Chapter seven

"No! No!! That's not true!!! He screamed, rushing to the table to retrieve his phone. He dialed a number, pacing around the TV set as the number rang for a while. "Pick up! Pick up Goddamit!!" He shouted at the phone. "Good morning boss." Zino's happy voice sounded. "What's good about the morning Zino? Huh??" He wished he could punch someone. "Boss," Zino sounded confused, "I don't understand what you're talking about. What's wrong?" Sam held tighter to the phone, imagining it was Zino's neck he was squeezing. "Zino are you kidding me right now?!" He shouted angrily. "I gave you a simple job to do. A very simple job. Kidnap Amanda Fortune. So that the wedding wouldn't take place. And you couldn't deliver? I'm disappointed in you Zino. I can't believe you'd fail me like this!!" He shouted. He felt his eyes turning sore and red. 

                      Zino went quiet in obvious shock. Hasty footsteps was heard as he rushed and kicked open a door noisily. He was breathing heavily. "Boss. I don't get what you're talking about. You're getting me confused." He said. Sam started seeing stars in anger. "Shut the hell up Zino. Are you trying to get me nuts? You'd surely pay for this. You and all your impotent boys will pay dearly for this." He shouted, pointing around as if he was addressing an apparel of zino before him. "Boss. She's here. The lady we kidnapped, the bride to be, is still here. We didn't fail you boss. We got her." His anger was replaced with confusion. "What d'you mean she's there? Are you trying to deceive me? I'm watching a life broadcast of a wedding and you're telling me you got the bride?" He was loosing his voice shouting. 

                        "Boss. She's here. I'm looking at her right now. We got her. I didn't get the wrong person. I mean, she's a popular model, I've seen her on TV numerous times. She's asleep now. Let me show you." He connected the phone to video call and Sam stood shocked and confused. She was indeed there and tied, fast asleep. Still in her wedding dress. There was no mistake. He turned towards the television in confusion, seeing a veiled bride and Michael Verrati standing before a priest. He was going crazy with confusion. "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss your bride." The priest said. Sam drew closer curiously, looking back at the video call and the TV in turns, wondering how a person can exist in two places at the same time. "Am I hallucinating? What the actual fuck is going on?" He wondered loudly.

                 Michael Verrati gracefully unveiled his bride and drew close for a kiss to a loud applause from the audience. The camera flashed and zoomed on the bride's happy face. Sam drew even closer to the TV in shock. He had his face resting on the TV screen, hoping he didn't see clearly at first. He was dumbfounded. His knees wobbled and he almost lost balance as recognition dawned on him. "Noooooooo!!!" He screamed loudly. "Boss? Are you okay boss?" Zino's voice sounded in concern and confusion. "Noooooooo!!! he shouted again, hurling the phone forcefully to the TV screen, shattering it. 

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                           It was joyful. The diamond rings had been exchanged. The happy vows had been said. She was happy. He was happy. He was pleased. "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss your bride." The smiling priest in long flowing white apparel said in his tenor voice. She was so beautiful even under the veil. He shivered in anticipation. He tried hard to hide his nervousness. But couldn't. Thankfully, the curiosity to see that full beauty beneath the veil, spurred him on. He walked closer. She smiled nervously beneath the veil. Immediately she felt his hands on her veils, she paused as if hypnotized. She couldn't take her eyes off him. He unveiled her. Their eyes were fixed. The whole world blacked out from their consciousness. They didn't notice the gasp of shock and confusion from the distinguished attendees as they noticed it wasn't Amanda Fortune as written in the flier. Others peered at the flier, wondering if their sights were failing them. Others didn't care. 

                         He leaned closer and closer, bit by bit. Then their lips connected. Their souls connected. There on the altar, their souls were sacrificed to the goddess of love. They kept kissing and kissing, until the loud applause from everyone brought them back to consciousness. Savannah's stomach tightened in nervousness as she turned to the standing guests still clapping. It still felt like a dream. She couldn't believe it. Her mind couldn't fully comprehend the fact that, she was married. Not just to anyone. But to her lifelong crush. Someone she had always believed was far fetched. Someone that she never believed would even spare her a glance. Someone she was planning his wedding to someone else. Someone she barely knew. But she didn't care. She was Mrs Michael Verrati. The hair on the back of her neck rose as she felt hundreds of the gleaming eyes on her-eyes that brightened with feral anticipation and unhidden confusion at the sight of her, walking arm in arm with the city's golden boy-her husband. They walked down the aisle together gracefully. As if he knew her inner emotions, he held her firmly for support. They walked through the standing attendees still clapping. 

                      Outside, there was considerable activities. There were hundreds of reporters, photographers, videographers and journalists. They rushed at them like ant to sugar, offering microphones to their faces, switching on tape recorders, scrambling on notebooks. Thousands of cameras flashed on them. Then they shouted loudly, asking hundreds of questions at the same time.

      "Mr Verrati!"

      "How does it feel to be married?"

      "-Who is she-?"

      "-What happened to Amanda-?"

      "-Are you happy?"

       "-Mrs Verrati. Is this an arranged   

         marriage?"

              Michael Verrati still holding his wife, walked on, calm as Moses strolling through the red sea. "No comment..." He was barely done talking when his body guards arrived speedily. They cleared the path, standing all around the couple, pushing back the persistent reporters. They were led to a purple Limousine bearing the initials MV and ushered in. Then other exotic cars with his body guards and friends in it, followed behind. The long entourage immediately exited the cathedral with reporters still chasing after them. Above the entourage, the purple helicopter flew gracefully, displaying a trail of decorative poster that read-Just married.