Just One Word

Just One Word Ch 2

Shaka really didn't know how she survived the week before Tobe's wedding; especially since as the groom's best pal and the bride's maid of honor she was involved in every part of the affair. All she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry, sleep and pray that when she woke it'll all be a bad dream and that she wasn't in love with Toby and even if she was in love with him she wasn't going to see him get married to someone else. Life however wasn't fair and every morning she woke up it was to know it wasn't a bad dream and her heart would splinter a little more.

At least she had her Dad, Tia and Granddad to help her. She couldn't imagine what it must've been like for Tia at her Dad's wedding.

Sighing Shaka heaved her out of her bed. Today was the day she'd been dreading. Toby was getting married today.

After a quick shower, Shaka went down stairs for breakfast. As she'd down every morning for the past week, Tia handed her a glass of OJ and a bagel and looked at her critically as she ate it. "Well miss Shaka, you're really looking a bit worse for wear but a little make-up will hide that."

Shaka made a face. "T, in this heat anything I put on will melt right off!"

"Without it my dear, Tobe will take one look at you and figure out you weren't joking."

"He's going to see the pain in my eyes anyway."

"Yea but hopefully by the time he does, he'll figure it is because of the awful shoes and equally awful dress she's forcing her bridal party to wear. I mean I know she had a thing for Nanny Mcphee but did she really have to recreate that hideous dress for y'all to wear?"

"A pity she didn't ask you to help her."

"Her Mother did ask but as soon as I heard what they had in mind, I told her my schedule wouldn't permit me to take her on."

"Your schedule leaves most people exhausted just thinking about it much less doing it!" Shaka exclaimed laughing.

"True but there was no way I was going to go through recreating something so bad! I would have happily accommodated her had she gone for the white costumes from the end of the movie but ce la vie. Now my dear let's get you looking your best for the wedding."

They were at the church in a blink of an eye. Shaka looked at the church steps like they were the doorway to hell. Truly they were the steps to her own personal hell. Up those steps, through those doors and standing at the alter was her best-friend, who she loved with all her heart about to marry someone else. Shaka didn't know if she could do that.

"You know you don't have to do this right Honey? We could just turn around and go home." Rahul said softly. Squeezing her hand in comfort.

"You're wrong Dad. I have to do this. Tobe's counting on me to standup with him on what he considers the most important day of his life. Even if in doing so my heart will break." Shaka replied before squaring her shoulders and walking inside where the other members of the wedding party were waiting. Worriedly Raul followed his child inside. He didn't know how Shaka could do this. He wasn't sure he could've. Even after all this time he still didn't know how Tia had done what Shaka was about do. And said as much to his beloved wife as they slipped into their seats in the church.

"It's one of the hardest things to do believe me. You have to pull the best poker face you ever had so no one would see that you're dying inside. Like me, Shaka will have to pretend to be happy today. Part of her will be because Toby will be so happy today and who wouldn't want to see that. But the toughest part besides wanting to take the bride's place is staying quiet when the priest asks if there are any objections."

"Honey, how did you do it?"

"I don't know. Guess I didn't want to see you sad. I knew that I'd rather be sad than say something and make you more furious with me. Besides, as far as I knew back then you hated me. It wasn't like I knew with absolute certainty that if I spoke up you would thank me just the opposite would happen. You would've told the priest to ignore my outburst and continue. With that in mind I kept my mouth close."

Raul kissed her fingers "Even though we are beyond that now. I'm still sorry you had to go through that."

"I know but I survived and so will Shaka. We raised a strong girl and she is better than I. She told Toby how she felt. I didn't do that."

"True but things were slightly different Toby and Shaka's friendship is very much alive. They talk and hangout every other day. With us, our friendship had seemingly come to an end by the time I married Sue. "

"There's that. Listen, the doors are being opened here comes our girl."

The two of them watched as Shaka came slowly down the aisle on Toby's friend Simon's arm. They could see that her eyes were over bright as if she was struggling not to cry and prayed that Toby who was at the end of the aisle didn't see what they did. They were almost to the end of the aisle when Simon tripped over the Shepard's staff he'd been made to carry and sent both he and Shaka tumbling down the rest of the way into Toby. Luckily the two righted themselves before they took down the Priest. And the wedding procession carried on without any further mishaps.

Cynthia glided done the aisle in her movie inspired dress and everyone privately thought that the Mary-had-a- little- lamb complete with bonnets, in lime green, bright pink and white was the worse dress they'd ever seen never mind the faux lambs the bridesmaids and maid of honor had to carry. The best-man and the other groom's-men looked ridiculous and everyone new that all of the wedding party would be burning the clothes they were wearing the first chance they got.

The wedding passed in blur for Shaka. All her energy was too focused on not running to really pay attention to anything else. She tuned in when Father Mikel asked if there were any objections and everything in her wanted to speak up. As she debated Shaka could feel Toby's eyes on her. Turning her head slightly Shaka watched him. Did he really think that after he rejected her that she was gonna ruin his moment? It would do her no good. Sighing mentally. Shaka swallowed her protest and Father Mikel continued the wedding.

Toby knew that he should be focused on the wedding after all it was his wedding but all he could think of was T'Shaka. A week ago she'd confessed her love for him and when he'd told her he didn't feel that way about her she'd accepted that and asked if they be ok. He'd assured her that they would be and she'd smiled and seemed to move on. For the rest of the week he'd been convinced she'd been kidding but watching her come down the aisle today with eyes that were a little too bright he wasn't sure that she had been joking. Just when he'd thought she'd run or cry she'd straightened her shoulders and continued coming toward him with Simon. Now that he thought about it Shaka had been doing that all week. As if everything would come crashing down if her shoulders drooped. It was her coping mechanism she'd been doing it ever since they were little. Tell Shaka she couldn't do something and she would square her shoulders and prove you wrong. When Father Mikel had asked for objections her eyes had brightened again and it looked like she was finally going to weep. Something he knew she'd only done a handful of times but she'd straighten her shoulders and stayed quiet. Now all that was left was the I do's. Why was he thinking about T'shaka? He loved Cynthia. He wouldn't be marrying her if he didn't. Sure he cared for Shaka. She was his best-friend but... "I now pronounce you Man and Wife you may kiss the bride."

Tobias kissed his bride and felt nothing. Oh Crap!