“Mattie and I are both from Savannah. We went to the same high school, and I guess you could say we were high school sweethearts, in a way,” Charles said with a fond look at Mattie.
“I wasn’t allowed to date,” Mattie said shyly. “My parents were very strict and old-fashioned and I couldn’t have company. But we still liked each other,” she added with a look of love directed at her husband. He took up the story from there.
“We went to the same college and we were able to date openly at last. I always knew that Mattie was the one for me, no matter what. She was so sweet and loving, she was like my other half. When we found out we were going to be parents, we were thrilled. We were scared, of course, because we were still in school and we knew our parents wouldn’t approve of us getting married, but the love we had for each other was so strong we knew everything would be all right. We came home to tell our parents and get their blessing for our marriage,” he said.
Mattie stopped dabbing her eyes with her handkerchief long enough to chime in. “Well, that just shows you how young and naïve we were,” she said with a trace of bitterness. “They treated us like criminals. My parents were bad enough, they were so angry and disappointed in me they just turned me out of the house,” she said sadly.
Titus squeezed her hand and Paris tightened her grip on his hand when they heard those words, but there was more to come. When Mattie saw their stricken faces, she smiled wanly. “Well, that’s how things were back then. Especially in a household as strict as mine was. My parents were just crushed by my pregnancy, they were. They eventually got over it and we reconciled, but it was a very hard time. Especially after what…” her voice trailed off and she looked at Charles as the tears gathered in her eyes once more.
An awkward moment of silence ensued, broken by Charles’s voice, heavy with emotion. “My parents were much worse than Mattie’s. My father wanted me to have nothing to do with Mattie because she wasn’t the girl they wanted me to be with. We were supposed to be big shots in Savannah because he owned a few businesses and Mattie’s people were regular working folks. He expected me to marry someone of what he called “class” and he wanted me to break it off with her even before we knew were to become parents. When he found that out, he went crazy and I mean that literally,” he said sadly. “We didn’t understand the full range of his anger then, we really didn’t understand it fully until we found out about you. I still can’t believe what he did. It’s still almost impossible for me to comprehend it,” he said with a deep sigh.
Titus looked from his father to his mother, whose hand had grown cold in his own. “I’m sorry, I’m not following you,” he said gently. “What did he do?”
Mattie answered him in a low voice that was nonetheless filled with anger and pain. “He took you away from us, that’s what he did. He had one of his people take you away from the hospital and we were told that you had died.”
Paris gasped and her hand tightened on Titus’s. “He did what?”
Mattie took a long, tear-filled breath. “I know, it’s inconceivable, isn’t it? He actually paid someone to steal our baby and make it seem like he died. He was that powerful, he had people who could do those kinds of things. From what we were told, the idea was to get rid of you altogether but the man he hired couldn’t do it. He ended up driving you to Charleston and leaving you on the steps of a church. We were heartbroken, son, just devastated. Losing you was like a punishment from God. It was as if we deserved to be heartbroken because we’d sinned,” she told him.
Titus put his arm around her shoulder her and held her closely. “My God, how could anyone be that cruel? Why would he torture his own son like that?”
Charles shook his head. “Because he was a ruthless man, determined to have his own way in every aspect of his life and in my life because I was his only son. He tried to force us to abort you and we refused. And when he could see that we had no intention of giving you up for adoption, either, he took matters into his own hands. But it didn’t work. As soon as Mattie was able to leave the hospital we left Georgia and went to Virginia to start our lives over. We got married and we worked our way through school. I got a degree in theology and became a pastor and Mattie became a teacher. We had Justice, Jamie and Jodie. We’ve had a good life, son, but we never forgot you, our first child. The pain of losing you never went away completely. And when found out you were still alive, it was like God’s greatest miracle.”
By now Mattie and Paris were sobbing and even Titus had to blink back moisture. Justice was looking touched, as well and it was a deeply tender moment, broken by the sudden reappearance of Jamie and Jodie and Kasey. He dashed into the room and jumped in Paris’s lap to see what was distressing her.
“We love your house,” the twins said as one. Jamie looked at all the emotional faces and nodded. “They told you all about it, didn’t they?”
Jodie said, “Daddy’s father did a terrible thing, he really did. But this is the good part, everybody, the part where we get to live happily ever after. We found each other, that’s what’s important.”
“Well, that and us being in the wedding. Can we be bridesmaids, please?” Jamie asked winsomely.
Paris’s hastily wiped away her tears and gave a huge genuine smile. “Of course you can! What a wonderful idea,” she said.
Justice helped himself to the last teacake with a laugh. “That’s what you think. If you knew what those two are capable of you wouldn’t think it was such a hot idea. Chaos and panic are their middle names,” he said dryly.
“Oh Justice, don’t be silly,” Paris admonished him playfully. “This is going to be the happiest day of our lives and we have so much more to celebrate now. The more the merrier, I say.”
***
Those words grew to be her mantra as the days raced by. The wedding was going to be huge; there was no way around it. Paris had Angelique and Ruth as her matron and maid of honor. Her bridesmaids were Nona, Natalie, Nicole, Jamie and Jodie, in addition to her oldest friend Chastain from New Orleans, Twyla, Nina Flores and Lisette Alexander. And she included her cousin Charlinda in the party. To her own surprise, she had gotten to know her cousin better and found her to be a sweet, shy and charming person. She also had her young cousins, Amariee, Jilleyin and Jasmine as well as Heide. The only person to turn her down was Aidan, who flat out refused to contemplate standing up with her.
“But you’re my friend,” she whined. “I want you to be in my wedding.”
“As what, woman? I’m a little too old to be a ring bearer, don’t you think?” Aidan laughed at the very thought.
“No, as a…a bridesman, I guess. You can just come down the aisle with the bridesmaids. I want you in my wedding,” she said stubbornly.
“I can be an usher or a groomsman but there is no way I’m sashaying down the white carpet with the girls. I really think being in love has fried some of your brain circuits,” he said grumpily, but Paris didn’t care as long as she got her way.
It was going to be the Cirque de Soleil of weddings but Paris didn’t care. She had a flock of adorable flower girls and three ring bearers instead of one, just because there were so many small cousins to include. Even moving the wedding from December to August was a piece of cake because Paris had the world’s best wedding planner working with her. And it was essential that they get married as soon as possible because Titus had cut her off. The day after his reunion with his birth family, Titus had made an announcement: “I’m a preacher’s son, you Jezebel. No more sex until after we’re married.”
He was smiling when he said it, and he was also holding Paris tightly, having just kissed the life out of her. He laughed at the look on her face but insisted he was serious, which made her get just as serious. They were getting married with lightning speed because she couldn’t go until December without her man. Titus was pleased, although he’d only been teasing when he said no sex until they were man and wife. He just loved the look of consternation on her face when he told her he was saving himself. The
joke was on him when she took him up on it. Now it was hard to say who was the most needy, Titus or Paris.
Twyla’s Aunt Regina knew, though. She had, at Twyla’s request, arrived in Atlanta to take charge of the planning. In addition to her other talents she was an ex-Marine who brooked no nonsense from overly anxious brides and grooms. She took one look at Titus’s glazed expression every time he looked at Paris and shook her head.
“Sweetheart, I have a cattle prod in my bag and if you two don’t cut it out I’ll use it on you. The only way we’re going to pull this off is precision planning so there’s no time for fooling around.”
She and Aunt Ruth got along like a house afire and between the two of them and Aunt Lillian and Benita, Paris had no worries. It might be the speediest wedding of its size in the known world, but it was still going to be beautiful and meaningful, especially since Titus’s father was officiating. Paris and Titus had hosted a dinner where the two families met, his birth family and his adoptive one and it was a spectacular success. Mattie had once again dissolved into happy tears when Sarah and Clifton presented her with a huge album of pictures from the time they adopted Titus to the present. Mattie said it was like getting a glimpse of him growing up and she couldn’t thank them enough. And Mama Sweet was happy to supply them with every anecdote she could recall of his childhood antics, regardless of how embarrassing they were to him. All in all it was a typical family party.
In one of their increasingly rare minutes alone, Paris and Titus were in the solarium, trying their best to behave. Paris was curled up next to him on the sofa and they were kissing, little sweet kisses that weren’t meant to arouse, but did anyway. Paris held her hand up and stared dreamily at her ring.
“We’re getting married in three days,” she said softly. “I can’t believe this is happening, Titus. This time last year I was just miserable. It was after John and Nina’s wedding, remember? After…”
“After I made a huge fool out of myself,” Titus said ruefully. “I’ll never stop regretting that, Paris. You were so sweet and so sexy I think I really lost my mind for a minute or two. I’ve never had an experience like that with a woman and I really put my foot in my mouth. I’ll apologizing to you for that for the rest of our lives, I think.”
“I think not,” Paris said indignantly. “Yes, I wanted it to turn out differently, but it really was a beautiful way for me to learn what lovemaking is all about. And if it hadn’t happened just the way it did, we might not be sitting here now,” she reminded him. “Everything happens for a reason.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Rosy,” Titus said, pulling her into his arms for a long, soulful kiss. “We were always meant for each other. No matter what, we were intended to be with each other. You’re mine and I’m yours and that’s forever,” he vowed.
A voice from the doorway made them jump. “If you don’t want to see how well my cattle prod works I suggest you step away from the bride and get busy unloading my car. In three days you can do anything you want to with each other but right now, what I say goes.” Aunt Regina stood there with her arms crossed and the cattle prod brandished so Titus could get a good look at it. Titus kissed Paris once more and dashed out the door to do her bidding. The older woman had pity on Paris, who sighed deeply as she watched her beloved’s retreating figure.
“Sweetheart, it’s just three more days and he’s yours for a lifetime. You waited your whole life for true love, so what’s seventy-two more hours?”
Paris smiled brilliantly, thinking about the wisdom in Aunt Regina’s words. “You’re absolutely right. I’ll have the love of my life for the rest of my life, so I think I can wait just a few more days.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The day of the wedding arrived and none too soon for Titus, who was about to expire from his longing for Paris. He didn’t think it was possible to love her any more than he did, but the self-imposed abstinence he’d unwittingly imposed on them made him realize how much he needed her. His life had been so arid and sterile before Paris, and now it was happy and fulfilled. His heart was full and his soul was at peace since he had been reunited with his birth parents thanks to Paris. Any tiny little bits of bitterness at being a cast off child of uncertain racial origins was gone, once he met Mattie and Charles, his very loving and very African-American parents. He also got a charge out of being the oldest, for a change, as his two older sisters never let him forget that they were older and wiser than he.
From looking stern and serious most of the time, Titus smiled all the time now, something that Trey was happy to point out to him as the men of the wedding party got dressed in their tuxedoes.
“Man, you smile twenty-four seven, don’t you T.? I told you those hints would help, didn’t I? Now you’re marrying Paris and you’re gonna be my cousin for real,” he gloated.
“You’re wise beyond your years, Grasshopper,” Titus said with a grin. He made as if to ruffle Trey’s hair and Trey ducked away from him.
“Don’t mess with my ‘do, man, I have to look good for the ladies,” Trey protested.
All the men laughed as Trey dashed to the mirror to make sure he was still perfectly groomed. There was an army of good-looking men getting dressed, as Titus had to dig up a corresponding number of attendants to Paris’s bridesmaids. Martin and Justice were his best men, and all the Deveraux men were included. Both Paris’s brothers and her cousins participated, but that wasn’t enough. Trey was a groomsman too; there was no way Titus was leaving him out. Donnie and Adam Cochran were also in the party, along with the other Cochran brothers, Alan, Andre, Andrew and John Flores. Paris got her wish, as Aidan was also in the wedding party, but on Titus’s side of the altar. Terry and Paul were also pressed into service as ushers. It would probably go down in the record books as the biggest wedding the old church had ever seen, but it was going to be beautiful. Titus couldn’t wait to see his bride and looked at the clock in the dressing room one more time, which brought a shout of laughter from Martin.
“Relax, man, you’re worse than I was at my wedding to Ceylon. In a few minutes you’ll be standing by the altar ready to take your vows, so try to chill out, man.”
Titus took him at his word and sat down for all of thirty seconds before he was up and pacing again. Martin shook his head in amusement. There was no holding back an eager groom.
***
In a very short time the men were assembled at the front of the church and Titus’s fondest wish came true. The bridesmaids entered the church wearing very pretty gowns of deep pink, followed by the maid and matron of honor in rose-colored gowns. They all carried bouquets of roses in soft pink. Everyone went “aww” as the ring bearers marched solemnly down the aisle, concentrating on their awesome task. There were more coos from the guests as the flower girls came next, sprinkling rose petals over the white runner rolled out by Marty and Malcolm. Then the church doors closed and a murmur of anticipation rippled through the sanctuary. Everyone turned to the doors, looking down the aisle bordered with rose topiary trees. Blossoms by Betty had provided all the flowers and she had done a fantastic job of creating a romantic setting for the wedding.
Vera and Marcus Deveraux sang “All I Ask of You” from the Phantom of the Opera and the lyrics took on a whole new meaning as Titus meditated on the start of his new life with Paris.
The music swelled to signal the arrival of the bride and Titus could feel his heart pounding in his throat. The doors finally opened to reveal his beloved looking like a princess from a fairy tale. She was utterly radiant in the gown Perry had created for her. It was strapless with a tight-fitting bodice that extended below her waist. The bodice was simple and unadorned except for a row of pearl buttons down the back. The skirt more than made up for its simplicity, however. It was silk organza and it was gathered into a full skirt so delicate and ethereal Paris looked like she was floating in a cloud. The skirt was embellished with tiny silk rosebuds that were white at the top of the skirt. As they inched down the length of the garment
they turned a baby pink, ending in a soft rosy pink near the hem. The toes of her shoes were also adorned with silk rosebuds, and she carried a cascading bouquet of roses in various shades of pink and ivory.
Even her sheer veil couldn’t mask the sparkle in her eyes. The love she felt for Titus was a palpable thing, as was his for her. They looked into each other’s eyes and the wedding became a mere formality as they pledged their hearts forever more with one burning look. Paris was so taken with the ardor she saw on Titus’s face she didn’t notice her brothers shedding tears. She did see a suspicious moisture in her father’s eyes as he placed her hand into Titus’s. It was hard for her to keep tears from flowing from her own eyes until she felt the warmth of his hand on hers. She was fine after that. Reverend Chancellor performed the ceremony beautifully and with deep meaning. If it hadn’t been for the unexpected response to the question “who giveth this woman to be wed”, she might have made it through the ceremony dry-eyed. But the chorus of voices from her brothers, Lillian and Bump and her cousins made her heart swell with love and dampened her eyes.
Titus sensed her reaction and tightened his gentle grasp of her hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. “I love you, Rosy,” he whispered. Soon it was all over and Titus was lifting her veil to salute his bride. They had promised each other they wouldn’t make a spectacle of themselves in front of the church but it was a hard promise to keep. Their lips met and mated, but it was a sweet and tender kiss that promised a future of nothing but happiness.
***
Their reception was truly festive. An outdoor venue in a formal garden provided just the ambience Paris had hoped for. It was hot and sunny and flowers were everywhere, just the way she’d envisioned it. The food, courtesy of the Summers sisters and Aunt Sister’s restaurant, was sublime. The guests dined sumptuously on Creole and low country specialties while the music flowed and laughter rang out joyously. Trey took the microphone to announce that in order to see the newlyweds kiss, each table had to stand up and sing a song that used the word love in it.
The Closer I Get to You (Cochran/Deveraux Series Book 8) Page 28