A Lova' Like No Otha' (2 page)

I drove to the church as the rain flooded the streets. My windshield wipers thumped an insistent rhythm, barely keeping my view clear enough to navigate. Although most of my plans were ruined, I was still happy about the wedding. I was marrying the love of my life and looking forward to our future.

But the moment I tried to imagine our wedding night, a brilliant flash of lightning crackled across the sky, followed by a violent thunderclap. My body shook. The fears I had been keeping so carefully tucked away seemed to surface all at once.

“God,” I groaned. “I know Devyn isn't where he needs to be in his faith, but he'll grow,” I promised the Lord. “Devyn and I have been through many storms, and You've seen us through every one.” I thought about all the partying, drinking and fornicating we'd done. “I know I've disappointed You by compromising in certain areas with Devyn. I know I am not bringing virginal purity to my wedding; maybe my white dress is a lie. But even through my disobedience, You were always there when I called.”

The tears from my eyes began to match the downpour that came from the heavens. It was more than thinking about the things I'd done with Devyn. I never thought he would ask me to be his bride. Most of the time when we discussed marriage, he said he wasn't ready.

Overcome with emotion, I maneuvered my car alongside a curb, my tires interrupting a river of rainwater. I wanted to talk to the Lord freely, without distractions. I turned off the engine, humbly bowed my head and closed my eyes.

“Thank you for changing Devyn's mind, Lord,” I continued. “And for putting so many things together for us. Through the planning for this wedding, even my mother and I have grown closer. I love You, Jesus! And although Devyn isn't a strong believer yet, I know that through my life influence he'll be one soon.”

My body wouldn't move. It just stayed in that position, thinking and talking to the Lord. I wasn't sure how much time had passed before I finally said, “Amen.” I really wanted to spend more time with God, but I knew I had to get to the church.

Lifting my head, I was surprised to see that the downpour had ended, leaving behind only sprinkles. By the time I arrived at the church ten minutes later, the sun was peeking from behind the thick clouds.

“Maybe I can have the wedding outside after all,” I said as I jumped from the car. I opened the trunk and began unpacking the suitcases and boxes I'd brought with me. But just as I gathered the last load from the car, the rain started again.

It wasn't going to bother me, though. Plan B was already in motion. I rushed to the dressing room, holding my enormous gown across my arms and carrying two plastic bags filled with my shoes, panty hose, hair spray, makeup and jewelry. Passing the sanctuary, I glanced through the doors and had to stop at the sight. The room was decorated beautifully, with sky blue flowers and ribbons and lace everywhere! I wanted to stand and admire it, but I knew there wasn't time.

When I got to the dressing room, all seven of my attendants were there, dressed in the baby blue bridesmaid gowns I'd selected. In their full-length satin dresses, my friends were all that.

“You guys are the bomb,” I said as my girls took the packages from my arms. “Thanks for helping my mother decorate the church. I know it was last minute, but everything is beautiful.”

“Zoe, where have you been?” Tasha asked, her hands on her hips. “You said you'd be here an hour ago.”

I thought about the time I'd spent with God but remained silent.

“The wedding is gonna start soon,” Tasha continued to rave. “You gotta hurry and get dressed, girl.”

“I will. Everything will be fine. I needed a little time alone with me and God.” I paused. “I just want to say that I appreciate all of you.” I stopped again, letting my eyes roam to each of my friends. “Thank you for sharing in my special day.” I swallowed, clearing the lump in my throat. “Oh, help me put on my gown before I get all emotional!”

My friends chuckled, though I could see in their eyes their strong emotions too. But we got to work. I slipped from my jeans and shirt, slid into the underwear that was designed for my dress and finally stepped into my gown.

Within thirty minutes from when we started, I was completely dressed, staring at myself in the mirror.

“Oh, you look beautiful,” Tasha gushed as my mother pushed me into the chair so that she could do my makeup. By the time I looked in the mirror again, I looked like a blushing bride, eagerly awaiting the man I loved.

“It's time,” my mother said as she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. “I'll see you in the sanctuary.”

I nodded because I didn't want to cry and watched as my bridesmaids lifted their white lily bouquets one by one and lined up outside the room for the processional.

Finally when only Tasha was left, she handed me my larger bouquet. I stood and she adjusted my four-foot train. Then she looked at me with misty eyes. “This is it, girl,” she said, giving me a trembling smile.

Tasha took my hand and we joined the bridesmaids in the hall. But a moment later, Brandi, one of my hostesses, rushed past the bridesmaids, making her way to me.

“Zoe!” Her face seemed as white as my bridal gown.

“Are they ready for us?” Tasha asked.

“Almost,” Brandi replied, breathing as if she'd just run a marathon. She paused to catch her breath. “But that's not why I came over.” She lowered her voice so the bridesmaids couldn't hear. “Girl, can we go back into the dressing room for a minute? We need to talk.”

“Now?” I couldn't imagine what she had to say that couldn't wait until after the ceremony.

“Now,” Brandi insisted, giving me the eye that something wasn't right.

Tasha and I looked at each other; then she grabbed the train of my gown and moved it so I could retrace my steps.

Back inside the dressing room, Brandi closed the door. I wanted to sit down, but I didn't dare wrinkle my dress. “Well?” I asked, holding up my hands impatiently. “What's so important? Is my slip showing? Do I have food in my teeth? What?”

“I thought you should know,” Brandi said, her fingers intertwined so tightly the knuckles went white. “I saw Devyn kissing another girl.”

My pulse instantly started racing, but I tried to calm myself, keeping my breaths even. “Well,” I responded, as if I weren't a bit concerned, “he was probably saying goodbye to an old flame. You know what a big flirt Devyn is. Was,” I said, correcting myself.

“It wasn't a peck,” Brandi said. “It was a serious kiss. And there's more. After they let up, he and the girl walked back into his dressing room with their arms wrapped around each other. I stuck around, keeping my eye on the door and praying there was nothing really going on. But, Zoe, they were in there for a long time. And when they came out, Devyn wasn't wearing his tuxedo anymore.”

“You don't know what you're talking about,” I exclaimed, unable to come up with a better response. I glanced at Tasha, who just stared silently and wide-eyed at Brandi.

“Oh, yeah?” Brandi retorted. I could tell that my friend was annoyed that I didn't believe her. She continued: “Well, when Devyn came out, dressed in his regular clothes, and that girl followed him, I knew something was up. And when they started talking to the pastor and Devyn's best man, I figured that I'd better tell you.” She paused, then added, “I thought you'd want to know.”

I couldn't speak around the lump in my throat. I shook my head, attempting to clear my mind. “There's no way Devyn would do what you're saying. It can't be true.”

But my words had barely left my lips when I heard a knock on the door. Tasha looked at me, silently asking if I wanted her to answer it. She didn't always have my back, but I knew she did then. So I nodded.

The door opened and there stood my groom, wearing jeans and an unironed brown T-shirt. And holding some chick's hand. She had a waterfall hairstyle that was tinted blue, and she wore a small gold nose ring. Her extra-long acrylic fingernails were painted in myriad colors and designs. One of her front teeth was capped in gold. What a joke.

Tasha was the first to move. She walked over to Devyn. “Who is this?” she asked, flicking her hand in the girl's face.

Devyn glared at my maid of honor. “Tasha, like always, you've got your nose stuck in other people's business. Please leave so I can talk to Zoe in private. You too, Brandi.”

Tasha and Brandi looked at me. I shrugged, letting them know that it was okay. But I knew that they would be standing right outside the room, waiting for the first chance to jump on Devyn if I called.

Tasha and Brandi slowly sauntered toward the door. As they passed Devyn, they rolled their eyes.

He stepped inside the room, the tacky girl still clutching his hand. A moment later, he whispered in her ear. From the way her eyes shifted, I could tell that she didn't agree with what Devyn was saying. Finally, she turned and left the room. But not before she sized me up and laughed.

Devyn closed the door and walked toward me.

“Dev-yn,” I began, trying not to sound too whiny I didn't want to. But I couldn't help it. “Our wedding is going to begin at any moment. Why aren't you dressed? And who's that girl?”

He gently grasped my arm and led me to the chair where I had sat minutes before getting my makeup done so that I could look beautiful for the man I loved. “Sit down, Zoe. Please,” he said softly.

I was no longer concerned about getting wrinkles in my dress. I was too frightened to care. I nervously plopped down. “We really don't have time for this, Devyn. Our guests are waiting. We're getting married in a little while.”

He bit his lower lip and stared at a corner of the floor. “I am getting married, Zoe. Just not to you. I'm so sorry.”

“What?” I exclaimed, my breath coming in gulps.

“That woman with me—her name is Aisha. I've known her for a little over a year, ever since I got that job as bank manager in Tampa Bay. We work together. She's a teller.”

I stared at Devyn as if he were speaking a foreign language.

“About eight months ago, we started going out to lunch together, staying late after work a few times. And…well…”

“What are you saying?”

He walked to the other side of the room, turning away from me. “Aisha told me a few minutes ago that she's pregnant…with my child.”

All the blood drained from my face. I wondered if there was a paper bag in the room, in case I needed to breathe into it to keep from passing out. This couldn't be happening.

“I love you, Zoe.” Devyn's voice cut into the haze in my mind. “But I love her too. I thought I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. But when Aisha told me about the baby…things changed.”

I stared at his back. Even with all that he was telling me, he still wouldn't face me. He couldn't look into my eyes and tell me this mess.

Before I knew what I was doing, I stood and flew over to him. When he turned around, I slapped him hard across his cheek. The sound of my palm's meeting his flesh echoed throughout the small room. “You bastard!” I hollered. “How could you do this to me?”

I screamed and punched him in the chest, moving my arms like a wild animal. He didn't budge. Devyn never raised his hands. He just stood there, taking my blows.

Moments later, the door swung open and Tasha burst into the room with Devyn's best man and roommate, Chase Farr, right behind her. It took the two of them to pull me away from Devyn, moving me back to my makeup chair.

“Come on, girl,” Tasha said, kneeling before me and still holding my hands. “You don't want to go out like that.”

Though tears still filled my eyes and my heart, I nodded and took deep breaths.

“That's the way to do it.” Tasha's voice was soothing.

I glanced over at the corner where Devyn stood with Chase, whispering and looking at me like I needed to be committed to some mental institution. But I kept breathing deeply, wanting to calm myself.

I heard someone step into the room, and turned to the door. Aisha stood as if she belonged there. Then she walked slowly toward Devyn.

I broke from Tasha to cut her off. The long train of my gown slowed me down—but only a little.

“What kind of a girl would come to another woman's wedding and steal her groom?” I yelled.

The girl tried to walk around me, ignoring me and my question. I grabbed her arm and raised my fist, knowing I could take her if it came to that. Though she looked ghetto, I too was from the streets.

“Don't you hear me talkin' to you?”

Chase grabbed me around the waist and led me away. At 6 feet and 200 pounds, he easily pulled my 5-foot 5-inch, 115-pound frame into a corner, turning me away from Devyn and Aisha.

“Come on, Zoe. You have too much class for this,” he mumbled into my ear.

When I looked up into Chase's sincere eyes, I saw his tears that matched my own.

Chase had been Devyn's roommate at the University of Miami, where he was a star football player too. I knew he always liked me. I could tell by the way he stared at me when he thought I wasn't looking, or by the way he spoke to me—in a gentle, loving tone. He was always there to console me every time I caught my man cheating. But he never pursued me because he knew I was in love with his best friend, no matter what Devyn did. Although Chase often told me I could do better than Devyn, I guess I never believed him until now.

“What's going on?” a new voice asked. I turned toward the door and saw my brother, Alonzo, standing with my mother beside him. Alonzo was supposed to be giving me away since our father was deceased. He had been looking forward to the wedding almost as much as I had.

I turned back, looking deep into Chase's dark eyes. “I can't handle this. I've got to get out of here.”

“I'll go with you.”

I took two steps toward the door, then stopped. “I can't leave. All my friends and family are here.”

Tasha touched my arm. “Don't worry about anything here. I'll handle it. Just go with Chase. Everything will be fine.” She lifted my purse from the table and gave it to me.

I hugged her, then rushed past my mother and brother and the other bridesmaids, who were still lined up in the hallway, now whispering about what was going on. I fled through the church doors, with Chase right behind me.