MY BRIDE IS MISSING

LUCIO

Something didn’t feel right.

I didn’t know what exactly it was and really couldn’t place it, but right from the moment I opened my eyes that morning, the air was filled with an eerie chill that made it hard for me to really bask in the beautiful morning sun that seemed to make every flower bloom in a very special way that morning.

I tried to convince myself that I was not the first groom to feel that way on their wedding day. Some people got cold feet and others even panicked. I Just had to get through the day, I tried to assure myself.

But I am not like other men.

I am Lucio Martinez. The one man who has made his mark in the world, and a very firm one too that has put everyone in awe and fear of him.

I am not a guy to just get cold feet on my own wedding, and whatever that weird feeling I was getting was, I was sure it was going to pass.

But then that was not the first time I was getting the damn cold feet.

Just a month ago, I almost got down with a struck after bumping into a woman at the mall while I was getting gifts for Valeria. 

She didn't look like the sort of woman I would even be sparring my look if it were a normal day - but I guess now that there was nothing normal about that day.

There was no way she came close to Valeria. Her eyes were bulgy, her eyes sticked out of her ears too much that I wondered if she was bullied as a kid by getting her ears pulled. the only perfect feature on her face as her full and perfectly curved lips which i had no doubts were real and not fillers like Valeria.

She was the only woman who ever made me think of sex with someone who wasn't Valeria, and instead of bothering me, it made me want to know more.

But I couldn't. I was getting married, and there was no way I would bring myself so low as to put my marriage to the love of my life on the line just because of a one minute coonection with a random woman.

But it wasn't just a minute if after a month I still couldn't get the "random woman" out of my mind. 

Even on my wedding.

Was she the reason for my cold feet?

What was I supposed to do? Run back to the mall and look for a brunette with eyes like Cleopatra's and a face so imperfect yet so perfect in my mind? and a body so banging that the very thought of it made me rock hard.

AAAHHH!

I am getting married for god's sake, what's wrong with me? This has to stop.

The last thing  want to do is make my bride to be feel anything but elated to see me when she sees me walks down the aisle towards me - or in this case, up the aisle.

I was fulfilling her fantasy of getting married in the sun, and I had taken time to make sure she got that, and I knew she would look nothing but amazingly beautiful in her gown when she finally shows up.

I wished even then that I could sneak into her room and just see her before she appears on the alter,we could even start of earlier on the marriage consummation, but everyone kept insisting on the bad luck that came with seeing the bride in her dress before the wedding.

I just had to keep the big guy in check until everyone went home, or maybe was not paying much attention to us.

The dude was always quick to spring to life even at the mere thought of her.

‘I would have asked if you’re ready, but after witnessing six marriage, I am certain that you are damn ready to take the world if anyone asks you to’

I giggled softly and tuned towards my best man, who was far from dressed up.

‘And to think that all six marriages you have attended so far is yours’

‘Now come on, today is no day to judge. By the way, you should be a little kinder to the guy who is blessing your marriage’

‘You? Blessing my marriage? saro damnato’ I replied and got to work on the buttons on my shirt sleeves.

‘Come here you ungrateful bitch, you won’t even ask for help?’

‘Nahhh, I am good, I don’t want anything of yours touching me today. Believe me when I say that I want this to be my first and final marriage.’ I added as I moved away from him.

Nothing gave away the hurt I knew he felt at my outburst, and I regretted that, but it was still the truth.

He was the closest I had to a brother, but we differed in so many ways. He loved women, but couldn’t control any of them. It always ended up in a mess. It was only a matter of time before he introduced a seventh wife t me.

‘You look really happy brother. I am so proud of you. You just seem to be so blessed and happy today, like you have hit the gold mine.’

He said and patted my shoulder.

‘I have. I love her very much, and I have no doubt that se loves me just as much’

‘I know. But women could be pazze, and I-’

‘It’s okay Man. I think that’s enough of you on my wedding, I just have to endure you a little longer, and please don’t forget the rings’

‘I got you man’ he screamed after me as I walked out before he could say anything more.

I walked down the stairs still trying to fix the buttons on my wrist but it was too tight.

At least when we finally get married, I don’t have to worry about fixing my tie or wrist buttons anymore.

I smiled to myself as I descended the rest of the stairs.

I kept nodding to every greeting and well wishes from my closest workers, avoiding anything further than that as I was not ready for any business talk yet until after my honeymoon.

There was a package coming in in the next two days, but I had handed everything into Parker’s care. The bastard could be terrible with women, but he never failed when it came to business and numbers.

Thirty minutes later, I was standing in front of the whole congregation - a bunch of men and women whom I all knew. Members of the brotherhood and a couple of other business associates as well.

If only I had taken any notice earlier, I would have noted that none of her friends were present - or rather, none of her very close friends. But I was just too excited to even notice that something was amiss.

But my excitement began to wane, when forty minutes later, the hushed murmuring amongst the guests made my heart sink and my feet suddenly cold.

What was going on? What was causing all the delay? Was she aright?

But no one was around to answer any of the questions, no one to at least tell me I was just worrying over nothing.

When I could not take it any longer, and was just about to go out myself and look for her, Parker appeared at the entrance of the garden with a sullen look on his face.

His face said a million things and yet nothing.

I pushed passed him and hurried to the house, ignoring Parker’s pleas to at least calm down and hear him out.

I wanted to find out myself, I wanted to know what had happened to my woman.

And oohhh, how hell would break loose if someone had kidnapped her. We had gotten two threats since our engagement and wedding preparations started, and it was for that very reason that I had spent a huge dime on extra security.

I stormed passed every personel on the way until I found myself running the last few steps to her room.

My fear doubled when I finally got into her room and found nothing amiss in it.

It was as peaceful as ever, a sharp contrast to the turmoil that was going on in my head.

The only thing that disrupted the serenity of the room was the piece of note on her bed which I couldn’t bring myself to even pick up.

This is not like the runaway bride stories I have read about is it?

I wanted my woman and not a note, I wanted Valeria.

I was still standing in the middle of the room when Parker walked in, but I didn’t bulge, didn’t even take my eyes away from the note, too scared that the only memory I had of her at that moment might go missing if I looked away even for a second.

‘I am sorry man’

Hearing those words seemed to let out the anger that was hidden under my fear.

‘Don’t fucking tell me to calm down, don’t you dare’ I screamed and threw a figurine from the side table his way but he missed.

I didn’t have to read the note to know what had happened, and I never knew how quickly a life could change until that very moment.