Made to Love: Carmen and Cooper's Story

by Candace Werts

  Arriving on Madison Avenue, we are sitting outside the Vera Wang Bridal House, my stomach is queasy. I don’t know if it’s from nerves or just plain eagerness. The window display is magnificent, I have no doubts that we’re at the right place. As we get closer to the crystal clear glass doors, two employees come out to open them for us.

  “Welcome, ladies. My name is Madeline, and this is Sophia, we are your personal consultants. Sophia asks, “So who’s the lucky bride to be?” My blushing reveals that it’s me.

  Once inside we are treated like queens, they gather our jackets and we follow them into a closed off area. It’s furnished with crushed velvet couches and chairs, all concealed in the color, brushed chrome. Long burgundy drapes are hung on metal rods; the tips are formed in a diamond shape. Chandeliers are found glistening from above. A few are placed in different locations, giving the room a graceful appearance. Bridesmaid dresses, and dresses for the mothers are located in one section of the room. I look at the dresses occupying the racks and my color scheme is everywhere. The other corner is sealed off by oversized mirrors. Some are mounted; some are sitting on the floor in decorative pearlescent frames. It allows the bride to see every detail while standing there. The ladies reenter with glasses and champagne.

  “Now this is more like it,” Marcia says, reaching for a glass.

  “There is always an alcoholic in the group.” I chuckle. We raise our glasses and toast.

  “Here’s to having a marriage more beautiful than the wedding and to the beginning of many wonderful things.” states Giselle.

  Madeline brings in the exact style of dress I have requested. Some are satin material with crystals, others come with belts. Most of them are all strapless, however and some have lace sleeves.

  We decide to look for the mother’s dresses first. Both insist that I choose their attire for the event. Since my mother is the wild one out of the two, I chose a sexy strapless silver dress. It comes with a three quarter length jacket. For Beverly I chose a conservative, yet glamorous cap sleeved pearl grey lace dress that will fall right above her knee. Marcia and Giselle pick out the same silver and black dress, which shows how close they have become. The dresses are fun, flirty and above all else sexy.

  Madeline then reveals a special rack of flower girl dresses. “Aww.” We all respond when seeing them, so small in size. Marcia asks if any of them come in her and Giselle’s size. I answer, “It wouldn’t be any shorter than the one you have already picked out.” All of us laugh at the serious look she shoots in my direction. Sifting through the hanging attire, I come across the most adorable one so far. The dress is silver, made out of taffeta, soft like silk. A black flower, petals made of mesh with small beads in the center sits along the sash. The waist drops into a ball gown, pleated in different sections, giving it a hand-made ruffle look.

  We are having so much fun until I cannot find my wedding dress. It feels like we searched through all the dresses in the store and online. Nothing caught my eye.

  "This is disappointing, why can't I find a dress. I feel like crying."

  Surprisingly, Beverly comforts me. "Carmen, because of my actions, we had a rocky start. I appreciate you making me a part of your special day, so let me, with the help of your mother, pick out the perfect dress for you. This is my gift for loving my son.”

  I’m overwhelmed with everything, but I look to my mother.

  "Consider it done, Angel; we will take care of this for you."

  "Thank you so much, both of you." I hug them.

  Beverly says, "Now you young girls get out of here and enjoy the city."

  Giselle states, “First, we need to pay for our dresses."

  “Nonsense," states Beverly. She pulls out a black card. "This is Cooper's treat."

  Marcia says, "Good ole Cooper."

  I pull out my phone and place a call to Cooper. He answers on the second ring.

  “Hey beautiful, how’s the trip going?”

  “It’s great, I just wanted to call and thank you for the kind gesture of purchasing the ladies dresses. That was very sweet of you.”

  “Anything for you my Carmen, you know that. I can’t wait until you get home; we will have much catching up to do. In the meantime, I am on my way to meet Pastor Jenkins. It’s just a simple follow up to our last meeting. He’s known you for quite some time, so it’s time for him to know me better.”

  I sigh. “You never stop amazing me, I love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  As the call ends, I step inside the car where Marcia has a glass of champagne ready for me. I take the glass with a shake of my head.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Engagement Photo Day April 4, 2014

  Today is a beautiful spring day. The temperature is perfect for our engagement photo at Maymont. Flowers have already started to bloom. We have an appointment with Lindsey at 2 PM. She wants us to meet her by the Japanese Gardens; there we will decide which scenery will best suit our photo needs. Cooper wears all black for the special occasion. His single breasted blazer, with peaked lapels made of satin material. The top button of his black dress shirt is left purposely undone. His trousers have pleats of perfection going down each leg where they lay on his black patent leather Kenneth Cole dress shoes. My short dress is an exceptional fit with his attire.

  The fitted top bodice comes down, exposing a dash of cleavage. A multi-layered black skirt of light material flows out at the bottom. My peep toe sling back heels match the silver sequins found along the top of my dress. The deep V back reveals my toned body. I put on my princess cut diamond studs, lock my tiffany bracelet and paint my lips crimson red. While double checking my appearance in the bathroom mirror, Cooper greets me from behind. The scent of Polo Black follows him wherever he goes. I absolutely love it. Gazing at our appearance in the mirror together excites me even more for the upcoming photos. With his hand on my hip he turns me to face him. Pulling my face up to meet his, he kisses me gently enough so that my red lipstick stays intact.

  “You look incredible; I’m thinking we should leave now before I act on the things that come to mind,” he says with the naughtiest look written on his face.

  Before I can respond my hand is placed where he begins to grow inside his trousers. Rubbing my hand down the course of his length, I jerk it back upon reaching the head. Now he’s even harder than before.

  “Cooper, I will promise to take all of you as soon as we get home, but right now there’s no time. We cannot be late; Lindsey is already booked through July.”

  “Okay,” he responds sadly.

  “But make no mistake; I will make sure you fulfill on that promise, my Carmen.”

  He kisses me one last time, and we head out the door.

  When we reach Maymont, its obvious Cooper has not been here before. We have a few minutes to kill, so I decide to give him a quick tour on our way to meet Lindsey.

  “This is a beautiful place, Carmen.”

  “I had a feeling you would say that.”

  Walking hand in hand we admire the beautiful scenery. Lindsey arrives, camera in hand, she begins at the most known spot for picture taking at Maymont: the waterfall. There are several taken in the Japanese Garden; some where we are looking at one another, a couple of kissing photos, and some just regular smiles with his arm around me. We move to the Peony Garden to resume the picture taking. A dome stands in the distance; the top is made of metal, the columns securing it look antique in design. The openings through the metal allow the sun inside. Cooper and I stand inside the fixture facing one other, both arms around the other’s waist, he looks down at me. Peonies of all colors surround the dome and go all the way down the cement path leading to the entrance. Behind us, the sky is blue and filled with fluffy clouds. A thousand photographs and an hour later, we look at some of the digital work.

  We are pleased with the quality and can’t wait to see them all on a bigger screen. After thanking Lindsey and saying goodbye, we make our way back to the Black Mercedes. I can’t
wait to slip these heels off and give Cooper a pleasant surprise.

  Once we get on the highway, I turn in my seat to face him. Unhooking my seat belt, I reach over for the package I had the pleasure of touching earlier. Cooper raises his eyebrow to my current actions. Not allowing him to speak, I rush to unleash what is now mine. I begin with soft strokes making my way to the tip, where I swirl two fingers viciously around it, allowing me to feel its pulse. Cooper moves his hand to reach between my legs but he’s not fast enough. He shudders as I insert his cock in my mouth.

  He’s rock hard as I take him in and out with powerful strokes and my moist tongue. I suck the crown like a lollipop; all he can do is grab my hair with his free hand. I have him speechless and on the verge.

  “Carmen, I’m about to cum.”

  I don’t respond, instead I start going faster as I wait for his fluid to enter my mouth so I can clean him dry. My hand begins to stroke his length with the same rhythm of my mouth, and then I hear “Carmen” as he releases a mouthful. I swallow all of it, and then lick his tip of the remainder before putting his dick back inside his pants.

  “I’ll take care of my part when we get home,” he says, when leaning over to kiss my lips.

  Chapter Forty

  My mother scheduled a cake tasting with Valerie, the owner of Creative Designs. She is known worldwide for her extraordinary attention to detail in creating the most spectacular cake, regardless of the occasion. Reaching her bakery, Cooper couldn’t wait to go inside and indulge in the extra calories. I was reluctant at first but seeing his excitement puts me in the mood.

  Valerie greets us when the jingle of the door opening alerted her of our arrival. Cakes are displayed all over the glass countertops. Her work is one of a kind. She closed the shop especially for us, so there would be no interruptions. She hands us a book filled with all the cakes she has done in our chosen wedding shades. It was a tough decision, even after narrowing it down to two choices. The business woman in me said to stay on budget and only choose the biggest one that could feed all our guests. Cooper wouldn’t hear of it, “Whatever my Carmen wants, she gets.”

  Two separate wedding cakes are ordered. Once selected, she set two plates down in front of us, each holding a different variety. Cooper and I decided to try the same flavor at the same time. It was cute to witness some of his reactions to the tasty treats. We agreed on all the flavors selected for both cakes. Our favorite was yellow butter cake and chocolate buttercream, which will be featured in both. The first one has two tiers; the bottom layer being for our parents and wedding party. Both cakes will be coated in cream color fondant and feature red roses. The letters C&C will be positioned in the middle of them both. Each letter will rest on top of a glass container filled with red rose pedals, all of different heights. Carmen & Cooper will be written on the bottom layer. The cake selected for the guests is three tiered, each one separated by strips of crystal trim. The middle is unique, in the shape of an octagon. It’s quilted, and studded with crystal pin jewelry. Short silver columns hold the top tier where gorgeous red roses serve as the cake topper. Each layer will hold its own distinctive flavor.

  Tonight my mother is stopping by to go over the finishing touches of the wedding. The planning of the wedding has been absolutely stress free, thanks to my mom. I have always been impressed with her work, but seeing how much work goes into coordinating a wedding truly astonishes me. When she arrives we get straight to business.

  “Were you able to decide on a cake today?” she asks.

  “Yes mom we chose two.”

  Cooper says, “Thank you Candace for referring us to Valerie. Her cakes are amazing.”

  “Only the best for my angels.”

  Opening her portfolio she pulls out pictures and tells us to choose which flower arrangement we want for the table center pieces. Some of the selections are a little over the top. We decide to go with topiary rose balls, settled in a large mirror vase for the table we will be sitting at. All the other tables will have black silver mosaic vases filled with bouquets of small red roses. In between the vases will sit black pillars of assorted heights that hold a red candle enclosed in a glass cylinder. Red rose petals trickle down the middle of the table covering the entire length.

  “Carmen, have you picked out the hairstyles and makeup? I have already booked the artist.”

  “Done.”

  She checks it off her list.

  “Cooper have you reserved the tuxedos for the guys and the ring bearer?”

  “Yes, they will arrive next week.”

  “Perfect, you guys are the best clients,” Mother says. “Do you know when you are going to get your marriage license?”

  Cooper speaks up, “Pastor Jenkins told us to get it the second week in May. We are going to have them before we go to Vegas.”

  My mom states, “You guys better not elope there. Who is in charge of the honeymoon?”

  Cooper says, “I am.”

  “Okay, then let me know where you guys are going. Carmen your bridesmaids will pack your suitcase.”

  “Candace, all she will need is a bikini.”

  My mouth flies open, I can’t believe he said that in front of my mother.

  She laughs, “Oh Cooper I have no doubts that you will keep my angel naked the entire time.”

  This conversation taking place between my mother and finance is disturbing.

  Raising my voice, I declare “That’s enough, you two.”

  My mother states, “This is the final decision needed to be made, how do you want to be introduced at the reception? These are your two options, introducing for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Jackson or introducing for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Cooper Jackson.”

  Cooper looks at me and asks “What do you prefer?”

  “I am not changing my last name, so have us introduced as Carmen and Cooper.”

  They both look at me in shock. Cooper is clenching his jaw and my mother quickly puts her items away.

  “Okay,” states my mother, “Your dad is waiting for me. I will call you tomorrow.” She gives us hugs and kisses and leaves.

  “When where you going to tell me this?”

  “Cooper, I did not think anything of it. When my mom asked I knew I did not want to change my name.”

  “Don’t you think this is something we should have discussed prior? Carmen we are about to be married.”

  “What does changing my name have to do with marriage? Cooper don’t be ridiculous.”

  He is pissed and it doesn’t make sense. “Carmen when people get married they become one, they share everything especially the same last name. What are our kids going to think?”

  “Kids? Who said anything about kids?”

  He walks towards the door. “First you don’t want to change your last name and now you don’t want kids. Dammit, Carmen. Next thing you will tell me is that you want us to live in separate homes.”

  This is the wrong time to make a joke but I do it anyway. “That is something I haven’t thought about.”

  Cooper opens the door and states, “I am glad this amuses you.”

  The door slams behind him.

  It is 2:30 AM when Cooper comes back home. When he gets in the bed, I can smell that he has been drinking.

  “Where have you been?”

  “My Carmen, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  Sitting up I say, “Cooper answer my question.”

  “I went to David’s to get my thoughts together.”

  Nervously I ask, “Are you going to cancel the wedding?”

  “What? No. Carmen I am hurt that you don’t want to change your name but I could never live without you. Us being married will be a dream come true even if you keep your name and we have no children. I love you so much.”

  “I love you too. Eventually, we will have children; I’m just not ready now.” Cooper kisses my cheek. “Now go take a shower and don’t forget to brush your teeth.”

  Chapter Forty-One

  It’s Friday, M
ay 16, two weeks before my wedding and our bridal party is on the way to Vegas. Cooper and I wanted to celebrate with our friends in the same state and weekend. This morning is the last time Cooper and I will be intimate until our big day. Cooper’s decision, not mine. I am looking forward to spending time with the girls, but getting off the plane will be bittersweet. The boys are going to have a wild weekend at the Caesar’s Palace. I have booked a party bus for Saturday. They will have dinner at Hard Rock and then be transported to the best gentlemen’s clubs. My Cooper and his guest will be given the VIP treatment, which has made me the coolest in the guy’s eyes.

  We girls are going to have a nice and relaxing weekend at The Red Rock Casino & Resort & Spa. Our schedule will consist of shopping, horseback riding, gambling and having spa treatments. I told the girls I wanted to do something special for them, so we are going to the Chippendale show. Secretly, I am looking forward to watching some eye candy shake their stuff. Cooper is the only man I ever want to be with, but looking doesn’t hurt.

  The plane lands and as we exit the airport, Cooper and I kiss. Not just a regular kiss but one of those Hollywood kisses. The kind you only see happen in the movies. It is so electrifying; I almost forget where I am when he finally draws back.

  “I am going to miss you,” he states.

  “Me too. Two weeks is a long time.” I poke out my bottom lip.

  He kisses me again and this time with lots of tongue. He smiles at me.

  Giselle says, “Give it a rest you two. You guys were all over each other in the plane.”

  Marcia adds,” It is gross watching you guys. Say goodbye and let’s hit the city of sin.”

  David and Liam pull Cooper away.

  David yells, “There will be no texting each other this weekend,” as he takes Cooper’s phone. Marcia agrees and snatches my cell. On the way to the resort, I am pouting.