Last Chapter:::(BOOK 3) Chapter 33 - One boy, a thousand feelings - 3
And another one bites the dust
But why can I not conquer love?
And I might've thought that we were one
Why not fight this war without weapons
And I wanted it and I wanted it bad
But there were so many red flags
Now another one bites the dust
And let's be clear, I trust no one
You did not break me
I'm still fighting for peace
Well I've got a thick skin and an elastic heart
But your blade it might be too sharp
I'm like a rubber band until you pull too hard
But I may snap when I move close
But you won't see me fall apart
Cause I've got an elastic heart
I've got an elastic heart
Yeah, I've got an elastic heart
- Elastic Heart, Sia & The Weeknd
***Omari
“That will we us soon.” Stacey said cuddling into my shoulder. Steven kicked me under the table. I closed my eyes refusing to look at him knowing that I would burst out in laughter. I checked my watch over Stacey’s shoulder as she was leaning on my arm. It had just turned 10. I wanted to be home by 12 latest as I had training first thing in the morning. I hadn’t been late yet this month and my coach was more than happy. My coach had no time for anyone being late. I learnt that the first time I was late and I was made to run 17 times around the filed because I was 17 minutes late.
Cecilia walked back taking a seat on our table. She flashed me a small smile which I returned. Her hand met Stevens automatically on the table as she informed him what the babysitter had said on the phone. She had excused herself to check on General but she had lingered on her table with her for a while before returning.
The DJ announced that it was time for speeches and the people that weren’t already seated went to their seats.
People that had been lingering around the drinks or food made their way to their seats. The hall was arranged in 3 tables a row with a cream and rose gold theme. The theme matched the beige fitted trousers and white shit that Sam wore, and the cream bustier dress that Katy wore stopping at her knees. She was a sight for sore eyes that every guy who wore her double take.
Sam’s table was in the middle of the first row. Their table was the largest round table with the only red roses. Katy was sitting on his left with her hands entwined in his. Melvin, Sam’s best friend and man sat across from them. Louise, Katy’s younger sister sat next to him. Lord knows how many times I had tried had failed to get her. Something about her pixie cut, dark tone and full lips always covered in bright lipstick did something to me. My favourite colour on her was purple and I informed her every-time I saw her wearing it. She was wearing purple. When she caught my eye I winked towards her. She rolled her eyes turning her head back towards the centre stage. I caught the coy smile that was on her lips though. She wanted me.
The table to their left and right was a mixture of Sams and Katy’s intermediate family. My table, which included Steven, Stacey, Cecilia and Tony was behind Sam’s table.
“Are you making a speech babe?” Stacey asked. I shrugged still unsure. I knew that Steven would convince me to make one but I wanted to save all the good things for the wedding in a couple of weeks.
The lights dimmed and focused on the stage at the front of the hall. Melvin stood up from his table and walked towards the stage where he was greeted by cheers and applause. Melvin was one of my favourite people. He was a lightweight, but he was the funniest drunk. Steven and I had already plotted to get him drunk just before his speech at the wedding. Someone had to expose Sam’s secrets before he went off into the sunset and I wasn’t the one willing to do it.
“I can’t believe my brother is getting married you know.” He said into the mic when he got onto the stage. He shook his head but there was a wide grin on his face. “It feels like yesterday we were going to parties in our matching Ed Hardy tops and linking the gyaldem.” Sam chuckled loudly and kissed Katy on the cheek.
“When my bloodline saw Katy, he told me that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and that he planned to marry her. Although he had never said this about another girl, I didn’t believe him. It took him long enough to get her to even acknowledge him, even longer to get her on a date, and now nearly 6 year later, he’s finally got her.” Everyone clapped again. “I could not be more happier to have a new sister. Sam, like every guy told you, she’s a keeper. To Katy and Sam.”
We all raised our glasses and cheered for Katy and Sam.
“And I can’t wait until the wedding to embarrass you with my speech.” Sam laughed again and Melvin came off the stage. Stacey was still on my arm so I was only able to clap by patting the table. Steven winked at me and I smiled back. Sam’s wedding and his bachelor party were looking to be legendary.
She stood up next.
Stacey watched me for my reaction. I struggled to take my eyes of her, let alone remove my eyes from certain places. I watched as she climbed up the small stairs. I watched as her hips swayed and her heels made a dull echo sound against the stage floor. She stood next to the mic and everyone laughed. Melvin had left the microphone high and although she was in heels she looked so short. She pulled it down and threw a dirty look at Melvin.
“Like my stupid brother Melvin, I want to leave the best of my speech and memories for the wedding. But I will say this. Love isn’t easy to come by, and even once you have it, it’s harder to maintain. In the words of Maya Angelou, ‘when you find someone who is brave, fun, intelligent and loving, we have to thank the universe.’” I felt both Cecilia and Steven look towards me then back at the stage. “In case you forget Sam, Katy is brave, fun, intelligent and loving, you NEED to thank the universe.” Sam laughed again, kissing Katy on the lips. She giggled before coughing and carrying on. I found myself smiling at her giggling. “Mum can’t be here tonight but she told me to promise you that she will be there for the wedding. Jim said” She recited something in what sounded like Chinese that had everyone baffled. I looked at Steven as if he would have some answer. He shrugged and looked at Cecilia who shrugged as well. “For you uncultured, non-mandarin speaking people” She laughed again at her own jokes making me smile, “it means ‘One happiness scatters a thousand sorrows.’ You two have had some downs, but most importantly you’ve had ups. You’re ups are amazing and they are relationship goals that many people aim for,” She winked at someone in the audience. I looked at who she winked at her. Her boyfriend.
“I love you two. And like Melvin said, I speak for myself and my family when I say that we cannot wait to have a new sister and a new member to the family. To Sam and Katy” She raised her glass.
*
“Babe? Babe…” Stacey tapped me with her elbow taking me out of my thoughts. “O?” I turned to her indicating that she now had my attention.
“Are you ready to go?” I looked down at my watch. It was only 11 but I had told her that I wanted to be home early. I had training first thing in the morning. I blinked back and gave Stacey my full attention. I knew I had spent the past hour watching her in that dress talking to everyone and I knew when we got home I would hear about it. Stacey was like possessive over things she saw as hers.
I cleared my throat nodding. I put the napkin that had been on my lap back onto the table.
“Leaving already?” Cecilia said smiling. Cecilia and Stacey didn’t get along. Stacey didn’t like Cecilia and Cecilia let it be known, loudly, that she didn’t like her either. I answered for Stacey before they caused a scene like last time.
“I’ll see you later.” I said bye to the table and stood up with Stacey in my arms. Stacey’s pastel pink plunge jumpsuit that left little to the imagination at the back and nude Christian Louboutin’s were catching the attention of both men and women. I appreciated having Stacey in my arm and appreciated it even more when she made an effort like today. I had won a trophy.
“Leaving already?” Sam said in more sincere tone that Cecilia. I nodded explaining I had training in the morning. “Alright bro. Make sure you’re not late to the wedding rehearsal tomorrow. 10 sharp ok?” I nodded.
“Have you ever known me to be late?” I grinned patting him on the back. “Congratulation again.” Sam shook my hand. I said bye to Katy who was standing by his side and promised not to be late tomorrow.
***Aaliyah
I rolled my eyes as I stopped behind the car in front of me in the highway. I leaned up from my seat to see how bad the traffic was. I sighed. The traffic looked like something out of a movie, it was an endless stream of cars that didn’t seem to stop.
By the time I had gotten home at 3 last night my blood had turned into alcohol and I could still feel some of it in my system. Although I had gotten home at 3 I slept around 4, woke up 7 to get ready and was on the road by 9. I only had 4 hours of sleep but thanks to the beautiful thing called make-up, I looked like I had slept the whole night. Sam and I would have words about this. What type of person would have the wedding rehearsals the day after the engagement party?
I unlocked my phone that was hanging off the car charger. I hadn’t even had time to charge my phone this morning. That was another bone I had to pick with Sam. Why was he getting married an hour away from my house. Why was this rehearsal at 10 in the morning anyway? Why was I stuck in traffic at this time? I continually rolled my eyes. I was even more frustrated at the fact that my phone had only charged 3%
After another 2 hours of me being stuck in traffic I finally pulled up to the castle where Sam was getting married. As I drove up to the castle, it became bigger and more daunting. I could imagine this looking like a horror house in the middle of the night. I wasn’t sure where everyone else had parked so I stopped near what looked like the entrance. The doors were open and two large flowers acted as the door-stoppers.
I got out of the car locking it as I walked up the small stairs. I pulled my sunglasses away from my face walking in. I felt like a little girl in a museum. The house seemed to be larger on the inside and as a result my head was stuck up looking at everything. Everything was catching my eye, from the flowers occupying every free surface, to the grand painted designs to the ceiling to the chandelier. I wasn’t sure which was I was going but I would have loved to get lost in here. This looked like the fairy-tale place I wanted to get married in since I was a little girl.
“Aaliyah!” I jumped as my name echoed throughout the house. I followed the voice to Katy. She was standing on the stop of the twin staircases. I smiled and waved. I started to make my way up one of the spiral stair cases towards her. Even with her hair tied up and a simple summer dress she looked beautiful. I knew that she and Sam had had even more sleep than me. The only indication on this was the slightly dark circles under her eyes. Her glowing smile hid any signs of tiredness of exhaustion.
“I’m so sorry I’m late” I said as I got closer to her. She waved her arms shrugging off my apology.
“I only got here five minutes ago. It’s fine.” I had a little sigh of relief.
“It’s so beautiful”
“I know! We had to book this from last year” I nodded remembering Katy hunting for locations this time last year, “It feels so weird that it’s all coming together” She said as we walked towards a room where some hubbub was coming from.
“It’s taken just over a year to plan it, it will come together perfectly” I reassured her. She nodded opening the door for me.
“Look who I found!” She announced to everyone in the room. We had entered a large room with only a few rows of the chairs arranged.
“Aren’t you getting married outside?” I asked her walking closer to everyone. Katy nodded.
“It’s a bit too hot outside so were going to have a dry run in here, then when it gets cooler we can do it properly outside” I nodded.
“Is that everyone?” Evelyn, the wedding planner asked. Sam who was sitting in the front row nodded. Melvin, Omari and Tony, one of Sam’s university friends were sitting next to him. TJ, another one of Sam friends sat next to them. He wasn’t a groomsmen but Sam had told me he was standing in for Jim. On the other side was all the bridesmaids. Louise, Hannah, Courtney and an empty chair, where I should have been. I gave everyone a small wave and slipped into my chair.
Evelyn went through the plans for the wedding. The girls were to stay in one of the rooms in the castle with the make-up artists and hair-stylists. Our main priority was to keep Katy happy, relaxed and ready. No matter what happened, we had to get Katy here the night before the wedding. We would walk down the aisle before Katy in pairs, one bridesmaid and one groomsman. After the ceremony, Katy and Sam would lead us out into our pairs into the wedding reception in the hall inside. Katy would smile for a few photos both inside and outside, before going back upstairs to change into her next dress. The bridesmaids would change accordingly. We would then return downstairs for the dinner before Katy changes once again and Sam and her set off for their honey moon.
I really struggled to keep up with all the arrangements but Katy and Sam nodded like robots. They obviously knew what was going on. Although Evelyn had the whole day planned, the wedding was a small affair. Sam had capped the number of people he wanted to invite at 150.
“Ok, let’s practise the pairs.” Evelyn turned the page in her book. She pursed her thin pink lips together as she traced down the list of names.
“The maid of honour and the head groomsman will walking first.” Louise and Melvin stood up accordingly. Melvin grinned at Louise as she slipped her hands through his arms. “Behind will be Hannah and Tony.” They both stood up and copied Melvin and Louise. “Jim and Courtney and finally we’ll have Omari and Aaliyah.” I didn’t fully register what she had said. From when she started reading the list I had started praying she wouldn’t say both our names in the same sentence.
I could feel Sam watching me intently. He opened his mouth to say somethin to the wedding planner but I smiled to reassure him that it was ok. I didn't want to bring attention to the fact that I was so uncomfortable or look like the lesser person. Last time we had spoken he thought I was jealous and unable to see him with someone else. I breathed out silently to myself. Already my legs felt like jelly. I cleared my throat standing next to him. I took in his cologne but refused to look up at him. I saw his arm open, ready for me to insert it. I kept my hands at my side. Evelyn didn’t see us as we were standing behind everyone but Sam did.
“Can you swap over Aaliyah with someone else?” He asked. I internally rolled my eyes and threw him the middle finger. Everyone turned back at us to see the problem.
“That will mess up the height order.” Evelyn complained. “Besides, if they don’t get along I’m sure they can pretend for the 30 seconds it takes to talk down the aisle.” I knew Sam bit his tongue because he didn’t say anything. Evelyn sighed. “Is it really that much of a problem?” She directed the question at me. I shook my head immediately. I didn’t want to cause any trouble. It was important that everything had to be perfect for Sam and Katy, even things like height order.
“Ok. So put your hand in his arms and let’s carry on.” I nodded again not trusting myself to speak. Evelyn continued to look at me waiting for something to happen. I looked down at my arms and realised I still hadn’t moved. I took a deep breath in again and raised it up and in into his arm. Everyone looked back at Evelyn as she continued to talk. I hoovered my arm in mid-air in his arm for as long as I possibly could. I didn’t know how I would react to actually touching him after all these years.
My arm finally gave way after a few minutes. When my bare arm touched his my heart slowed down to a slow dull drumming noise. I could feel my heartbeat all the way in my ears.
“Walk forward and separate of opposite sides” We did as instructed. She made us stand at a slightly ajar angle to that we formed a large V with Katy and Sam in the middle.
“Ok, so where is the child that will throw the flowers before Katy walks down the aisle?"
“It’s my little sister. She’s in China right now.” Evelyn nodded making a note.
“How old is she again?”
“4.”
“Perfect. When do they come back?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Ok. Make sure they come to Thursday rehearsal. That goes for all of you as-well.”
“Katy, you’re father, where is he?”
“He can’t make today but he’ll be here for Thursday?” Evelyn nodded making a note in her diary.
We went over were we would walk and how fast we should go. After, we were given a full tour of the house and told where we would all stay the night before the wedding. Evelyn didn’t trust Sam to stay in the same place as Katy the night before without being tempted so she had booked him and all the boys at the local hotel.
After hours of hearing Evelyn talk, we were finally dismissed. She gave a stern warning to all of us to be there for the final run through on Thursday and warned us not to be late. Her eye lingered on me when she said that.
*
We strolled out the castle as a group. I was arm in arm with Louise slightly ahead of the group discussing Katy’s bachelorette party. She was on the fence about getting Katy strippers, or going classier and having a nice sit down dinner. We decided to discuss the idea properly tomorrow with all the other girls.
My car was parked so awkwardly in the middle so I waved everyone off as they walked to the car park. I made a note of where it was for future reference. I was rummaging through my bag when the sunlight was blocked. I looked up at the tall figure in front of me.
He unclenched his chiselled jaw and declared, "We need to talk."
"We really don't Omari. You made yourself clear."
"I had had a bit to drink"
"You don't drink Omari"
He furrowed he eyebrows. "How do you know?"
"I know you" I caught him roll his eyes but I ignored it.
"How have you been?"
"You asked me this last night" I reminded him. I finally got my keys out of my bag and unlocked my car moving towards it.
He followed. "Ok. How you doing today?"
"Fine. You?"
"Tired." I nodded. Did he want me to strike up conversation with him? We stopped in front of my car. "Lee, we seriously need to talk" I shook my head looking off into the distance. I had this sudden desire to punch him. How dare he call me by my nickname?
"About what Omari?"
"I haven't seen you in years"
"Yes you have.” I reminded him again. “And you've ignored me"
"Aaliyah,"
"What Omari? We don't have anything to say to each other."
"Well I have things to say to you"
"Like?"
"Like how you been. How was uni?"
"I've been fine, university was fine"
"You’re a doctor now?" I nodded. I was only a trainee but I didn't want to correct him.
"You're a footballer now?" He nodded
"I'm proud of you" I said honestly. He smiled and I nearly melted.
"I'm proud of you too." I gave him a small smile as thank you. "My mum told me she ran into you when you started" I nodded. I had pulled some strings when I was trying to get placement. I name dropped Omari's mum a few times and she had kindly allowed me to use her as reference.
He scratched his beard. I noticed it still suited him.
"Did you see the Italian restaurant when you were driving in the village?" I nodded waiting for his point. "Is Italian still your favourite?"
“Yeah.” I replied playing with my nails. I looked back at him and he knew I would go.
"I'll drive behind you." He stated walking towards the car park. I opened my car door and rested my head on my steering wheel. My phone vibrated in my bag. I rummaged through it again opening the text from Sam.
‘Be careful’ -Sam
*
We took a seat by the window. The waitress gave us our menus and poured out table water. I stared at black Omari’s Mercedes Benz that was sitting right outside the restaurant. Every time anyone walked past they would stare and nudge the person beside them. I wasn’t surprised, the car stood out against all the other cars, especially my more humble 3 door Audi. I wasn’t surprised that Omari had that car either, it got him attention.
"What university did you end up going?"
"UCL"
"Well done" I thanked him. “I would say I’m surprised but I didn’t expect any less from you.” I cleared my throat and played with the ends of my hair.
"Did you stay in the halls?" He asked.
"No.” I shuddered. “I struggle to live with other people. I moved back to London and stayed with my mum for first year. Then I moved into a flat with a girl I had met whilst I was in Bristol.”
"Mm"
"What's mm?"
"Nothing. How was Bristol?"
"It was good."
"Better than London?" I nodded honestly.
"So you don't regret leaving?"
I remained silent for a while taking in his question. "Leaving London or you?"
"Were gonna jump in just like that yeah?" he chuckled taking a sip of his water.
"You said you wanted to talk." I shrugged.
He nodded not disputing what I said "Yeah I do. "
"So..." I waited for him to clarify himself. “Answer the question"
"Do you regret leaving London or me?" He repeated the question.
"Well I didn't choose to leave you. You did" I said.
"You're actions lead to my decision"
"Do you really want to get into to it?"
Omari opened his mouth to argue, but inside he took a breath, remained silent and continued. "Ok. Do you regret leaving London?"
"No. I think it was the right decision for me at the time" he nodded.
We remained silence. The waitress came and took our orders finally breaking it.
"You play for Chelsea?"
"Yeah.” He made a face. “I hate that team"
"Still?" I couldn’t help but smile.
"I'm hoping I get transferred next year"
"You're ridiculous" I chuckled. I still remembered that Omari never liked Chelsea or had any inkling to play for them. "It puts food on the table though"
"It does" I said nodding towards the car outside. "It puts a lot of food on the table doesn't it?" He nodded. "Are you trying to be humble?" He nodded again causing both me and him to laugh.
"I'm really proud of you Omari" I repeated again. Everyone was so convinced he was going to be the bad of 6 kids by now by 6 different women.
"I didn't have any other option. I wasn't smart like you so university was never an option. I had to work my butt off and hope that it worked out"
"It did. You deserve it." He smiled. "I've seen you play. Well, we've seen you play"
"We?"
"Me and Greg."
"The white guy you were with yesterday?"
"My boyfriend yeah."
"He's cute. " I snickered.
"Well he said that you're really good. I don't understand football but you shoot so" I put my thumbs up.
"Yeah, I'm a striker, that's what we generally do" He chuckled. Greg had tried to teach me football a few times but it had failed miserably each time.
"What department do you work at in the hospital?"
"A&E"
"Emergency? You must get a few intreating cases"
"Yeah. You can call it that. It's more frustrating that anything. "
"What do you mean?"
"Well its summer holidays. There’s usually an increase in child abuse cases. They come in with broken arms, ribs or wrists. They won't say who did it but you know, you can just sense it. All you can do I bandage them up, record it and report it"
"You've reported it, what more can you do?"
"Well when that child comes back in again with a worse injury?"
"You're strong Lee."
"Yeah. It's not always children though. We get adults"
"Do you get a lot of adults"
"I've only had two this week"
"It's mad. I'll never understand that logic"
"Yeah but let's not talk about it" I couldn't bring up Omari's girlfriend without seeming jealous. "How's Kara though. I bet she's so big!"
Omari unlocked his phone and slid it towards me. I looked down at his phone at Kara. She was looking more and more like Omari everday. He hair was coiled down longer than my weave. Her eyelashes curled around her eyes. She was grinning at the camera in Omari’s arms. It looked like it was taken quite recently. Her arms were locked around her dads neck. She looked like a perfect little girl.
"How old is she now?"
"She's turning 7 next month."
"She's so beautiful"
"I know. It makes me so angry. I had to man-handle a couple of man at day care before." I grinned. Omari hadn’t changed. I could tell Kara was still his world.
I pointed at the chain around his neck. “Is that the Kara chain?” I asked. After meeting Omari Greg had given the full 101 on Omari. He had told me that Omari wore a chain around his neck of Kara that he never took off, even during matches. It was so weird hearing about Omari from someone else.
“Yeah. How do you know?”
“I heard it mentioned before.”
“Yeah. I had Kara’s handprints when she was born put onto a necklace.” I leaned in to get a better look of it. It was a piece of flat silver, but on the middle you could clearly make out two small hand prints.
“Kara has one of my hands but it’s a bracelet.”
“What gave you the idea?”
“I don’t know. When I’m away from Kara I felt like something was missing, it that makes sense. When I’m with her, I’m so used to having her arms around my neck,” I nodded understanding. Kara really had a fetish for Omari’s neck since she was born, “So having it there it’s like having her there all the time. She has one so she knows I’m always there, even if I’m not there physically.”
“It’s really beautiful Omari.” He smiled thanking me. “How’s Chloe.”
“She’s good. She got herself a little salon.”
“That’s really good.”
*
“It was really good to sit down properly and speak to you Lee.”
I nodded agreeing. “Yeah.” I unlocked my car door again. “I’ll see you around Omari.”
“See you later Lee.”
Had to cut this chapter into two otherwise it would be too long. But I won’t be mean, below is a sneak peek for the second half of this chapter:
“Lee. I love you. I’ve loved you since we were 15 and I thought I would stop, but I will probably love you another 15 and another 15. We click. I have never met another woman that I have ever felt so comfortable and free around. You are my best friend, my worst enemy, my teacher, my partner and my love. When I’m around you I feel like the luckiest man in the world. I’m not letting you go again. I didn’t fight for you before but I’m fighting for you now.”
“You know things about me I don’t even know about myself. You know my deepest secrets. You know things I am ashamed to even admit to myself. When I think of the future you and Kara are the only two people that come I to mind. You mean more than the world to me and I want to prove that to you. Will you marry me?”
***
I unlocked my front door. I placed my keys in the bowl and was about to remove my heels when I realised the candle next to the bowl. I noticed all the candles in the hallway. I stood up straight and took in my surroundings. I felt like I had walked into the wrong flat but the picture of me and Greg on the wall disproved that. I started to follow the candles that led to the living room. I could feel the soft rose petals on the floor. I opened the door to him standing there grinning.
I tried to speak but he stopped me by raising his hand.
He breathed in steadying his breath. “Don’t say anything.” I nodded and allowed him to say what he was going to say.
I froze as I realised he was starting to go down on one knee.
“Aaliyah, with every heartbeat and every breath I love you more and more. When I look at you I nearly burst. You are the most beautiful person I have ever met on the inside and out. You are perfection to me. I have always felt like I was missing something, like there was a gap in my life. I’ve realised, you are my missing piece Aaliyah. You are my best friend, my lover and my Queen. Looking at makes me smile. I wake up every morning thinking of how to make you smile. If you accept my proposal, I promise to love you and make you smile every day of forever. Aaliyah, my missing piece and so much more, will you marry me?”