Marriage by Law

by N. K. Pockett

  Even sitting down, the dress just seemed tighter. But my legs hurt in the pathetic painful heels she made me wear.

  "Alright," said Rose, coming at me with her makeup kit and a baby wipe, trying to get as much make up as possible off my face. "There is a car at the side of the church. Just tell me when and I'll get you out of here."

  I smiled, shaking my head. "I can't," I whispered and closed my eyes as she did whatever she was doing.

  "Ivory, you can. You can leave this terrible place and never come back. We can go to another country if you want. We can go to Alaska and stay with –"

  "Rose, no."

  She huffed but said nothing more.

  I couldn't leave. I knew what that would do to my dad. He had a weak heart, if anything extremely upset him, he might have a heart attack and I would be the murderer. And if me running away wouldn’t set that off, the loss of his company would.

  He had put everything into that company: money, time, tears, love and having the one thing that made him happy. I couldn't take that away from him.

  "Is this to get back at James? I know he said you won't find a better man than him and if you're trying to - "

  "Rose, I don't even read his texts," I said, swatting her hand away as she tried putting lipstick on my lips. I looked at my reflection. Well, it was better than the hot pink eye shadow mother put on me. Rose had done a natural look.

  "Well, I did. "

  I rolled my eyes. "Help me up. I can't breathe and now I need to pee."

  I ignored her smile as she lifted me up.

  "Are you going to be able to pee in that dress?"

  "No, I can hold it in," I said, pulling the veil over my face. "How do I look?"

  "Great, if I can see you."

  I smiled, shaking my head at her. "Okay, let's do it."

  "But your mothers not here y-"

  "No, let's do it."

  "Oh," she said, grabbing a note from her purse and slamming it on the dresser. It was something we always did, place bets.

  "I bet he is so old he needs to use a wheelchair, is crippled and drools when he talks."

  I shuddered in disgust. "That's very comforting."

  I opened the drawer, taking out a fifty and placing it on hers. "I think he's old, has a pot belly, grey hair everywhere and well, that's all I have."

  She laughed, grabbing my arm and throwing her arms around me. "It's okay. Just make yourself so undesirable that he divorces you. I mean, it's not your fault if he divorces you, right?"

  I scoffed. "It's always my fault. Have you met my mother?"

  Before she could reply, the door opened and the devil herself walked in, fixing her hair in her tight pink dress. God, she looked terrible.

  "Let's go, girls. Rose, step away from her please. I don't want you touching her and leaving marks on the dress. Veil on, Ivory. We don't have all day. He needs to catch a flight."

  I rolled my eyes as I lifted my hands as high as I could and pulled the veil back on.

  Time to get this over with.

  The ceremony was hardly a ceremony. There were my parents, Rose, what looked to be his parents, two other parents from his side, and then the priest.

  I took deep breaths as I stood at the makeshift altar, which was more of a desk with papers on it and the priest standing beside it. I bet he has never had a wedding like this before.

  Breathe, Ivory. You have to sign it before you faint. I was close to losing all feeling down my bottom half. This dress was too tight. Oxygen. I needed oxygen.

  The priest began. "We have gathered here to –"

  "Father, just go to the ‘I do’. My son has a plane to catch."

  I winced at the high-pitched voice. Alright, so I guess my mother-in-law was no different than my own mother. Great, luck was really on my side.

  I watched the father as he looked back and forth before his assistant whispered something to him.

  "Of course," he said, clearing his throat and flipping to the back of his book.

  "Do you, Darius Quartz, take Ivor -"

  "He does."

  Was that my mother?

  "Mrs. Hiddleberg, he must say it."

  I bit my lip, stopping the laugh that came out. Impatient mother, why don't you marry him?

  At least I knew I had won the bet. He was standing next to me, not in a wheelchair, and that was all my veil permitted to see. I looked at the door to the side. I could still leave. Rose still had the car outside.

  "I do," I heard a deep voice mutter and my heart thudded. I could still go. Do, it Ivory. Who cares what happened to your father?

  Just go, he will understand.

  "Do you, Ivory Hiddleberg, take this man, Darius Quartz, to be your lawfully wed -"

  But I couldn't. The only parent I really had was my father, sneaking me out to live life. Even if I have to marry this man for the rest of my life, I'd do it just to see my father smile at me.

  "Ivory, say it!"

  What?

  I looked at Rose through the corner of the veil, the only part where I could see through and she was staring at me with a pointed look, mouthing "say it" with wide eyes.

  Did he finish asking me?

  I looked at the priest who was staring at me. "Oh yea," I said, nodding my head. "I mean, I do."

  He nodded before closing his book and pushing two sheets toward us, both with a black Parker pen with gold engraving on the side.

  "Sign this, please. This is the agreement that binds your wedding together."

  I swallowed before picking up the pen and scribbling my signature down. This was really happening. I could see spots in my vision. I wasn't sure if it was because I was finally married, or because the dress was too tight. I went with the dress being too tight.

  "Rings, please."

  Two kids came running up with rings and I squeezed my eyes. Nearly over. You can breathe once the wedding is over.

  "Take the ring."

  Oh, right.

  I grabbed the gold band from the kid who was peering up at me and smiled at her. Not like she could see me anyway.

  "By placing these rings on each other, you are proclaiming your love and that you will be together till death do you part."

  I scoffed quietly. What love?

  "Hold out your hand," whispered Rose beside me. Oh right, hand. I lifted my shaking hand. Why was I so damn nervous?

  I felt his hand grasp my fingertips before something cold and a bit tight slip on. Did my mother really think that you can lose weight in your fingers?

  My fingers were already skinny enough. I could see the stone through the corner of my veil and grimaced. God, why did it look so extravagant?

  I looked at his outstretched hand and squinted. Okay, now, Ivory, grab the hand, not air.

  I gripped his hand, maybe a bit too tightly, as I blindly shoved the ring on and it slipped on perfectly. Why couldn't I get a plain ring, too?

  "Gentle much?" whispered Rose and I rolled my eyes, letting go of the hand quickly. Okay done, can I breathe now?

  "I now pronounce you man and woman, wife and husband. You may kiss the bride."

  Key word being ‘may’ since it was quiet for a whole second before my parents, mainly my father, coughed loudly as he came up to us.

  "Congratulations! Now you have a plane to catch."

  Thank you, dad, from saving this old man from kissing me. I was engulfed in his hug and I could feel my eyes prickle. I was doing this for you, dad, so you can live happily.

  "I love you, Ivory."

  "I love you, too, dad,"

  Of course, my mother had to say something and ruin the moment and pull me down the stairs. Rose was beside me in a second, holding my hand as I nearly tripped over.

  The walk outside felt forever in these heels as I followed him and his parents to a white limousine.

  "Get in," said Rose, holding the door open after he got in.

  "I have to get in?"

  "Duh."

  "I don't think I can."

&n
bsp; "Ivory, get your arse in there."

  "No," I said as I firmly shook my head. "I think my dress is going to pop. I can't breathe. I need to pee, too! I can -" I grunted as she shoved me in, my head clipping the side of my door.

  "Hold it and don't faint."

  The door slammed shut and I jumped. I watched as they waved and I turned, looking at the seat in front of me. Deep breaths. Don't faint.

  Present Time

  "You ready?"

  I looked at the fifty note she slammed on the dressing table and raised my eyebrows at her. "What are you doing?"

  "I bet my fifty that he will jump you at the altar."

  "Rose, you're in a church," I said, rolling my eyes as I fixed my veil, one that I can see out of.

  "Okay, he will jump you in the limo?"

  I roll my eyes and hid my smile as I grabbed the bouquet.

  “No bets,” I told her, shaking my head.

  "Okay, ready," I said, taking a deep breath. It was finally happening. I was getting married when I wanted, where I wanted, and how I wanted. Well, most of those since Adrian and Rose planned the majority of the wedding details. I was quite surprised to know they worked together. I was sure Rose was about to behead him.

  I looked in the reflection at my simple but elegant dress, made out of satin. It was my size, allowing me to breathe.

  It had a low fancy back and a belt that was really just a pattern on the dress, an appearance. It had a small trail, simple and perfect.

  The door burst open and Adrian walked in, dressed in his white suit. He claimed he was going to match me, and for once I was glad Rose helped him dress. He didn't look like a total idiot.

  He wore a navy blue shirt underneath the white jacket, and somehow he pulled it off.

  "Well, hello there. You sure you don't want to marry me?"

  "Get your arse out and at the altar. She's coming," Rose said, sighing. She was already fed up with Adrian even before the wedding started.

  "I was just saying, no point since Darius isn't at the altar."

  "What?"

  "Whoa! Okay, I was joking. Jesus, calm down. I came to give you this." He pulled something out of his pocket. "You're supposed to wear something blue."

  I looked at the blue mystique orchid headpiece he had. Some of the bulbs have lost their petals, no doubt from being squashed in his suit pocket.

  "Thanks."

  He waved a hand, gushing as Rose rolled her eyes and crossed her hands across her chest.

  "Here."

  I lifted up my veil as he placed it on my head. "Wow. See? Now you look good. Before you ugly, now you pretty."

  I rolled my eyes dramatically, giving him a push as I pulled my veil back on.

  "Alright, you go down. I'll be there."

  Adrian said, "Take your time, please. I'll tell him you aren't here and make him panic."

  I laughed as Rose scolded him. Imagining Darius, he probably would be panicking. He had asked me four times if I was sure before he left to stay at Adrian's last night.

  Adrian was pure evil, I liked it.

  "And by the way, that is one hot dress."

  "Adrian, go," I told him and watched as Rose tried pushing him out the door. It seemed to be hard work.

  "I am so fed up with him,” Rose was telling me with a shake of her head. “Can't believe you're going to be related to him now."

  "Technically I still am. This is just a re-marriage. We are already married, remember?"

  "Duh. So, are we going to make him wait?"

  I looked in the mirror.

  Something old, the veil that was my grandmother’s.

  Something blue, the orchid headpiece. It was beautiful with white stones in the middle. Did Adrian make this?

  Something borrowed, Rose's silver heels which, I was surprised, I could walk in.

  And last but not the least, something new. He had given it to me before he left for Adrian's. A simple silver necklace with one blue teardrop at the end. Of course, that could have passed for something blue but it was miniscule. It sat perfectly just below the middle of my collarbones. It had soft diamond and silver work at the sides of the drop.

  "No,” I was telling Rose, “that'll be too cruel. Let's go."

  Walking down the aisle this time was different. I wasn't sure if it was Rose holding my hand, my dress allowing me to breathe or the fact I wanted to be re-married to him.

  I could see Adrian beside him at the altar. I hid a smile as Adrian looked at me, his mouth open, as he was saying something to Darius and his shoulders slumped.

  "I think his joke failed," whispered Rose. My exact thoughts.

  I saw Darius turn around and my heart skipped a beat, seeing him standing there dressed in a simple black suit. And the look on his face was priceless.

  "Go get him, tiger." Rose gave me a push toward the stairs and I handed her the bouquet.

  This is it, Ivory, I told myself as I stepped up and he held out a hand.

  "You look beautiful," he whispered, making my cheeks go red.

  "Nice tie," I said to him, holding back a grin. It was a plain silver tie, the bottom was dipped blue which made me smile but the funny thing was his knot. He made a new definition of a tie knot.

  "I did it myself."

  "I can tell."

  The priest began. "We are gathered here today -"

  Last time, I was too busy trying to breathe rather than listen to the father, and majority of the ceremony was skipped. This time, I was too busy staring at my husband’s green eyes as I held his hands. And this time, I was in love with the man I was going to marry. Or re-marry. We were having another wedding, even when we were already married.

  "If anyone objects to this marriage, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

  Darius raised an eyebrow at me and I rolled my eyes. Of course, he asked the priest to include that phrase. It was outdated and rarely included in weddings anymore, but here he was giving me another chance to get out. Did he realise that even if I said no, we were technically still married?

  "I do."

  What?

  Darius looked just as confused as we looked at Adrian who was standing there.

  The priest said, "In that case, let us pause this ceremony an -"

  "Oh no, I was joking," said Adrian, laughing crazily. Rose walked over and smacked him across the face with the bouquet.

  "My son, this is a wedding. You cannot make such jokes," the priest scolded and Adrian frowned, cupping his cheek.

  "You can carry on," said Darius, glaring at Adrian and shaking his head. "Shouldn't have invited him," he muttered as he pulled me closer, holding my hand.

  "Well, free entertainment," I said with a shrug, even though he did make it inappropriate half the time.

  "Do you, Darius Quartz, take this woman, Ivory...Quartz?" he looked up and Darius motioned for him to carry on while I held back a smile. Maybe we should have told him that we were renewing our vows. That would have been a better thing to do.

  The father cleared his throat starting again. "…to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honour, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto her for as long as you both shall live?"

  Darius squeezed my hands as he gave them a tug. He said, "I do," and my heart skipped a beat. If I was going to faint last time with the lack of oxygen and a tight dress, I felt like I was going to faint this time as well.

  The father nodded to continue as Darius bent down.

  "I know I should have told you this sooner, but I wanted to save it for a special occasion."

  I raised an eyebrow. Save what?

  His thumb stroked my hand and I didn't realise my heart could beat any faster as he whispered, "I love you," in my ear before the priest told him he was standing too close.

  "Sorry," he said, straightening up and clearing his throat.

  My heart stopped. I stared at him as he smiled and winked at me before he na
rrowed his eyes. I didn't know what came over me as I pulled my hands back and placed them over my eyes. Was I seriously crying because of three words?