The Virgins Guide to a Happy Life

38- Reception

The reception went by in a whirlwind of dancing, intoxicating music and long speeches. My cousin's yard had been decorated with black and white balloons and black and white streamers and the cloths around the chairs were white with black ties around the middle.

There were 12 tables, 11 for guest and 1 for Terrance and I. The cake, a 4 tier beast sat to my left and Terrance on my right. We had taken quite a lot of pictures with the bridal party and without them, around the cake, around the shimmering surface of the pool that had balloons on the surface and near the car that brought us.

Suffice to say, that by the time Terrance and I sat for lunch I would have lunged at the next person who told me to smile for a picture.

"I'll bring you something. Okay?" Terrance asked me and I nodded. He kissed my cheek and walked to the buffet table to get us two plates.

"Congratulations Gwyn, you make a very beautiful bride." I looked up at Marina who was smiling down at me. She wore a baby blue off the shoulder dress and her hair was slightly curled to her scalp.

"Thank you Marina." I smiled at her. She smiled down at me and my eyes wandered to her cast and her eyes followed my eyes and she frowned. "Oh, I"m sorry." I said and averted my eyes.

"It's fine. If it wasn't for you I would probably be dead." She said with complete sincerity.

"Oh don't think like that.-" she cut me off.

"I'm being honest. After, Matthew got knocked out, things just went south." She took a steadying breath.

"Then it was my pleasure." I told her with all sincerity.

"It was nice talking to you. Maybe we could catch up, you know, after your honeymoon."

"That'll be cool." I nodded and she turned to leave. I got up from my seat and made my way to the back bathroom to freshen up and empty my bladder.

On my way there, I bumped into my cousin, Malina. She was the colour of readily whipped chocolate, with light brown eyes, bright pink lips, long dark brown braids in her hair, high cheekbones and almost hollowed out cheeks.

"Oh Gwyn, what do you think?" She asked coming forward to embrace me. She was older than me by 3 years and got married 18 months ago, to some doctor guy named Edmund.

"I love it Lina." I said hugging her back.

"Were you headed to the bathroom?" She asked and I nodded. "Oh, I'll come with." We walked to the bathroom, with our hands linked together and Malina head on my shoulder.

We entered the bathroom and she released me and I went into the toilet area to do my business. The bathroom was a half bath where the toilet was separated by an accordion door and the sink was off to the side.

"Terrance is a cutie." Malina's voice called through the door and I hummed.

"You think?" I mumbled back.

"Yes. I think." She let out a giggle just as I emerged from the toilet. "You look simply stunning." She gushed as I washed my hands and I glanced at her.

"You look good to." I told her taking in her cream one shoulder dress that went to the floor.

"Please, the baby bump is not noticeable yet." She said with a smile and I fully turned to look at her.

"You're pregnant." It wasn't a question, more a statement of shock.

"You don't sound happy." She seemed put off by my answer and I waved a dismissive hand.

"I just know how you feel about about kids. I'm happy for you." I told her and gave her a hug.

"Good, because you are Godmummy to the rascal." I pulled back to look at her. "I know you can't have your own, so Godmummy would, you know." She glanced down.

"I appreciate it Malina, but you don't have to make me a Godmummy out of sympathy." I stepped back and made my way to the door, ready to go back outside. I left the bathroom and I knew Malina was following me.

"But I want you to be. Besides, twins run in our family, the likelihood of us having one rascal is 1:5 so, I need extras just in case it's twins." Her logic seemed flawed but I nodded anyway.

"Of course Malina." I rolled my eyes.

"Glad you agree." She squeezed my shoulder and sauntered to the right, where I supposed her table was. I made my way back to my table with something akin to a pep in my step.

"Hey, was now coming to look for you." Terrance said as I slid into my chair next to him. He handed me a wine glass and held up his own. "A toast?" He said to me then turned to the crowd and cleared his throat.

"I'd like to make a toast, to my beautiful wife on our special day. It started off rocky, and eventually things smoothened out but what can I say. Gwyn, you make me happy, you fill me with love and joy and most of all you are what I have been searching for. I love you, my wife and I hope we live to see many more days filled with happiness like today." He lifted his glass and everyone else did. Then he brought his glass down to meet mine and the room broke out in a series of 'Cheers!'.

I took a sip of the wine and looked at him with glassy eyes. He sat down and squeezed my hand in his then he picked up his fork and started eating. I looked down at my plate and smiled. It had dasheen pie, with red beans, a bit of Spanish rice, fresh salad and some shrimp that looked like it was lightly sauteéd.

"Aren't you going to eat?" He asked and I smiled.

"Of course I am." I said and took the first forkful of pie.

Things were beginning to look up. Terrance smiling down at me, me smiling up at him. What more could any girl ask for.