Chapter 42

Lamais's pov

Christilla and Kareem beamed while clapping with everyone else when Sis. Grant congratulated their parents on the successful wedding the day before. I smile remembering their surprised faces when I hand them the small suitcase along with my jeep key, and sent them away for an all inclusive honeymoon weekend at Star castle guest house. The announcement of Cushane and I wedding date had the church applauding and shouting excitedly.

I smile shyly as they made jokes at us then glance at Cushane who was looking at me proudly, my mother and older sister Dewette who was in attendance came and hugged me afterwards. I surprise my mother with her birthday present and she smiled happily, she thanked me over and over again when she open it and saw what it was.

I invited them over for dinner with me, Cushane and the children and we had a great evening together. When they ask about my wedding I avoid answering them, breathing a sigh of relief when Cushane leave with them to drop them off. I wanted my wedding to be with people who had been in my life and the ones who came and stay because of who I am, not family members who had avoided me for years.

There are times when I wish I could love them the way I love Shanty and her children, but I couldn't. Whenever I was ill it was always Shanty and her children by my bedside, looking back now my eyes filled with tears. Shanty was like an aunty or an older sister, she had stuck with me throughout the roughest and toughest times in my life. Now that her room was almost complete I knew the exact wedding gift to give her.

When Christilla and Kareem went to sleep, I went up to my room and got ready for bed. Cushane call and we spend hours talking on the phone, we discuss our wedding plans, honeymoon and so on, express our love for each other then wish each other good night.

The next morning was a busy one and a happy afternoon when the newly weds returned, I took Shanty that evening to a renowned furniture store and had her choose a bedroom set. She hugged me and started to cry, I tell her it was a token of my appreciation of her friendship over the years and a good employee. Her children marvelled at the price which was almost three hundred thousand when the delivery truck arrived, but in my heart she deserves even more.

I set up an account the very next that Christopher could make deposits to, then reasoned with him that evening. I was not chasing him and his family out of my house, but I was going to give him the money to build two bedrooms and a bathroom and he can pay me back little by little. I'll be needing my privacy and I did not wish to inconvenience myself all the time to please others, I wanted to enjoy life to the fullest. He was elated at the idea and lift up his hands praising God.

"Lamais, mi love the idea because mi e'll waan can say mi have a house. Mi nuh mean sey mi nuh thankful to yuh help ino," says Christopher.

"I know and I think Karly will feel even more proud of her husband," I tell him in a low tone.

He took my hand and shook it. "A real meds ino, and mi trust yuh judgement thoroughly," he says and I nodded.

The very next day we begin to put those plans into perspective, bro. Smith and others were ready to come onboard with physical help and Christopher started to cry after they left. He said he did not believe that so many good people still exist and wish he had known us all earlier, I tell him that things happen at the right time. We spend the evening talking as he and Karly fill me in on their past life, of all the fight and struggles they had been through. I encouraged them and we prayed together before going to do our duties before dark.

It was comforting to watch tv with the children and Karly that evening, whilst Christopher went fishing that night. Karly express her fears of him going alone and I got worried, I immediately tell Christilla to stand and read her father through her. He only had a small help from a man who must be the person he tells us he pays to help whenever Kemar didn't go with him. He was safe sleeping in the church van in the secured boat yard, so I breathe a sigh of relief.

Karly had all right to worry over him though, he was her husband and she cared about him. I will put it on my list to seek out if there was anyone available to accompany him if it's even on some nights, just someone with him to lend an helping hand they can sleep comfortable in the van like he and Kemar did.

The next day I met with the catering theme and made the last minute arrangements for my wedding reception, I had wanted it at a resort but Cushane thinks it's better to keep it here so that those who don't drive can come easily as they would church. He was right and it was cheaper, next was the decorators and I leave that up to him since he was the one paying for it and wanted it to be elaborate.

With a chase kiss he went away back to work and I continue writing the list of things that will be needed then schedule the hair, nails and makeup appointment for me and my bridesmaids. I had seven visitors in the afternoon and one almost bought all the 𝙏𝘼𝙉 𝙋𝙊𝙉 𝙄𝙏 roots, before leaving with a grin Shanty deemed as 'impotent and lacking.'

After boiling back some 𝙏𝘼𝙉 𝙋𝙊𝙉 𝙄𝙏 and 𝘽𝘼𝘽𝙔 𝙈𝘼𝙆𝙀𝙍 roots, I made a a small pot of 𝘿𝙀-𝙒𝙊𝙍𝙈𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙏𝙊𝙉𝙄𝘾. It will be full moon tonight to tomorrow and as usual Shanty wanted some for her and her children, Karly took some for her and her family and when Cushane came and heard us talking about it, he ask for some also.

At dinner we speak mainly about the wedding arrangements, the curry tripe and beans with steam white rice along with okra and sauteed vegetables on the side was so delicious. Karly whispered to me after that tripe and beans was her favourite and that it was the best she had eaten.

Cushane went with Christopher over to the land that they were cleaning up and fencing, when they came back bro. Kirkland and five other brothers was with them. I quickly scan the fridge to see what drinks were available to offer them, malta and fruit drink which were always prominent in my refrigerator. They went over to Christopher's land and I place the cold bottle drinks in a dish and tell Karly to take the opener and go and offer the men the drinks.

After I finished tidying the kitchen, I went to my outside kitchen and began labelling some bottles. Karly came and started helping while we waited on the men to finish talking, she says she hoped to have a useful outdoor kitchen like mines even after she had her indoor kitchen built also. She liked the way I had it designed with the shelves and storage spaces for just about anything.

The next day after the building blocks and some other materials arrived, Christopher brought the receipts to me and tells me that he wanted to be sure he wasn't being overcharged by the men. He explains that he was not very good at keeping proper checks, so I tell him to get a book and write down everything. Karly did so for him while I stood with them he scaled and clean up some fishes, when they had everything down correctly I tell them to always remember to write things dpwn so that they won't get mixed up.

Roelly came with my wedding dress that evening and some of Cushane's clothes, reality hit me then that this was actually coming through. Shanty was not allowed to see my dress because she had her wedding come up, she huffed bit didn't complain when Karly gets to come up and help with the fitting.

"Mi nah worry cause mi know if it nuh look good yuh nah guh wear it," she said when we came down.

I chuckle knowing she was fishing for us to tell her about the dress. "It's beautiful," I tell her emotionally.

She hugged me and said. "Anniversary celebrations will be kept as one big celebration for us."

"Hell nah! It will be three big celebrations and I will be very ready for them," Cushane says coming inside the house and surprising us.

My closet was huge and I didn't realize I had so much stuff, I hardly repeated my outfits and going through my clothes now I had totally forgotten some of the things I have. Tishawna and Karly was going to get some of my church hats and I'm promising myself not to buy another pair of shoes until I really need one.

I cleared out and made space, hanging up Cushane's expensive suites. In my head was the knowledge that arranging my closet wasn't going to be Shanty's duty anymore and I hope living with a man isn't going to be stressing. Karly calls me and I went downstairs to see Christopher accepting a brand new chest of drawers the exact replica of the one I had in my bedroom.

"Okay, well somebody has certainly gotten to work," I murmured to myself as they carried it inside and up the stairs.

To be continued....