A Wedding of Coincidence (Part 2)
I dont know how long this will end up being…
Vanessa
“There is always some madness in love. But three is also always some reason in madness.”
Friedrich Neitzche (1844-1900) “On Reading and Writing”
Pacing back and forth in the crowded room of giggling bridesmaids Vanessa avoided the area of the mirror at all costs. She was the one in love, not the bride. Heaving a long, drawn out sigh she made another circuit around the room. Over and over her thoughts chased each other, ‘he loves me, not her, but why is he marrying her and not me, its just for money you are going to be okay’. The carousel ceased not and she didn’t make any effort to stop them. She glances at Jamee and observed her carefully. He has to love me he left her for me, even sight unseen, that has to say something. Come one! Get a hold of yourself, this is a sham and you know it! Then that little voice would reiterate “But he is marrying Alex” with distinct clarity.
Vanessa needed not to check her appearance in the mirror, a typical Hispanic beauty, deep dark eyes, long ebon hair, heavy on top but thin in the rest to make her a veritable sex goddess. Her nerves only showed in her measured steps around the room, the heavy ochre fabric rustling at each turn of a corner. She too wore the band of gold on her hand, the right one and it disgusted her in reality, she wanted to change the hand the ring was worn on, showing her fidelity to the man whom the bride was marrying, not togetherness in their assumed happiness.
It didn’t need to be so complicated for Vanessa, she didn’t worry, as much about the debts her love had incurred work would rid those problems in time. But she knew his nature and his impatience. She was accepting and gracious, but the soon to be paramour of her married lover. Mistress, the title brought some smile to her face as she rounded another corner in a whoosh of crinoline and jacquard, she could be that on so many levels, and yet feel comfortable in her own skin. She knew that he would not mind, but with this sham could she show her ownership without risking the law?
It was about love for her, nothing to do with greed, except to call the groom her own. She had left her whole life, less than a month ago to be with him, to live with him and love with him for eternity. Plans had been made for their future, plans that would have to wait till this parody of religious life was brushed under the carpet. Where she would be the kept woman, his wife in everything but name. That would have to do for the time being, this act of duplicity toward the INS would be temporary at the worst. Besides the divorce paperwork for the bride and groom already rested in the attorneys safe box for latter use. Vanessa already wanted the unsigned copies for her own amusement.
Making another round of the room she pushed down the crinoline again agitated at the scratchy pomposity and wondering how the heat would affect her before getting into the cooled church. Something else to laugh at, lying before God and the heavenly hosts for a few dollars in cash. Let that rest on the brides head, she was the one that insisted on having a Christian wedding with all the bells and whistles in order to pull the wool over the government’s eyes. Round a corner again, keeping in mind that she was the one he loved.