A Wedding Affair (The Wedding Affair)

by Lacey, S. L. A.

  “Aria I don’t even want to know what this is all about”

  “I don’t know myself” Sabrina winks at me I am all for it girls as long as he leaves me alone.

  The casino is literally five minutes from my store; we walk through the brass and glass doors that use to be our dear Higbee’s Department store where we use to see Santa Clause and Mr. Jingling at Christmas. This is also where I bought my first pair of high heels, and my graduation dresses, and my first Gucci purse. Ah what memories.

  As soon as we walk onto the gaming floor we are met by the pit boss,

  “Hello Mr. Waterford”, they whisper something and then we are met by the manager of the casino,

  “Hello ladies right this way” we are whisked in an elevator to the V.I.P floor, complete with a raw bar, a hug buffet, an open bar area, a DJ and it is crowded like a club. Tables all around the dance floor and the room is just beautiful photos adorn the walls of our famous Ohio alumni like Halle Barry, and Drew Carey, it’s wonderful how they transformed this old department store into an upscale casino.

  “Ladies they have complete instructions whatever you want is on the casino, enjoy yourselves and have a good time.” Mr. Waterford gestures for the waiter and he is at his side in a nanosecond.

  “Ladies with my compliments” we are all given a glass of champagne.

  “Aria as your last night as a single lady I wish you all the best”

  “Cheers!” we all say I look at my friends and they all look at me but I am looking at Mr. Waterford, he winks at me and I shake my head as I take a sip of my champagne, Ian is not ever going to let me go out again!

  Well the food is absolutely fabulous, the raw bar which if you have ever been lucky to be in the present of one is just amazing, it is a tower of seafood that look like a wedding cake packed with ice and adorned with shrimp and crab claws, and lobster tails it is so fresh and simply irresistibly delicious.

  The girls are just the best, we dance and drink and have a great time as old friends, one last time before I am to be a married women.

  Erika, Sabrina, Tiffany, Autumn and Cindy all look so happy.

  “Hey Aria, calling Aria?”

  “I’m sorry I just zoned out”

  “Ok raise your glass ladies here is to the end of your days as a single mingle girl”

  Sabrina and Cindy and I have known one another for years they are the ones who put this night together, and as the only one who is not married out of these ladies I have always been the hot topic of conversation, but had nothing to tell until recently.

  We order drinks and the bartender keeps lining them up.

  We danced like we were kids; we had the whole bar celebrating my moving out of single-Ville as one girl put it. And a few of the guys at the bar gave their take on marriage; we had them all celebrating my departure from single-ville.

  It is midnight and the club is jumping,

  “Aria, I see you and your friends are enjoying yourselves.”

  “Mr. Waterford, thank you for tonight but you really didn’t have too”

  “Well Aria you didn’t have to make me a tie and give me a great deal but you did”

  “Sir that’s just Business as Usual”

  “You’re a very interesting business women I have to say I am impressed and I hope I haven’t come across as too forward?” I look at him, arms crossed as I sip my champagne

  “Well at first I thought you were hitting on me and now I have to say you have quite an endearing quality almost like the Godfather”

  He laughs out loud and I think he rather enjoyed my comment.

  “Well Aria I believe you were the one who made me the offer I couldn’t refuse!”

  I smile as we clink our glasses.

  “So tell me what does your fiancé do for living?”

  “Ian is a history professor at CWU”

  “Really now?”

  “Yes we have known one another since we were kids in high school”

  “I know how that is, I married my high school sweetheart and lost her three years ago to cancer.”

  “Oh I’m so sorry”

  “Thank you, she was a fiery pistol just like you Aria, she was the light of my life, after she passed I just started throwing myself into business adventures and investment opportunities and finally after the gaming doors opened here in Ohio I was happy to come back home and put down roots again.”

  “Wow you are quite the accomplished entrepreneur”

  “Why a compliment from one so head strong I am touched.” I warm to Mr. Waterford, he has opened up to me because I resemble his late wife, Ian, is so not going to like this at all.

  We are all sitting at a long table with bottles of wine and vodka and everyone is wishing me well on my up and coming marriage, we all joked around, and I hear everyone’s one liner about marriage. Mr. Waterford makes a toast.

  “To all you lovely ladies it has been a real pleasure to meet you all and Aria I wish you all the happiness in the world.”

  We all applaud and cheer. I get up tipsy and feeling no pain as I grab my glass of vodka

  “To friends who have known me forever I thank you for tonight and for all my new friends who have come to celebrate my last days as the single girl I invite you all to my wedding” everyone laughs we drink up.

  Ian walks through the doors with Christopher, they see us all drinking with all these people and I catch his eye and smile.

  “Ian!”

  “ Shh, hey everyone this is Ian Bollinger my fiancé” a lot of ooh’s and ah’s as he walks over to me and snakes his arms around me.

  “Looks like everyone is celebrating with you my dear”

  “Ian you do remember Mr. Waterford from the fashion show last night he is the gaming commissioner here in Ohio and this is his club.” Ian eyes him cautiously as they shake hands.

  “Congratulations to you both I wish you all the best.”

  “Why thank you Mr. Waterford” Ian looks at me cautiously and I hug him and whisper in his ear “Everything is fine” the night was fun and stress free I think Mr. Waterford and I are going to be fine we all said our goodbyes and I assured them they are all invited to our wedding.

  One last dance they played SAVE THE LAST DANCE Ian pulls me to the dance floor, Christopher and Erika followed us, Ian held me tight and we looked at one another I am buzzed, drunk and dancing with my fiancé I think I finally got it right.

  I am happy and at ease, no more drama and no more antics Ian and I are going to marry as scheduled…that sentiment it’s growing on me. The song ended and we are ready to call it a night.

  Ian is cute and attentive he holds me and dances and he kisses me fondly I think this is all going to work out fine.

  Ian hands me my Chanel bag as he holds my hand and ushers us all into the elevator and suddenly out of nowhere I feel a tingle against my left arm and I get a chill down my spine immediately my heart is racing as I look over to my left and Tristan is next to me, I smile as the chatter in the elevator is going back and forth I block it out I look at him as his knuckles graze my arm and send delicious thrills through me, I am on fire in seconds, my face flushes, Ian is on the other side of me and looking forward talking to Christopher, I look down at Tristan’s hand as he caresses my arm and then I look up into his hazel eyes as they darken with want and desire, he reaches for my left hand and squeezes it so and I am on fire as his knowing fingers play with mine he just got me wet as I lick my lips he smiles at me and then

  PING, PING, PING

  I am pulled from our moment as the loud pinging sound signals that we are on the ground floor, I am pulled by Ian out of the elevator as I look back at Tristan our eyes are dead on one another no words no comments just a touch that speaks volumes.

  “Hey sweetheart looks like you had fun tonight?” Ian kisses my nose has he holds me close to him.

  “Yeah sure we all did” my voice is low and smoldering

  We are all saying our good-byes at the curb as the valet brings our car
s. One by one Christopher put Erika and the rest of my dunk girlfriends in his car and takes them home.

  My drunk-in state was diminishing fast, I touch my arm where Tristan’s hand was and I miss him.

  “Come let’s go, I think you’ve had quite an evening” Ian says in a joking way.

  “That I have”

  Ian puts me in his car, he takes the long way home and we listen to the rest of the 80’s hits from his iPod, cruel summer by Bananarama, the music fills the night air, he is flying in this car, it register to 260mph it’s a 12 cylinder, V-10, no wonder 007 drives this car.

  We sit and listen to the song as the lyrics fill the night air, ain’t it the truth, this summer just started and it has been so cruel to me. I don’t want to cry, my mind has made the decision, I just have to convince my heart that it was the right one.

  Chapter 27

  Day In, Day Out

  June 23.2012

  Saturday morning and I am hung-over, Ian has gone for a run, I am in the kitchen making coffee, I sit at the kitchen table and remember how just a week ago Tristan made me stuffed French toast. My mind drifts back to our encounter in the elevator, I have not seen the man in over two years and in the past week he is everywhere, I just don’t get it, why am I plagued by him? Why is it now that I have made a choice in my life that it is challenged by my past?

  Sabrina’s words still haunt me; that I wanted to tell Ian so he would let me go, I guess it is somewhat true. Will this feeling of un-easiness subside? I sigh and return to my cup of coffee.

  “Hey sweetheart, you’re up I brought us breakfast!”

  Ian comes next to me with a box from the Le petite Triangle, it is literally down the street from our house here in Ohio city. We have so many great restaurants authentic Caribbean food, a French Crepery shop from France where I believe these are from but my favorite is of course Ohio City Pizza authentic pizza from Naples Italy and of course the West Side Market where you will meet people from all over the world to right out of your past.

  “Hmm smells wonderful” he is in his shorts and black t-shirt drenched in sweat, he puts the box on the table and I look at him fondly.

  “I’m going to take a shower, I’ll be right down”

  I turn on the news and grab some orange juice, plates, silver ware and set the table, this is I guess how our life will be, it’s not so bad, ‘Aria he needs you more then you need him’ Tristan’s accusation runs through my mind, was it just made out of rage or does it hold any truth?,’ he parked his boots under your bed and moved in on you’ Tristan’s words were from the heat of the moment, gosh I gotta stop remembering all this all it is doing is driving me crazy.

  Ian comes down in his white bathrobe, he smells great, he sits down next to me and I bring him coffee, he opens up the box from la petite triangle he brought us crepes with chocolate sauce and bananas and the other box is French toast! I see it, and tears just start flowing, I feel so sad and hurt.

  Ian walks over to me and folds me in his arms, I cry hard and loud, he is not used to seeing me come apart. He doesn’t know what to do. He walks me over to the living room and sits me on the couch. I cry, I can’t stop, he caresses my hair and suddenly I pull away and sit up.

  “I’m ok;” I whip my tears and grab a tissue from a nearby table.

  “What is this all about Aria?”

  “I don’t know what it is”

  “I’ll tell you what it is”

  Oh God he knows I am thinking about Tristan!”

  “Wedding jitters! It’s no wonder with all that you have been doing, with work, the fashion show and now it’s all catching up with you, you have been doing everything and now you are the bride-to-be”

  I sniffle, and take some solace in what he is saying, I nod yes and he kisses me on the temple.

  “Don’t worry Aria, by this time next week we will be man and wife” he stands up and pulls me into his arms.

  “Yes you are right Ian.”

  We go back into the kitchen and I eat half of the crepe, French toast for me is forbidden fruit. I don’t say a word to Ian he and I eat in silence.

  It’s Saturday so our ritual has been he and I go to the Westside market and do our Saturday shopping for the week, we run through menus and what we need and we spend a lazy summer day just the two of us picking produce, fruit and my favorite I love the pizza bagels as well as the killer lady locks filled with devilishly sweet filled goodness, jeez am I that sex craved I am talking about food like a woman talks about a man? Just then I hear my name over the produce stands

  “Aria” I turn around and it is Reese Marks from Tiffany’s the girl he is seeing.

  “Reese how are you” she runs up to me and hugs me and Ian she is the sweetest little thing, jet black bob, big blue eyes her and Mark look great together.

  “Aria I am so glad I ran into you, I was going to call you, this evening the girls and I are going to the Princess Diana show of dresses at The Art Museum and I wanted to see if you wanted to go?”

  I looked at Ian as he has his arm around me.

  Aria you should go”

  You don’t mind?”

  No go have a good time with your friends” I looked over at Reese and she is smiling and bouncing in place, she and I love Princess Diana.

  Ok count me in Reese”

  Cook I will text you all the info gotta go Mark was expecting me home an hour ago” she and Mark are so in love it is infectious, they are the cutest couple most likely to couple. We say our goodbyes and she is like a mad woman out of the market weaving in between the crowd.

  Ian are you sure you are going to be ok?”

  Aria go have fun with your friends, I have papers to grade and boxes to unpack, don’t worry I will be busy enough” I kiss him on the cheek

  “Thanks Ian”

  “For what?”

  “For everything” Ian takes a bite of his pizza bagel as we walk back to the car I look up at him and he looks adorable as the sun kisses his olive skin and the wind sweeps through his dark hair I am enthralled in him, I want him, I just gotta have him.

  Gotta do something about this and quick I think, I am needy for sex and I look at Ian next to me as he stuffs his face with a remainder of my pizza bagel and I whip the sauce from his lips.

  In that instance I just want him I don’t know what comes over me but I want him.

  “Aria are you ok?”

  “I think we need to go home”

  “Really are you ok are you not feeling well?”

  “Ian I need you to take me home now” my intentions are quite evident and he looks at me and he grabs my hand and we head to the car.

  -------<>-------

  We get back to the house and bring all the bags into the kitchen and put them on the table. I pull Ian’s hand and lead him upstairs to our bedroom.

  “Aria what has come over you?”

  “I don’t know Ian I just want you”

  “You have this look in your eyes I have never seen before”

  “Ian do I have to ask you to make love to me?”

  “Aria where is all this coming from?”

  “What you don’t want to have sex?

  “Will you stop answering my question with a question”

  “Ian I’m fine look at me” I take off my white camisole and drop it to the floor in our bedroom I take off my shorts and drop them to the floor as well. I am standing in a pale pink satin bra and panties.

  “Aria I don’t know what your game is but I’ll play”

  “Game Ian this is not a game I want you is that a game to you?” Ian takes his t shirt off and toss’s it to the floor he goes for his shorts and I get mad.

  “Don’t bother Ian” I pick up my t shirt and shorts and head down stairs putting on my shorts and my t shirt I go to the kitchen and start going through the grocery bags and I begin to put the fruits of our labor away.

  Ian comes down he is dressed still he stands behind me and holds me to him.

  “Aria I love you�
�

  “I know I love you too”

  “Are you mad at me?”

  “Why because you don’t want to have sex with me?”

  He turns me around and he looks at me as tears fall down my cheeks.

  “Aria what is wrong? What is going on with you?”

  “I don’t know anymore” I drop everything and I walk outside and sit by the pool

  “Please just let me be” please don’t follow me out here I just want to be refused in peace.

  Ian does as I ask he leaves me alone and goes about his day he has never been the one to taunt me, he respects my personal space and he understands being a loner himself that sometimes we all need our space to vent, to breathe and to heal.

  The afternoon is spent with Ian unpacking his boxes and books and settling into the library, which is now his study, he pretty much kept to himself and gave me my space. I went upstairs after I ran on my treadmill till my legs were jelly, and I filled the bath with Romance by Ralph Laruen and just sat and tried to unwind and there is a knock on the door.

  KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

  “Aria?”

  Come in” Ian walks in holding a glass of wine he walks over to me as he puts it on the edge of the bathtub and kisses my forehead then proceeds to walk out.

  “Ian” Ian doesn’t stop he walks out of the bathroom and returns with the chair from the bedroom and puts it in front of the tub and sits down.

  “Now tell me Aria what is going on” I am covered in bubbles and he is sitting in the chair legs crossed and I feel like I am in a psychiatrist office yet again. I sink into the bath and I just want to escape, I can’t talk to him or I will scream, and I know it is not him, it is me, and it is me missing Tristan and I don’t want to hurt him with my words so I pull my disappearing act.

  Ian walks out of the bathroom and I come up for air as I reach for my wine and I down it.

  Reese is picking me up along with Erika and Sabrina.

  I pick out my black lace dress with tiny cap sleeves, black silk stockings and I pull my hair back into a French twist.