift for the couple before settling on bracelets. Jossie had been a little skeptical Dylan wouldn't like the matching bracelets, but he seemed to like them, putting them on his future wife and himself.

Introductions had been made, negotiations and bride prices set and paid, the food served and now everyone seemed to have dispersed into small groups chatting away. Jackie stepped out for a second, she had seen Christian and had even exchanged greetings with each other and now she wanted to clear her head. It seemed to be a lot for her, being around so many people she didn't know. At the back of the venue, was a little bridge, with running water under it. It was pretty, serene. She found comfort in the silent sound around her. Birds chirping somewhere in the distance. Laughter coming from the inside, kids running around the lawn. It was a perfect evening.

Unlike the traditional way of doing things where the groom's family go to the bride's parents house, Angie and Dylan had put their own spin to things and drove everyone here to this gorgeous village just outside of town and had the family meeting and bride price negotiations. Their wedding was set for July, which was three months from now and her belly would be showing already. Jackie wondered with a smile if either of their families were aware of this.

She heard the sound of footsteps and turned her head to see him walking towards her. Hands in his pockets, tall and handsome as always. The black suit and smart tie seemed to make him look taller. His lips were a deeper shade of red, his hair a brown shade that made his eyes appear darker. He seemed star struck as he looked back into her eyes. For some time, they did nothing but just stand there looking at each other. She didn't know if it was appropriate to say the first word, to go to him. She stopped herself and watched him walk closer to her.

"I didn't know you were out here; I was actually trying to run away from you", He said as he stood next to her and leaned against the bridge railing as she was.

"I was getting some fresh air", She spoke

"You look beautiful".

"Thank you"

Silence and more silence as they both looked ahead into the near distance.

"How is Victoria Falls treating you?"

"It's different, the weather there is good".

"I'm moving to Mount Darwin next month. I got a job there".

"Really, I'm happy to hear that", Jackie didn't look at him, it took a lot of will power not to.

Because now standing next to him like this she remembered more than she wished she did. She remembered so much it was starting to hurt being so close to him. Will this ever go away? Will what she feels for him and her complicated feelings for Matt ever go away?

"I know we didn't work out, but I'm glad we tried".

She shook her head, "I don't. I wish we had left it alone. I realize some feelings shouldn't be acted upon. It's okay to feel things but acting on them is not always a good choice".

"I don't regret it; I don't regret you", He spoke

She didn't respond. What good was it anyway? She missed home already, she missed her bed, and suddenly Christian didn't seem all that pretty anymore, he didn't seem to have it all together and their past didn't look all that. It suddenly didn't feel like something she should waste her time going over in her head trying to pinpoint what went wrong, because nothing was right to begin with. She turned to him this time, to look at him in the eye one last time, she took her time as she said, "It was nice seeing you again, I'm going to get going".

She didn't turn back; she didn't bother with one last look. She knew exactly what she was leaving behind, it was better that way. She felt lighter as she walked away, better somehow about making that decision. She could have taken this opportunity to steal a kiss, mull over every little thing he's said and maybe let him take her home, but she hadn't and that made her prouder than anything she'd ever accomplished in her life.

She spent the next three days with Angie, going through the morning sickness together until it felt more like a punishment. That's how it was, she often got sick when the person she's in close proximity to got sick, caught a cold when she was around people with a cold. On day four, she called Dylan to come take care of his soon to be wife and was out the door. Jossie had left days ago but she had extended her visit, but now as the bus came to a halt in Victoria Falls town, the air changed. Everything shifted and it was no longer the happy carefree atmosphere she'd been surrounded by in the last few days, rather work called her.