The Fixer — A Snippet

“It’s too hot for all of this,” Jamie said, taking off her shawl.

“You know Charlene always wanted to have an outdoor wedding. Dreams do come true, I guess,” Bree said sarcastically and looked around. She hated weddings.

She hated the overt display of love — it overwhelmed her, especially when it was happening to and for, someone like Charlene, who was just a lovable girl. She got emotional thinking about their first kiss and knew she would cry. As hard as her heart was when it came to men, she was billowy on the inside, the smallest feeling of romance crumbling her.

Jamie’s family sat on the left side of the garden and her aunt, Charlene’s mother, spotted them in the crowd and waved. Other guests started to take their seats and three violinists started playing Stevie Wonder’s “Overjoyed”. Bree shook her head, trying to stop herself from crying. Jamie looked over at her and chuckled.

“You can cry, you know?” she whispered to Bree as the bridesmaids started walking down the aisle with the groomsmen. They wore dresses the color of rosé and they glowed with the sunset.

“I’m not going to cry,” Bree whispered back, rolling her eyes. She turned towards the groom, Alan; a bald, bearded man with skin the color of sand, standing tall. They were instructed to stand as Charlene appeared from behind a tree, alone in her silk dress that ran down her slender body and dragged delicately on the flower petal covered ground. Her hair cascaded down her left shoulder and she smiled brighter than Bree had ever seen. She wasn’t wearing a veil, so her happy tears and bright red lips were shown. Gasps echoed throughout the crowd.

Bree turned and watched Alan’s eyes light up at her sight. He breathed in deeply and puffed his chest out when she got closer to him. Charlene stopped suddenly before reaching the gazebo and wept.

“Amen!” a woman screamed from the second row, fanning herself.

A lump formed in Bree’s throat. She told herself she wouldn’t cry.

Charlene made her way to Alan and they took each other’s hands. They laughed, both with tears in their eyes as the sun started to set behind them. Bree let a tear fall from her face. No one could deny the beauty of love right in front of them.

****

Bree cradled her second glass of champagne and smiled at the people on the dance floor. Deniece Williams’ “Cause’ You Love Me” blared through the speakers, and Bree bobbed her head along to the beat. She managed to make it through the ceremony and the first dance without crying but as she sat in the background taking in the scene, the room smelling of fresh roses and hydrangeas… she got emotional. She wanted love. She always wanted love — it just never seemed to want her back. Bree brushed the emotions away and finished the champagne.

“All the single ladies to the dance floor please!” screeched the mistress of ceremonies into the microphone. “Don’t be shy ladies!”

“Get on up there, girl,” Jamie said.

“Are you kidding me? Hell no,” Bree said. She chuckled at the idea of being herded like cattle to catch a bouquet that could or could not guarantee marriage.

“Last call for the single ladies!” said the woman again.

“I’ll go up there with you!” Jamie said with a smile. “C’mon. It’ll be fun.”

“But you’re not single,” Bree said, pointing to her wedding ring.

“If I catch it, I’ll give it to you,” Jamie shrugged her shoulders.

Bree followed her and stood awkwardly off to the side. The other women, most of Charlene’s bridesmaids, braced themselves to jump and push and shove for the coveted bouquet. Charlene sauntered to the front of the dance floor and shook the bouquet teasingly. Bree shook her head and folded her arms, not putting forth any effort to catch it. Charlene turned around and threw the red roses in the air. Even though Bree wanted to ignore it, she unfolded her arms and watched as it landed in her cradled arms. The crowd cheered and Bree shook her head in disbelief.

Jamie jumped up and down, her straight hair flopping around.

“Shit,” Bree said. Charlene walked up to her and winked.

“Those other bitches are mad, mad,” Charlene said. “Here’s to hoping Alan throws the garter to someone fine.” She bumped Bree with her hip and hugged her.

“By the way, thanks so much for coming, Bree. It’s so good to see you.” Charlene’s face lit up again.

“I’m so happy to be here.”

“Yeah, cousin. You are perfect tonight. Just so in love,” Jamie said.

Charlene blushed and shed a tear. It rolled down her cheek and settled in her skin.

“Oh, no, no tears.” Jamie said hugging her close.

“Baby cakes, it’s time for me to grab that garter off you!” Alan yelled to her. He patted the seat of a golden chair and winked at her.

She sat down in the chair and covered her face in embarrassment as Alan got down on one knee and buried his face under her dress. The crowd screamed! Charlene’s mother turned her face away and Charlene threw her head back with laughter. He finally came up for air and kissed Charlene on her lips. Alan swung the garter in the air with his pointer finger and about 10 single men, all lovely shades of brown with bow ties around their necks, lined up like the women did. Alan threw it and Bree held her breath, hoping it was someone fine who would catch the light blue garter. She could use a date for tonight. It landed on the floor and all the brave men that professed their single status, stood around the garter, gawking at it, not wanting to claim it.

“Damn, nigga, pick it up!” Alan punched a man in the arm, as he was the closest to it. He punched him back and picked it up. The crowd cheered as he waved it in the air, like he discovered a piece of gold in the dirt.

“He is fine,” Jamie said. Bree turned and looked at her, then back at the man holding the garter.

He was tall with skin the color of mahogany and he had a beard scruffy enough to show he cared. His brown eyes twinkled against the lights hanging in the room. He had a thick neck. A dimple formed on his left cheek only, as he smiled Bree’s way. Bree swallowed hard and smiled back. He started walking towards her and his bow tie unravelled around his neck. His walk was intentional, and every step he took made sense.

“Girl, if I wasn’t married, I’d jump his bones right here, right now,” Jamie whispered. Bree swatted her away as he approached. There he stood, right in front of her; and unsure why, silently she stood up too, continuing to smile at him.

“Hi,” he said. Bree was caught off guard by the sound of his voice–smooth, like his walk, and deep. She’d never heard a man’s voice sound like that before. He laughed a bit, and Bree’s thighs trembled in her jumpsuit.

“I’m Joey,” he said, holding out his hand.

“Bree,” she said, shaking it.

His hands were strong and soft, just like his face. In the middle of their introduction the photographer approached.

“You two! I have to get a photo of you. C’mon, pose with your prizes.” said the short, pudgy man. Joey wrapped his arm around Bree’s waist and she fit in perfectly next to him. She held the flowers up and smiled.

“Simply beautiful,” the photographer said smiling. They stood next to each other, silent and swaying to Stevie Wonder’s “Knocks Me Off My Feet”.

“You wanna dance?” Joey asked. He held his hand out and without a fight, she dropped her hand in his and walked with him to the dance floor. Joey scooped his arm around the small curve of her back, making sure to keep a safe distance from her ass. With his other hand, he held her arm up. They moved back and forth to the music and smiled at each other. He smelled like a bar of soap fresh out the box. She tried not to sniff him but she couldn’t help but breathe in deep and take in his scent.

“So, how do you know Charlene and Alan?” Joey asked. He looked down at Bree and focused on her eyes.

“Charlene’s my best friend’s cousin. We all grew up together,” she said, focused on his eyes. She hadn’t made deep eye contact with a man outside her bedroom in a long time and to her surprise, it wasn’t as uncomfortable as she imagined it to be. His eyes were soft and lit up when he smiled. “And you?”

“Alan and I grew up together, in Brooklyn.”

“Oh, so you flew from New York?” Bree asked. If she wanted to fuck him tonight — if she could, she may have only had tonight. There was no time, she thought to herself. But even the thought of having sex with him tonight made her feel terrible. He was better than a one-night stand… and she couldn’t disappoint Dr. Peters.

“Nah, I live here. Been here for a few years,” he said. “I love it too much to leave.”

They continued swaying and smiling at each other. Bree’s eyes changed as she realized she might have more time to get to know him.

“Yeah,” Bree said. “I can’t seem to leave either.”

“Ah, you’re a New Orleans girl? I knew it.” Joey chuckled.

Bree laughed with him, throwing her head back.

“Yes, in the flesh.”

The music stopped but Joey and Bree stayed hand in hand, chest to chest.

“What are your plans for the night?” asked Joey. The room got louder as the second line band started playing outside, almost making their way inside.

“Going home. Weddings always depress me,” Bree said with a smile.

“Wait right here,” Joey said. He made his way over to Jamie’s table and said something to her. Bree lowered her eyebrows, not sure where he or any of this was going. Jamie looked over at Bree and nodded. Joey walked back slowly, holding Bree’s purse and his jacket.

“Your best friend said I could take you to get beignets and bring you back home,” Joey said. He draped his jacket over his arm.

“Well, if Jamie said I could go, looks like I’m going,” Bree said. She didn’t know what came over her. Bree actually wanted to talk to him, not just sleep with him. She thought, was therapy working after just two sessions?