Recklessly Bound

Chapter Sixteen

Since some of the guests were drunk, they decide to crash the night and stay in the house, considering they will be leaving with me. Around five in the morning, I shake awake and haven't been able to go back to sleep. Therefore, I spend the whole morning, sitting on the sand on the private beach, watching as the sun starts rising from behind me, warming my back.

"Oh, my God, I thought you have ditched the wedding. Where were you?" Mom asks as I paddle back to the house through the sliding door.

The house is still silent. The few guests; Mary, Jessie and her best friend, Angelic, and some of my mother's and Mary's friends, are still asleep.

"I just took a walk out, refreshing," I reply, walking toward the kitchen and pour a freshly brewed coffee.

"It's getting quite late. We should start getting ready," she says, as she starts taking out the butter and putting bread on the table to make a rushed breakfast for our guests.

"I'm going to take a shower." I start walking upstairs.

"Your hair is done," my hairstyler says, almost two hours after having breakfast, as she steps away, observing her artwork.

"Wow, you've done a great job," Mary sips her red cherry wine.

I look up at my reflection in the mirror. A small headband branded with small flowers centered with diamonds, a small token given my Ethan's father, John, shines on the top of my head. My hair is collected and secured in the back of my head in a low bun.

"Oh, my God, look at her," my mother exclaims in surprise.

"I hate to break this precious moment, but we gotta go. Time's ticking," Angelic sensible voice breaks through, bringing my dress forward.

They help me in the dress and fix my veil over my head. The hairstyler worries about my hair, while the makeup artists won't stop applying powder on my face. Everyone is busy attending to themselves.

"Ok, that's enough with you. Go see to our other guests," Angelic saves me from the two women and empties the room, before closing and locking the door. "Hey, you're doing ok? You haven't said anything all the morning."

I stare at myself in the full-length mirror. A sense of loss and loneliness covers me. Is this what wedding days are like? Although, I'm not sure if I can call it a wedding day if the marriage is only in name.

"This is overwhelming," I finally breathe out, reaching for the glass of champagne and gulp it down.

Angelic comes to my view. She looks ridiculously hot in her hot purple dress that covers all the necessary places and leaves some for imaginations. Her makeup, though natural, is masterly done. In a pair of high heels, she looks ever more like models on a runway.

"It's not too late. You can stop this." She grabs the empty flute of the champagne and puts it back on the table.

"No, it is late. Too late, in fact."

"I'm sorry," she only says as she grabs the back of the veil and puts it over my head and covers my face. She then grabs my hands and holds them in hers. We stay quiet for some time, only staring at each other.

"I think it's time to go," I whisper. She nods.

Handling my bouquet of flowers, she walks away to open the door. Downstairs, the small group of friends is family who would be driving with us or before us to the venue, are enjoying their small party. At the sight of me, they all stop talking and turn toward the staircase, and watch me as I walk the steps down. How dramatic can this be?

Finally settled in the limousine, I watch as we zip through the crowd of waiting to catch a glimpse. Even when we arrive at the entrance of the private venue, which is heavily guarded against the press, some are attempting to crawl the wall to take a picture.