Jacob
Double the Trouble
Our rehearsal dinner began immediately after we practiced our first dance. It seemed that the perfectionist wedding coordinator made us practice every move we would make. By the way Carlas conducted rehearsal, he would probably blow a gasket if I had to scratch my nose or sneeze during the ceremony.
After the stress of getting every minute detail right for two hours of rehearsal, I stood by the fountain watching my soon to be wife glide across the floor beside her mother celebrating the big day on the horizon. They looked divine as they laughed and enjoyed the evening.
Of course, I didn’t want to have an average rehearsal dinner. We made it into a small party with a few invited friends. Since I had no intention of having a bachelor party, this was it for me.
I grabbed a glass of sparkling water from the drink table and was about to go cut in on Ms. Clara when I stopped in my tracks.
“So you’re really going to marry her,” Justine picked up a bottle of water off the table and said.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding! What are you doing here, Justine?” I asked through tight lips. Justine being at this dinner would ruin the night for Destiny. I gently took her by the arm and said, “Step out in the hallway with me.”
“Jacob, I am over you and Destiny. At this point, I just want to forget we ever were lovers,” she said once we were in the hall.
“That would be in your best interest,” I admonished.
“I finally agree with you Jacob. You found the woman you love and I’m moving on too. I apologize for all the trouble I caused you two. I’m sorry for attacking her, sorry for sneaking into your house and making the sweetest love to you. Sorry for it all. If it will give you any consolation, I want you to know I’m not pregnant so we can both go on and forget that day in your house ever happened.”
“It’s a good thing you aren’t pregnant. I will never forget how disgusted you made me feel that day,” I said with contempt. “I’ll tell you what you can do with your apology. Take it and start trucking out the door and down the street with it. If you’re lucky, you’ll find someone far away from here who wants it. Just stay the fuck away from us!” I spoke in a low tone. It was a challenge to get my point across to her without alarming our guests.
“I’m trying to tell you that I come in peace,” Justine said throwing her hands up.
“I don’t want you to come in peace or war. If you keep coming around, you won’t have to worry about a court system. I’m going to handle you myself. Now, I think it’d be best if you found a quick exit,” I said, nudging her toward the door.
“Stop! I’m here with a date, Jacob. I’m Montie’s plus one,” Justine said as Montie stepped out into the hall.
“Is everything alright out here?” Montie asked.
“Everything is just fine, Montie,” Justine said with a fake smile.
“I see you two have met. Tracye, you probably know of Jacob. He’s the big cheese here in Miami,” Montie said, jokingly patting my shoulder.
“So you told him your name was Tracye?” I asked, even though I wasn’t shocked she was up to her old haphazard shenanigans.
“You two know each other?” Montie asked with a look of confusion creeping onto his face.
“Unfortunately, this is the woman that attacked Destiny. This is Justine, my ex.”
“The one who put her in the hospital?” Montie asked. Every ounce of cool left him as his head whipped around to face Justine. “The fuck kind of game you been playing with me?”
“Montie, I swear I haven’t been playing with you.”
“The hell you haven’t. You told me your name was Trayce,” Montie said yanking his arm away from her when she attempted to touch him.
“I didn’t tell you my real name because I was afraid you would judge me before you got to know me. But everything that’s happened over the past two weeks has been real. You have to believe me.”
“You know what, I don’t want to hear anything you have to say. I would never knowingly bring anyone around the mother of my kids who tried to hurt her. Jacob, I meant no disrespect bringing her here,” Montie said looking sad.
“That’s alright Montie, man. I know you didn’t mean any harm. Justine is a cold piece of work,” I admitted.
“You would know better than anyone, Jacob,” Justine said with high insinuation.
I wringed my hands together as a reminder of how they almost choked the life out of her the last time they touched her. “What I know is that you better get out of this reception hall.”
“Montie, are you going to let him talk to me like that? I’m still your invited guest.”