Chapter 26 wedding day

"Me ratid." Marlon said as he bolts upright on the sofa. His eyes dart around the room looking for Gabriel who was nowhere in sight but Mike and Justin were still asleep. Justin was on the bed and mike was on a big comforter on the ground. "Yow wake up man." He said shaking Mike. "Wat, shit, Prince." He said sitting up as well as Justin too opens his eyes. "What's going on?" He asks in a groggy tone.

'Prince is gone." Marlon said, "But by the way; dem pill dey wey we give Prince last night, dem no have no side effects?" Marlon asks with concern. "Nope, they are mild, so where is he?" Justin asks getting off the bed. "Don't know, but I suggest we find him." He said heading towards the door then stop as he heard the water running in the bathroom.

He heads in that direction. "Hey Prince, you okay?" Marlon asks from the doorway. "Yep, I'm good," Gabriel answers as he turns his face up towards the warm water coming from the shower then down again as the water cascades over him from his head to his toes. "Um…how are you feeling?" mike asks. "Better, thanks for putting me to sleep, it helped."

"Sorry, you are still having such a hard time with this man," Justin said. "Yeah, I honestly thought that the pain would have gotten less with time but last night proved me wrong." He said with a heavy sigh. "Alright man, we'll be downstairs join us when you're done, yeah." "Yeah, I'll be down in a bit." He said turning his face up towards the water again.

A few minutes later he wraps the towel around his waist and walks from the bathroom, he then walks towards his bed, took up his phone, and dials Diane's number and again she answers on the second ring. "Hi, babe boy." She greeted him cheerfully. "Good morning my beautiful wife, are you ready for this?" He asks softly. "I'm so ready; I still can't believe you're going to be my husband." She giggles. "Well believe it babe, are you all set?" "Yes, I am. The lady is coming to do mine and Jasmine's hair and my sisters are coming to help me get dressed." "Okay, the limo will be there at one-thirty and the next time I see you, you will be walking down the aisle towards me; I can't wait." "Me either, I love you, babe." "I love you more." He ends the call and went down to the kitchen where the guys were feeding their faces.

"Groom is in the house." Mike cheered as Gabriel walks in. He walks past Mike and slaps him playfully in the neck. "Oh shut up," Gabriel said smiling. "So you ready for this man?" Marlon asks. "Yes, yes, and yes, finally it's here. I'm so happy I could burst." Gabriel danced around the kitchen. "So will you be telling Diane about what happened last night?" Mike asks. "Yeah, but not today."

"Fair enough, but on a different note I think you should make Mike your best man," Justin said sadly. "No way man, that job is all yours," Mike said laughing. "You okay Justin?" Gabriel asks. "I'm very happy for you prince, I just don't think I'll make a very good host that's all." "Nonsense, you can't back out now Justin please I need you, man." Gabriel pleads. "Okay, I won't. I'm sorry, today is about you, nothing else." Justin sighs heavily. "Today is not just about me, it's about all of us, it's about joining two families together and I need all of you right there beside me." "And dat's where we'll all be. Now, let's go pump some iron." Marlon suggest.

Gabriel starts getting dress at twelve-thirty pm; he was so happy he began singing to the music playing. "The cry of my heart is to love you more. To live with the touch of your hand. Stronger each day. Show me your way." He sings as he took the classic cream suit with diamonds around the cuffs designed by Carlton Brown from the hanger.

He then took his white boots with white diamond studs and buckles from the box and put them on; he then went over to his glass watch case and even though it hurt like hell, he still chooses the white silver Rolex watch Alex had bought him for his birthday because it matches his suit perfectly. He then catches his hair in one with a white glistening hairband and after checking his appearance once more in the mirror he left his room.

They left the house at one fifteen in his Escalade. Justin was driving this time and Marlon and Mike were in the back seat. "Hey prince, you still on medication?" Marlon asks. "Yeah, why?" "You realize say you tek them pills last night without even asking what they were?" "I trust you guys." "Dat cool but what if they clash with your medication?" Marlon asks with concern. "I guess that was a possibility but so far, so good. Besides I would have taken anything to stop the pain I was feeling." He said sadly.

They arrived at the church at one forty-five. It was decorated beautifully with red, pink, and white flowers. There were a lot of people there, the Church was almost full. The pastor came over to him and pats him on the shoulder. "Ready when you're Brother Maxwell." He said smiling. "Come we'll wait for your bride inside." Gabriel enters the church and smiled contentedly. The wedding planner really did a wonderful job. He and the guys then went into the office to wait for Diane and Justin came over and began wiping Gabriel's face.

"Stop being so nervous man, it's making you sweat too much." Justin laughs. After Justin finishes drying the sweat from his face, Gabriel checks his appearance in the mirror again then turns to his friends. "Hey, guys…um before I do this I just want to say thank you for everything, your support, the party, last night, I really appreciate it." He said in a sad one.

'Hey come on now, we are here for you always. We know how close you and Alex were and how much it hurt you when he turned his back on you." Mike said. "It was like losing your brother all over again and we can't even begin to imagine what that feels like," Justin adds.

"He is a damn fool; you would a put him above anyone any day." 'I did." "Dat is how much he means to you." "Meant, past tense," Gabriel adds again. "Old coward, him couldn't tek on any of us or you so him went after Diane. Woman strength him have but no stress him get all wey him did a work fa." Marlon snorts

"She's here," Justin said watching the limo as it came to a stop in the churchyard. "It's time, let's go," Mike adds. The pastor went into the church and announced that the bride was here. Everyone took their seats and Gabriel and Justin took their places at the Altar. Marlon, Mike, and Brother Josh were his bridegrooms and three of Diane's sisters were her bride maid. The musician then begins the melody. Dana being the maid of honor came up first. Then came the bridesmaids and grooms, Jasmine came up next with a basket of pink and white rose petals, she throws them all over the floor, she made a beautiful flowers girl.

Then came the ring bearer who was her little nephew all decked out in his tux. They took their places and the musician begins the wedding march and Gabriel held his breath. He was so nervous he couldn't even breathe. Diane appears in the doorway accompanied by one of her uncles. My lord she was beautiful, he thought to himself as everyone stand and she walks towards him. She was wearing a stunning white wedding gown with gloves to match. After all, he had been through, all that had happened to his family he was finally going to have a family of his own, to love as much as his family loved him. He and his wife were going to make beautiful children.

She stands beside him and her uncle gave him her hand, A tear fell down her cheek and he gently wipes it away with his fingertip but he had to bite his lips to hold back his. Everyone sat down and the pastor began. "We have come together in the presence of God, family, and friends to witness the marriage of Diane and Gabriel and to ask God's blessing on them. They then turn to face each other. "Gabriel do you take Diane to be your wife. Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and protect her and forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?" The pastor asks. "I do."

He asks Diane the same question and she looks into his eyes and said: "I do." He then took her hand and recites his vow. "I Gabriel take you Diane to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worst, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health to love and to cherish as long as God gives me breath, this is my solemn vow." She then recites her vows to him and the pastor smiles. "May we have the rings?" Holding her ring in his hand he looks into her eyes and pledges his love to her.

"I give you this ring as a sign of our commitment to each other. All that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you for as long as we both shall live. From this day forward you will forever be skin of my skin, bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh. From this day forward we're one." As he pledges his love to her he places the ring on her finger then uses his white handkerchief to wipe away her tears of joy. She took his ring and as she pledges her love to him she places the ring on his finger.

They braid a slim sliver rope which symbolizes the binding of two people and the Holy Spirit together. Gabriel locks his fingers with hers and the pastor wraps the rope around their hands. "Everyone I now give you Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell. You may now kiss your bride." He did and everyone cheered. A sliver bundle was placed before them and they jump over it. They then went to sign the marriage certificate, then with their family and friends behind them they walk back to the limo.