Love Me Again, Scarlett

17• After Mike

Mike was nervous.

He was standing at the alter his hair silked back reveling his good structure and clearly shaved jaw dressed in black tux at twenty five minutes passed noon and the black limousine which was supposed to bring Scarlett to the chapel was not yet there.

The clock ticked and ticked and his mind moved a mile in a minute. What if she didn't come? What if something had happened to her on the way?

"Stay calm she's on the way," the pastor which his brethren affectionately called Papa David smiled at him. "Plus the ceremony would begin at one and there is still few minutes left."

Mike nodded and smiled then looked around.

The cathedral was beautiful. There were white bows seen at every corner with white flowers and balloons and silk white clothes were draped from row to row well attached to the old wooden seats making the church look like heaven.

The guest had already filled all of the seats. Scarlett's small family and close friends were seated at the two first front seats while the rest were just friends of friends or just connections. There was none of Mike's family maybe because he didn't have any family apart from his old childhood best friend Violet who couldn't come here from France, but had promised to send him the biggest of gifts and come whenever she was free.

Mike smiled knowing that as from this afternoon henceforth, Scarlett would become his family and her family would be his to. He would leave from the lonely boy with no family to one with a big family filled with so much history and joy.

As Mike was lost in thoughts, the huge wooden doors opened and there stood Lydia Scarlett Rodriguez looking absolutely stunning in her wedding gown.

The gown was pure white with pebbles all over it but it was quite revealing with its heart suggestive cleavage and backless nature. The gown was shorter in front thus showing Scarlett long legs and had a long trail behind with roses spread on it. Her ebony hair were held half up and curled and half down with white pins everywhere. Scarlett took a step forward and her brother took her arm and walked her to the aisle.

"You can smile now," the old man coughed.

Mike smiled and watched as she worked towards him, but the smile vanished when he saw how pale she was. Was she ill?

"Ça vas?" Mike questioned her in French and Scarlett nodded with a small smile.

"Oui."

"Ladies and gentlemen," the old pastor called to the attention of everyone present in the church.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of our brother Saco Mike and our beloved sister Lydia Scarlett Rodriguez." he reminded and someone in the crown yelled from the far end of the church: 'yes, we are!' earning a laughter from everyone.

"But before we begin, if someone is opposed to this union for any reason, let he or she say it now or remain silent forever," Papa David paused and waited for sometimes, but nobody said anything and so he continued. "If there is no one, let's proceed."

Scarlett wasn't staring at him instead he was looking at something through him. She looked at him as if she wasn't seeing him, as if she was remembering something. Mike watch as Scarlett's grip on the bunch of roses she held tightened and her gaze lowered. Was she somehow expecting someone to stand and interrupt the marriage?

Was she thinking about him?

The troublesome thoughts that filled his mind made Mike to call her back to reality. "Scarlett, are you okay?"

She jerked and looked at him as if his voice had torn her out of her reverie. And when Mike's gaze meet her, he was drawn to her dark orbs and what he saw inside it didn't please him a bit. She didn't look happy, glad and excited. She looked worried and resigned at the same time like she doubted if she was supposed to give the answer that was needed from her, but she knew she needed to by any means because that was what was awaited from her.