If There's Another Life

Celine stood on the balcony staring into the unknown distance, lost in thought. Lately, she felt like her fiancé, Nate, had been acting weird. “Ughh what am I even thinking about?” laughing sheepishly to herself, “It's alright. Maybe he's just been so busy preparing for the wedding.” She glanced to the side and caught her reflection in the mirror, her gaze settling on the Ten-carat diamond on her finger. She smiled, thinking back to the day Nate had proposed to her. She had just finished classes for the day, when he called, telling her it was an emergency. She panicked and booked an Uber to the address he had sent. On arriving at the open-air rooftop of Le Bouche; a top tiered elegant French event venue — she was greeted by a long red carpet decorated with roses and ribbons. Everything looking like it was carefully arranged, she halted, looked around and then rechecked the location that Nate had sent her. It was definitely right. A sound drew her attention, and she turned to find a band of violinists playing softly, which only deepened her confusion, until she saw Nate walk out from behind one of the floral arrangements, wearing the biggest grin on his face. “Oh my God, Nate, are you ok?” She moved toward him and pulled him into a hug. “Yeah, yeah of course I'm okay. Why would I not be?” He looked into her eyes, still smiling. “But you, you, I mean I, I clearly heard you saying it was an emergency.” She pursed her lips. “Oh that? My bad, I didn't know it sounded like that. I just wanted to make you get here in the shortest time possible, but clearly I forgot about your feelings. I'm sorry.” He bowed his head. “No, no it's ok, I'm alright. Really, no harm done.” She waved dismissively and patted him on the head, trying to cheer him up. “Hey, hey look at me. It's okay. Alright? You know I love you right?” She said, while maintaining eye contact. “Yes, I do. And the feeling is mutual, which is why I'm about to do this.” He lowered himself on one knee. “Wait, Nate, what are you doing? You'll get…” She trailed off. Now staring at the ring box in his palm. “Celine, from the first day I met you, I always knew that you were the one for me. You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love… I love you and never wish to be parted from you. From this day on, Celine Aurora Smith, will you marry me?” He opened the ring box and looked up at her, smiling. “Awwn Nate you, didn't have to do all this.” She said, getting all teary eyed and emotional. “Of course I will, I mean yes Nathaniel Foster.” She said in between smiles and tears of joy. “I love you.” He said and placed the ring on her finger. He then stood up, gave her a quick kiss on the lips and hugged her, which erupted cheers from the other people around them, while the violinists intensified their music. *Knock, knock.* The sound pulled her back to the present. “Yes, come in.” She said and quickly smothered the worry from her face, fixed a smile in place and stepped in from the balcony. “Hey! How's my favorite bride to be faring?” The door swung open and a figure walked in, arms loaded with gift bags. “Whitneyy!” Celine screamed and lunged at her. “You made it! Wait — I thought you were in the UK?” She looked at her in confusion. “Yeah about that,” Whitney grinned from ear to ear. “You didn't really think I would miss my best friend’s joint bachelorette party night, did you?. It's your last official night of being a free woman.” She wriggled the gift bags and packages in her hands.“And besides — I brought gifts.” “Awwn, thank you so much Whitney. You really didn't have to go through all this trouble.” Celine said looking genuinely touched. “Nonsense, why wouldn't I do this for my own best friend? And what did I say about saying thank you?” Whitney folded her hands across her chest and turned her head to the side with a huff. “Ok, ok I'm sorry Whitney, you know what? You are completely right.” Celine laughed curving her lips slightly and picked up the gifts and dropped them inside a wardrobe adjacent to her bed. “Huh, how did I miss that? I can swear this wasn't here before.” Celine whispered to herself as she noticed another box on her bed. “Whitney, did you put that on my bed?” Celine turned to look at Whitney and gestured at the box on the opposite side of the bed. “Oh that…, yeah I did, it's a separate gift, I wanted you to open it now, come over here quickly.” Whitney said and grinned mischievously. “Whitney, what's in the box…, Whitney?” Celine sat on the bed, while looking at the box suspiciously. “What do you mean by what's in the box? Just open it already if you're so curious.” Whitney said now barely even managing to hide her smile. “Ugh fine, I'll open the box now.” Celine opened the box and pulled out one of the skimpiest pieces of lingerie ever to exist. “Whitney!!, why you— ” Celine cried out feigning shyness when she caught the sight of some adult s*x toys, along with some condoms causing her entire face to turn beet red in colour. “Whitney, what is the meaning of all this?” Celine quickly locked the box as if scalded by hot water. “What do you mean by what's all this, why are you asking the obvious, of course wedding gifts.” Whitney said smirking. “Girl when are you gonna stop being so shy, it's literally your wedding night tomorrow, ok what are you gonna do when Nate walks towards you tomorrow? You gonna freeze or what?” Whitney said in between tears of laughter whilst trying hard to breathe. “Whitney, stop laughing, it's not funny.” Celine pursed and pouted her lips, visibly embarrassed. “Ok, ok I got it, I'll stop, but only after I help you pick out what you're wearing to the Joint Bachelorette party. ” Whitney stood up squealing, and walked towards Celine's closet. “I sorta already did…” Celine laughed sheepishly. “Oh, did you? Where is it then, of course your personal designer for the day has to confirm its taste. No offense though, not that I'm questioning your fashion sense, but you do sometimes come off a little too casual, if you know what I mean” Whitney chuckled. “Yeah sure it's alright, I get it, except you sort of walked past the clothes already” Celine said and quickly looked up at the ceiling in order to avoid Whitney's questioning gaze.