Eight

Chapter Eight.

"Are you sure about this?" Amanda asked for the umpteenth time, fixing Jennifer's hair in the room.

Jennifer rolled her eyeballs dramatically at her.

Amanda sighed and took a hair brush on the dressing table. She put finishing touches to her black hair which she let down, formed into curls.

"I don't know. What will people say Jenny? Your dad just passed away a week ago or so, now you are getting married, they might think it is disrespectful of you."

Jennifer looked at Amanda's image on the mirror.

"Listen my preachy friend..." She mocked her, causing Amanda to raise her eyebrows at her image.

"...you've known me for years now. And you know this stuff about what people thinks has never been my thing. Let them think, it is their brain and let me live, it is my life.Okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." Amanda said, sounding nonchalant.

Jennifer admired herself in the mirror. Her face was bolder, the arch-formed eyebrows added details to her face. Not to talk of the little smoky look that the eye shadow and liner gave her eyes.

"Francis will drown into the grass when he sees you." Amanda commented, smiling widely.

Jennifer playfully beat her hand, hiding the smile on her face.

"As if." She said.

"As if, " Amanda mocked her.

"That's what you will say when he tells you he can't wait to explore you? That he can't wait to tear your clothes off in your matrimonial bed?

Jennifer gasped, glaring at her friend who had a playful grin on her face, through the mirror.

"Ew."

"Ew? I am very sure you guys have been at it all this while.So don't 'ew' me."

Amanda pouted.

Jennifer wanted to say something but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Yes," She said, adjusting her sleeveless purple gown which was pencil to the knee region and was flared at the tail part with feathers.

Jennifer remembered how Amanda had argued with her about the dress, telling her it wasn't fit for the occasion, but what Jennifer wants, it stays.

She is cool like that.

Hannah entered, in a simple blue knee length flared gown.

"You are needing outside ma'am. The priest is her. And you look beautiful ma'am, Sir Francis is very lucky." She flashed a grin.

Amanda nudged her friend in the ribs causing Jennifer to give her another playful glare. She also eyed Amanda before telling Hannah to proceed.

"Now where are those slippers?" She walked to her closet.

Amanda stared at her friend with a sneer on her face.

"Today of all days, you want to put on slippers?"

Jennifer took a pair of silver slippers and put them on.

"Let's go."

She walked towards the door.

Amanda rolled her eyeballs and walked behind her.

The wedding took place behind the mansion.

A pavilion was set on the lush green grass with white  flowers decorating the feet of the set up. A long red carpet was rolled forward with the railings that made the aisle with red and white satin.

Francis with his friend,Christian were waiting, at the top, alongside the priest. His parents were around too. They sat facing the set up, looking back to glimpse at the approaching bride.

The lawyer sat at a corner watching the fountain not far from the pavilion, showing how much he was not interested in the ceremony. All he wanted was to just get some documents signed and get the hell out of the situation he found himself in.

Amanda linked arms with Jennifer and led her towards the waiting men.

As Christian , Francis buddy, sighted them, he played the music from a small speaker.

Francis and others looked towards their direction.

Francis smiled adoringly at her  as they moved closer. Jennifer sighed through her smile as they walked, it was meant to be different . The wedding was supposed to take place in a church with a lot of people,her dad was meant to be the one leading her down the aisle.

But destiny had other plans.

As they got to Francis and others, Francis held her hand and helped her up the stage.

"You look so beautiful." He whispered into her ear as they faced the priest.

She blushed .

The priest cleared his throat and started what he was meant to do.

"We are here, to join in holy matrimony, two souls as one,Francis Cutler and Jennifer Lewis. You two shall now solemnly swear to always be with each other, in love, joy,tribulations, sufferings, crises and whatever else until death do you part."

The priest adjusted his glasses to the brim of his nose and bent his head ,looking from underneath it.

He faced Francis.

"Do you, Francis Sebastian Cutler, take Jennifer Kathrina Lewis to be your lawfully  wedded wife, for the rest of your lives, till death do you part?"

"I do." Francis deep voice pierced her ears.

The priest faced Jennifer.

"Do you Jennifer Katharina Lewis take Francis Sebastian Cutler to be your lawfully wedded husband, till death do you part?"

"I do." She smiled at him.

"You may exchange your vows." Jennifer began her vows, feeling rather too emotional as she said it. Francis' eyes smiled all through, continuously clutching her hand in appreciation and encouragement of her vow.

When she was done, Francis took over but gave a short, but emotional vow.

"... and I am happy to be the one that gets to marry you, an amazing and beautiful woman." He finished and Jennifer released one of  her hands to wipe off the tears in her eyes, but Amanda beat her to it and ran towards her to do it.

"Oh! I am so happy!" Francis mom cried joyously and quite dramatically that her husband held her by the hand, a cautioning look on his face. She mouthed sorry and the priest carried on.

"Where are the wedding rings?"

Amanda handed it to him.

He gave it to Francis who slipped it into Jennifer's fourth finger on the left.

Jennifer did the same.

The priest nodded curtly .

"You may kiss the bride."

"Is he even a real priest?" Christian said  to Amanda, a bit surprised at the abruptness of the priest.

"Sssh" She was watching them kiss.

They broke the kiss and faced others smiling.

The priest left immediately, walking towards the mansion.

"So what now?" Christian asked noone in particular. He was pretty disappointed there was one grand party, he had been planning to get a new babe if there was a party.

"Dunno. They go to the room and make love all day." Amanda answered, sounding nonchalant.

Jennifer gave her a glare from where she was, Amanda wondered how she heard. Jennifer eyed her and clutched Francis arms .

Francis kissed her forehead and faced the lawyer who had walked up to them.

"Mr Kirchoff..."

He nodded slightly and faced Jennifer

"Jenny, now Francis is the CEO. Are you sure about it? I have..."

"Of course, send in the documents for signatures later. But now, it is time to celebrate!" The last statement sent the lawyer through a trip of dismay.

The rest were already going inside for lunch so Jennifer dismissed the lawyer and pulled Francis with her, the latter garnishing her head with soft kisses.