The Million Dollar Demise
Page 22
The wedding would take place one week later.
The day before the wedding, it was the talk of the town. It was to be held on the top floor of the beautiful Harold Washington Public Library downtown on State Street and Congress Parkway. With its ancient architecture, marble floors, and ceilings that stretched seemingly a hundred feet overhead, she knew she had picked the perfect place.
The night before the wedding, Nate and Daphanie sat in the bar of the Drake Hotel. They had separate suites there, and Nate had even put up all of Daphanie’s family from California in rooms there as well.
In the bar, at a corner table, a candle burning between them, Nate and Daphanie held hands and stared lovingly into each other’s eyes.
Daphanie said this was like a dream come true.
Nate assured her it was just the beginning. They had the rest of their lives together to experience that dream.
He stood, leaned over the table, and kissed her lips deeply. Daphanie melted.
Nate told her he loved her dearly. He kissed her hand, then told her the next time he’d see her would be at the altar. He said good-bye to her, calling her Mrs. Kenny.
Daphanie smiled so hard her face almost started hurting, as she watched Nate walk out of the bar. That night she dreamed of the rest of her life with Nate.
The next day, Saturday, the wedding was to start at two P.M. sharp.
When the clock struck two, all five hundred seats in the library hall were taken. Half a dozen photographers stood at strategic spots in the big room, prepared to start snapping photos. The camera crew from Million Dollar Brides were stationed through the room as well. And the groom, Nate Kenny, was nowhere to be found.
Daphanie sat in her dressing room, fully made up, wearing her wedding gown, dialing Nate’s cell phone for the tenth time.
Her bridal party, as well as her mother, stood around her, comforting her.
Her calls kept going to his voice mail. Daphanie wondered if he was okay, if he might have gotten into a serious accident on the way there.
At two-thirty, all the guest were still seated, but they were getting restless, asking questions. The Million Dollar Brides crew were contemplating leaving, the library coordinator was already pressuring Daphanie to either start the wedding or end it already.
Daphanie was frustrated and angry, and asked if everyone could just leave the dressing room so she could decide what she needed to do.
She sat in front of the mirror, staring at herself, trying not to cry for fear of running her mascara.
A knock came at the door.
It must be Nate. Daphanie said come in, and quickly pulled herself together.
When the door opened, it wasn’t Nate, but his ex-wife, Monica.
She wore a simple black and white dress with black pumps. Her hair was medium-length and naturally curly. She looked far better than she had when she was in the hospital.
All that aside, Daphanie wondered what in the hell this woman was doing at her wedding, and she asked her exactly that.
Monica told Daphanie that Nate had come to her after he had found out the child was not his. He had told Monica that Daphanie had lied to him. Monica told Daphanie that Nate hadn’t taken well to that, and months later when Monica saw the announcement in JET magazine, she knew something was up.
Daphanie asked Monica what she meant by that.
Monica told Daphanie if she knew her ex-husband like she thought she did, this entire wedding was a joke.
Daphanie told Monica about all the money that had been spent, that her entire family was in town to witness this.
Monica chuckled and told Daphanie that Nate would spend as much money, as much time, and as much of himself as it took to get revenge against someone who’d done him wrong. And it looked like she had gotten it, Monica told Daphanie.
Monica turned toward the door, smiling, and was about to exit when she heard Daphanie break down and start to cry as if in agony.
Monica turned back to her and asked her what was wrong.
Daphanie told Monica that Nate had made her sign away custody of her baby to the father. She asked Monica if that was part of his plan for revenge as well.
Monica told Daphanie yes. Looking down at Daphanie sadly, Monica said she thought Daphanie deserved some of what she had gotten, but no mother deserved to have her baby swindled from her.
Monica walked over to Daphanie, wrapped her arms around her to comfort her, and told her that if she wanted, she would help Daphanie do whatever she needed to get her child back.
Nate looked down at his watch. It was three P.M. He was satisfied that Daphanie had been sufficiently humiliated by now.
“You want to hold him?” Trevor said, holding out the infant to Nate.
Nate smiled and took the baby in his arms. “Wow, he’s a big one for only a couple of weeks old. Do you have everything you need to take care of him?”
“The universe works in strange ways,” Trevor said. “The woman I’ve been dating for the last few months just happens to be a nurse who works in the nursery unit. She’s already in love with the little guy, and said she’d help me with whatever I need.”
Nate looked down at the smiling baby. He smiled back. “You name him yet?”
“Yeah,” Trevor said. “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have him. So I named him Nate.”
Nate looked up, surprised. “That’s my son’s name, too.”
“I hope you don’t mind.”
Nate thought about it a minute. “Nate,” he said to himself and to the baby. “No, Nate’s a good name.”