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Authors: Nikita Lynnette Nichols

Amaryllis (11 page)

BOOK: Amaryllis
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“Jealous, of what?”
“Of your life and what you and James have.”
Michelle refused to believe that. “Jodie, that's crazy. Amaryllis is my sister and I'll share whatever I have with her and she knows that.”
“Michelle, sisters share their parents, clothes and secrets, not their men. Do you feel me, girl?”
“What are you saying, that Amaryllis wants to be me?”
“Uh, yeeaah. And you should keep your eyes and ears open where James is concerned. The man cherishes and adores you and he lets the whole world know it. A lot of women see that and want a man like yours for themselves. But there's only one James Bradley and you got him. If a woman can't get her own perfect man, what's to stop her from trying to get someone else's?”
“Girl, you're starting to sound like my father.”
“Doesn't that tell you something?”
“Amaryllis is my flesh and blood. I can't imagine her betraying me.”
“Humph, like Cain and Abel? Listen, Michelle, I know you love your sister and you're not supposed to imagine things like that, but that's where I come in as your best friend. I'm just looking out for you, that's all.”
“I trust James.”
“And you should because he's trustworthy. But we're not talking about James. It's Amaryllis you need to be asking yourself if you can trust.”
Chapter 11
After eating their share of pancakes, Michelle and her ladies arrived at One Magnificent Moment at a quarter 'til one. She signed her name in the registry, and five minutes later, a lady approached her.
“Hi, Michelle. I'm Tamara.”
Michelle smiled. “Hi, Tamara. These are my ladies. My sister, Amaryllis, is my maid of honor, my best friend, Jodie, is my bridesmaid, and this little cutie is Mya, my flower girl.”
Tamara gave them a huge grin. “It's nice to meet all of you. I have your gowns all set up for you. Follow me, please.”
Jodie grabbed Mya by the hand and the women followed Tamara to a room where their dresses were hanging and looking beautiful. The first thing Michelle saw was her wedding gown and she squealed with delight. “It's so beautiful.”
They wanted to save the best dress for last, so Michelle helped Mya into her dress as Amaryllis and Jodie tried on their own dresses. Mya jumped and twisted in the white lace and chiffon as she admired herself in the mirror. Michelle sat with tears in her eyes as she looked at her ladies in their gowns.
Amaryllis wasn't in a festive mood, but she did have to admit that the burnt orange Donatella Versace gowns that Michelle selected for her and Jodie were beautiful. Except for the need for a four-inch hem, their gowns fit them perfectly. Jodie was properly measured at the bridal boutique three months ago and because Amaryllis was still in Chicago at the time of the initial fitting, she had given her measurements to Tamara over the phone. They brought their stilettos with them and the gowns were still too long. Mya's dress was perfect, but when the time came for her to take it off, she had a fit. In the dress, she looked like a little princess and she knew it.
Michelle had even bought Mya a miniature tiara to match the one she was wearing herself. Michelle lifted the crown from Mya's head and she fell out and started rolling, kicking and screaming. She still had her dress on, so Michelle quickly picked her up. “You can't keep the crown on, Myaboo.” Michelle said. She sat Mya down on her lap and tried to unzip the back of the dress. Mya slouched down, then fell to the floor. Michelle looked at her mother. “Jodie, take this dress off of her.”
Jodie was busy getting out of her own dress. “Nope. You're always sayin' you want a house full of kids. Consider yourself in training.” Jodie turned her back to Michelle and continued undressing.
Michelle got on her knees and literally fought with Mya to get the dress off. When she finally pulled the dress over Mya's head, Michelle was out of breath. She sat on the floor and watched Mya throw a temper tantrum. Tamara knocked on the door and asked what all the fuss was about and Michelle explained that the little princess wanted to remain in her fairytale dress.
Mya got up from the floor and snatched the tiara from Michelle's hand and put it back on her head. Michelle took it off and Mya fell down again kicking and screaming. The kicking isn't what got to Michelle, but it was the piercing scream that was driving her nuts. She asked Tamara for the price of the small tiara.
“That particular style costs eighty-nine dollars,” Tamara answered.
“Can you please put in a rush order for another one?” Michelle set the tiara on top of Mya's head and she immediately stopped screaming. She decided to let Mya take that tiara home with her. Michelle figured she'd do the smart thing and order another one because by the time the wedding date arrived, the tiara Mya currently had on her head would be destroyed.
Mya stood in front of the mirror and started twisting and jumping again. She didn't even care that every time she jumped, snot dripped from her nose.
Michelle looked at Jodie. “You do this everyday, huh?”
“Everyday, all day; so as Bishop T.D. Jakes says, ‘Get ready, get ready, get ready.' ”
Michelle placed the back of her hand on her forehead. “I don't know, I may have to rethink some things.”
“You're a preacher's wife now, Michelle. You've got to set that great example.”
“What example?”
Jodie chuckled. “To be fruitful and multiply.”
“I did say that I wanted a house full, didn't I?”
“I believe those were your exact words.”
Michelle looked at Mya bending and chewing on the eighty-nine dollar tiara. “Lord, help me.”
With Mya satisfied and quiet, it was time for Michelle to try on her gown. Both Jodie and Amaryllis helped her. Between the two of them, it took twenty whole minutes to tie the strings of the corset on the Reem Acra couture white gown. They attached her train and put the tiara on her head, along with the veil, and stood back to admire her. Michelle was beautiful anyway, but the white gown accentuated her chocolate brown skin. With the dress fitting her every curve, sparkling at every turn she made, and the diamond crown on her head, Michelle was every bit a queen.
Mya walked up to Michelle. “Ooh, pwittee.”
Dressed in the strapless gown, Michelle looked at herself in the mirror. “It feels a little snug around my breasts.”
Amaryllis spoke. “That's because you're cursed like me with those double D's.”
“They are not a curse, they're a blessing,” Jodie said.
Michelle chuckled. “In what way, Jodie?”
“Sweet innocent, Michelle, must I teach you everything? We're gonna buy you a push up bra and stuff those coconuts in it. While you're walking down the aisle toward James, your cleavage will be wiggling and bouncing, and that, my virgin friend, will cause James to lose his mind.”
Michelle and Jodie laughed, but Amaryllis found no humor in it at all.
“I don't wanna look trashy, Jodie,” Michelle said.
“Not trashy, Michelle, but sexy is more like it. Remember how James acted a year ago when you came to church that night y'all met? You were looking as fine as you wanted to look and that messed him up. You had on a simple spaghetti strap dress. Imagine what it will do to him if you showed a little cleavage. Girl, he'll probably tell Bishop Graham to skip the vows and go right to the ‘I do's'. Then he'll pick you up and carry you to the limousine and go straight to the hotel for a quickie before the reception. You've had James on lock down for a year and you know he's set on go.”
The two of them laughed again. “Jodie, you are a bad, bad girl,” Michelle said.
“And in six more weeks, you will be one too.”
After they had left the bridal boutique, Michelle stopped at J.C. Penney to find a bustier that would make James' knees crumble.
“You're rubbing off on me, Jodie,” Michelle said as Jodie helped her into a hundred dollar strapless bustier.
“That's a good thang, girlfriend.”
Amaryllis didn't want to be a part of Michelle's venture to buy undergarments that would make James' head spin. She faked a headache and sat in Michelle's truck and babysat Mya while the child napped.
Michelle and Jodie returned to the SUV. The ladies were on their way to Jodie's house when Michelle's cellular phone rang. She looked at the caller I.D. and recognized James' number. “Hello, gorgeous. Not me, you are.”
Amaryllis' blood began to boil.
“The girls and I just left the bridal boutique for our fittings. My dress is beautiful. You're gonna love it.”
Jodie was sitting behind Michelle. She leaned closer behind the driver's seat and spoke loud enough for James to hear. “You're gonna explode.”
Michelle waved her hand, motioning for Jodie to be quiet. “Uh, she didn't say anything, baby.”
Jodie yelled again. “I hope you're a patient man, James.”
Michelle waved her hand at Jodie again. “Uh, she said don't forget our plans, James. Remember, tonight we're going out to dinner with her and Michael. Afterward, we're going to see the stage play,
Men Cry In The Dark.
”
 
 
Amaryllis and Michelle got home at 4:30
P.M
. Michelle had gotten the mail from the mailbox and saw the gold writing on an envelope. In the living room, Michelle set her purse, bags and keys on the cocktail table. “Jodie sent another one, Amaryllis.”
The puzzle piece showed the other half of a woman's back and butt, and the man's legs and thighs.
“I hope she's not sending me a picture of her and Michael while they're in the heat of the moment,” Michelle chuckled as she read the letter.
Nicholas Price has a little lamb, Whose fleece is as white as snow. Michelle is her name, Purity is her game. Being churchy is all she knows.
 
Michelle folded the letter and took it and the puzzle piece up to her room. “That Jodie is crazy.”
Amaryllis stood in the living room thinking to herself,
Three puzzle pieces down and four to go.
James rang Michelle's bell an hour early. She opened the door dressed in her red, satin robe. “Sweetie, you're early.”
James looked at his bride to be. Even in her robe, wearing no make-up and with her hair pulled back into a ponytail, Michelle was breathtaking. “I know, baby, but I've been waiting to see you all day. I couldn't stay away any longer.”
“That is so sweet, James. You always know just the right thing to say. You're good for my ego.” She pulled him inside and hugged him, neither of them realizing that Amaryllis was at the top of the stairs listening.
“I'm going upstairs to take a shower. Why don't you go into the den and watch television?”
“Okay, baby. I think a game might be on.”
As Michelle turned to walk away, James pulled her back to him. He started the kiss that followed, but it was Michelle that deepened it. When their lips parted, James was breathless.
“You trying to test me, Mickey? You better go on upstairs with that or else.”
“Or else what?”
“Or else I'll backslide and it'll be your fault.”
Michelle double dared James. She kept standing there, tracing his lips with her index finger. “I don't think you got it in you, preacher.”
James reached for Michelle again and she took off screaming and running toward the stairs. Amaryllis hurried into her bedroom on the third floor.
James chased Michelle halfway up to her bedroom, but before he could reach the top step, Michelle slammed her door shut and locked him out. James, laughing, walked back downstairs and got himself a glass of Kool-Aid. He took it into the den and sat down to watch television while he waited on Michelle. Amaryllis stood outside of Michelle's door and made sure she heard the water from the shower before she went downstairs.
James was into the television when Amaryllis came and stood nude in front of it. “Is this what you want?”
James was in shock. He looked at Amaryllis' body and had no doubt that it was just as built and beautiful as Michelle's. Alexander was right, they were identical in every way. But it was Michelle's body that he'd been waiting a whole year for, and he'd continue to wait until the night of their wedding.
He took his gaze away from Amaryllis' pierced navel and looked into her eyes. “Not from you.”
“Did you really think Michelle was gonna let you have her?”
“Let me tell you something, Amaryllis. I could have caught Mickey going up those steps if I really wanted to. I let her get away because I knew she was only fooling around. I respect my woman and I'm willing to wait until she's ready. Besides, there is nothing you can do for me. Mickey is all the woman I need.”
Amaryllis walked to James and straddled him. He pushed her off and jumped up. “Get off of me, girl. When Mickey comes down, I'm telling her what you're doing.”
Amaryllis gave James a wicked smile. “I dare you.” She turned and slowly sashayed toward the stairs. A moment later, she looked over her shoulder and caught James admiring her.
BOOK: Amaryllis
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