Until My Heart Stops Beating

by Tonya M Barber

  “Hey, I can’t come in?”

  They chuckled after hearing Mark’s voice. Marcella opened the door, stepping to the side for him to enter.

  “Sorry, we thought you were Declan again,” Marcella replied.

  “No problem,” he said as he walked over to Makeba. Perusing her from head to toe, he smiled as he took her hand in his. “You are gorgeous little sister.”

  “Thank you Mark.”

  “Are you ready though because that man is going to have a heart attack if we don’t hurry up and get this thing on the road.”

  “Yes, we’re ready.”

  “Ok let me go and inform the pastor so we can get started,” he said and left.

  Makeba looked around the room at her bridal party. The girls were absolutely stunning in their chiffon, knee length, pastel color, spaghetti-strapped dresses. Their hair was pinned up with Gerber daisies to match whatever color their dress was. There was no heels at this wedding. Flip flops it was, each decorated with a handmade bow the same color and fabric of the dresses. The bridesmaid's bouquets were also made with an array of Gerber daisies. This was definitely a summer wedding and there wasn’t a better place to have it than at the beach house.

  The bridesmaids lined up as the music began to play. One by one they were escorted down the makeshift aisle which ran from the porch deck to the area where the preacher, Declan and Sam were standing.

  “Are you ready?”

  She turned around and smiled nodding her head in response to Mark’s question. “Yes I am.’

  “Then let’s do this.”

  He placed her arm under his as they walked out onto the deck. Once outside he released her hand and placed it in the hand of their father.

  “Daddy?” she said as she hugged him long and tight.

  Overwhelmed with emotion tears ran down her father’s cheeks as he held his daughter. Immediately, he wiped them away. It had been so long since his baby girl had been in his arms. What a fool he was for wasting time on nonsense, time he couldn’t get back. Releasing himself from the embrace, he wiped the tears streaming from her eyes.

  “Daddy, what a wonderful surprise.”

  “I couldn’t let this day go by and not be a part of one of the best days of your life. What kind of father would I be If I wasn’t here to give my baby girl away?”

  Shaking her head she said, “You don’t know how much this means to me.”

  “I have a pretty good idea because I know how much it means to me. I’m sorry baby girl and I promise from here on out, I will give Declan a chance and get to know him myself. If you love him enough to marry him, then he can’t be that bad of a guy,” he chuckled.

  “No, he’s not daddy. He’s a wonderful guy and he loves me.”

  “I believe that wholeheartedly.”

  “Ahem!”

  They turned around. Mark was standing to the left clearing his throat in an effort to get their attention.

  “We do have a wedding ceremony going on.”

  They chuckled.

  “Yes, we do Mark,” replied Makeba.

  “Yes, we do son.”

  Mr. Jones turned to face Makeba and pulled her veil down over her face. “You look amazing. I’m so proud of you.”

  “Thank you.”

  The guests rose to their feet as the bride, in her pearl white Christina Wu gown with dazzling crystals around the edge, and a bodice that clung tightly around the hips exposing how curvy she really was, began to walk down the aisle. The dress was beautiful beyond words. It flared at the bottom into a sparkling laced trimmed flute train.

  The sun was starting to set which made the scenery magical. Lanterns were strung from above on both sides of the aisle. The arch hanging over the small stage where the ceremony would take place was decorated in Gerber daisies and sparkling white lights. There were tables on the left and the right that seated six to eight people. They were covered in cloths to match the bridesmaids dresses. Partially submerged Gerber daisies accented by blue vase gems served as centerpieces. The dance floor was black and white with chandeliers and starry stringed lights hanging from above. To the right was the wedding party table, decorated with flowers and floating candles. Things couldn’t have looked better. Makeba was more than pleased at how everything turned out.

  Holding tight to her wedding bouquet with one hand and her father’s arm with the other, she stared down the aisle at the man she would be joined with. With every step tears of joy escaped her eyes. Thank God for waterproof mascara, she thought.

  Once she reached her destination, her father took her hand and placed it in Declan’s hand, kissed her on the cheek, then took a seat in the front next to her mother who was teary-eyed herself.

  After the ceremony, the guests were all given lanterns that were released in the sky signifying their union. The sight of all those lanterns floating through the sky was so beautiful that she made sure the wedding photographer captured it in photographs. The day would have been perfect had Shelly shown up. Her dad of all people, was stubborn as she knew he could be, put aside his personal feelings and showed up to share in their special day. Not so for Shelly. Makeba made one last effort the day before the wedding to convince her to come but she declined. Makeba threw up her hands and left knowing that with or without his mother’s presence, the wedding would go on as planned and it did.

  After the couple’s first dance as husband and wife, they sat at the table resting her aching feet. Feeling a strong masculine hand on her shoulder caused her to look up.

  “Hey daddy,” she smiled.

  He sat beside her. “Hey baby girl.”

  “Let me ask you something?

  “Yes.”

  “I noticed Declan’s mom is not here. Any reason why?”

  “Well, she feels as though he’s marrying beneath him.”

  “What?, he shouted.

  “Shhh daddy, please!”

  He sighed. “Well, I can’t be too upset. Two idiot minds think alike but at least I saw the light.” For a moment he drifted away from the present looking straight ahead. ‘She’ll live to regret not sharing this moment with her son. I know I would have had I not made it. The time I wasted being angry and pigheaded I will never get back.”

  She smiled while rubbing his hand.

  “Anyway, why did you choose him? Tell me what was so special about Mr. Declan Whitaker.”

  Smiling, as she held her head sideways she said,” he chose me daddy and wouldn’t give up. He makes me smile and loves me through all my craziness. I can feel the depth of his love for me even through a simple touch. It can be when he holds my hand while we’re walking in public, when he places his hand in the small of my back or when he simply brushes against me inadvertently. There’s a magnetic energy that transfers from him to me. I must admit, when he first asked me out I declined based on his color alone. Of course I’ll never admit that to him but he never did. He saw me as a woman. He was persistent in his quest and it got to the point where I couldn’t refuse any longer. I’m glad I gave him the chance because he has shown me a love I never knew existed.”

  “Wow, that's deep baby girl. Hey, you think your mom felt that way about me?” he asked hastily rising from his chair.

  “Daddy,” she laughed pulling him back down in his seat.

  “What? I was only going to ask her?” he joked.

  “I’m sure it was.”

  “Can we get the bride and her father on the dance floor please,” announced the DJ.

  The melody for Stevie Wonder’s “Ribbon in the Sky,” began to play. She glanced at her father with tears in her eyes. He stood up holding out his hand to her. She grabbed his hand and allowed him to escort onto the dance floor. Laying her head on his shoulder as the fingers of one hand locked as one and the other was placed around his waist, they danced their father and daughter dance in such a way that spoke volumes without saying a word. Glancing at her mother, she witnessed her standing in front of the dance floor with tears in her eyes and a hand over h
er heart. This was definitely the best day of her life and she got to share it with family and friends who flew out to Chicago just for them.

  GRAND OPENING

  Six months into the marriage and it still felt like they were honeymooners but Makeba knew that would all change this week. The Serenity Hotel’s Grand Opening was taking place on Friday and most of Declan’s time would be geared towards making sure everything goes as planned. She didn’t mind though because since their wedding day he had been good to her as far as spending quality time goes. They had gone to Broadway plays, operas, museums, party boat rides, fancy restaurants, you name it, they did it. They ran so much Makeba had to plead with him to slow down. Since he had done so well by her the least she could do is be a little understanding about the length of time he spends at the hotel.

  The time was upon them finally. Declan was dressed in a penguin tuxedo looking quite debonair. She approached him adjusting his bow tie.

  “You are so handsome.”

  He hugged her around the waist and kissed her softly on the lips. “And you my dear look amazing.”

  He kissed her with such passion she began to throb between her legs. Reluctantly, she pushed him away.

  “We don’t have time for this Mr. We have to get going or you’ll be late for your own grand opening.”

  “We always have time for this,” he replied playfully grabbing her from behind.

  “Be a good boy and I promise to make it up to you later.”

  Smiling like a Cheshire cat he said, “Really?”

  “Really,” she replied walking away like a seductress on purpose.

  “Damn I hit the jackpot!” he said.

  She chuckled as she continued to walk off to get her shawl.

  ~*~

  Although the hotel was just a few blocks away, Declan insisted on having the car service pick them up. As they arrived in front of the hotel, there were a multitude of cars dropping people off in front of the building. There was carpet and strobe lights in front of the hotel. Once they exited the car, it felt like they were celebrities walking the red carpet. It was so exciting for Makeba. As they entered the hotel, they were greeted by the ‘who’s who’ of the hotel industry, entertainment industry and political parties. Local and federal government officials were also in attendance. What made it even more special was that her parents and brother Mark had come. Even Granny Whitaker, Shyanne and Sam flew in for the special event.

  Hours had passed and she was exhausted. Never had she done so much mingling and entertaining in one night. Tired or not, there was nothing she could do but suck it up. It was her duty to be there however long to support her husband and she wouldn’t have it any other way, achy feet and all.

  She was so proud of her husband and all he had accomplished with the hotel. When Declan stood up to read his speech, she felt like a volcano on the verge of eruption. He was sexy, charming, and had a magnetic force that sent sparks through her insides from the mere look at him. She couldn’t wait to get him home. Thank God Granny, Sam, Shyanne and even Mark insisted on being the first guests at the hotel because what she planned on doing to him when they got back to their loft would surely frighten them enough to dial 911.

  The following week news articles were still being printed about the new five star hotel located downtown in the heart of Newark. This only fueled the fire that was already brewing inside him. It was a driving force to push him harder and make him greater at what he did so well, business. Already he had begun discussions with potential investors in reference to the possibilities of building more Serenity Hotels in the Tri-State Area.

  With Declan traveling more and requesting that she accompany him, Makeba knew there was no way she could keep her job. As much as she would have loved to continue to work at the airport she had to resign. It wasn’t about money, now that she was Mrs. Whitaker, she had plenty. It was more about independence, the enjoyment of what she did for a living and meeting people from all walks of life. Not to mention the friends that felt more like family but she wasn’t too worried about them. They were just a phone call away.

  ~*~

  Declan had been working nonstop since the opening of Serenity, so much so that he was beginning to feel guilty about the amount of time he spent away from his wife. Even when she accompanied him to Chicago, there just wasn’t enough time in a day to do everything he needed to do. Apologies were repetitious but they were truly heartfelt and although she’d assured him that she understood how busy things were since the grand opening, he couldn’t help but wonder how long would it be before it all came crashing down.

  He remembered how things had gotten a little bad for them during the time she had the miscarriage. The stress of his frequent travels and lack of time together became a major issue for them. One thing he didn’t want was for history to repeat itself and he damn sure didn’t want to continue to be unfair to Makeba, so he decided that from that moment on she would always come first no matter what.

  Sitting at his desk pondering over his current situation, Declan came up with an idea of how he could have the best of both worlds but continue to be a successful businessman and loving husband. Immediately, he called Sam and gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Sam had agreed to close his spas and come on board full time and help run the company. He was the only one Declan trusted to get things done.

  Three Years Later…

  Happy Birthday

  Hearing the freezing rain pelt against the house sent chills up her spine. Curious to what the stormy weather looked like during the brunt of the storm, she sauntered over to the glass sliding doors peering through the window. Instantly she became worried about Declan’s travel home. As much as she would have liked to lay beside him, she’d rather he didn’t take any risks trying to get home tonight. Immediately, she rushed to the bedroom to retrieve her phone, the moment she heard it ringing.

  “Hello.”

  “Hello babe. Are you still at work?”

  “Yes I am.”

  Relieved he hadn’t left yet she sighed.

  “Maybe you should consider staying there tonight. It’s pretty bad out.”

  “Nonsense. I’ve been looking forward to lying next to you all day. I’ll be fine honey. Stop worrying. I’ll be leaving within the hour.”

  Rubbing her hand across her forehead, she sighed. This was not the response she wanted from him. Knowing her husband she knew it would take quite some convincing to get him to stay and if she had to be on the phone all night she would.

  “Babe, just stay where you are. Trying to make it home in this kind of weather is just crazy. Besides, it’s not like you don’t have a corporate apartment in the building.”

  “True, but there will be one thing missing.”

  “What’s that?

  “You.”

  Any other time that response would have made her smile and warmed her heart but this was not one of those times. She had been listening to the weather reports for hours. Over and over again during their commentary they suggested that people stay off the roads.

  “That’s sweet honey but you’ll have me for the rest of your life. One night apart isn’t going to make or break us. We’ve done this so many times before. Stay where you are for tonight. I promise I’ll make it all up to you when you get home. Just oblige me this once,” she replied through trembling lips.

  Sensing how fretful she was, Declan reluctantly relented. The sound of her voice was evident that she was on the brink of tears. The last thing he wanted to do was cause her to worry or have a sleepless night. As bad as he wanted to hold her in the comfort of his arms, kiss her, make love to her, he agreed to stay where he was. It would have been foolish at this point to try and make it home in that kind of weather.

  “Ok honey. I guess I’m staying the night here.”

  Breathing a sigh of relief she said, “Oh, don't act like you’re down and out. That apartment is set up better than our loft. You’ll be fine.”

  “Again you won’t be here.”
<
br />   “But I’ll be missing you every moment we’re apart. You know you can call me as much as you’d like.”

  “And I will. Trust me, you are going to regret you said that.”

  She chuckled.

  “I know.”

  “I’ll talk to you shortly sweetie. I need to call it a night and go on up to the apartment. I’ll call you back when I get up there.”

  “Ok. I love you.”

  “I love you more, Makeba.”

  Declan ended the call feeling a tinge of disappointment that he had to spend a night alone in the executive apartment. Pushing himself back from the desk, he rose from his seat and approached the window gazing out into the darkness. The sky was smoke gray as fog blanketed the city limiting his visibility. A wide smile spread across his face as he reminisced about the previous night. He had intended on surprising Makeba with a night out on the town to celebrate his birthday but when he arrived home, she had a surprise of her own for him.

  He walked into the foyer inhaling the aroma of a cooking meal emanating from the kitchen. Hurrying further inside, stopping under the threshold of the kitchen, he discreetly watched as she sashayed from the oven to the refrigerator then to the cupboard retrieving a serving dish and placing it on the counter, then back to the stove oblivious to the fact that she was being watched.

  “More beautiful than a flower floating on a wave in the ocean on a summer day.”

  She turned looking over her shoulder with a raised wooden spoon in her hand. Leering at him, she smiled as she swiped her finger across the spoon scooping up a little of its contents, then placing it in her mouth sucking on it so seductively it sent a warm tingly sensation up and down his spine that made him shiver.

  “You’re going to stand there selfishly teasing me with your taste testing or are you going to offer me a sample as well?

  “A sample of what?” she asked smiling mischievously.