I Do? Part II

To refresh your memory, please see part 1 here. I know it’s been a long time coming, but please enjoy!

Chidi looked into her eyes as the whole congregation waited with bated breath for her to respond, he was searching for a clue. He raised his left brow and tilted his head to the left, wordlessly asking her what was wrong. Titi’s sisters took a break from their photo spree and faced the altar where Titi and Chudi stood facing each other. The priest adjusted his glasses, cleared his throat and asked for the second time: do you Titlayo Smith take Chidi Nze as your lawfully wedded husband, forsaking all others, to have and to hold, for better and for worse, till death do you part?

At this point it was obvious to everyone at the ceremony that something was wrong with Titi. It felt like a Nollywood movie and the atmosphere suddenly became charged with anxiety. After what felt like an eternity, Titi managed to say I do. A deep collective sigh of relief was followed by a nervous round of applause and as the priest hastily concluded the ceremony, it felt almost as if he was rushing through everything before Titi changed her mind again.

As friends and family gathered outside the Church for the mandatory round of pictures, everyone was abuzz and lost in the joy of the occasion, Chidi however was not a happy camper. He took Titi to the car and stood looking at her, because he didn’t even know what to say to her. She was a hot mess! Her flawless makeup had been ruined by all the tears and the pregnancy hormones weren’t helping matters at all. She opened her mouth but the words wouldn’t come. Titi’s eyes were pleading and so filled with emotion that it made Chidi want to cry with her. He took her shaky hands and tried to steady her. What is it? What’s wrong darling? Please tell me. All Titi could do was to open her mouth and close it back again with big fat tear drops streaming down her cheeks and leaving streaks on her makeup, and then to make a bad moment worse, wale started walking very briskly towards them. Titi saw him first and because her frayed senses just couldn’t take it anymore, she passed out.

…And then she woke up! It was all a dream, a really awful nightmare, but just before she heaved a sigh of relief, a wave of nausea had her bolting from the bed and into the bathroom where she retched like there was no tomorrow. As she watched her face and tried to catch her breath, it all came crashing down on her; the wedding might have been a nightmare, but she was still pregnant with Wale’s child, she was still engaged to Chidi and her wedding was still next week.