Chapter 57
Third POV
Nina stood at the door, watching the make–up artist put the finishing touch on Cecil’s face. She looked so beautiful on her special day that it brought back a few memories. Cecil had chosen a lace ball wedding
dress that would trail behind her when she walked. There was a silver crown on her head that pinned the veil and her braided hair behind her and kept them both in place. Nina didn’t understand the crown
when she first saw it, but now she does.
Cecil’s father, Hunter Reid, was downstairs, and her mother, Chloe Reid, was in the room for moral support. The bride’s maid and trail occupied the next room, and there were about five of them, all wearing matching royal blue dresses. Everything was in place, and in all but an hour, they would be at the chapel where the wedding would take place.
Nina always had reservations about Cecil; she didn’t trust someone who would date her friend’s husband immediately after his divorce. It showed she was never a friend to Imela, and that made Nina weary of her. Nina stopped visiting Oliver after he told her Cecil had moved in with him because she didn’t want to see her. Her actions and reactions weren’t because she supported what Imela did to Oliver but because she believed Cecil was no good. They had never gotten along, and a few times in the last four years, they had fallen out over the simplest things.
Cecil believed she hated her, and she wasn’t far from the truth.
Oliver cared about her, though, and chose to spend eternity with her. Today was the first step to their forever, and she had to be happy for them. This was also the first step to burying the hatchet that had existed for four years. She looked forward to a better future of love and understanding between the Planes and the Reids, one they didn’t get when she married Eddie McQueen three years ago.
She called Oliver last night to ask how he was feeling about the wedding, and he told her he felt good and instructed her to stay close to Cecil and keep an eye on her.
Ivory and Seth also came over earlier, and when they were leaving, Nina gave Jesse over to Seth to take home so she would do what she could for the bride without distractions. It would have been much easier if she had stayed at Cecil and Oliver’s place, but Eddie wouldn’t let her. He told her she needed to be there for Jesse, so Nina stayed home and came over as early as possible.
“You look so beautiful,” Nina said from the door where she stood as the makeup artist stepped away from
Cecil.
Cecil smiled and stretched her hand to Nina, who stepped forward and took it. “Thank you; I appreciate that you are here. I hope today can be the beginning of a long and healthy relationship between us.”
“Me too.”
fal Mistake
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The make up artist and dressmaker stepped out, and Nina went with them. She had less than an hour by the clock to return home to her parents and Seth before they would leave for the chapel. She couldart go with Cecil and her family, she needed to be with her son
She arrived home and searched for Seth, who was in charge of Jesse, to make sure her son was okay. She found them both dressed in matching black suits and blue ties. Seth was one of the groom’s men, along with Oliver’s four other friends, and Vivian was Oliver’s best man, as decided three months ago when the
news of the engagement broke.
“You two look adorable.” She gushed and stepped further into the room. The little boy’s blue eyes lit up as he recognised her voice.
“I know, right?” Seth laughed heartily and handed Jesse over to her. She took him and slowly rocked him.
“Have you been able to reach Oliver today?” Seth asked as he rolled his wheelchair towards the door. He was gaining the use of his legs, but since today would be a long day, it was best not to stress them.
“No, but I called him last night,” Nina answered.
“I’ve called him a few times; the first few went to voicemail, and now I can’t reach him,” he said.
Nina opened her mouth to speak, but she saw Ivory approaching, already looking fabulous in her silver dress, which touched the ground, while Robb wore a black suit with a silver tie matching Ivory’s dress.
They looked perfect for each other. “Mom, Dad, you two look great.”
“Thank you, Nina.” She smiled warmly.
“I was going to say the same thing, too,” Seth said.
“Well, thank you, Seth. We should go; the wedding begins in less than thirty minutes.”
They got into the car and drove off to the chapel. They made their way in after their arrival and found the chapel filled with guests and well–wishers.
Nina took the front seat along with her family while they awaited the groom and bride’s arrival. They had less than ten minutes. Then she remembered what Seth had told her about being unable to get to Oliver, and her heart clenched. She pulled out her phone from her purse to dial Oliver’s number, but his line was unreachable.
Cold sweat ran through her body, thinking of the worst, but she calmed herself.
A few minutes later, an announcement for the bride’s arrival went off, and everyone seated in the chapel rose. Cecil, who had the wedding veil over her face, entered the chapel, holding on to her father’s arm. She had a forced smile that slowly appeared–forced because in a normal wedding, the groom would be waiting for his bride at the altar, not the other way around.
Love’s Beautiful Mistake
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Chapter 57
Cecil and her father came to the altar, and he let her go and moved to his seat along with her bridesmaid. Her chief bride’s maid. Maggie Reid, and herself stood waiting
They had barely two minutes before the wedding, and the chapel priest would not tolerate lateness,
“Oliver, what the hell are you doing?” Nina mumbled under her breath, but Robb, who stood beside her, must have heard, and his attention moved to her.
“Where is your brother?” he demanded rigidly while staring at her.
She couldn’t speak; she didn’t know where he was, and Seth didn’t either. No one knew where Oliver was or why he wasn’t coming.
“Speak, girl!” he snapped impatiently.
Nina’s eyes travelled to Cecil, and she found her doing her best to stay calm while all eyes remained on her. “I don’t know; we can’t reach him.”
His grey brows furrowed murderously. “What do you mean you can’t reach him?”
A murmur went through the chapel, and it was obviously about the groom’s absence at his wedding.
It would be a disaster if Oliver didn’t show up, which was what it was about to be.
“What is happening?” Ivory asked, and Robb whispered to her the answer Nina had given him, and she gasped and covered her mouth.
“Is this a joke? What the hell is this?” Hunter demanded and turned his attention to the row where the Planes sat. “What type of person goes late to their wedding?”
“There is some sort of explanation. There has to be,” Ivory said, even though she didn’t sound so sure.
Cecil looked devastated at the altar, barely holding back tears.
Nina continued dialling Oliver’s number repeatedly, even though she received the same response every
time.
“He better show up and do what he’s supposed to,” Hunter said through gritted teeth.
A car stopped, and the eyes of everyone seated turned their heads to the door, anticipating Oliver to walk through with an apology that would put the hearts of many at ease.
Oliver didn’t walk in, though; instead, Vivian entered in his best man’s suit and tie, matching the one Seth, Jesse, and Oliver’s four other friends had on. His eyes held uncertainty in them with every step he took, and when he came to stand halfway in, he stopped.
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He shook his head in remorse. “I am sorry, Oliver is not coming,” he said, and the chapel erupted in a
bitter murmur.
