Mistaken Identity

Maybe she would meet a nice fraternity man of Jerome's and live happily ever after, she hoped.

Just as she was about to leave out, her sister came back into the bedroom alone.

"I was just heading downstairs," Dana said reluctantly, noting that the entourage was nowhere around.

"You aren't going anywhere, Dana," Denise barked, locking the door and pushing Dana toward the bed. "We've got to talk now!"

"About what?"

Putting her hands on her hips, Denise sneered angrily, "Don't think I don't know about you and Jerome!"

Part 4

Flustered and ready to pass out, Dana spoke cautiously. "I-I don't know what you mean?"

"Lying floozy!" Denise screamed, shoving her sister on the bed and standing over her. "Seven years ago, junior prom season. I was on punishment for sneaking out and you were out losing your virginity."

Dana had almost forgotten about that night. Standing up, she turned away to show a little relief. "I-Is that why you've often asked about how I lost it?"

Denise sat on the bed dejectedly. "Jerome was drunk one night about a year ago. And he was talking about the early days. How he saw me in high school. You know he use to play for Redford."

"Really?" Of course, Dana knew, but she wasn't going to reveal that to anyone. She had gone to every one of the games and watched him play. She had always admired him from afar. Very afar, but she never let anymore know this.

"He said he saw me cheerleading for Cody High and he thought I was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen and the only reason he transferred from Florida to Michigan State University on a scholarship was because I was going there. But the real reason he said he wanted to be with me and marry me was because I was the first girl whose virginity he took in eleventh grade at River Rouge park."

Dana slumped next to her sister devastated her stalking secret was partially out. "Did you tell him the truth?"

"I didn't dispute it," Denise admitted.

"Why?"

"Cause he's Jerome Lott. Do you know how good I look to my sorority sisters with him on my arm?" she said it so obviously.

"Yes, Denise, I do realize that and I also realize you really are shallow."

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Denise demanded to know.

Dana sighed tiredly. She had never told anyone of that night. She had been following Jerome that day and was sitting in Rouge Park watching him at a house nearby, but she twisted the story. "I fell asleep on the bus and ended up at Rouge Park. He was somewhere over there at this party. The driver kicked me off and told me to wait for the next bus. Jerome started talking to me. He was slightly buzzed and he thought I was you." She relayed the truth after this. "He asked me to come into the park with him. Next thing I knew we were on the ground kissing and...well it happened. Trust me, I was madder at myself than anything. So when I saw the next bus coming, I ran for it and jumped on. He was too busy putting on his pants, other wise he would have caught me. A few days later he came by the house looking for you again while you got to go to New York for the cheerleading championship with Mom. He thought he really hurt me. I told him I never wanted to be reminded of that experience again and if he did I would never want to see or speak to him again. I guess he kept his word at least for a while."

Denise stood up looking very upset.

Yet, Dana made an observation. "Wasn't it about a year ago when he asked you to marry him?

"Yes. He asked me that night after he said being with me on that night in River Rouge was a night he'd never forget! The night he had decided that I would be the woman he wanted to be with for the rest of his life."

The words stunned Dana. She just thought Jerome had been so intoxicated that he'd forgotten about it since he never said a word.

"So did you realized then it had been me?" Dana asked.

"Yes, Dana."

Dana stood up and faced her sister looking appalled "And you still accepted his proposal?"

"Hell yes. He's Jerome Lott. Second round draft pick."

Dana stood up. "But he thinks the woman he slept with was you. Why are you deceiving him?"

"Me? You could have easily said something when I brought him home from college, Dana."

Denise was right. "I saw the big fat promise ring on your finger, Denise, and ...I guess I loved you too much to ruin how happy you seemed to be. Ever since we were little you always talked about finding a rich, handsome man, letting him buy you a big house and getting married in the huge backyard."

She could see Denise remembered their dreams as little girls. That had been back in the day before the jealousy had set in and they had been friends.

"I remember you saying it first, Dana. You always knew what you wanted. I just copied it or envied it back then," Denise honestly admitted.

"So now that you know the real truth, what are you going to do?" Dana asked.

"Give you the chance to live your dreams, Dana. I'm going to give you the opportunity to marry a rich handsome man in a big backyard."

Frowning confused, Dana questioned, "What are you talking about?"

A coldness swept over Denise like a dark curtain was being drawn in the room. "You're going to take my place and marry Jerome Lott."

Part 5

Dana touched her thick coiffed hair as if someone had just hit her on the back of the head. "What?

Denise moved behind Dana and unzipped the ugly green dress and then came around and stood in front of Dana.

"Unzip me, Dana. We don't have much time," Denise ordered.

Dana did as she was told, but she was really confused as Denise was kicking off her shoes and taking the veil out of her hair.

"Wait, Denise!" Dana said when her sister started to put the veil on her head. "I can't take your place."

"Why not?!" Denise asked. "You and I look exactly alike."

"He'll know the difference. He's been with you for the past five years."

"Officially four and a half," Denise corrected. "But the majority of the time I was able to blow off sex. At first I said I had my morals and then there's my period and headaches. When we were in college, school got in the way and now, he's on the road half the year and doesn't have sex during the season."

"Still, he'll know."

"You're just standing in for me. I can't marry him."

Dana stepped away from Denise to avoid her sister affixing the veil to her head. "Why not?"

"Because ever since I found out my sister snuffed my man in high school, I found myself indifferent to him instantly. Plus I love someone else," Denise stepped forward.

Dana stepped back. "Who?!"

"It doesn't matter."

"Why don't you just break it off?" Dana asked, trying to come up with some way to find the courage to get out of that room. This was insane! Her sister had past the point of logic. Denise was on a half hour past crazy.

"I will eventually, but I can't right now. The Lions have a chance to get into the playoffs with Jerome playing this year. He'd be a hot mess if I broke it off and ruin his chances of signing on with another team and getting a lot more money."

"You're a crazy greedy bitch, Denise. This is morally wrong." Dana sat on the bed reconciled.

"Don't get a conscious now. You've impersonated me before, it's just this time you aren't doing it behind my back." Denise quickly did Dana's hair and then started fixing her own. "Plus, you owe me! You snuffed my man. I'd never have continued dating him if I'd known and by the time he asked me, I was given so many boons by my sorority sisters, just by association with Jerome, I could just not accept." She made it sound like it was just the most inevitable thing to do.

Dana let her sister attach the veil to her head. Over and over her brain screamed, "This is crazy! He'll know."

All you have to do is walk down the aisle, smile pretty at him, say I do, and walk down the aisle to all the well-wishers. I'll slip away to meet you all at the reception where we'll change up and that's it." Denise put on the ugly green dress and slipped back on her white shoes. Handing the wedding dress to Dana, she said, "In a year or so, after the playoffs and his new contract is set in stone, I'll tell him that I have to leave him and I'll handle the divorce proceedings. He'll be so emotionally devastated he'll sign anything I put in front of him, give me the house, a nice fat monthly check and that will be that." She also had a way to make all things evil sound so easy to do.

"And me? What about me?"

"If you keep your lips sealed, I'll write you a check for ten thousand dollars. It's all in my checking account. I've saved since college," Denise promised.

Dana could think of a million things she could do with that amount of money for her business.

Slipping on the dress, Dana took a deep breath as her sister zipped her up.

She zipped Denise up and then let Denise hand her the bouquet of white roses. Before giving them to Dana, her sister had the nerve to hug her.

Dana snatched the bouquet and let the veil come down over her face. She was going to do it. She was going to marry Jerome Lott.

Part 6

As soon as Dana stepped downstairs, the entourage appeared behind her and followed her back to the family room. It was rather hilarious as these grown women followed her around like little puppy dogs, waiting on her hand and foot.

"Let me touch up your make up."

"Let me bring you something to drink."

"I'll massage your hands and temples to relax you."

"You need me to hold your flowers so your arms don't get tired?"

Dana couldn't believe how the women just wanted to please her. How could Denise get use to this shit? For Dana, it was just down right annoying.

"It's time," her mother said, peeking her head in and then leaving right back out.

Jerome's father, Artie Lott, was walking the bride down the aisle. Dana and Denise's father had been MIA since they were six, so Artie didn't mind.

As she stepped out into the backyard, cameras went off everywhere, media swarmed around shooting her from every angle.

Dana's heart was pounding as she looked at the end of the aisle. Jerome had changed his tuxedo and he was as handsome as ever.

Her chest felt constricted and she was positive her stomach was going to just drop out on the floor at any second. Her vision had started to blur and her legs felt like they were turning into Jell-O. Artie had to nudge her and people in the crowd chuckled at her frozen state. She was practically using Artie like a clutch.

When she arrived next to Jerome, she could tell he'd just taken a shower, and his natural smell was arousing. She couldn't stop looking at him. He looked truly happy – truly happy to stand beside her. Her mind was rewinding the morning's events. Just short of an hour, wasn't she convincing him to marry her sister? So why was he looking like that? Like he just didn't fuck the shit out of his soon to be sister in law!

Still, Dana let the moment take her as he spoke his words in his smooth deep timbre voice. There was true passion to this man and whether he was faking or not, it felt so good to hear him pledge love and devotion. Although, it wasn't all that because he was saying Denise's name.

When it was her turn to speak the words to bind him to her seemed to come so easily from her lips, but she stumbled a bit at her name saying her real middle name instead of Denise's. No one seemed to notice, but she quickly corrected with a glance to Denise, who didn't look at all pleased. Their mother laughed it off nervously as well, but that was it. It didn't even faze Jerome.

Once it was time for the rings, she was to go first. Denise handed her the ring and took the bouquet so Dana's hands could be free. The ring she was to give him was a heavy channel set diamond encrusted platinum ring. Its beauty spellbound her until Denise nudged her in the ribs.

After she slipped it on, Andre handed Jerome a black velvet box. Jerome opened the box for her to see first. Denise was pressed so hard against her to also see Dana almost fell forward. Dana gasped as she was blinded by a vintage 4-prong setting with forty half-caret diamonds surrounding a flawless two caret.

Jerome slipped it over her finger and then before the minister gave permission, he was kissing her with those delicious thick lips of his.

Dana forgot everything as Jerome's thick tongue entangled with hers and sucked her essence as if she were the fountain of life.

He broke the kiss abruptly, but the look in his eyes promised of more later. Dana really wished she could be apart of what was to come for tonight and she was starting to hate Denise because her sister just didn't know how lucky she was to have a man like Jerome Lott. The kiss left her breathless and her body wanting, but Dana's heart was crushed.

He really didn't notice the difference.

The well wishing went on for only a short while. Denise carefully diverted her sorority sisters and mother away and Gloria even helped out. Dana was positive Gloria knew what was going on. The formal reception was at a hall all the way in Detroit, a thirty-minute drive from the house, which Dana would have to suffer being in a limousine privately with Jerome.

Dana was able to snatch up her purse with her cell phone and Denise cornered her before she was dragged into the limousine to let her know that Dana's Malibu would be driven to the reception for Dana to take and drive home from.

Alone in the limousine with Jerome, Dana allowed him to hold her close.

"We did it, Mrs. Lott," he said very satisfied, lightly caressing her ass. "I'm going to do my damndest to make you the happiest woman in the world."

"Didn't you just do that?" she asked sarcastically, looking straight up in his face hoping he'd see the difference.

He thought she wanted to be kissed and this he did quite well.

Dana forgot about her anger at him and allowed herself to get cozy with him as he took delight upon giving her a zillion kisses on her mouth, face, ears, and neck. His hands gently caressed her face and shoulders. Magically her dress disappeared and his mouth moved down to push her corset down and taste her flesh.

Delicious, truly delicious, she mused luxuriating in his oral ministrations to each nipple as she opened his shirt. She bravely kissed his head and suckled an earlobe as he steered her to straddle his hips.

Dana didn't care that they had made love already twice today and he didn't seem at all tired. He kissed her as if it were the first time, he touched her as if his hands couldn't get enough and his body responded as if he hadn't made love in years.

Jesus! He was insatiable as he ripped her underwear off and opened his pants to reveal his steel root. Gripping him firmly, she pressed his tip into her. Dana grinded her hips, nibbling his lips and neck. He closed his eyes and enjoyed her gyrations as she plunged his member deeper and deeper, squeezing her inner muscles repeatedly grasping and releasing him until her intimate bliss began to literally vibrate against him.

He held her close and steered her hips to draw his juices deep into her. His hands gripped her ass tightly revealing in the orgasm she had brought them to.

"Fuck!" he cursed. "Gawd! I love you, D."

She wanted to really feel those words, but as she rested her head against his chest, she knew he would never mean them to her- not Dana. Closing her eyes, Dana fought the urge to cry because she realized after all these years, she loved Jerome Lott, her sister's husband.

Part 7

Dammit! Had she fallen asleep? How long had she been asleep?

Sitting up, she realized the wedding dress was laying over her like a blanket and she was sprawled over the limousine seat. Jerome was not inside the compartment and the driver was standing outside taking a long drag on a cigarette.

The vehicle was stopped in front of a municipal building. She quickly put on the wedding dress and found her lime green shoes before getting out.

Jerome was just coming out the building with a manila envelope. Once he saw her, he hurried toward her and kissed her deeply. "You look beautiful. Did you get a lot of rest?" he asked concerned.

"Where are we, Jerome?" she demanded to know.

"You're going to make me ruin my surprise. Can you please indulge me?"

The persuasive brown eyes captured her pulse and she couldn't deny a thing this man wanted. When they were sitting back in the limousine and it was on its way somewhere else, he said, "Did you know you snore, D? I never noticed until now. Maybe cause you usually kick me out before I'm usually done."

Gasping embarrassed, she said, "Only when I'm really exhausted."

He gently pushed a cowlick out her face. "It's music to my ears."

Dana couldn't help, but blush as he stole yet another kiss from her.

When limousine stopped, the driver opened the door for them and Jerome helped her out. In front of them was a quaint white towered home. An older man was standing on the porch and looked happy to see them.

"I'm not taking another step until you tell me what's going on and why we aren't at the reception," she demanded.

"D, remember we talked about this? The ceremony was only for show. You forgot to get our papers in on time. Remember?"

Dana tried to look like she did, but she had no idea what he was talking about.

"Do you have the document?" the older man asked.

"Yes," Jerome said handing the man the manila envelope. "Give us a moment, Sir."

When they were alone, she insisted to know, "Jerome, explain this to me one more time. I think I lost a few brain cells while I was snoring."

"You forgot to get our paperwork to the city clerks office, so we paid a guy to initiate the public ceremony in Michigan just for show and I told you I would handle the private legal ceremony later. You went to get your birth certificate and mailed it down here just two days ago to a judge friend of mine, so they could have our paperwork all ready."

"Where are we?!" she exclaimed.

"Toledo," he said obviously as if she should know. "We're getting married legally, D."

Part 8

Dana wanted to scream and pass out at the same time.

Jerome caught her as her legs gave out and helped her up the stairs effortlessly. He wasn't one bit of tired and the man had initiated sex three times in one day. What the hell was he on? Stamina, her ass. He didn't look the least bit tired and he was just too nice to her.

"Are you okay, D?" he questioned very concerned.

"S-Stop calling me that!" she insisted. "I-I just need to freshen up." Her breathing had become difficult and she was panting as if she were having an asthma attack.

He helped her to the door of the women's restroom inside the building and then let her go in by herself.

Dana found her cell phone in the bottom of her purse. She could barely remember, much less dial, Denise's cell phone. It had never occurred to her to put Denise's phone number in speed dial, because they had really never been close like that. Her clients were embedded in her phone, not people from her family.

Dana knew there was something wrong with that. Her clients were closer to her than her own family, but her family really never cared about whether she lived or died. Her mother had always held Denise in high regard. Dana never asked her mother why she played favorites to her twin daughters.

If she knew, would it have elevated her mother to a one touch dialing status?

As soon as she heard Denise's voice, she hissed, "Where are you?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Denise asked.

There was music in the background.

"I'm freaking out in Toledo, Ohio, where your husband has decided to tie the knot on the fly legally, since you knew you didn't turned the paperwork in on time. Did you hear me, Denise? I said legally! How dare you do this to me?!" She was pacing furiously between the sink and commode.