Nervous

15

jonquinette

Darnetta showed up at my apartment fifteen minutes early. I was ready but I didn’t have my hair done. I let her in and ran into the bathroom to throw it up in my habitual bun.

“Jon, do you need some help?” Darnetta yelled from the living room.

“No, I’m fine.” I glimpsed in the mirror and thought about applying some makeup. Then I thought better of it. I wasn’t trying to meet anyone so why try to enhance my appearance.

I just smeared some lip gloss across my lips so they wouldn’t chap and told Darnetta that I was ready to go.

When we got to the church, it was packed. I had never been to that particular church but I had heard a lot about it. Apparently, it had one of the biggest congregations in the city. At least half of them must have been present, which led me to believe that the groom was very active in the church.

“Darnetta, thanks for inviting me,” I said after we were seated in a pew.

“No problem. Thank you for coming. Since Logan’s in the wedding, I didn’t want to sit out here by myself.”

The processional music started and I was dazed when the groom and best man walked out from the pastor’s study and took their places at the altar. Mason was the best man.

I exhaled a deep breath and Darnetta stared at me. “Something wrong?”

“No, it’s just funny because the best man just moved into my building a little while ago.”

“Oh, you mean Mason?”

“You know him?”

“I didn’t until last night. I met him at the rehearsal dinner. Girl, he’s too fine and nice as hell. You need to jump on him.”

I blushed. “No, he’s just a neighbor but I hope he and I can become good friends.”

“Friends?” Darnetta asked. “You need to be friends and lovers. I asked him if he had a woman last night and he said no. You better snatch him up before someone else does.”

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Um, I’m not really looking for a man right now.

Work is keeping me pretty busy.”

“Forget that stupid job. Besides, it can’t keep you warm at night or blow your back out. Know what I’m saying?”

Darnetta laughed and I faked a smile. We both got quiet as the rest of the wedding party marched in from the back of the church.

• • •

The wedding ceremony was beautiful. When the minister pronounced them man and wife, I almost cried. The couple was extremely cute together. Smitty and Robin had met in college and dated on and off for more than six years before deciding to tie the knot. At the reception afterward, many people stood to toast them and reflect on funny times the two of them had been through. I had trouble hearing some of them because Darnetta was too busy acting jealous about the bridesmaid that Logan had to escort throughout the entire evening. I tried to tell her that it was no big deal. I had never had a man and even I knew that. He was simply doing what he was supposed to do; escorting the woman down the aisle and into the reception as well as sitting beside her at the head table. When they had the first dance and the wedding party joined in, I could feel the steam emitting off Darnetta when Logan had his arm dangling from the woman’s waist.

The caterer had it going on. The food was delicious. They served gulf shrimp cocktail, blue crab claws, lobster bisque, smoked salmon, antipasto, shrimp and scallops scampi and veal chops. I was so stuffed that I thought I would burst out of my dress by the time they served the cake, which was incredible as well.

Mason had spotted me during the ceremony. I lowered my eyes in shame. Why, I don’t know. I just felt embarrassed to run into him there. During the greeting line on the way out of the church, I paused just long enough to shake his hand. He pulled it up to his mouth and kissed it gently. Then he leaned in closer to me and whispered, “We’ll talk at the reception.”

The reception was more than halfway over and he hadn’t said a word to me. I found myself wondering if he had a woman present after all. The maid of honor, who he had to escort, was not eye-catching at all but that didn’t mean she lacked a great personality.

Darnetta was elated when Logan finally rescued her from the table where we were seated.

“Logan, you remember Jonquinette that works with me,” Darnetta stated, even though I had never met the man before. I had only heard about him day in and day out and seen his picture.

“No, I don’t recall having met,” he replied. “But it sure is a pleasure.”

I stood up and shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Logan. I’ve heard so much about you.”