Be a Doll(15)

When the door cleared the threshold I was met with a beautiful lady clad in a splendid chocolate long dress that showed off her figure. I gauged her to be in her fifties and she looked utterly amazing. Her smile was broad as she stared at me, detailing my dress as best she could while I was still seated. She brought a French-manicured hand to her mouth.

“Oh, ma belle, you’re beautiful!’’ she exclaimed with a French accent as she walked in and promptly closed the door behind her.

I smiled and understanding hit me. It was easy to see the likeliness between Megan and the older woman, and even with the groom if I looked past his cold face that was a contrast from these two women’s open faces and broad smiles.

“Thank you, Mrs. Grimes.’’

“Ma belle, you can call me Sylvie. You’ll be family in a few minutes.’’

Family.

I clenched my jaw at that and offered a stiff smile. I hadn’t been a part of a family in a very long time and the few memories I had of that time had nothing to do with the situation I was in today.

“Mom, you should be getting to your seat. The ceremony is supposed to start in fifteen minutes,’’ Megan said, after checking the clock on the wall just above us.

Sylvie waved her off as if it was of no importance. “It’s not like they’re going to start the wedding without the bride. Go and check on your brother for me. Your father is stuck with the Donhams.’’

Megan quickly stood up and after a last pat on my shoulder covered by the best French made delicate lace of the bodice of my dress, she left the room. While I had been groomed to be the perfect trophy wife, I wasn’t exactly sure how to address the mother of the groom in such a situation.

“You’re even more beautiful than I expected, Lila,’’ she said and took the seat vacated by her daughter.

“It’s the dress’s doing.’’ My smile fell as my eyes stopped on my bouquet with pale pink flowers mixed with some white ones and deep pink in an elegant and refreshing assembly.

“I think the woman wearing it is also for something.’’ She gently fussed with the back of my veil as her gentle deep green eyes took me in. I couldn’t explain it, but I had a feeling this woman would be one of the very few good things that would come out of my marriage with Mr. Grimes. I didn’t have a family and while Sylvie was the perfect example of what a lady from such a social circle should be, she also sent motherly vibes that made me want to gravitate closer to her and open up. “My mother used to tell me that a woman with class and poise could very well wear the cheapest dress and still take the breath away from people in attendance.’’

“It’s a nice saying.’’

“And it was even more appreciated because the first time she told me that was on my thirteenth birthday and I spilt strawberry juice all over my pastel blue dress in front of my first crush. At the time I had thought it was the end of the world.’’ She laughed then with easiness, apparently not offended in the lightest that I was like a cold marble next to her, stiff, cold and unyielding. “Anyway, I wanted to talk to you a little just before the ceremony. You must be nervous and I know you don’t have any family.’’

At that, I almost let out a crazed chuckle. Saying I was nervous was an understatement, but my nerves were tempered with an onslaught of emotions getting darker by the minute as doom seemed to settle deep in my chest where my heart was beating rather calmly.

“What did your son tell you other than that?’’ I asked as I stopped twisting my engagement ring and curiosity took precedence on my otherwise dark emotions.

A knowing smile appeared on her face. Some tiny wrinkles appeared in the corner of her eyes. I wanted to remind her that this wasn’t an ideal marriage and that if I asked it was merely because I strongly disliked her son and I’d rather know what he said behind my back, but I decided to keep my mouth closed instead. I already stomped all over Megan’s hopes earlier and I didn’t want to do such a thing to another woman I felt could very well become a nice fixture in my new life.

“Apparently you have a spirit he likes, whatever that means.’’ She laughed quietly as her eyes never left my face, as if she was trying to decipher me. “I believe you two have met twice and you probably know he’s not an easy man to crack open.’’

“He probably isn’t an easy man, period.’’

“You’re not wrong.’’ She looked away then and her smile turned more strained as if a sad memory took a hold of her. “Mathis changed a lot over the years and he had always been one to hide what he feels, what he thinks. Don’t let his sometimes cold exterior fool you, Lila. He’s not a bad man.’’

“Are you trying to ensure I’ll marry your son and keep my end of the arrangement and stay married and faithful to him while we’re together? Because, I can assure you, Sylvie, I have no other viable choice in the matter anyway.’’

She shook her head and gently grabbed my hands in hers and squeezed with what I assumed was affection. Her warmth barely registered in my growing unease.

“It’s not that, ma belle. I want my son happy and I hope you’ll be able to crack that constant mask he has on. I want him… to remember who he really is.’’

“What does that mean?’’

Sadness, intense and harsh in its nakedness, etched on her face. It was so sudden that I almost felt like I wasn’t facing the same woman. It was eerie really and made a shiver run down my spine in a way that only accentuated my uneasiness.