“Happy Thanksgiving, Shannon.”
She held her head down. “Happy Thanksgiving, Brian,” Shannon said in an unfamiliar soft voice.
Brian could tell she was uncomfortable by the fidgeting. He bent down and gave her a light hug. “I told you everything was all right. I’ve forgiven you.”
“Thank you.” Shannon smiled slightly just as Marcus joined them with a Henry Wienhard’s root beer in hand.
“Hey, cuz, why didn’t you introduce me to this lovely young lady?” Marcus asked, while smiling at Shannon.
Shay looked at him sideways. “Marcus, what are you talking about?”
“How come I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting your beautiful friend?” Marcus’s eyes remained on Shannon.
Shannon looked up at Marcus and rolled her eyes.
Brian stood there with his mouth open.
“Marcus, you know you’ve met her before,” Shay snapped. Then it occurred to her that Marcus hadn’t seen Shannon since her transformation.
Marcus stepped closer to Shannon. “You’ll have to excuse my cousin and her bad manners. She really does have better home training. Let me introduce myself, I’m Marcus Simone,” he said then took a swig of root beer.
Shannon put her hand on her hip and rolled her neck. “Marcus, it’s me, Shannon.”
Before he could stop himself, Marcus spit out his root beer, right into Shannon’s face.
Brian and Shay fell over with laughter.
Embarrassed, Marcus stammered, “I’m so sorry-I…Let-me-”
Shannon held up her hands. “Forget it, Marcus!”
“Come on, Shannon, I’ll show you where the bathroom is.” Shay giggled.
After the ladies were gone, Marcus looked at Brian with amazement. “That’s Shannon? What happened to her?”
“It sure is and from where I stand, it looks like you liked what you saw,” Brian teased.
“Man….I…What….How?” Marcus couldn’t even form a sentence.
Brian left Marcus standing there trying to remember how to put more than two words together in a sentence. A moment later, Marcus turned to see Justin and Craig pointing and laughing along with Brian.
When Shannon returned from cleaning herself up, Marcus approached her again. She saw him coming and held up both hands. “Hold on, let me get an umbrella.”
He laughed, but she didn’t, so he turned serious. “Look, Shannon, I’m sorry, but I didn’t recognize you. You look so, so different. You sound different too. I didn’t know it was you.”
Shannon cowered her shoulders and spoke so low he barely heard her. “Marcus, I know I look different, but this is the real me.”
Marcus watched her for a moment, as if he were making an assessment. She nervously folded her arms around her midsection. “Shannon,” he said finally. “Keep up the new look. The real you is very nice.” He turned and walked away just as Julia announced dinner was served.
Reggie gave the traditional Thanksgiving prayer. The family and guests then took turns expressing what each of them was thankful for before everyone dug in. On more than one occasion, Shay looked up from enjoying her food to find at least one person smiling at her. That one person was Brian.
Completely stuffed, everyone congregated into the living room. Shay wondered why everyone chose to crowd into one room when there were other rooms available. Then she spotted Marcus’s keyboard on a pedestal in the corner and assumed he was going to entertain the Thanksgiving crowd with his music. She went back into the dining room and helped Leah, Taylor and Staci with the dishes. It was a tradition at every family gathering, the grandchildren handled clean-up duty.
“Shay, why don’t you go into the living room and let us tackle this mountain?” Taylor suggested.
Shay walked by her and placed the stack of used plates on the center island. “I don’t mind helping with the dishes. Anyway, I can hear Marcus play anytime.”
When she left for the dining room again, Julia came into the kitchen. “Where is she?” Julia asked excitedly.
“She’s in there collecting dishes.” Staci pointed toward the dining room. Julia left without another word.
Uncle Jonathan was waiting for Shay when she dropped off the second load of dishes. “Can I see you in the living room for a minute?” he asked seriously.
“Well, sure,” she answered, more confused than ever.
Her cousins snickered amongst themselves while Shay washed and dried her hands. As soon as she walked out the threshold, they laughed then raced to the living room.
Inside the crowded living room, Shay immediately knew something was up and that she was at the center of it all. All eyes were on her as she followed her uncle Jonathan to the only vacant seat in front right next to the fireplace. Julia and Alysse were standing on opposite sides of the empty chair just smiling like they needed a trip to the county psyche ward. Reggie stood behind them with a handheld camcorder.
Shay finally sat down and Brian appeared out of nowhere with a dozen long-stemmed red roses. At that moment, Shay realized this would be a Thanksgiving she would never forget.
“These are for you.” He squatted down in front of her and placed the roses across her lap.
“Thank you,” she said softly, trying to keep her emotions in tack. Julia passed her a tissue, because it was just a matter of time before Shay would lose control. The Simone women were known for shedding sentimental tears.
“Shay,” Brian continued, “I love you more than I know how to say.”
“You’re doing all right to me,” Mark said from behind Alysse. Several others agreed.
“If I could sing, I would sing you a song. But since I can’t sing, I wrote these words.” He placed a scroll in her hand. She motioned to open and read it, but he restrained her.
“You can read it later. I gave the words to Marcus and he has put them to music.”
Shay looked over Brian’s shoulder at Marcus, who was grinning, then back at Brian.
“As you listen to Marcus sing the words, remember you’re listening to my heart.”
Shay started to cry and so did most of the other females. Even Shannon dabbed at her eyes.
When the music started, Brian stood and extended his hand to her. “May I have this dance?” She handed the flowers to her mother and yielded to him. They slow-danced as Marcus serenaded them. As they moved in perfect rhythm she allowed the words of the song to resonate in her heart. She loved the song. Shay laid her head against his chest and cried some more. Brian held her even tighter to emphasize what the words meant.
“Whew,” Alysse used her hand to fan herself. “I can’t take too much more of this.”
“Neither can I,” Nikki added.
When the song ended the crowded room erupted with cheers as Brian knelt down on one knee and took Shay’s left hand into his.
Shay didn’t think she had any tears left, but a fresh batch came quickly and effortlessly. “Oh, my God! Oh, my God!” she screamed when Brian reached into his pocket and came out with an engagement ring.
“LaShay Seana Hampton, will you marry me?”
“Yes!” Both Julia and Alysse yelled before Shay could answer. The audience laughed. “Trust me, she will,” Julia added.
When she finished laughing, Shay used her thumb to still Brian’s lower lip. “Yes, Brian Deshawn Pennington, I will marry you.”
Everyone celebrated with hugs and high-fives as Brian placed the engagement ring on her finger. Brian was about to plant a kiss on her lips when his mother and the rest of the family interrupted his flow.
Alysse put her arm around him. “Boy, you’re a little slow, but you come through. You come through big too. I didn’t know you were this romantic.”
The newly engaged couple was bombarded with congratulations until Alysse asked the question, “When’s the wedding?”
“Not until Brian finishes law school,” Shay answered from over her shoulder.
Alysse was not happy. “What? That’s nearly two years away.”
Reggie an
d Julia looked at each other.
Shay wrapped her arms around Brian’s waist. “I’m sorry, Ms. Alysse, but that’s what my boo wants.”
“Humph, boy, I guess I can’t expect too much from you, considering who your daddy is.” Alysse glared at Brian and folded her arms.
Reggie surprised everyone in the room when he said, “Alysse, shut up.”
Brian spoke up before his mother let loose. “I hear June weddings are nice. I checked the calendar and guess what?”
“What?” Shay tried to contain her excitement, but her bright eyes gave her away.
“My birthday falls on a Saturday next year. I can’t think of a better way to spend my birthday.”
Shay wanted a clear understanding before she did her victory dance. “Brian,” she began slowly, “are you saying that you want to get married on your twenty-fifth birthday? Are you saying that you want to get married eight months from now?”
“Yes.” Shay jumped in the air.
“But on one condition.”
Deflated, Shay’s shoulders slumped. “What?”
He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “That we don’t have any children until after I pass the Bar exam.”
“Can we at least practice?” Shay asked out loud.
“As much as you want.” Brian smiled then finally got his kiss.
At Last…
Brian waited anxiously in Reggie’s office for the ceremony that would change his life forever to begin. So much had happened since he proposed to Shay eight months ago. It amazed him how everything had fallen into place for them. God had provided everything he needed to provide a comfortable living for his bride.
When Brian shared his financial dilemma with his father, he was surprised to learn that Reggie had money invested for him and was planning on giving it to him after he graduated law school. Since Brian had proven himself responsible, Reggie decided to give him control of the portfolio now. With proper budgeting, Brian wouldn’t have any problems providing for him and Shay until he started practicing law.
Reggie had always planned on giving his parents’ home to Brian one day, so for a wedding present he and Julia deeded the Oakland property over to Brian and Shay. Todd found an apartment closer to UCSF and Brian moved out to Blackhawk while Reggie and Julia had the house remodeled to Brian and Shay’s specifications. This included adding a larger master bedroom suite and bathroom, plus a swimming pool. Shay’s paternal grandparents furnished the house with new furniture and Mark and Alysse gave them a seven-day Caribbean cruise for their honeymoon.
As for his relationship with Shay, it was stronger than ever. Over the past eight months, they had gotten to know each other on a more intimate level. He didn’t think it was possible, but he loved her more now than he did the day he proposed. Just the thought of her made his heart warm and his pulse soar.
“You must be thinking about Shay?” Best Man Todd said taking note of Brian’s smile.
Before Brian could try to put up a front, his groomsmen answered for him.
“You know he is. She’s the only thing on his mind,” Craig answered.
“The other day I asked him what his name was and he answered, ‘Shay’,” Justin teased.
“One morning Shay left him standing in the doorway with tears in his eyes. She was only going to the grocery store!” Reggie enjoyed making fun of his son.
Brian didn’t say a word while his boys and father continued poking fun at him. He didn’t care what they said. He loved Shay and didn’t care who knew how much.
Reggie looked down at his watch; the wedding was due to start in half an hour. “Can I have a moment alone with Brian?” he asked the group.
“Sure,” the four groomsmen made their exit, but not before throwing a few more jabs at Brian.
Reggie walked over to Brian and straightened his bowtie. “How do you feel? Scared? Nervous? Anxious? Excited?”
Brian took a deep breath and answered, “All of the above.”
“I felt the same way the day I married Julia.”
Brian chuckled. “I remember you came in here yelling and screaming.”
Reggie didn’t deny his irrational behavior on his wedding day six years ago. He finished adjusting Brian’s bowtie then stood face-to-face with his son. Reggie’s facial expression grew serious. “Brian,” he began, “I am so proud of you. I think you are going to make a very good husband and someday a great father.”
“I know I am.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“I have the best example,” Brian said sincerely.
“Thank you,” Reggie said right before he embraced his son. Moments like this made the seventeen years he’d spent away from his son irrelevant.
***
Shay stared at her reflection in the mirror as her mother applied the finishing touches to her hair. In a short while she would stand next to the man whom she loved with all of her heart and vow before God and hundreds of witnesses to love him forever.
In the past eight months she learned so much about God and even more about herself. With prayer and perseverance she remained faithful to God and to herself. She put her job search on hold until after the honeymoon and focused on serving God and planning the wedding. She spent what little free time she had tutoring the elementary children at True Worship’s Community Center and on Sundays she taught the kindergarten Sunday school class.
On Thursday evenings, she and Brian attended the twelve-step pre-marriage counseling classes Reggie made mandatory for every couple that wanted him to marry them. In the classes Shay learned what it meant for a husband and wife to work together as a unit and not compete against one another. At the completion of the classes she and Brian had a new appreciation for their parents’ relationship and for each other.
Shay placed her fingers on the silver heart around her wrist. She chose to wear it today for the traditional something old item.
“Thank you, God, for another chance,” she said out loud.
Her cousin Staci stood to her right. “Amen, cuz!” she said, stifling a giggle.
Shay leaned in her direction. “What are you so happy about? I know it’s not because of me and Brian.”
“It’s your wedding day, why shouldn’t I be happy?”
“Girl, stop playin’, that smile on your face has nothing to do with me,” Shay insisted.
Staci couldn’t contain her excitement any longer. “Derrick’s coming!”
“When?”
“He’s coming to the wedding.”
“Does this mean you guys are getting back together?” Shay asked hopefully.
“We’ve been talking for the last month. We have a long way to go, but I think it’s going to happen.”
Shay placed her free hand on her cousin. “I’ll be praying for you—as soon as I come back from my honeymoon, that is.”
“I know that’s right, your hands are going to be full for a while.” Staci left Shay alone with her mother.
“Oh, Mama, I am so happy.”
Done with styling Shay’s freshly colored honey-blonde curls, Julia admired her daughter’s reflection in the mirror. “I can tell. You better calm down before you pee on yourself,” Julia teased.
“Mama, now I know how you felt that day when you ran around the airport over Reggie.” Shay laughed.
“Baby, I love that man so much, I would chase a plane down the runway to get to him,” Julia said with a straight face.
“That’s how I feel about Brian. Mama, I love him so much.”
Julia’s expression turned serious. “Remember that, Shay. No matter what happens, always remember that you love him. If you can remember that, the tough times won’t seem so hard.”
Shay placed her hand on her mother’s and held Julia’s gaze. “Mama, I haven’t told you this, but you are the best mother in the world. You are always there when I need you, even when I make a mess of things. You step back just far enough to allow me to make my own mistakes, but you never leave me.”
Jul
ia softly stroked Shay’s cheek. “I am proud of how much you’ve matured over the past nine months. You have blossomed into an awesome young woman. You were always beautiful, but now you have some common sense to go along with that beauty.” Julia reached into her robe pocket. “These are for you, for the something new.
Shay gasped. “Mama, these are beautiful!”
“I’m glad you like them,” Julia said and inserted the tear-shaped diamond earrings into her daughter’s ears.
Shay stood and embraced her mother. “Thank you, Mama, for everything. The house, the wedding, everything; thank you.”
“Take care of yourself, baby,” Julia whispered then scurried away before she broke down.
***
Brian stood majestic in his white tuxedo between his father and Todd. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t stop smiling. He looked around the beautifully decorated sanctuary. The archway, under which he waited for his bride, was covered with red and white roses. Hanging from the pews and candelabras were more red and white roses and calla lilies. Above his head, the chandeliers were also draped with white netting. The lit candles gave the church an angelic ambiance.
Since Brian had such a small family and he and Shay were the products of blended families, he and Shay didn’t see the point of separating the families for the ceremony. So instead of sitting on opposite sides, both families sat together in the center section. Julia and Alysse sat side by side on the front row with Mark and Brian’s great aunt and uncle along with Shay’s maternal and paternal grandparents.
When the aisle runner was laid, Julia stood and faced the door. The doors to the sanctuary opened and Brian’s heart nearly stopped.
Shay waited in the vestibule while her bridesmaids marched into the crowded sanctuary. She could barely contain herself as she waited for the doors to the sanctuary to open for her entrance. This was her dream.
“You’re not supposed to cry before you march down the aisle,” her uncle Jonathan teased.
“I can’t help it, Uncle Jon, I’m so happy,” she shrieked.
“I’m happy for you.” He kissed her on the cheek. “And you look simply beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
Games Page 23