Crescent City Summer

Chapter 43: The Night Before Forever

 Time went by quickly as the wedding day approached. Gabby was enjoying every moment of the process. Her mom, Desmond's mom, and grandmother were part of it all as well. She was incredibly excited because Kacie and Layla had moved into an apartment together. It was all starting to feel more natural to her now. Desmond was beginning to transition into his new role of President. Everyone was busy getting ready for their big day. Gabby had her belongings from back home shipped to Desmond's house. She spent time organizing and putting her fingerprints on the house. It was beginning to feel more like her home, too. Desmond didn't care what she did; he knew she had an eye for interior design. There were things she still needed to ship. She asked her mom if she could have some of Briar's belongings to put in her home. She also asked for framed photos of her throughout her life to place in the house. Gabby wanted to see her beautiful face every day in their home. Her mom gave her all of Briar's clothes as well. She told her they needed to be worn, not hanging in a closet. Her parents were ready to let go of the frozen state of Briar's room. They felt like Gabby getting married was the perfect time to do it. They knew they would need to remodel Briar and Gabby's rooms into guest rooms and rooms for grandchildren that would eventually come. 

It felt surreal hanging her clothes in the closet next to Desmond's. Her closet was filled with dresses that were fancy to casual. Her shoes took up every inch of the wall where she had a space for each pair. Suddenly, she felt blessed to have a wardrobe that had once belonged to Briar. She filled her vanity with makeup, perfumes, hair products, and jewelry. It was perfect. She stood back, looked at her closet, and then over to Desmond's. Her wardrobe was splashed in color, and she added what was missing. Desmond's closet was lined with suits of grey and black. His dress shirts were all hung neatly and in order of color. White, black, blue, and grey rows made up most of it. Highly shone dress shoes filled cubby holes. Neckties were folded and tucked into a drawer. His cologne and watches sat on a table in the corner of the closet. He had already brought all his clothes from his parent's house to his house. Their closets were more prominent than her bedroom back home. She had a bachelorette party already, and Desmond had a bachelor party. They agreed they didn't want to do anything crazy and didn't even go to Bourbon Street for any of that. They each had dinner parties for their friends. Gabby had met a lot of adorable girls her age that were friends of Desmond, Jefferson, and Collin. It was amazing to meet people they knew. Each of them were from wealthy families. That makes for a large circle. There was a place for everything. At their wedding shower, they received lavish gifts from friends and family. It all seemed like a dream. She would walk throughout the house, taking in everything she had done, and knew she was home.

July turned into August, then into September, and finally October. The days were still warm and sunny, but the evenings were cooling off. It was different for Gabby, who had spent all her time there during the summer. It was a welcome change. She and Desmond spent evenings outside near the fireplace built in the courtyard. Jefferson, Collin, Kacie, and Layla would often join them. These were some of the best times Gabby could remember. Watching everyone laugh and enjoy being young was a blessing for her. Kacie and Layla both found jobs. Their parents weren't exactly happy with the move but were grateful they found good men as boyfriends and jobs.

It was the night before the wedding, October 12th. Desmond and Gabby wanted to spend the evening together. She decided to cook him a nice dinner and dessert. Everything for the wedding was complete, so now they could relax and enjoy their last night as an engaged couple. Gabby looked at her watch and realized Desmond would arrive in twenty minutes. She prepared a Crab and Andouille Jambalaya, Roasted Veggies, and French Bread. For dessert, she made Creole brownies. This type of food was new to Gabby. She loved learning about the culture, and cooking and baking were enjoyable. She had a bottle of chilled wine and two glasses that she set on the table, complete with a bright white linen tablecloth, napkins, and candles. She dimmed the lights and switched soft jazz music to set the vibe.