Flickering Memories

Chapter 1

Kimmon's POV

I took another sip of champagne and then excused myself from my circle of friends and rushed to the men's room, feeling the need to relieve myself of all the alcohol I had imbibed.

I hurried towards the gents, my bladder threatening to burst any second. For a fleeting moment I regretted having drunk too much.

Unlike a lot of people, I would drink myself to oblivion, not to drown any sorrow, but because I was so happily excited over something that if I didn't drink, the feeling would overwhelm me, and I wasn't comfortable with that kind of feeling.

The indescribable happiness I felt because of my impending marriage to Newwie made me drink glass after glass of champagne like it was running out of supply.

"Don't stay away too long," Tee Jaruji, one of my guests, called out after me. "You still haven't told us about how you managed to snag the most good looking, the most gorgeous, most eligible bachelor in town!"

I dismissed Tee's urging with a careless wave of my hand. Tee was such a player, always looking out for the next fling. He flirted with everyone, anyone who appeared in his path. Age, race, gender. creed never factored into his short lived love affairs.

Where the hell was Newiee. He had disappeared on me again. Come to think of it, the closer our wedding day came, the more frequent were his disappearing acts, but today of all days? How could he do this to me? I had so wanted to discuss in detail with him our wedding ceremonies which we had scheduled for the following month. I wanted to get his input so that he would not be able to complain that I had made the decision on everything without so much as consulting him.

I entered the men's room and even though I was already buzzed I knew I had distinctly heard the sound of "shhh" coming from inside one of the cubicles. I also heard the faint sound of shuffling feet.

I wondered who among my guests were doing some hanky panky inside. I knew of at least one couple among my guests who were most likely to do so.

After flushing the urinal, I opened the door and made the sound of footsteps and closed the door without actually walking out of the men's room. I was an incurable gossip. I needed to know what hanky panky these two were engaged in.

"When are you gonna tell him?"

That voice sounded familiar but I couldn't place it immediately.

"Give me time, Tay, c'mon, we just got engaged for heaven's sake."

I froze in my spot. This is what you get for eavesdropping on other people's conversation, Kimmon. I told myself. But then again it was good I had found out before it was too late.

With my head reeling from what I just overheard, I very quietly opened the men's room door again and then stepped out, making sure to close the door noiselessly.

I heard the buzz of conversation of my guests as I walked blindly past them. Was that Tee's voice calling my name? No, it was a lady's voice, I was sure of it now.

As I walked past another table, I heard someone saying, "Kim, have another glass of champagne." and another guest saying, "Kim, are you okay?"

I ignored them. I couldn't afford to stop and make further pleasantries with any of my guests.

Someone tried to grab my wrist and another guest tried to get my attention by calling my name, but I just kept on walking, intent on getting out of what I now considered a hellhole.

"Sir, are you sure you can drive?" the valet asked me anxiously as he handed my car key after bringing my car to the entrance of the hotel.

"Of course I can," I said, handing him a generous tip before climbing into my car.