"I'm back in". That's all I get! After all the texts and calls that's all I get!
That woman is unbelievable.
"just your type sir" Jeremy said bringing me out of my thoughts.
"what?"
"you were thinking out loud sir"
"and you were listening"
"sir the thought was in the air"
"unbelievable" I said and resumed working on my computer.
"like I said, your type sir"
"yes back to that. She is so not my type"
"sir she challenges you, and you hate that and what you hate you actually like, so you're deflecting sir"
"Jeremy get out, it seems your usefulness has expired"
"thank you for the raise sir" Jeremy said as I resisted the urge to smile. But I managed a smirk. Jeremy can be serious and a clown, he's young, it's expected.
"so sir everything has been put in place for your engagement party tonight" Jeremy said.
"great. I want everything to be perfect. No mistakes. It must be real and believable. No one can and should not have a speck of doubt" I said to him.
"I assure you sir, everything will and is in order. I'm on top of the whole event. But the believable part, I believe it is up to you and Ms. Snow to make happen" Jeremy said and he did have a point. The whole 100 percent success of this thing depended on us.
"you are right about that. Have you contacted Ms Snow about the event?'
"yes. And I had the dress and all the accessories you requested sent to her"
"good. Thank you Jeremy. Now you are re-hired"
"thank you sir. And oh sir, your dry cleaner stopped by and asked for something to be given to you personally so I dropped it in your bottom left drawer of your table. For your eyes only" Jeremy said and look formed on my face, a missing would be too little for so much fuss, so what was it that my dry cleaner wants for my eyes only attention.
"thank you Jeremy" I said to Jeremy then he left my office. I then reached for the bottom left of my drawer and pulled it out and saw a small white envelope. I opened the envelope and saw its contents.
Shit!
~~~~~~~~~~~
I was standing in front of the full mirror in my room admiring my always good looking self in a tuxedo. I know people say I'm proud and in truth I am proud. It comes with the name, no Baxter hides behind the curtains. So no matter how badly I wanted to back out of this, I could not bear having that woman around. But I sure was planning to make this hell for her. The thought of this alone brought a wide smile to my face.
I was suddenly interrupted by the opening of my room door. I looked towards it and saw Jeremy standing in front of the rooms entrance.
"the guest are already arriving" he said.
"alright. And the Snows?" I asked him.
"they just pulled in to the drive way"
"okay. I'll be there in a minute" I said to Jeremy and he left.
I looked at the mirror and admired myself one last time. Everything was perfect. I took a deep breath and put my game face on then left the room. After all this effort I'm putting into this, my father better not go back on his word. And I would want to believe that my brother will be looking out for me when that comes, if it ever does. Speaking of which, I had not seen my brother. He was supposed to be here seeing me through all this, what are brothers for!
As I was still on that thought I raised my head up and saw Snow and her family walking in. and I had to admit, she looked good. They walked up to my parents and they exchanged pleasantries and did she not have a pleasant smile. Beautiful at that. They all went in while she stayed back, I assumed, she was waiting for me. As I was about walking towards her, I saw that her smile had faded. I looked at the direction she was looking at and saw my brother there. As he walked up to her, she took steps backward, like she was running away from him. And the look on her face, it looked all the blood in her face had been drained. She looked like she had seen her worst nightmare. Just the same way she looked at the dinner with our parents. And I didn't want to draw conclusions but maybe this was the reason she was upset and she… wait, could he be the reason that… that can't be. What was the link… what did he do?
I looked up and saw she angrily walks away, but her anger was laced with fear and it made me wonder all the more. Just before Eric could leave, I quickly walked over to him.
"Chris I …" Eric started but before he could say more I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.
"what did you do to her?" I asked angrily.
"what" he asked acting confused.
"don't act dump with me. Snow of course. Look you know what, I don't even care, what it is you did or what in hell happened but all I know is that, you might have been responsible for this engagement to be called off before. And that she is terrified of you and always angry when she sees you, it's like she sees her worst nightmares in front of her. So this is my warning to you, stay away from her!"
"please don't come here acting like some hero. We all know the marriage is fake. It has fake written all over it. So don't act like you like her or something. Besides you said it yourself that you don't care so stay out of it man. I love you but it's none of your business. Stay out of it!"
"it is so my business. Both of us are getting married so it is my business and I am not going to stay out of it. So real marriage or not, she is my woman, and what is mine, is my business. Stay away from her!" I said in a cold and angry voice, making known to him that I was drop dead serious. I walked away angrily and headed to the living room. As I got in my mom quickly came to me.
"where have you been" my mom asked and as I was about to reply she spoke up again. "forget it. The Snows have arrived and we have been waiting, let's go" my mom said completely oblivious of my expression. At least someone was enjoying this. She pulled my slightly as we ran-walked to the Snows. "And oh, you fiancée is beautiful" she whispered to me as we got closer to them. When she had dropped me off, she smiled and called the Snows attention.
"found him" my mom said.
"good evening Sir, evening ma'am" I said greeting the Snows. Snow's father gave me a cold dead look. I knew he didn't like me but I didn't care. In fact that's what made this fun.
"evening dear" replied Mrs Snow. I took her hand and kissed it just to spite Mr Snow. Then I took Snow's sister Jessica's hand and gave her a seductive smile and kissed it just to spite Mr Snow. Then I took my fiancé's hand, gave her a more seductive smile and winked at her, kissed her hand and placed a warm kiss on her check. Then I turned to face Mr Snow with a smirk on my face.
"Mr Snow, Mrs Snow…"
"Please, call me Caroline" Snows mom said cutting me off.
"Mr Snow, Caroline, I apologize for keeping you waiting. I promise it won't happen again" I said and as I saw that Mr Snow was about to speak, I spoke up again. "please without wasting time, let's head to the ball room" I said and took Snow's hand then we all headed into the ball room.
As we got in, there was an eager crowd waiting and anticipate the unfolding of the playboy's engagement party, or supposed engagement party as the papers and tabloids put it. Humans and the desire to be proven wrong, direct relationship.
I looked at Snow, as all the flashy lights rested upon her face, heightening her features and she looked real pretty. But that wasn't the focus. Focus Chris. I looked away from her and then realized that the time I looked at her various shots had been taken, at least her beauty was put to use. We continue to walk in and I heard some people whispering, couldn't make sense of anything or words that came out from their mouths, but as always it wouldn't be more than mere gossip. We got to a point where we stood still, then I wrapped my hands around her waist and we both up a pretty smile for the cameras.
Two shots and we moved on and headed to the centre stage and started to exchange pleasantries with our friends, or should I say my friends. And well her friends from work came, Gwen, Joe and Steven. And Joe was getting real friendly with Jessica, two points for my man. I tried avoiding those who wanted to chop my head off because I didn't chose them or their daughters and then anyone that looked at Snow funny.
"So how do you guys want to make this work?" a woman asked from one of my mothers friends as we all stood to chat. Well she wanted her daughter to marry me since we were kids.
"what do you mean?" I asked. Snow had remained silent since she came only speaking if spoken too, one would think she was quiet and refined. But I would think it would have to do with Eric majorly and partly with the stares almost all the guests gave her since she got in.
" I mean, she is a cop and you are a business man, the disparity in time isn't vague"
"not to add the social class"
"or race" two women said as they stood behind us pretending to be talking with themselves meanwhile their rapt attention was in our conversation. I felt Snow stiffen beside me and I looked down to see her clenching her fists. Now I understand the stares and silence. She had been keeping it cool, I don't know how much longer she could hold it in.
I looked at my parents and her parents who took it up immediately.
"if both of you are in this conversation, why don't you speak louder" Mr Snow said and then they cowered away. Now I see where she get's the attitude. She's just like her dad, but I had a feeling that she wouldn't take that as a compliment. I sensed some bad blood between them.
Bringing me out of my thoughts was the voice of the host sounding through the mic requesting me and Snow to come and give our speech. I took her hand and we moved to the front of the room. I took the mic from the host.
"I want to appreciate everyone for coming to my engagement party. Though on short notice, a lot of you still made it" I said let out a little chuckle and they laughed a little.
"anyways I still appreciate you guys. Mom, dad, I love you, thanks for your support. Stanley and Caroline Snow and Jessica Snow, welcome to the family. And to my lovely fiancée, I love you sugar pie" I said and gave a kiss on her check and she smiled, so real that I could believe it, thank God I'm not the one being deceived tonight. "cheers to us" I said and we clicked our glasses after the host took the mic from my hand. We were going back to our spot when someone whispered besides us,
"black woman, pfft, they don't fit"
"they won't last" another said but both loud enough for us to hear. Snow stooped in her tracks and pulled her hand out of mine and walked back and said something to the host in his ear asking to let her speak I presume, because he steeped aside and gave her the mic.
"good evening guys once again thanks for coming. For those of you that have concluded in your minds that I am marrying Chris for money, I want to let you know that your conclusions are correct" she says and everyone gasps and the guests start murmuring. "I wasn't planning to marry a broke guy when I wanted to travel the world with the man I loved. My vision has been clear from the start. So I'm going round the world with the man I love because he can afford it" she said and people started laughing. "and for those of you who are not colour friendly, please take note that we are now in the 21st century so I am a licensed to beat your ass whether young or old for such thinking and comments, also I'm an officer of the law. Thank you" she said and handed the mic back to the host. The people starred at her perplexed. Then she went back and took the mic after taking a few steps.
"also for those of you that think and have prophesised that this relationship, this marriage, that we will not last, well I've got news for ya, crash and burn because you ain't see nothing yet. Enjoy the view from hell as you watch us celebrate out 30th anniversary. Thank you again" she said with a broad smile and handed the mic back to the host and the whole place erupted with laughter and people began to clap and whoop.
She came to stand next to me and her friends who were behind us cheered her.
"Go girl. Show'em" Gwen shouted from behind.
"that's my sister y'all" Jessica also shouted.
"Snow" Joe shouted. Steven didn't, I couldn't expect less from him. The only person that doesn't know that Steven has feelings for Snow is Snow and there is no shock in that"
"that was hot" I whispered in her ear in a seductive way as I let my cool breathe fan her ear and kissed her ear. I looked at her and then saw her attention was elsewhere. And the next second all I heard was Snow scream.
"Baxter get down, everybody down!" and the next sounds that followed were sounds of gun shots.