Dangerous Games

CORAM DEO

Samuel adjusted the lapels of his suit and grinned at a joke Reggie told the other guys in the room. He didn't have it in him to do much. His thoughts were rampant, filtering between Flora and his impending wedding. The original plan was to prepare alone and get to the church, but Holland the youngest of his friends, had a brilliant idea to celebrate the day before. As a replacement for the "abomination" of not having time to prepare a bachelor party before the wedding.

Samuel reluctantly agreed and found himself in better spirits the evening before the wedding. They had spent some time at a local bar, which they bought out for themselves, and returned to the hotel to finish the celebration. The conversations and their presence were a temporary band-aid for his gushing wounds, and he welcomed the distractions.

It was only by grace that they were able to wake up early.

Standing on a round stool, he looked straight at the mirror as Justice used a lint roller on his black suit. The other guys helped each other get ready behind him, dressed in black suits with a grey rose pinned below the breast pocket of their suits.

His sister, funny enough, would have barged in by now to demand order were she there. All the boys listened to her every command, feigning terror whenever she barked at them, only to laugh a few seconds later. He solemnly wondered if he would have been more affected by her absence if he was marrying Flora.

Samuel smiled sadly. He would have loved her support, or at least her presence, but he was undeniably glad when she told him she couldn't make it. If she attended, Ember might notice that he wasn't content with all that was happening, no matter how he tried to hide it. No matter how he smiled or laughed, he wasn't okay with any of it.

Even worse, news of his wedding had spread like wildfire. Samuel suspected that Flora would have heard a few of the details already. No matter how hard he tried not to think of her, he couldn't help it. There was a budding fear that caused his chest to ache. He hoped Flora stayed away from the wedding.

It hurt enough to be marrying someone else. It would feel like an execution if she was there to witness the whole thing.

"Hey man, vanity doesn't look good on you. Your eyes are plastered all over that mirror. Did you fall into another dimension?"

"He is about to." Peter piped from behind, lifting a champagne flute at Rick as he winked. "He is about to fall into the dimension of the married."

"And even though he tried to hide her from us, because, of course, she can't find out how much better she can do, I have seen his bride." Vicente threw his hand over Samuel's shoulder, pulling him closer and slapping him hard on the chest. "For a bookworm, this guy gat taste."

Samuel elbowed him in the abdomen, and Vicente stumbled away in pain. "I should have stipulated that my groomsmen remained silent before, during and after the wedding."

Holland handed Samuel his flute, and all the others gathered around to make a toast. They were all dressed, their face bright with excitement and joy.

Fredrick cleared his throat as he took it upon himself to give the speech. "To our friend, Samuel. Who has finally decided to enter the world of the married? We don't know how you charmed her, but we wish you all the happiness in the world."

Everybody cheered as they all raised their glasses high before drinking. After another round of cheers, they walked left the room to get into the cars parked downstairs. Since his mother insisted that his torture wouldn't be a boisterous affair, she had made the reservations for the wedding to be the talk of the town. The wedding was going to take place at their church, while the reception would be held in the hall of the hotels they had moved into. After that, she had the tickets for their honeymoon also delivered to him. He wasn't sure was a month in Bora Bora would do for him, but he knew he had to accept it. All part of the deal.