Wedding(1)

Janice darted to the washroom in the cathedral for the umpteenth time as she felt the powerful urge to pee.

She groaned, checking out her reflection in the mirror as she rinsed her hand. Her tired and sunken eyes gazed back at her.

She always looked her best and hardly looked like this. She wanted to stay back as soon as she woke, but she had to keep up appearances since it was her best friend's wedding. 

Moreover, she was the matchmaker, which means she needed to be present to witness all of it.

Janice had called in sick, but her friend, Maggie, had almost bitten her ear off through the phone.

She indeed looked pitiful, Janice noted, as she stared at herself once more.

She inhaled deeply, and let it out slowly as a familiar wave of nausea surged through her.

“Not again!” She winced as her stomach did a flip-flop.

“Please, let me just have today for myself. I promise to lie back for the rest of the week as you wish.” She pleaded, resting her hand on her taut stomach.

Still, it paid no heed. Janice darted towards the toilet to empty the content of her stomach in it.

She winced as she felt a pang in her stomach. She ate nothing since morning because she knew what the outcome would be if she did.

“How would I go through today?” She asked herself.

A soft rap sounded on the door, followed by a, “Who's in there?”

“I'll be out soon,” Janice whispered, but loud enough for the person outside to hear her.

She rinsed her mouth, then popped gum into it to take away the bitter taste in it.

She wiped her lips, then redid the lip gloss that had smeared on her lips.

She straightened, tucked a stray lock behind her ear, and whispered whilst gazing at her reflection in the mirror.

“Be nice to me.” She patted her stomach gently, then stepped out.

The person waiting outside the restroom for her staggered inside as soon as she stepped out.

She must have stayed too long for her to feel that way, Janice mulled.

Janice's nose wrinkled, and her lips curled up in disgust as she heard the sound of what could be a fart, followed by the sound of poo.

“Gosh, this is the last thing I wish to hear right now.” She grumbled. 

“Please, try to cleanse your stomach because this place stinks!” Janice hollered before darting out of the restroom.

She tossed the gum in her mouth into a nearby bin as she imagined chewing farts.

“Ugh!” She moaned.

Luckily, she had two more gums on her. She slipped one into her mouth and resumed her chewing.

As she got to the venue where the reception was taking place, she let out a relieved sigh as she noticed nothing out of place. 

Janice liked everything to be orderly. That was the reason they knew her as the best matchmaker and event planner in this small town. 

Also, her charges weren't exorbitant like the others.

Though she was only twenty-six years old, she had planned a lot of weddings in her lifetime to see how happy couples could be.

Moreover, she had seen how it could crumble within seconds as well if the couples didn't see eye to eye or when they realized they weren't compatible after living with each other for a long while.

That was her case. Her father had given her mother a divorcement paper when she was barely a toddler.

After staying together for twenty years, her father found someone whom he said was the one for him, according to what her mother had told her. 

Janice was the last of three children, and she didn't get to know who her father was, since she had been with her mother for as long as she could remember.

Again, she loathed the man called her father for leaving her mother, for not staying true to the vow they had shared on the altar.

Plus, Janice was more like her mother, since she never had luck with men either.

Most had stayed longer with her because of her pleasant personality, whilst the others hadn't had a choice.

They all had told her this whenever they decided to call it off at their convenience.

Janice wondered if she was the one not paying much attention to her love life or if men were just being the jerk they were.

They were after body, demanding to have most of her time with them and when they realized she couldn't offer it to them, they would eventually run away.

It wasn't entirely her fault, because she hardly had time for herself. She was in her office most times planning one event or the other, as people started recommending her to their friends.

Janice desired to be successful in whatever she did. That was the path she had wanted ever since she knew she had a passion to match people.

The most exhilarating thing was that none of the people she had matched had ever called it a quit. That was one of the things that made her a success.

Her gaze travelled around the vast cathedral that consisted of about three hundred guests, which were mainly from the groom's family, to witness his day.

Maggie looked radiant as ever, Janice noted, as she stared at her. She had helped in choosing the elegant dress she donned.

It was a strapless wedding dress with embroidery on the bodice, and rhinestones and pearl beads were scattered on the gown. It looked ordinary, but it cost a fortune.

The minister nodded and asked, “If anyone objects to the marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

Janice counted to three, and as assumed, no one said a word. 

“With the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.” The minister declared.

Janice giggled as the crowd roared when Jeremy lifted the two-tier veil off his wife for a kiss. It was sweet and brief.

She watched as a broad smile lightened Maggie's face. The same appeared on Jeremy's as well.

Even before Maggie had come to her for help, Janice knew it would be a splendid match, since she had seen the way Jeremy looked at her. Not in a perverted way, but rather lovingly.

She met Jeremy and Maggie at a ball party five years ago, and they had been together ever since.

Maggie was an actress who at first had thought of quitting her job or running off to elope with the love of her life since the queen-Jeremy's mother had deemed her incompatible to be part of the royal family.

Janice had rolled her eyes and dismissed it. Also, she had encouraged Maggie to follow what her heart says, but not by doing the wrong thing.

She didn't quit, and the queen accepted her, though reluctantly.

“At least Jeremy accepted her.” Which was something.

Unlike her, whom all the men had been running away from.

A grin lit up Janice's face as she noticed the joy in the couple.

That was what she wanted. Everyone she matched should be happy with their matches and not see it as an obligation.