The Match-Makers Match

Chapter 17 part 2 (Eiyah)

I looked between our dresses seeing why she was so upset. It was like a flour sack. No shape no nothing. Almost like a baptismal gown you'd see in catalogs.

"It is custom. Amalia and I sat and talked about it for a long time. This is the dress I'm meeting my husband in and I wanna look my best."

She smiled up at Roman again and moved toward him making me growl. Dear gods, Noah is rubbing off on me. Civilized people like me don't growl at people yet, I just growled at this girl. Roman kissed my forehead making the girl lift a brow

"Match..."

Roman cut her off and ushered her away from me probably seeing how uncomfortable I was with the exchange.

"Hey Girlie, you ready to try on this dress?"

I nodded looking for Roman to come back.

"He's on his way to work so you're stuck with me for a few hours hun. Get comfy."

He didn't even say goodbye to me before he left. A chirp sounded from my phone

Roman: Off to work, Love. I'll see you in a few hours. I love you

Me: I love you too. See you in a few hours.

And that was that with our text conversation. I watched as Amalia pulled my dress off the dress form and took it to the dressing room

"Come on Eiyah. I wanna see how you like it so far."

Smiling I made my way to the dressing room and started to undress. Before long I was in my bra and undies with Amalia helping me slide my dress on over my head.

With a slight shimmy and a few bounces to get the girls straight I was in my dress and it fit like a dream. Tears trailed down my cheeks as I took in what I looked like in the amazing gown Amalia made just for me.

"I- it's perfect" I whispered "You work magic Mali"

She smiled then hugged me.

"That dress is nothing without you wearing it hun. You're rocking it and I can't wait to see what Roman thinks when he sees you at the ball."

I looked down at the dress closing my eyes pushing back the angry tears that wanted to replace my happy ones. This dress isn't for Roman. Roman won't be pulling it off of me or dancing me around in it. Noah will. I am so conflicted about all of this now. I was so sure about everything days ago but now...

"I don't want to go to the ball Mali"

She shook her head

"Nonsense, this dress must be seen so all those snobby little toothpicks will know what a real goddess looks like."

She giggled as she messed with my dress but I grabbed her hand stilling her.

"I don't want to watch Roman be matched with someone else while Noah makes me his forever bride. I don't want to go."

White hot tears streamed down my face and my body racked with sobs. Amalia just held me while I cried.

"Hey, Roman won't be matched with anyone else. He loves you and I bet he's your match. He hasn't ever shown this much of himself to anyone."

That pinched my heart harder. My want to scream was overwhelming. If Roman was my match and I'm being married off to Noah where does that leave Roman? Will he be single forever? I can't let him do that to himself.

"I, I love him Amalia. I want to run far away with him but I can't. Noah's father will hurt my family and I can't allow that. I hope to god he isn't my match because I can't bare to hurt him like that. I can't be the reason he's never happy in life."