CHAPTER EIGHT.

DANIELLE'S P.O.V

   I stared at myself in the mirror of my vanity. The makeup artists and hair stylists had done a spectacular job; I looked breath taking.

   I opted for natural makeup because I didn't want to look extravagant. The hair stylists curled my naturally curly hair and held it together in a bun with hair pins with some of the curls framing my face. Pearl earrings dangled from my ears and a delicate pearl bracelet sat on my left wrist.

  The day I have been dreading for the past few weeks was finally here. The D-day.

   I should not have counted my eggs before they hatched by thinking my nerves would be calmed by the heart to heart I had with Alisia the night before. Letting myself relax in the belief that today would go smoothly was a big mistake on my part.

My hands shook in fear, and my left leg trembled from nervousness. I looked like I was having a spasm with the way my body was shuddering.

   I sat, staring at myself in the mirror as a rush of emotions swirled in my mind. I was scared, angry, and sad, but, I felt a little bit of excitement because this was to be my first marriage. I detested that it was not the fairy tale I had always dreamt of, and although I could not deny that I looked every bit of the princess I always thought I would, I  unfortunately did not feel like much of a princess at that moment.

"You look absolutely beautiful" Janelle said, patting my shoulder.

I looked back to see she and the other girls were dressed and ready. They looked gorgeous in their dresses; the make up and hair styles that Janelle and Alisia spent the entire night hunting for turned out to be worth the hours of perusing magazines.

"Are you ready?" Layla asked.

"I guess" I replied.

My friends gave me a reassuring smile and patted my shoulders gently.

"We'll be downstairs. Come down only when you're ready" Janelle said.

Alisia gave me a smile and thumbs up in the mirror and in return, I gave her a tight smile. They exited my bedroom and I felt a wave of loneliness almost immediately.

"Danielle?"

I turned to see Dad standing by the doorway.

"Dad" I whispered.

"You look beautiful. Like an angel"

"Thank you"

"Danielle, I'm sorry you have to do this."

"It's okay, Dad"

"No it's not. I should never have tried to force you into getting married against your will. It's just that you weren't hearing me out, and I don't have much time left. I want to secure your future, my sweet; I want you to have the best of the world while I'm gone."

"Dad..."

"You're the best thing to ever happen to me, my sweet. I would not be able to bear something happening to you. I trust that the Valentinos will protect you."

"Nothing will happen to me. Nothing will happen to you either. We'll get you treated. There's Chemotherapy, right? You'll be fine dad."

"My sweet"

I could not help myself;I could not hold my feelings back anymore. Because of Dad's illness, I agreed to the frivolous idea of getting married to a man I did not love. Without putting up much of a fight, I was compliant with Dad's dying wish, but now that the day had arrived, I was terrified of the reality of it all.

"Father, please. I'm so scared. You're all I have, I don't want to lose you. I want to take care of you, by your side. I want to stay with you, daddy. Please don't get me married to him."

"It's too late Dannie. It's all been finalized. The guests have arrived, the reception venue has been booked; everything is in place"

I continued to cry uncontrollably, not caring if my makeup washed away.

"I'm so scared" I whispered

"Don't be. I'll always be with you, I promise. If you have a problem, you can call me, I promise to be right there whenever you need me"

"Dad..."

"You'll always be my little girl, Danielle. I'm proud of you."

He gathered me into a hug, this action caused me to completely breakdown. I cried my heart into his suit jacket.

"I love you, my sweet"

"I love you too, Dad"

  "I'll leave you to freshen up. Come down whenever you're ready" 

  He pecked my forehead and exited the room. I dropped unto my bed, devastated. No amount of wishing or begging would change my fate. It was decided that I would be tying the knot with Adrian Valentino this afternoon whether I liked it or not.

   I sent for the makeup artist on stand by and she retouched my make up. Once I felt more relaxed, I went downstairs and met everyone waiting for me in the living room.

"I'm ready" I said.

  My friends smiled, tears threatening to fall down their eyes but the thought of ruining their makeup kept their tears at bay.

"Let's go" Dad said, holding my hand and leading me outside where an entourage of cars and body guards were waiting to take us to the chapel.

     

      THE WEDDING match resonated as the doors fling open and Dad led me into the chapel. I heard the guests whisper excitedly amongst themselves as they watched Dad walk me down the aisle where Adrian stood with Umar as his best man.

  Once I was standing beside Adrian, Dad patted and kissed my hand affectionately while dabbing the tears in the corner of his eyes with an handkerchief. He then left me to sit at a pew with the rest of the congregation.

  I spared a quick glance at Adrian.

In all our encounters, I had always seen him dressed in a suit but somehow, he still managed to look more dashing than usual in his white tuxedo today.

  The priest cleared his throat and started the program.

"Dearly beloved! We are gathered here today to witness the joining of God's son,Adrian Valentino, and God's daughter, Danielle Dawson, in holy matrimony"

"Dearly beloved, you have come together into the house of the Lord so that in the presence of the church's ministers and the community, your intention to enter into marriage may be strengthened by the Lord with a sacred seal" he addressed us.

"Adrian Valentino and Danielle Dawson, have you come here to enter into marriage without coercion, freely, and wholeheartedly?" he asked.

  Adrian and I looked at each other before answering in unison "I have".

"Are you prepared as you follow the path of marriage, to love and honor each other for as long as you both shall live?"

"I am" we answered together, again.

"Since it is your intention to enter the covenant of Holy Matrimony, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his church"

   Adrian and I joined our right hands and I felt a surge of electricity upon the contact. I looked at him the same time he looked at me.

"Now, it is time to confess your vows. Groom,repeat after me. I..."

"I, Adrian Valentino, take you, Danielle Dawson, to be my wife. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor you, all the days of my life." Adrian said, as he stared at me.

"Bride, repeat after me. I..."

"I, Danielle Dawson, take you, Adrian Valentino, to be my husband. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor you, all the days of my life." I repeated, not once breaking eye contact with Adrian.

"Should anyone present know of any reason that this couple should not be joined in Holy Matrimony, speak now, or forever hold your peace"

  He paused and looked around at the crowd. The chapel became deadly silent but no one came forward. The priest then continued with the ceremony.

  "What God joins together, let no man put asunder"

  The priest requested for the wedding rings which Umar produced from his suit pocket. The priest then proceeded to sprinkle holy water from the altar on the rings. He handed the rings to both Adrian and I.

  "The couple shall proceed to place the rings on each other's fingers"

  Adrian picked up my left hand and placed the wedding band on the same finger that the engagement ring is sitting on.

  "Danielle Dawson, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity, in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit" he recited.

  I also placed the silver wedding band in my hand on his ring finger.

  "Adrian Valentino, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity, in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit."

 

   "In the sight of God and these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss"

   Adrian looked at me for a few seconds, obviously debating whether to take the charade further by kissing me, or doing the opposite. Seeming to have reached a conclusion, he pulled me into his arms gently, and kissed me.

   I was shocked but I did not put up a fight. I could hear my friends hooting and applauding alongside the guests.

After a few seconds, Adrian pulled back from the kiss and stared at me with an unreadable expression on his face.

  "Go in peace to glorify the Lord with your life" the priest said, ending the ceremony.

  It was a done deal. I was now Mrs Danielle Valentino.

"Lord, help me not to kill my husband" I whispered in prayer as Adrian led me out of the chapel.