Chapter 4

If it were April, I'd have ruled what was going on as a mere April fool's prank but it wasn't so. What was going on? Why was mom on the pulpit with her best friend, Uncle Richard? Where was Uncle Richard's wife? 

The questions formed in my mind in great numbers, even though answers were not forthcoming. 

Mom whirled and overlooked me with a beaming smile all over her face as if daring me to be happy for her, but I shot back a look that said otherwise. 

She returned her attention back to the priest who had now begun reading some scriptures, maybe from the gospel of Mathew or John or book of Isaiah, my senses weren't too clear to know.

At that instant, I felt as much like running away from the church and never coming back, running as fast as I could back to my dad. 

"And do you take Richard Palmer to be your lawful wedded husband?". I strained my ear to hear what mom would say. She veered around and faced me again, but this time, the smile was no longer on her face, all that I saw was the face she made in times of determination. A face I recognised very well because I had picked up on that habit. Then like the passionate goddesses in movies, she turned and faced the priest again. 

"Yes I do "

The breath rushed from my lungs while surprise rooted me in place for long seconds. Treachery, treachery was all I could think of. 'Mom has let dad down, and I wonder for just how long she had been doing it. Maybe five years, or before I was born or before she and dad knew each other'. 

My mind was in pain, my body too exhausted and shaken by what she had done. I shut my eyes instinctively, refusing to see mom and uncle Richard kiss...wait a minute, would he expect me to call him dad now?. Will Chris now become my broth…….

The words trailed off from my thoughts even as I imagined them. I raised a finger to my eyes and rubbed them gently to stop the tears threatening to rush down. 

For seven years, I had not seen Chris but even at that, it was pretty clear that I still had a chance at him. The crush I had on him happened a long time ago, but when I was 13, it passed away....or so I thought until I met his dad today. There still existed a chance, though slim, till now...It seemed, hard and unbelievable as it was, I had a crush on my stepbrother. 

No!

No, was all I could think of. I heard the voice in my head again, loud and clear;

No!. 

Uncle Richard Palmer wasn't going to be my father, nor was Chris Palmer going to be my brother. It didn't matter that he and mom were now wedded, because I wasn't going to accept him. 

"I now pronounce you, Man and Woman. May you kiss the bride" 

Long seconds later, I opened my eyes to watch mom and uncle Richard smiling and waving back at the cheering guests. The recession began immediately after that. The flower girl and ring bearer, followed by the maid of honor and best man joined them sooner down the aisle. 

"Kid, you're the bride's daughter right?. You gotta join them for the photo shoot. I see you're not happy for your mom but you can't ruin something this perfect". 

A lady sitting next to me whispered. I stared at her face but didn't recognise her. She smiled and said. 

"It's alright to be angry, but you still have to join them". 

I didn't say a word but got up and joined the crew. Mom hugged me in a tight embrace like it was the last time she would.

"Thanks, baby girl", she whispered. Uncle Richard was too busy returning smiles and waves to notice my presence. I looked around but didn't see any sign of Chris. Wasn't he supposed to be here? But then maybe he decided to stay with his mother instead.

The photo shoot came next. Many people rushed to take photos with the newlyweds. After I had taken with mom, uncle Richard and some others I didn't know, I sat on a bench and watched others opt to take with uncle Richard alone.

Many, particularly kids, went crazy when Granny Lil Valley joined moments later. Even then, I contemplated running away but decided against it when mom looked at me with a pleading face. 

"Hello, are you my new sister?" said a little boy, not more than 4 or 5 years old. He had bushy brown hair and a pair of purple eyes, ones I had seen only a single person in my life…..Chris. He wore a suit only as dark and bright as that of uncle Richard. 

"Umn….I...d-don't...K-know" I stammered, unsure of what to say. Then I realized the boy had taken a four-man photo with uncle Richard, Mom and me. 

"I'm Anthony and you are big sis Melina right?. Dad said I'd meet you today..". Suddenly, he clutched me in a tight embrace, and that was when I knew he was uncle Richard's last son.

I pulled him away just when mom approached us. 

"Hey mom" Anthony clutched mom in the same tight embrace as he had to me.

"Hi, go to the car will you, I want to talk to your sister okay,"  Mom said with a beaming smile before releasing him. 

"I know right, God, I'm so happy". She exclaimed but I remained silent and she continued "I've been waiting for this day my entire life. I didn't believe it would ever be possible".

"Mom, how could you?". I said barely in a whisper because I didn't want people to hear me. 

"What are you talking about baby?." The smile on her face fled, replaced by confusion and doubts. 

"How could you leave dad?". I tried again. This time, I couldn't help but let the tears flow down my cheek unhindered. 

"But we've talked about this right". Either she didn't understand what I was talking about or she was both a cheat and a pretender. She continued talking. 

"The reception starts at 4 pm tonight. I'll explain everything to you later". 

"You better do". That was all I could say. I wiped the tears and left her there, on my ride back home. 

Tables were set up in the yard filled with varieties of foods and drinks. Some of the guests no longer wore the suits they had in church, most had simple jean pants and t-shirts, while others had designers. 

Across one of the tables, uncle Richard stood in a large group of people. He looked relaxed, seemingly in his element, an easy smile making his extraordinarily handsome face even more gorgeous. It took me a while to register the cameras and pressmen around him. It made sense since he was a rich businessman. 

"Wooo, Zeus' beard. Why didn't you tell us it was this massive?" A familiar voice said behind me. 

"Hah, she wanted all these for herself" I turned to meet the faces of Julian and Emily. I hugged them both like my life depended on it. 

"Geez, you rock girl,"  Emily exclaimed, with eyes scanning me from head to toe. 

"Thanks, I'm so glad you guys are here". I couldn't be more grateful. 

"What are you doing here anyways, aren't you supposed to be at Darren's party?" I asked while opening a can of soda I had taken from a waitress earlier.

"Who?" Emily chipped. 

"Darren, you told me you had a pool party with...at this time right?". I took a sip of the soda, then almost gulped it all down. I didn't realize I was this thirty. The last I remember eating or drinking was about seven hours ago on the plane.

"You mean that Darren over there?" Julian pointed her finger. I turned in that direction to see a group of people a few meters away. Darren and some of my other classmates stood, either eating or trying to roast more pork on the barbecue. That was when I looked around me to see many of my classmates. 

"Oh. Ok, that's…..weird" I finally let out. 

"Oh come on, Melina, school resumes in barely two days. Guess what, we've gotta chill while we still can". Emily shot. 

"That was the whole idea behind the pool party till we got news of RichValley-made party going on here," said Julian.

 I shrugged "I didn't say anything". 

"Sis" I heard Anthony calling from a table just a few meters away from me. "Join us please"

If my schoolmates hadn't come to the reception, I wouldn't have joined Anthony or even been around, but it wasn't the case at the moment. Many of them were at the table and a few tables around his, most importantly were The Puff Girls.

Rose, Penelope, Scarlett, and Camila were the hottest girls in school who knew how to make boys go crazy. They made friends only with those who were popular or rich. I almost wondered while they even chose Anthony's table but realized they must have known he was uncle Richard's son. 

"You have a brother already?" Julian asked in a whisper.

"Yeah, it looks like it" I replied softly but added "Let's join them".