Who Said It Would Be Easy?

by Cheryl Faye

  Tears formed in her eyes and her vision became a blur, but a huge smile covered her face as she screamed, “Of course I will!”

  Removing the bauble from its bed, Stefàn placed it on her left ring finger. He then stood before her and wrapped her in a tight embrace as they shared a passionate kiss. All around them, however, there was clapping and laughing and shouts of “It’s about time,” “Congratulations,” and “I had a feeling he was going to do it today.”

  Damaris and Barbara were both in tears as they embraced one another. John and Mike shook hands and embraced, each very happy with what had transpired between their children. In the next seconds, Stefàn and Charisse were surrounded by their families and overwhelmed with hugs, kisses and heartfelt best wishes.

  CHAPTER 19

  TODAY’S THE DAY

  The date was set for April 28th, three weeks after Stefàn’s thirty-fourth birthday. The wedding would have taken place sooner if they hadn’t been required to attend pre-marital counseling at the church, and if Pastor Young’s schedule had permitted. Charisse and Stefàn were eager to wed. As it was, they decided on a small ceremony, attended only by family and their closest friends. The entire wedding party numbered eight with Myra as Charisse’s maid of honor, and Julian, as Stefàn’s best man. Charisse’s sister, Star, and Stefàn’s sister, Nikki, served as bridesmaids, while Stefàn’s brother, Devin, and their paternal uncle, Angelo, who was just seven years Stefàn’s senior, stood as groomsmen. Star’s six year old daughter, Candice, was the flower girl, while Julian’s son, L’il Jay, was a junior groomsman.

  Myra, with the help of Star and Nikki, threw a bridal shower for Charisse the night before the wedding at the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe, where the reception was also going to take place. Barbara and Damaris were both in attendance, along with Stefàn’s and Charisse’s grandmothers, aunts and other relatives from both families. To Charisse’s embarrassment, and at Star’s suggestion, a male stripper was hired to perform for the guests. Although every attempt was made to make her the center of attention during his commanding performance, Charisse politely, albeit adamantly, refused. Several other women present, however, were more than happy to vie for the man’s attention and assist him in his routine. Even one of Charisse’s older aunts made it very obvious how much she was enjoying his show.

  Stefàn’s bachelor party was held the same night at a club in Hackensack. Julian was responsible for setting everything up and the event was enjoyed by all, including John, Mike and Stefàn’s paternal grandfather. Although Stefàn’s lifestyle had changed dramatically since he and Charisse had gotten together, he still could not deny how much he enjoyed the raucousness of the party held to celebrate the end of his bachelorhood. In truth, he was much more reserved than he might have been in the past because he loved Charisse with all his heart and couldn’t, in good conscience, do anything that would cast any doubt about his devotion to her. When the party ended, his guests raved about what a great time they all had.

  The following morning, Julian was at Stefàn’s house by eight-thirty with a garment bag and duffel bag containing everything he would need to prepare for the wedding. The ceremony was scheduled to begin at one p.m.

  When he rang Stefàn’s door, he expected a groggy greeting.

  “Hey, dude, come on in,” Stefàn cheerfully offered.

  “I didn’t wake you, huh?” Julian asked as he followed Stefàn into his kitchen.

  “No, I’ve been up for a couple of hours. I just finished working out and I’m getting ready to make something to eat. You hungry?”

  “Sure, I can eat. So, you couldn’t sleep?” Julian asked.

  “I slept okay, but I am a little restless.”

  “You nervous?”

  “No.” He moved to the refrigerator and as he reached for the carton of eggs and other fixings, asked, “You want an omelet?”

  “That’ll work.”

  “I forgot to give you her wedding band yesterday. Do me a favor and go look on my dresser. It’s right there in the front.”

  “Have you spoken to Risi this morning?” Julian asked as he rose from his seat.

  “Yeah, about an hour ago.”

  Julian left the kitchen and Stefàn continued preparing their breakfast.

  When he returned, he was openly admiring the bauble. “This is a beautiful ring, man,” Julian reverently uttered.

  “Thanks. I hope she likes it,” Stefàn said.

  Looking up at him in surprise, he asked, “Are you serious? Man, she’s gonna love this.”

  Stefàn chuckled lightly. “Yeah, I guess.”

  “Coop, what’s up?”

  Stopping what he was doing, Stefàn looked over at his childhood friend and said, “I don’t want to disappoint her.”

  “Why do you think you would?”

  “I don’t know.” He sighed. “This is the most important thing I’ve ever done in my life. This is for real. This is forever, man.” Shaking his head, he continued, “I can’t mess this up.”

  “You won’t. I know how much you love this woman, Coop, but I know how much she loves you, too. As long as you stay centered in Christ… As long as you keep your marriage centered in Christ, y’all can’t fail.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. So, Dub, tell me something. What are you gonna do about Michele?”

  Julian lowered his head for a brief moment before he looked into Stefàn’s eyes and said, “I’m going to ask her to marry me again tomorrow night.”

  Stefàn smiled. “Good.” Shaking his head in agreement, he repeated, “Good. I’m very glad to hear that. What’s happening tomorrow?”

  “Nothing special. I’m going to take her out to her favorite restaurant and just do it.”

  “I’m really glad to hear that, man. I never did understand why y’all broke up in the first place.”

  “We did it for the wrong reasons. Yeah, she was pregnant, but then when she lost the baby… I don’t know. I wanted to do the right thing by her.”

  “Do you love her?”

  “I’ve always loved her,” Julian told him.

  “Are you in love with her?” Stefàn then asked.

  “Yes. Unlike before, I know this is where I’m supposed to be. No one has ever been in my corner like Shelly is. She’s had my back through it all.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Stefàn chuckled. “Bet you’d have never guessed you’d be standing here with me on my wedding day, huh?”

  Julian chuckled, too. “Not until I saw you with Charisse. I always knew she was the one.”

  ACROSS TOWN AT CHARISSE’S HOUSE, Barbara, Myra, Star and her daughters, Granny Nan and the bride sat around Charisse’s dining room table munching on a continental breakfast of mini croissants and danish, various melons, berries and the like, while sipping tea, coffee and/or juice.

  Myra’s cousin, Connie, was due to arrive at approximately ten a.m. to tighten up Charisse’s newly cut hairstyle and do her makeup, as well as Myra’s, Star’s and Barbara’s.

  As Charisse spread a generous dollop of cream cheese on a croissant, her sister scolded, “You’d better cool it with that cream cheese or you won’t be able to get into your gown.”

  “I have plenty of room in my gown, thank you very much,” Charisse said flippantly, as she took a healthy bite of the treat.

  “You nervous?” Myra asked.

  “Nope. I’ve been waiting for this for too long to be nervous,” Charisse replied.

  “Yeah, right,” said Star. “Tonight’s the big night.”

  “What do you mean by that?” Granny Nan inquired.

  “Charisse and Stefàn have never done it before,” Star said with a wink at her grandmother. Since her daughters were present, she didn’t want to go into any more detail than that, but Granny Nan caught her meaning immediately.

  “Oh no? Well, this is a special day for you, isn’t it?” she said with a mischievous smile at Charisse. “I didn’t think anyone waited anymore these days. I’m glad to know you did. Especially with such a g
ood lookin’ man as yours.”

  “It’s not like she’s a virgin,” Star clarified.

  “Excuse me, Star,” Charisse said, slightly chagrined. “Who asked you?”

  “Well, you’re not!”

  “So, what? We all have pasts. That doesn’t mean we have to live the rest of our lives making the same mistakes we once did. I made a vow not to go there again with any man who was not my husband, and Stefàn and I kept that vow. Our waiting and his decision to respect my vow will only make our experiences together that much more enjoyable.”

  “Like I said, tonight’s the big night. Make sure you come up for air every couple of hours. I’d hate for you to miss your flight in the morning,” Star teased.

  “Mommy, is Auntie going swimming tonight, too?” six year old Candace innocently asked.

  “You could say that, baby,” Star laughed. The others joined her.

  Charisse blushed and said with a wave of her hand, “I ain’t thinkin’ about y’all.”

  CHARISSE MADE A BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL BRIDE in a strapless satin A-line gown with cascading side drape and sweep train. Stefàn, decked out in a white tuxedo with satin appointments, was equally grand to behold. Standing together at the altar as they exchanged the vows they’d written for one another, it was evident to everyone in attendance that they were made for each other. Their mutual love and adoration was clear to see and was a light around them the entire day.

  Damaris and Mike had never seen Stefàn so at peace and the joy that emanated from him was almost tangible. John and Barbara were totally pleased with their youngest daughter’s choice for a husband. They had no doubts that Stefàn would love, cherish and provide for Charisse until he took his last breath.

  For the couple, getting through the reception—although a truly magnificent event—was a chore. Their thoughts ran along the same lines and they had confided their deepest desires to one another in the limousine from the church to the banquet hall. While wrapped in Stefàn’s tender embrace, Charisse gazed into his eyes and murmured, “I want to be alone with you.”

  Smiling, Stefàn could only concur. “I second that emotion. Do you think they’d miss us if we didn’t come to the reception?”

  “Probably. I don’t know why, though. That party’s not really for us. It’s for them. Let them enjoy it. They can tell us about it later,” she said with a mischievous grin. “Let’s go home. I want to make love with my husband.”

  Stefàn chuckled. “Don’t tempt me, Mrs. Cooper. There’s nothing I’d rather do more than take you home and show you how much I’ve craved you. But maybe it’s better we wait.”

  “Better for who?” Charisse grumbled.

  “I’m too excited right now. I’d be a disappointment to you.”

  “That’s something you could never be,” she assured him as she pressed her mouth to his and savored his sweet kiss.

  As he drowned in Charisse’s affection, Stefàn thanked God that she was finally his. He thanked God that Charisse had inspired such change in his life. He thanked God that Charisse had shown him, through her love and her life, that he, too, was a child of God, and that every good thing in his life was of God. He thanked God for showing him how to love the incredible woman who now bore his name and prayed God’s continued grace and strength that he would always be as much a blessing in her life, as she was in his.

  CHAPTER 20

  MR. & MRS. COOPER

  When Charisse and Stefàn returned from their ten-day honeymoon to Italy—Rome, Vatican City, Tuscany, Positano and the Almafi Coast—they immediately resumed their search for a new home. Charisse was more than happy to leave it to Stefàn to find houses for them to consider. She never even glanced at a real estate ad. In the meantime, she had moved into his split-level home, and at Stefàn’s suggestion, instead of selling her townhouse, they decided to rent it.

  After looking at several different houses in the Teaneck/Englewood/Tenafly area, they decided on a young, four-bedroom, three-bathroom colonial in a cul-de-sac in Englewood, about two miles from Charisse’s townhouse. The fifteen-year-old house, which had only one previous owner, was one in which they planned to set down roots, and that would accommodate their growing family once they started having children. An expansive backyard—accessible from the formal dining room as well as the kitchen—boasted a brick patio and a built-in grill. There was also a large two-room, partially finished basement. The unfinished portion was a laundry room. A two-car, attached garage and fireplaces in the living room, family room, and master bedroom were major selling points. The master bedroom suite also featured a private deck and panoramic windows that overlooked the yard and their wooded acreage behind it. The master bath had a separate glass-enclosed shower stall, a spa tub, double sinks and a sequestered commode. The spacious kitchen featured an island and a breakfast nook. Charisse fell in love with the house at first sight, as Stefàn had known she would.

  Incorporating the furniture from both residences for the family room, kitchen, basement, and spare bedrooms, they opted to buy new furniture for their living room, dining room and master suite. Charisse thoroughly enjoyed the task of interior designing with Stefàn. Their respective tastes in home décor were quite similar, so they seldom squabbled over what to buy.

  They were completely moved into their new home by July and wasted no time having the families over for a Fourth of July barbecue, which also gave everyone a chance to tour their new digs.

  It was also the perfect opportunity to celebrate Julian and Michele’s reunion. As Julian had shared on Stefàn’s wedding day, he’d taken her to dinner at her favorite restaurant and popped the question all over again. Unlike the first time, however, Julian was doing it for all the right reasons, and to his delight, Michele’s love for him was reciprocated.

  They were married in a private ceremony at First Baptist Church, attended only by their parents and son, Michele’s sisters, Stefàn, Charisse and Michele’s best friend and her husband. Instead of a reception and honeymoon, they invested their money in a new home and L’il Jay’s private school tuition. For that reason, Stefàn and Charisse used their July fourth barbecue to honor their friends.

  Myra and Barretto were still going strong as well. Although Myra had never fully given her trust to any man before, Barretto had been able to break down all of her defenses and she was enjoying a relationship with him, the likes of which she had never experienced. She had even spoken to Charisse on several occasions about her desire to marry him and bear his children, something she had previously sworn that she would never do.

  By the time September rolled around, their real estate investments were really paying off. That being the case, in addition to their home, the six-unit apartment building in Queens that Stefàn already owned, and Charisse’s townhouse, they were looking into buying a dilapidated brownstone in Brooklyn. Stefàn had all the connections needed to have the work done on renovating the place. They decided they would wait until the renovations were completed to determine whether they would lease the units or sell the building outright.

  Stefàn, being the sharp-minded businessman he was, and trusting Charisse implicitly, severed his relationship with the accountant he’d been working with for years and turned all of his financial records over to her. He also asked her to take charge of their overall household finances since that was her forte.

  By combining their knowledge and working together, Stefàn eventually left the employ of the realty office he’d been with for several years and branched out on his own. Encouraging him when he exhibited the slightest trepidation or reservation about making the move, Charisse knew how much he’d been wanting to do this and reminded him at every opportunity that God had not brought him this far so that he could fall short of His promise.

  By Thanksgiving, they had been married for seven months. Everything they touched together turned to gold. Stefàn’s business was doing well; Charisse had been promoted to an officer position at her firm, but she was also doing a good deal of freelance work
, too. Stefàn thought it would be a great idea for her to go into business for herself, too, but she thought it would be better to wait until she was home after the birth of their first child.

  Eager to expand their family beyond the two of them, when Charisse awoke the morning before Thanksgiving to find that her cycle had begun again, she could not contain her tears.

  Stefàn was still asleep and she didn’t want to wake him, but she was thoroughly distraught. Something must be wrong with me. Their love life was healthy and active and their appetites for one another were never easily satisfied. Despite the fact that they had been able to take advantage of the unexpected wait by achieving several goals, by now Charisse wanted to have a baby more than anything.

  She had expressed her concern about not becoming pregnant to Stefàn on other occasions and he was always very empathic, but fervently believed and assured her that when God was ready for them to conceive, He would make it happen. And although Charisse’s faith in God was strong, she couldn’t help wondering why He hadn’t yet blessed them with conception.

  After showering and trying hard to hide any signs of her unhappiness, Charisse emerged from the bathroom to find Stefàn in the midst of his regimental push-ups.

  “Good morning, baby,” he called as she moved across the room.

  “G’mornin’,” she mumbled in return.

  Being acutely tuned in to her moods, Stefàn immediately picked up on Charisse’s melancholy. Rising from the floor, he turned to face her. “What’s the matter, baby?”

  Charisse had sat on the cushioned stool at the foot of the bed so her sad face was not visible to him. She didn’t utter a word, but shook her head to indicate nothing was wrong.

  Stefàn took a few steps in her direction and sat next to her. Taking her hand, he at once noticed her sadness. Putting his arm around her and pulling her closer, he expressed his genuine concern when he asked, “What’s wrong, Risi?”

  “I just got my period again.”

  Stefàn embraced her fully then and kissed her gently on her temple. Feeling her pain as if it was his own, he desperately wanted to have children with Charisse, yet cherished the time they now had to themselves because he knew with children things would inevitably be different.