“You didn’t beg me to do anything,” Yield said. “I married you because you are one fine woman, and I’m lucky to have you.”
Eyes went to Tameka who hadn’t planned to speak. She crossed her legs and looked away, but Karli touched her leg. She smiled softly at the woman, giving her the same look she’d given Raphael that convinced him to buy a $70 suitcase with a stupid blue horned unicorn on it.
“I know it may hurt, but my Mommy needs to hear your story too,” Karli said, patting her knee like she was trying not to put money in the Sunday school plate.
“Who is this child with a violet aura?” Tameka asked, looking at her husband.
“My name is Karli Jebsen. I’m 10 years old, and your story will help me become Karli Hoyt,” she said, looking at her Daddy. “I’m sorry, Daddy. I used your last name, but this is a trust circle. Besides, if you’re planning on sharing money with these men, they’re going to find out anyway.”
“Damn, I’m liking this kid more and more each minute,” Zeke said laughing. “Go ahead, Tameka SheNayNay, share with the circle about our love.”
“Fine,” Tameka said. “I was a mail order bride who got kidnapped by my groom’s brother who held me hostage and butt naked in a cabin for nearly 10 months. On a rainy evening I escaped, in labor, and showed up on Zeke’s doorstep.”
Dusty went to the food table asking Tameka to wait as she made a plate of snacks and came back and sat down. “This is better than a book,” she said, encouraging Tameka to continue.
“I was sick and covered in lice, and with the help of Mr. Mann, they nursed me back to health. Zeke had to marry me and adopt Michelle as a cover from the rotten Sheriff and the family of the man I was supposed to marry to keep us safe,” she said. “The Archangel married us over the internet via FaceTime.”
Willow had stopped crying and sat in disbelief listening to it all. The eyes finally rested on Cabrina, who offered a soft smile.
“The Archangel and I were married in Las Vegas,” she said. “I went to Vegas to kick the ass of the woman who ran the mail order bride business who lost my friend Tameka to a bunch of rednecks on a mountain top in Georgia. The mail order bride lady in turn gave us tickets to see a hypnotist who said we were getting married. The Archangel was pretty cute. We also had good energy and figured, hey, let’s give it a try, so we got married and drove from Vegas to Georgia getting to know each other and back to Cleveland where I lived.”
Karli stood up and started clapping. “Thank you all for sharing your very scary and inappropriate stories in the presence of children. I’m sure my Mommy hearing your journeys will help her get it together and get this done,” she said. “Daddy, I tell you what! Me and Jamal are just going to date for a few years, go to college, and marry after all of that. Kidnapping. Contracts. Lord, take my hand.”
She’d sat down and crossed her legs as if she were fit to be tied and have her feet washed by the head deacon in Church. Her lips were pursed together as if she was completely over it and ready to go. He admired her courage and fight.
“Pooh Bear, thank you for facilitating the discussion,” Raphael said, pressing his lips together. “I also thought the conversation about Jamal was over.”
“Daddy, that boy kissed me on the cheek, and butterflies ran through my soul, and I swear I saw at least three unicorns running down the beach in the sand. I love him,” Karli said. “Plus, his Daddy is a cardio throat cer-ragic. He works on human hearts. Please, let my heart have this joy.”
Raphael had reach the edge. Adding in the obsession Karli had with the Jamal kid, Willow damn near eating him alive two nights ago and now not wanting to marry him. It was entirely too much.
“Shit, I can’t right now. Excuse my language everyone, but I can’t even,” Raphael said, getting to his feet. He made his way over to the lone bartender and asked for a glass of the hard-brown stuff. In one gulp, he swallowed it down with a dark cola chaser.
Mr. Mann walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Yeah, you don’t want to let that one get away. Go over there, get on one knee, and tell Willow you’re going to die a slow and painful death if you can’t wake up to her for the rest of your life,” he said.
On the other side of him, Yield materialized. “Tell her those girls need a firm male’s hand, and you’re their Daddy and the man to guide them in this life. As their father, you’re going to make sure they grow up right. And that Jamal kid needs his ass kicked. Look at my Chad and Rocky, they are flocking around that girl, look at them. Yeah, them girls need a strong father.”
Stop also showed up and sucked down a can of beer. “Hey, get over there. Get this shit done so we can eat. Tell her you love her, that’s all she wants to hear.”
“I don’t know if I can. Those girls. Knuck if you buck? That pissy ass Jamal kid, I’m going to cut off his little pee-pee. When did he kiss my baby? Oh God, I feel like I’m going to throw up. All of this is too much. Maybe this is God’s way of giving me chance to run,” Raphael said.
“Mr. Exit, running? That will be the day,” the Archangel said. “What do you want to do?”
He accepted another drink, knocked it back, and made his way across the room. The women who had surrounded his wife cleared a path as he took to one knee in front of her.
Willow had no idea what he said since he spoke it in French. He shook his head, cleared his throat, and said it all again in Spanish. She caught a few of the words.
“I feel like an ass because I’m not a drinker and in the next 10 minutes, I’m probably going to be drunk and drooling. I love you. Marry me. Make us a family, Willow, and let’s get this done,” he said, followed by a hiccup.
“You had to get drunk to ask me?”
“Who do you think planned all of this, Willow? You think these people just showed up and said hey, let find some flowers for a bouquet for a lady we don’t know? I told you, I don’t do anything half assed and definitely don’t do shit I don’t want to do. So, you gonna marry me or what?”
“Fine! I’ll marry you,” she yelled.
“Fine!” he yelled back. “Archangel, come over here and finish this so we can eat dinner.”
Seven minutes later, sporting a new bridal set, Willow Palm Rayne became Willow Palm Hoyt. After a few signatures on pieces of paper, Karli Marie Hoyt and Dusty Rose Hoyt were also official, receiving small golden rings for their right hands as a promise from their father to guide them through life.
The festivities kicked off as the food rolled in on carts. The small camera hidden inside the podium was clicked off after the remote feed had filled a thumb drive in a room on the second floor.
A soft voice leaned forward, editing the footage of just the wedding ceremony before it went awry. That would be the portion he would share with Proderick Hymn, that Willow was now married and his children had been adopted by a man in North Carolina. Technically, it was the truth.
“The Archangel,” Rami Slanecki said. “Who might you be...?”
RAPHAEL HOYT DANCED with his bride. He danced with his daughters and even the wife of the Archangel. By the end of the evening, his eyelids drooped and he was ready for bed. He stood outside with Dusty as she let Pierce take care of his evening business.