Chapter 3 Crazy Aftermath

It was the morning of her wedding. She tossed it onto the other side of the bed. It was empty. Was she dreaming last night or was there an actual intimacy? She lay there sprawled on the bed, feeling extra lazy to stand up. Just then, it occurred to her that it was the 22nd of October and that was her wedding day.

She sprang up immediately, like one being stung by a bee, her eyes searching the room, it was empty. Why wasn't anyone here already? Her phone began to beep, it was Joan. She instantly picked up the call.

"Darnell? Can you open the door? "We've been out here for a while now," Joan replied in frustration.

"What? "Hold on, I'm coming..." the phone fell off her head as she looked under her duvet. She was naked. How the hell is she naked? What happened last night?

Her mind then casts back to the intense love making between her and Daren.

Was it Daren?

Her eyes blistered in tears, her world was crumbling done, but there was no way she would have thought she had a nightstand on the day of her wedding. What was going on? How was she going to explain this to Daren?

The knock interrupted her, with Joan's voice from outside

.

"Darnell??" She got up, heading to the door as she opened it.

"Finally.... "I thought you had died or something." Joan noticed the redness in her eyes, then turned to the make-up artist.

"You can go in and set up. "We'll be with you shortly." The make-up artist nodded, then walked inside as Joan's gaze moved to Darnell.

"What's wrong? "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Darnell broke down in tears. "The worst has happened, Joan."

The smirk of unseriousness instantly wiped from Joan's face as she sensed how intense the situation was.

"What? Why?"

"I slept with someone that's not Daren." She broke the horrible news.

"Wait what!?" Then proceeded to bust into laughter. "Tell me this is one of your jokes?" Joan resorted her eyes leased in confusion.

"It's not Joan....my whole life is a mess...I can't deal with this. "How do I look Daren in the eye?" She began. Joan stared at her in utter awe, not knowing what to say or do.

"Take a deep breath, you have to attend your wedding. And we'll deal with this situation later."

Darnell glared at her, "What wedding? I couldn't go to the altar knowing I had cheated on Daren. "It would kill me," she began, her face twisted in fear and frustration.

"So what do you want? Be the runaway bride? "We did not know this man you had a one-night stand with and here you are on the verge of getting married to the sweetest man on earth, and you want to chicken out." Joan resorted, and she stepped in, shutting the door as she walked up to the makeup artist who's being setting up.

"You can glam her up now." They turned to Darnell, "A wedding can't wait, but an explanation can." She stated. Darnell was unsure, but thinking about it, Daren would never know if she didn't tell him.

***

Standing at the entrance of the church, Darnell stood behind the veil as she took a deep breath. This was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, but her innocence was gone to a total stranger.

The music began playing like a thousand years ago by Christina Perri. She walked down the aisle with her stepmother and father, who handed her one to Daren, whose grins were still wildly open.

Darnell turned to Joan, who tried to calm her down. Marina noticed the tension before asking

"What with Darnell? She doesn't look happy."

"She's just a little bit under the emotions," Joan added in her defense.

Marina frowned, then adjusted herself to the seat as she turned to Darnell and Daren.

Do you take Daren Cobbler to be your lawfully wedded husband to love and cherish for the rest of your lives, in sickness and in health? "Say I do." Darnell heard the priest say. It felt like her words chocked on her, but she couldn't decipher what to do, her eyes mustered in tears as she stood frozen in time.

Then began the murmuring from the guest as they wondered if she wasn't as excited as any bride could be.

"I..." just as she was out to sign a done deal, gunshots were heard from the congregation.

"Bang!"

Fear crept into Darnell's face as she fell in hiding with Daren.

"You are not thinking of getting married to another man after our fun last night, are you?" She heard a voice which sounded so familiar to her. Darnell lifted her face to meet the stern glance of Elvis De Luca.

"What the hell is going on?" Marina asked, confusingly. Daren turned to Darnell,

"What is he talking about? "What night?" he asked, with his face laced in confusion.

Darnell couldn't talk, it was the end of the road for her. She knew she couldn't run away from this strange man, but the love of her life was staring at her in disbelief.

"I cheated..... Daren" she blurred out, Everyone gasped as she broke down in tears. "Believe me, Daren, I was drunk and didn't know what happened or how it happened.... I just couldn't get down with the ...."

Before she would complete her sentence, her mother stepped right in, slamming her hand across Darnell's face,

"You are a disgrace to this family." Her face, which never beheld a smile, frowned more,

"Mom!" Marina stepped in to defend Darnell. "Why would you do that to her?"

Darnell stood there with her eyes clouded in tears. She stared at her own mother, who never seemed to like anything that had to do with her. Maybe she deserved this.

"You cheated on me? "After everything?" Daren's voice broke, Elvis stared at Daren, then broke into a smirk.

"Not here for a family drama, but I am here to take my wife home," Elvis stated. Darnell threw him a death glare,

"He did not just say that?' she cursed in her mind, clenching her gown. If only she could slap him right now, she would.

She was the prestigious daughter of the Estrella family. Her mother was not the kind of mother anyone would love to have, but she was grateful she raised her even after their father who loved her the most died. Getting married to Daren was a way of escape for her, but she soiled this with her own actions.

"Get out of my sight. "I don't have a daughter named Darnell anymore. "She passed away on this day." Her mother spat out as she turned and walked away. Daren stared at her.

"Babe.... "I'm sorry" she managed to say, but he turned and left the altar. Everyone began to whisper. Marina approached her.

"Sis, I'm going to see how I can talk to mom. "Just hold on" she said as she rushed out of the church, chasing after her mother,

"Well, that was a lot. "Here." Elvis tossed her a file. "There is everything you need to know, I'll come pick you up in three days' time," the mysterious man stated, and then walked out of the church auditorium.

"Tell me this is all but a dream, Joan?" She asked, trying to get up when she suddenly collapsed to the ground,

"Darnell!!!!"