Bequeathed

Chapter Four: The Wedding Part I

William escorts Claire to what he’s described as the “perfect location” for their wedding. Though Claire isn’t much into the fuss - the added spectacle to Aunt Bev’s ridiculous demands - she’d been intrigued. She was eager to discover what her husband-to-be considered perfect. Now she is here, all she is is disappointed. He’s led her to the shell of a building. Bare walls, dusty floors, newspaper-covered windows…

“This is a mess,” Claire scowls, steps daintily over a flattened cardboard box. She isn’t close to anything, still, her folded arms are glued to her sides, making her feel smaller.

“You have to picture it, Princess.”

William touches her lower back, nudges her over to the window. He yanks sheets of newspaper from the window. Claire takes a step back, trying to escape the dust fall.

“The perfect view,” William says. “Imagine our reception from the roof.” William spreads his hands wide as if saying ta-da.

“The view is splendid,” Claires whispers; the utterance is a betrayal of herself.

“I told you. Best view of the river you’ll find in this whole city.”

“Hmmm.”

They head to the roof. Claire wanders to the rails serving as protection on the roof. She looks out at the water, to the reflection of the setting sun dancing on the river’s surface. She hugs herself, rubs her bare shoulders. William comes up behind her and tosses his jacket over her shoulders.

“You need some more meat on those arms, Princess.” He turns, his back against the rail, his face towards the door to the roof. “Tables, a few chairs, some more lights if our celebration runs into the night. I’m telling you, Princess, it will be a wedding to remember.”

“Remembrance isn’t the goal.” Claire removes the jacket and hands it back to William. “We need to get this done. We don’t need to remember it.”

***

Claire can’t escape William and his wedding plans. He floods her phone constantly with ideas for centerpieces, chairs, and table designs. Claire suppose it isn’t every day that a man comes into two million dollars - money he doesn’t have to sweat for. William insists on sweating, insists on “earning” his payment. When he realizes that Claire isn’t as willing to work, he begins making the decisions. He settles on centerpieces with camellia flowers, champagne ribbons, in a gold base. He chooses gilded, high-backed chairs, champagne tablecloths (with C&W printed in gold at the four corners). He selected champagne flutes with gold filigree. William sends Claire a picture of the expected cake: three-tiered, solid, white, with a thin layer of gold leaves branching to a golden camelia at the top of the cake. Claire tosses her phone onto the bed, takes it up, then tosses it again. She gets up and starts digging through her closet for an outfit to go shopping. She needs a wedding dress. She will not be outdone by a cake.

***

Claire catches a slight glimpse of her reflection in the store window before she enters. In her cravings for shopping, she has never craved the bridal store. As soon as Claire steps in, a sales clerk walks up to her: tall, thin, brunette. She belongs on somebody’s runway.

“I’m Jenn. Do you already have a style in mind? I saw you admiring the one in the window. Would you like to try it?”

Claire looks back. “Oh no.” She has no idea what she wants, but a mermaid dress isn’t it. “No mermaid.”

Jenn smiles. “Okay. We have some others you can try.” Jenn admires Claire’s ensemble. Claire tightens the black belt that she has tied around the waist of her beige, satin romper. Claire soaks in the admiration. She balances her black, leather tote, steps a little to her left, trying to scan the floor.

“Are you looking for something more traditional or-”

“Nothing traditional.”

“So no white?” Jenn asks.

“Maybe. I don’t know. I should probably tell you that my colors are, pink, champagne, and gold. So whatever goes with that.”

“And the groom’s suit?’

“I…I don’t know. Let’s just work with the colors.”

“I think I have something you would like.”

***

Jenn leads Claire to a back area with four large mirrors, each offering her a different angle from which to view her body. Claire takes a seat while Jenn goes in the back. She returns with a white dress with a gold-leaf lace overlay on the bosom and torso, running down towards the hips where the bottom half of the dress opens into a split. Jenn hands the dress to Claire; Claire withdraws from it.

“It’s a little bit much, don’t you think?”

“Give it a try. If you don’t like it, there are others you could try on, but I think this would look lovely on you.”

Claire reluctantly takes the dress. She takes it to the dressing room, mumbling her disbelief and objections as she dons it. When she is done, she exits the room, Jenn zips the dress, then steps back so that Claire can admire herself in all the mirrors. Somehow the gaudiness works.

“You look lovely,” Jenns says. “Do you like it?”

“I look regal.” Claire adjusts the bosom. The dress actually creates the illusion of deep cleavage. “Sexy,” Claire adds, sticking her leg through the slip. “I’ll take it.”

Claire charges the dress to her credit cards. Five thousand dollars. She had to split the payment between three cards, but she’s not worried about the bill. Soon she won’t have to worry about any bill. This dress, this wedding will be her ticket to the life she would have had if Aunt Bev had only been fair.

***

It’s Claire’s big day. She gets dressed alone in her apartment. The only friend Claire feels comfortable confiding in is the man she left so that she can marry another. She lingers in front of her mirror. “Relax, Claire,” she tells herself. “It will all be worth it soon.” She will make up with Rob after.”

***

She’s already half an hour late for her own wedding. William keeps calling; she keeps ignoring the calls. He sends texts to remind her that this was her crazy plan, not his. Claire ignores the messages as well. Forty-five minutes late. Claire hurries from her apartment, her gold heels clopping down the hallway. Her split opens and closes; sections of lace meet, then separate again, revealing toned, tanned legs. It takes another half an hour for her to reach the empty building. William meets her at the door.

“I wanted us to walk up together,” he says.

“I don’t think that’s how it’s supposed to work,” Claire responds.

“We’re making our own rules. Remember?”

William folds his arm at his side, waiting for Claire to snake hers through his. She obliges. He guides her to the elevator which takes them all the way to the roof. Everyone is already seated when Claire arrives. There are five elegantly draped and beautifully decorated tables on the roof. Each table seats four. Twenty people are in attendance; none of them belong to Claire. She wonders what type of life William leads that his friends and family members didn’t object to his rushed nuptials. Didn’t they find it strange? What has William told them? Whatever he’s said, none of it has stopped them from showing up. Claire hasn’t had anyone who shows up for her, not after her parents’ death. She didn’t have anyone who showed up, not until Rob.

“Relax,” William whispers in her ear. “You look absolutely stunning by the way…even without the meat.”

Claire chortles, but tries to hold it in; she ends up snorting instead.

William laughs. “We can do introductions after, but I want you to at least meet my brother Gabrial. He’ll be the one performing the ceremony.”

“Oh. He’s a minister?”

“No. He’s internet certified to hear our ‘I dos.’” William wheels Claire between the tables closest to the door. Claire smiles and waves at the people smiling and waving at her, while she goes where William is leading her. A man in a grey suit and a thin black tie rises to his feet. He’s much older than William but there is no denying he’s William’s brother. They share the same thick brows, the same thick black hair (though Gabriel’s is peppered with grey), and their eyes are grey-blue.

“Gabriel, this is her. This is the princess.”

Gabriel stretches a hand to Claire. “Nice to meet you and welcome to the family. This is my wife, Jackie.” Gabriel points to a thin blonde in a shimmering silver dress and a high bun. Claire shakes Jackie’s hand while eying Wiliam. The similarities between the brothers seem to end at their preference. “Nice to meet you both,” Claire says.

“Well, let’s get this party started. Gabriel leaves his seat, taking a portable mic in hand. He pulls a paper square from his pocket and begins unfolding it.

Claire and William exchange their vows overlooking the river. Just before she says I do, she wonders if she couldn’t have done this for Rob after all.