Paxton's Peace

by Bailey West

  “It’s me,” Zora said from the other side of the door.

  Zeke opened the door.

  “What’s going on?” Zeke asked.

  “Olivia wants to see Paxton, but Paxton can’t see Olivia so put this blindfold on him and make sure he can’t see, then I will direct him to her.”

  “What?” Zeke laughed.

  “Just do what I said,” Zora insisted.

  Ezekiel took the blindfold from Zora and brought it over to me.

  “Olivia wants to see you, but you can’t see her, so you have to put this blindfold on,” Ezekiel said.

  I didn’t ask any questions or protest. I wanted to spend some time with Olivia before the wedding began but I didn’t know how we could accomplish that with the whole superstition about the groom not seeing the bride before the wedding began.

  I took the blindfold from him and tied it around my head. Zeke adjusted it over my eyes.

  “Can you see?” Zeke asked.

  “No, I honestly can’t see anything.”

  Roman came on the other side of me.

  “We will help him, Sis. We don’t want him tumbling over on you before the ceremony,” Roman laughed.

  “Okay, follow me,” I heard Zora say.

  I followed my brothers’ instructions; ‘move left.’ ‘Step up.’ ‘Duck.’ I did everything they told me to do until we arrived at our location. I could smell her perfume. My body reacted to her immediately.

  “Hi, Baby,” I spoke without being prompted.

  “Hey, Sweetheart.” I heard Olivia say. “You look so handsome. The barber did a great job on your haircut and beard. I can’t wait to feel how soft your beard is later.”

  I heard someone snicker.

  “It’s extra soft just for your comfort.”

  I felt her touch my face. I grabbed her wrist and kissed the inside of her soft hand.

  “I love you, Olivia. More than anything on this earth. I am so happy that in a few minutes you will be my wife. I promise I will work hard at being a good man for you.”

  I wanted to take this blindfold off so bad.

  “I love you too, Paxton. You don’t have to work any harder. You are perfect for me. Your presence in my life has changed me for the better. I promise I will love you with every ounce of my being. I promise to protect you the same way you protect me.”

  I felt her lips on mine. I wanted to reach for her, but I didn’t want to mess up her make-up or feel her dress before she wanted me to. She pulled away.

  “I will see you in a few minutes, Sweetheart.”

  “I can’t wait, Baby.”

  I felt my brothers on each side of me. I thought we would walk back to the room blindfolded, but instead, they waited until Olivia left out of the room and removed my blindfold.

  “Pax, man, Olivia is stunning in her gown,” Zeke said.

  I looked at Roman as he shook his head.

  “Yeah man, wait until you see her. She is going to take your breath away.”

  I looked in the direction that I heard the door close.

  “I can’t wait.”

  I stood at the front of the ceremony room with my brothers behind me, my sisters across from me and my dad in the middle. BJ had just walked down the aisle carrying the pillow with our ring boxes on it. He stopped right next to me. One of the little ballerinas from the church that Olivia is so fond of ran down the aisle exclaiming, “The bride is coming. The bride is coming.”

  I felt my heart rate speed up. I looked at Giselle, my mom, and Ms. Mable, all of whom were wiping their eyes. I smiled at them then I locked my eyes on the double doors at the end of the aisle, waiting for them to open and reveal my bride. She never brought her dress to the house to avoid me looking at it. I can’t say that I would have had enough discipline not to take a quick peek at it if I would have had access to it. I had no clue what it looked like. All I knew is that it was ivory.

  The music started playing, and the doors opened revealing the most beautiful woman I had ever laid my eyes on, and she was all mine. Her hair was in large curls, and there was a crystal crown resting on her head. Her make-up was flawless, enhancing her beautiful face. The top of her dress was covered in crystals, and the bottom of her dress was big and full. I wanted to break with protocol and walk down the aisle to her. I remember at Roman’s wedding when he reacted to Zanetta and tried to kiss her as soon as she made it to the front. Now I know how he felt. I have a job to do so I can’t break down and cry like I want to, but Roman was right. Olivia is breathtaking.

  Olivia

  The doors of the church opened. I saw people standing and facing the aisle, but the only face that I could recognize was my man standing at the end of the aisle waiting for me. Out of all the girls, he could have chosen, he chose me. I am so in love with him. I heard the music to Johnny Gill’s, You for Me start to play. Brandi, one of the event planners, stood on the other side of the door and said, “Wait until the singing starts before you walk.” I nodded at her. Shanae, the other planner, fixed my dress behind me. The photographer stepped in front of me and snapped a few quick pictures while I waited for my queue to start walking in. At the rehearsal, my queue to start walking was when Johnny said ‘forever.’ I heard, “Seems like forever that I have waited for you...” but it wasn’t Johnny’s voice, it was Paxton’s. I looked at both of the planners. They both smiled and nodded their heads telling me to start to walk in. I told myself that I couldn’t cry, but I guess myself wasn’t listening because I took about two steps before the tears started. I can’t believe Paxton is singing to me. I reached for the tissue that Zanetta tucked into the handle of my bouquet. I slowly walked down the white rose covered runner while Paxton serenaded me. I waited until I got down the aisle to Paxton before I dabbed my eyes with the tissue. He took my hand and finished the song. The audience cheered and whistled when he finished. He took the tissue from me and dabbed my eyes. With all this crying I was doing, I’m glad I got lash extensions because a strip would have been on my cheek by now.

  “Thank you, Baby.”

  “Anything for you, Ollie,” he smiled as we turned to his dad to begin the ceremony. I had opted not to be walked down the aisle because this wasn’t my first wedding and I didn’t want my mother walking me down, again. We chose to remove the part from the ceremony that asks who gives this woman.

  “Please take your seats,” Bishop Bluette instructed.

  “Today I have the pleasure of joining two of my most favorite people together in Holy Matrimony; my son, Paxton Levi, and my daughter, Olivia Renee. This is my only son that let me perform their wedding ceremony,” he chuckled. “So, excuse me if I try to show the other two why they should have chosen me.” The audience laughed. “I’m just kidding. I must say that all of my sons married up.” The audience laughed again. “I mean we raised some moderately smart men, but the smartest thing any of them have ever done is choose their life partners. I love them all.” The audience clapped.

  “The Bible describes love in First Corinthians thirteen. It talks about all the positive things that love is, you know, kind, patient, not proud or rude. What we learn in marriage is that love does not stop you from wanting to walk out and never come back. It doesn’t stop you from sometimes feeling some type of way because you are on the giving end and not on the receiving. Love is not fair. Sometimes it forces you to give seventy-five percent when your partner is only giving twenty-five percent. Now, this should not always be the case, but sometimes, it is. The beautiful thing about joining your lives together is that you can bear each other’s burdens, so when all you have in you is twenty-five percent, she adds her seventy-five, and you are still at one hundred percent. Love does not guarantee that marriage lasts. That’s the problem a lot of people encounter. They say well, I’m just not in love anymore. Guess what, sometimes you won’t feel love. That’s why you have to commit yourself to the partnership and the friendship. Keep the communication open and always be willing to listen before you speak. Paxton, Olivia is your resp
onsibility. What happens in your household, good or bad, is on you. You can’t blame her when things don’t go right because it’s your house. You found her. You asked her to join lives with you, now you make sure you do what you have to do to keep your family together and thriving. God made you the head.” The audience agreed.

  After we exchanged our vows and our rings, Bishop said, “It’s that time son, you ready?” He smiled at Paxton.

  “Yes Sir, more than ready,” Paxton said while Roman rubbed his shoulders the way a trainer rubbed the shoulders of a boxer. Paxton turned to Ezekiel. Zeke pulled out a small bottle of breath spray. Paxton opened his mouth, and Zeke pumped the spray twice into Paxton’s mouth. The audience laughed. Paxton nodded at Nigel. Nigel gave him a thumbs up.

  “Well Son, you may now kiss your bride.”

  Paxton grabbed me around my waist and kissed me, but it was very chaste compared to what he has done in the past and what I planned on doing as soon as we were alone. The crowd cheered when we separated. We turned and smiled as the audience stood and cheered for us.

  “It is now my pleasure to present for the first time anywhere; Mr. and Doctor Paxton and Olivia Bluette.”

  21

  Olivia and I wanted our reception to be a big party with lots of good food. Chef Leilani didn’t disappoint. We had stations for any type of food that you wanted from barbecue to Italian. We had a candy bar with all of our favorite candy, a cupcake designing bar, and a coffee bar to represent where we first met.

  All of the most important people in our lives were in attendance to include Mr. and Mrs. Belton and the whole A-Team. Angus brought a date with her. It was our first time ever seeing her with a man other than us. I don’t think the poor guy was prepared for the barrage of questions he was asked or for the threats against his life that he received. It was like seeing your little sister on a date for the first time. Her date was a good sport about it even though no one was kidding.

  Xavier, Zanetta’s brother, came. He and I had developed a relationship. He has helped me with some legal things at the Accounting firm. He came down to Houston several times to meet with me. I thought it was standard operating procedure for him to travel to a client, but I later found out that he and Daisy, Zanetta’s assistant, were in a previous relationship. I don’t know what happened, but he is lobbying hard to get her back.

  “Congrats, man,” Xavier said as we hugged.

  “Thank you so much. Thanks for coming.”

  “Thanks for inviting me. Daisy is looking beautiful today.” I followed his gaze to Daisy standing with Olivia and some of the other ladies talking. “Oh, about your Father. I talked to one of the partners about his case. Samuel Valentine is the head partner. It’s his law firm. He was falsely accused of a crime and was jailed for several years. So, he is sensitive to cases such as your dad’s where he was not properly advised by his public defender. So, after things in your life calm down, let’s talk about it with Solomon.”

  After Nigel and I talked and he told me that the shooting was an accident, I reached out to Xavier to see if his case could be re-examined. He is out of jail, but I think that his record should reflect what really happened not what some over worked public defended told him to plead to.

  “Sounds good. Thanks, X.”

  “No problem. I’m going to move over here and see if I can get a dance,” Xavier said as he moved towards the group of women Daisy was standing in.

  “Good luck,” I called out.

  I locked eyes with my wife as she made her way towards me.

  “Are you enjoying yourself?”

  “I am but, I’m ready to enjoy you all by myself.”

  “Baby,” Giselle said as she and Nigel walked up. They both looked good. Giselle wore a rose colored long dress that fit her thin frame well. She had her hair up in a bun on the top of her head. She looked regal. Nigel wore a black suit with a white shirt and black bowtie. He cleans up well. I was proud they both were here to celebrate with me. “This wedding was beautiful. I am so happy for you both. While you are away on your honeymoon, I will be visiting Nigel on his farm.”

  “Yeah, I got the ramp built so she can get in and out of the house with ease,” Nigel said.

  “You are going to like it there. I had a good time during my visit.”

  “Paxton, if I do like it there, Nigel and I have discussed me moving in with him on the farm.”

  I looked between them. Nigel’s look of apprehension made me answer quickly.

  “That’s good to hear. I hope you love it. You both deserve to be happy.”

  Nigel’s apprehension turned into a smile.

  “Thanks, Pax. I’m hoping she will like it too.” Nigel grabbed Giselle’s hand and held it. They smiled at each other like teenagers. It was good to see.

  “Maybe after you come back from the honeymoon, you can bring Olivia down to see the farm?” Giselle said.

  “Oh, I would love that!” Olivia answered.

  “Yes, of course. We will come down and visit.”

  “This is for both of you.” Nigel handed me an envelope. “It’s a gift from Selle and I. We can’t repay your generosity to us, but we wanted to give you something to let you know that we appreciate and love you, son.”

  I took the envelope from Nigel and gave him a hug.

  “I love you too, Dad.”

  “I love you, Mom.” I hugged Giselle.

  “Well,” I turned to Olivia. “Are you ready to get out of here, Doctor Bluette?”

  “I am, Mr. Bluette.”

  Olivia

  Paxton and I spent a week in Paris. We went to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I got to see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum. I was so disappointed in how small the painting was. I thought it would be huge. TV makes it look gigantic, but it’s not huge at all. It about the size of an eight by ten photo and she is not attractive. I had to push through people to finally see her. I walked up to the small painting and couldn’t believe how unimpressed I was. That almost ruined my day. Paxton thought my reaction was funny.

  We took an evening cruise on the Seine river, and we took a tour of a perfume factory where I was able to create my own scent. I had so much fun. Notre Dame was beautiful. I sat for a few minutes and thanked God for answering my prayers about Paxton. Paris was everything I thought it would be, with the exception of the Mona Lisa.

  We left Paris and spent a few days on Zexton, the island that Roman and Zanetta own. The water was so blue and calm. The island was beautiful. I can’t wait for the whole family to come back to it together.

  Paxton and I had been home for a month. Things were busy with the ABA about to open. My staff had done a great job of taking care of things while I was away.

  I had just walked into Zanetta’s kitchen. We were having dinner at her house. The guys had been out all day looking at properties, so Paxton was meeting me at their house.

  “What is that terrible smell?”

  I looked around the kitchen trying to figure out where the putrid aroma was emanating from. It was making me sick to my stomach.

  “What smell?” Nette looked at me confused.

  “I don’t smell anything either,” Zora agreed.

  “What are you cooking?” I asked Zanetta. I swallowed hard trying to stop the saliva from building up in my mouth.

  “I’m frying chicken.”

  “Is it rotten?”

  I wasn’t trying to be offensive, but the smell was making me sick and dizzy at the same time. I felt my stomach churning and knew at any minute I was about to throw up.

  “No, Ollie, you love my chicken,” Zanetta whined.

  “I’ve never smell…”

  Before I could finish my sentence, I made a mad dash to the bathroom. I made it to the toilet just in time to throw up. It wasn’t the normal undigested food that came up though, it was a disgusting, green, acid-tasting bile. Smelling the bile made me gag harder bringing tears to my eyes.

  I felt someone come behind me and rub my back while the violent g
agging continued. It finally stopped, and I was so exhausted that I wanted to lay down on the floor of the bathroom. Zora helped me up to my feet while Zanetta gave me a cool towel to wipe my face and a small solo cup with some mouthwash in it. I was grateful because I was left with the most horrible aftertaste in my mouth.

  “Nette, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to say anything about your chicken. It just doesn’t smell right to me.”

  “No, worries, Sweetheart. That was the last batch so you won’t smell it anymore but Olivia, when was your last period?”

  “Um,” I thought about it for a second before I finally said, “I can’t remember. I don’t have them every month though so maybe two months ago?”

  “Your reaction to that chicken cooking and the way you just threw up…I don’t know, O, you may be pregnant,” Zora said.

  I laughed thinking that she and Nette would join in on the laughter. Neither one laughed.

  “Oh, come on, I can’t be pregnant. I told you I got my tubes tied. It’s impossible.”

  “It’s rare, not impossible,” Zora said smiling.

  “I love French fries but when I was pregnant with Zahria, the smell of the grease with the fries in it made me throw up every time. I couldn’t even go in a restaurant that was serving fries. They made me sick,” Zora explained.

  “Here,” Nette produced a box from the closet in the bathroom. “Take this.”

  I reached for the pink box and realized it was a pregnancy test.

  “Oh. My. God. Do you really think I could be pregnant?”

  Nette shrugged her shoulders, “There’s only one way to find out.”

  They both turned to walk out of the bathroom.

  “Don’t leave! I mean, please don’t leave. I’m scared. My doctor told me that if by chance, I ever did get pregnant after the procedure that it would probably be an ectopic pregnancy and it would have to be terminated. What if I am pregnant and my baby won’t be able to live?”

  “Olivia, first we have to find out, Sweetie, then if it’s positive we will go straight to the hospital and have them call Doctor Ingram. He’s on call this week, okay? But first, you have to pee on the stick,” Zanetta said.