3: A Marriage?

They eventually stopped in front of the door and the woman, not meeting Gianna's inquisitive gaze, pulled one side of the door open. "Right through here.”

It was a dressing room of some sort? It was far too luxurious and lavish for any ordinary dressing room. Ivory chaises and beautiful vanities, exquisite gowns, towers of jewelry, and makeup shelves that would make any Hollywood starlet green with envy. She wondered, awestruck as she took a hesitant step inside.

She saw a breathtaking lace confection in a corner.

“A wedding scene…” Gianna said, half-asking, half-musing. She expected one of the several ladies in the room to affirm or negate her statement but no one was talking. Everyone seemed to be more bothered with getting their work done, hence she decided to also keep the questions to herself and just go with the flow.

Gianna didn't immediately notice the other two young women who had appeared on either side of her until their impersonal hands started moving over her shoulders and back. She let them do their thing.

Next she was made to wear a simple makeover dress. Almost immediately hands started kneading into her hair, at the same time, the other woman began laying out an array of makeup products and brushes in front of her.

Gianna still felt a tiny spark of excited curiosity come to life as the makeup process began in earnest. She'd never had the funds for such an elaborate cosmetic treatment, but hopefully she would get to enjoy something like this on her own ‘actual’ wedding day when she finally found ‘the one’.

By the time her face had been beaten to perfection, Gianna almost did not recognize her own face in the mirror. She looked like an actual bride— a thought that might have filled her with joyful butterflies if this wasn't all fake.

Next came the real deal which was the wedding dress. Must be worth more than her yearly salary if it happened that those diamonds beaded over it were real. Not that anything there looked at less than would be worth more than she makes a year.

She obediently raised her arms as the gown was eased over her figure. The strapless sweetheart neckline of it emphasized her cleavage.

Then they made quick work of lacing up the fitted bodice while some tended to the layers of lace skirts that frothed around Gianna's feet. Satin ribbons were woven through the embellishments until they streamed behind her in elegant bows.

She was fairly certain she'd never seen a more extravagant bridal look in her life.

Twisting this way and that to admire the full effect, Gianna let her fingertips trail in awe over the raised floral embroidery and sculptural ruched detailing.

Oh if this was real!

This was truly heavenly she thought.

The final touches were applied; a glittering pair of teardrop crystal earrings, a fluffy tulle veil on her hair, and satin d'Orsay pumps with rhinestone buckles.

At last, Gianna turned to face the full-length three-way mirror, her mouth dropping open in shock.

On most sets she’d been to they would use the counterfeits of almost everything. But all she wore smelled of huge money. This must be a really huge project and it was also the most different of sets she’d been on. She wished her friend was there to see this for herself because Gianna knew words might not be enough to explain it when all of this eventually came to an end.

Somewhere in the distance, the sound of an organ swelled dramatically. Everyone turned in near-unison at the soft sound of her entrance into the room.

It was a magnificent vaulted space made up to look like the nave of a grand church. Rows of wooden pews were sparsely filled extras playing the role of guests. At the far end, standing under an arched backdrop festooned with more flowers and gauzy fabric, was the tall man from earlier, apparently her groom.

So he was also an actor…she silently mused.

The little 'congregation' was initially meant to be attended by only those necessary to the ceremony, like the officiant and the lawyers. Mason had never planned for his wedding with Olivia to be a grand affair in the first place. But since there was a quick change of plans, he had to let just about anyone into the hall to witness it, hence the dozens of random people in the room.

The first question that came to her mind was “where are the cameras?” There sure were cameras in the room, but not the usual kind befitting of a movie set. There was no crew either, no director, nothing.

This had to be one of the weirdest sets and scenes she'd ever found herself in, with absolutely no preparation or context given. Just roll with it and stay in character, that was the only thing she could do. Even if her "character" was essentially herself at that moment.

As she walked to the altar, the Mason gave her a look that was both quizzical and assessing, perhaps wondering if this last-minute bride would be up to the task. Gianna forced her features into a bright, blushing smile and let her eyes crinkle as if overwhelmed with joyful nerves.

The officiant began, "Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today to bear witness to the joining together of this man and this woman in the sacred union of marriage..."

On and on the officiant went, extolling the virtues of love and commitment. Gianna tried her best to stay focused and in the moment as the elaborate ceremony played out.

The officiant looked first at the groom. "Please state your name for the record."

"Mason Caldwell," he spoke clearly.

Gianna could swear she’d heard that name before…somewhere.

Then it was Gianna's turn. Wait, what was her character's name supposed to be? They couldn't possibly expect her to just make one up, could they?

The elderly officiant gave her an encouraging smile.

"Your name, dear?"

This was the time to fully commit, Gianna told herself. She’ll just say her name, and if something happened to be wrong with that, she was sure whoever the invisible director was would inform her and ask her to retake that part.

"G-Gianna William."

The officiant nodded. “Mason and Gianna. Please join hands and repeat after me."

She turned to . "I, Mason Caldwell, take you Gianna William, to be my wedded wife."

Mason recited, "I, Mason Caldwell , take you Gianna William, to be my wedded wife."

"To have and to hold from this day forward.”

"To have and to hold from this day forward," repeated.

"For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health."

He echoed the statement.

"To love, honor, and cherish, from this day forward, until death do us part."

The officiant then turned to Gianna.

"And now you, repeat after me. I, Gianna William, take you Mason, to be my wedded husband..."

Gianna stayed in character and steadily recited each portion of the vow as the officiant prompted her.

"I, Gianna William, take you Mason Caldwell, to be my wedded husband. To have and to hold from this day forward. For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. To love, honor, and cherish, from this day forward, until death do us part."

The wedding ceremony concluded with Mason and Gianna being pronounced husband and wife amidst cheers and applause from the gathered "guests."

Around the same time, Mason’s assistant rushed to the door, looking like he’d just ran a marathon, his jaw dropping slightly when he saw what was happening.

He walked quickly into the room.

“One moment sir,” he said to Mason who excused himself and followed him out of the room.

The assistant took a quick and cautious swallow before speaking.

“She’s not the one, sir.”

A faint scowl started to form in Mason’s forehead.

"What do you mean?"

“There’s been a mix-up. The woman I found is waiting upstairs, per your instruction. I was delayed due to traffic circumstances, hence my tardy arrival. And you weren't answering my calls, so…"

Mason narrowed his eyes even further as he turned his head back in Gianna’s direction.

Gianna assumed that was the end of the scene, as everyone else seemed to be moving about the place. She also stepped away from the altar, wondering what next, when a young woman holding Gianna's cracked phone came to her.

"Excuse me, ma'am? You have a call."

Gianna started, giving the woman an embarrassed smile as she took the phone.

"Oh, thank you."

She went off to a quieter corner, assuming it was probably her friend checking in on how the supposed "acting gig" had gone. As soon as she picked the call, her friend's voice came through the speaker.

“Gianna!”

Gianna was so ready to launch into an explanation of her bizarre experience but her friend spoke over her in a tense and impatient voice.

"Is everything okay? Why haven't you gotten to the set yet?! The director was so pissed when you were a no-show, he was regretting having me recommend you in the first place!"

Gianna slowly frowned. "What do you mean? I'm at the place right now, I just finished shooting some kind of...weird wedding scene?"

She glanced around the hall they were in, at the decorations and cameras set around the place.

"No, you're not!" Her friend insisted with a laugh of disbelief. "The guy who told me about the gig just called saying you never showed. Gianna...where are you right now?"

"But...I'm here," Gianna stammered, now feeling reality starting to bend and warp around her.

Her friend was silent for a long five seconds before speaking again, "Okay...hold on, just calm down for a second. You went to room 217, right? Like I texted you?"

Gianna felt her blood run cold as the pieces started fitting together. She quickly pulled up the text from earlier, squinting hard at the address through the cracked screen.

"It was...I thought…shit! I went to room 211," she replied hollowly, now noticing the slight difference in the numbers. She had misread the suite number due to her damaged screen.

"Oh my god..." Gianna whispered, then turned to look towards the door, where Mason was also standing and staring back at her.

“Sonia...I think I just got married..."