Perfume Ch. 09

"What about you, Squirt? Do you know what these keys are for?" Wynston asked her son.

But of course, Terrence was no help either. He just shrugged his shoulders and clung to Yuliana.

"Hm. Well, I guess I'll find out later," Wynston said.

She turned once more and gazed at herself in the mirror. Taking a deep breath, she glanced at the clock on the wall. It was time to go.

"Well...let's make this happen!" she said. And they all excitedly left the bedroom.

***

The women and Terrence all rushed out of the house and toward Eric's Tahoe.

Each time Wynston saw his tag, she smirked. It simply said, "RICAN." The truth was Wynston was ecstatic. She herself had wanted a black Tahoe, but her money could only buy her an Explorer.

Eric didn't know it yet, but she fully intended to drive his SUV every chance she got.

"Okay, who's going to drive this thing?" Yuliana asked, eyeing the big truck.

Everyone turned to look at Wynston.

She rolled her eyes and muttered to herself about how nobody knew how to treat a bride...a pregnant one at that.

"Just get in," she grumbled as she climbed into the driver's seat.

By the time they pulled into the parking lot of the courthouse, Wynston's heart was beating triple time. She was so nervous!

She looked around and didn't see the men anywhere. Good. She wanted to get inside before Eric saw her.

The women all made a beeline for the building and managed to get inside without running into the men.

They had only been waiting for a few minutes when they heard several footfalls coming toward them. The women turned in time to see their gorgeous men striding purposefully toward them. Eric was in the lead and damned if he didn't look good.

And determined.

As Wynston stood in the middle of the women, she couldn't do anything but stare at her man. He looked like a celebrity, actually. The gray suit he wore had been tailored perfectly to his tall, muscular physique.

The white dress shirt beneath his jacket was crisp, and clean. His satin tie and matching kerchief was the same purple of Wynston's dress. Eric had obviously gotten a haircut and his facial hair had been trimmed, too.

The man knew how to dress is ass off...and he was about to charge her, too. Wynston knew that look in his eyes better than anybody else. Unlike the previous times when she had wanted to run away from his intensity, she stood her ground.

She now embraced Eric's powerful ardor and couldn't wait to be swept up by him. When he would've reached for her, both Sharon and Yuliana stood between the two and intercepted him.

Wynston's growl was followed by Eric's.

"Son, doesn't your bride look beautiful? Isn't her MAKE-UP flawless?" Yuliana asked.

"Yes, and Wynnie, you wouldn't want to smear that flawless make-up all over Eric's nice shirt, would you?" Sharon asked.

The women were silently telling them to chill.

"You look beautiful, baby," Eric said, his eyes never leaving Wynston.

"I would hump you right here if these two women weren't blocking us," Wynston said breathlessly, her eyes wide.

Eric's face broke into a huge smile as everyone else grimaced at Wynston's blunt honesty.

"I love you ladies dearly, but if you don't allow me near my wife I will have no choice but to physically extract you," Eric warned.

Yuliana sighed while Sharon rolled her eyes. They both knew he meant it. "Just contain yourself until the ceremony is over. It's only a few more minutes and then you can paw each other as husband and wife," Sharon pleaded.

"Fine, Mama," Wynston said impatiently.

Finally, the mothers moved allowing Eric and Wynston to close the gap. Miraculously, all Eric did was place Wynston's arm through his and kissed her cheek. "You look stunning," he whispered.

Just then, the justice called their names and everyone filed into the courtroom.

The ceremony was short, and to the point. It lacked the frills of a regular church wedding, but the meaning behind it was just as powerful. There was nothing more important than making their marriage "official," so the ceremony served its purpose for Eric and Wynston.

Eric had written his own vows, and by the time he was done, there wasn't a woman in the room with a dry eye...even some of the men got misty-eyed.

Likewise, Wynston expressed her feelings for Eric in her own words which made his heart squeeze with the sweetness of it.

When it was time to exchange rings, Wynston surprised Eric with a simple, white gold band she had secretly purchased for him. The inscription was also very simple: I trust you, it read.

When they were pronounced husband and wife, the newlyweds mauled each other in front of the justice and their guests amid whistles, catcalls and applause. After signing the necessary documents and posing for pictures, everyone left the courthouse and filed into their cars.

Eric helped his wife into the passenger side of his SUV and instructed the others to meet them at the Charleston Place Hotel for the evening reception. They had reserved the Pavilion ballroom for the intimate dinner, which was an amazing room with tall ceilings, chandeliers and an outdoor garden.

When Eric and Wynston pulled off, they rode along the Summerville streets in silence. Their fingers twined, the couple basked in the glow of their recent nuptials.

"Where are we going?" Wynston asked as she kissed the back of Eric's hand. They had missed their turn to go to the hotel.

"I have a surprise for you. It's your 'something new.' Did you bring those keys Lacey gave you?" he asked.

Wynston fished the keys out of her clutch.

Finally, they pulled up in front of a small shop with a lot of clear glass windows. Wynston looked at Eric dubiously when he got out of the truck and came around to open her door.

"Eric, what's going on?" she asked.

Silently, he led her to the door and instructed her to unlock it. When she did, she turned to look at Eric and her face broke into a huge grin. "You bought a shop?!" she asked.

"I sure did. Do you like it?"

Wynston looked around. It looked kind of small. She had no idea where he planned to put his furniture when he was done building. Maybe there was something she was missing.

"Yeah, I do. But the question is do YOU like it? Where will you put your furniture?" she asked.

Eric looked at her for a moment. He loved the stuffing out of this woman, but she could be slow sometimes. It had completely gone over her head what the building was for. He gently took her hand and walked her around the place.

"See, I think a counter right here would be perfect. Maybe a couple chairs and tables here and here...that's if you want people to stay. If you don't, we can eliminate the tables and chairs. I'm thinking a huge glass casement with enough room to display your items right here, and maybe a mounted flat screen up there."

As Eric explained "his vision," Wynston stared at the places he had motioned to with complete confusion. She was lost and didn't have a clue what Eric was talking about.

"You still don't know, baby girl?" he asked.

Wynston shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.

"This is your bakery. I bought it as a wedding gift. When you're ready, you—"

Eric trailed off when Wynston screamed and started jumping up and down...then she remembered their baby. "ERIC YOU BOUGHT THIS FOR ME?!?!?!" she cried.

"Well good morning, sunshine," Eric drawled as she finally caught up. He lazily leaned against the wall and watched while Wynston danced a little jig and screamed more gibberish. She was the cutest thing he'd ever seen.

"So NOW tell me what you think," he said, wanting more compliments and praise.

Wynston happily obliged. "I think you're crazy and so wonderful and I couldn't ever be happier and you're still too good to be true and I love you with my soul and I don't ever want to do anything to disappoint you because you've been SO good to me!" When she finished, she was completely out of breath.

Eric grinned. This reaction was more like it. He liked the way her words made him feel.

***

When they locked up and made their way to the hotel, Wynston talked nonstop about the bakery. She was beyond stoked and was brimming with ideas. Eric would be her investor – she had insisted – and she couldn't wait to get to work on decorations and creating different flavors of cakes and cupcakes.

They finally arrived at the Pavilion room and were astounded by its beauty. The room was the smallest of all the ballrooms, but it was still grand. The setting was cozy and intimate, the lights low and ambient. Each French door that led to the outside garden had been thrown open, allowing the fragrant smell of blooms to enter the room.

The hotel staff had gone above and beyond Eric and Wynston's expectations. There were several tables that had been decorated with fluffy, cream tablecloths. Folded intricately atop the tablecloths were gold and cream-colored, cloth napkins.

Bouquets of summer flowers in tall vases had been used as centerpieces; and ornate china and gold-rimmed wine glasses had been used as place settings.

The hired band played quietly, entertaining the wedding guests. Eric and Wynston had also hired a DJ to relieve the band later on that evening.

Their family and friends had already arrived and were waiting patiently for the bride and groom. It was a small party of about 25, and it was perfect. Only the people who meant the world to them were present.

As Wynston and Eric walked in, everyone clapped and whistled.

In the spirit of tradition, the band began to play a song for their first dance. It was Norah Jones' "The Nearness of You." As the husband and wife glided across the floor, they were lost in the romance of the evening. Wynston could hardly believe she was married, and to such a wonderful man!

"I'm in love with you, you know...if I haven't already told you," Wynston whispered.

"I think you told me once or something," Eric said innocently.

She pretended to be shocked, knowing full well that he was fibbing. "Only once??? Well, forgive me, darling. I'm in love with you, I'm in love with you, I'm in love with you," she proclaimed.

"Not bad. But I need to hear it every day, once in the morning and once at night. And maybe five or six times throughout the day. Feel free to say it more than that if the mood strikes you," Eric instructed.

"Consider it done. What else?"

"And throw in some kisses, too; and of course I'm going to need sex five or six times a week. I'll let you know if I think of anything else." Before Wynston could protest the amount of sex, Eric proceeded to curl her toes with a deep kiss.

"GET A ROOM," someone bellowed, making everyone laugh. Wynston and Eric were positive it was Bo.

When the band played "The Way You Look Tonight," other couples made their way onto the floor and danced slowly to the music. Eric watched his father and mother take to the floor as well.

He experienced a twinge of regret as he gazed at them.

It may have been selfish, but part of him would always hope against hope that his parents would find their way back to each other. Eric was well aware that his dad still loved his mom; and even though she never mentioned it, it was plain as day that Yuliana still loved Hector.

But the situation had been entirely hopeless. His father had caused a lot of people pain, and Eric didn't know how Hector's story would end. He did hope, though...he hoped his dad would make a strong comeback and at least begin to atone for his mistakes.

And maybe, just maybe his sons could begin to heal...and maybe there was even a chance for Hector and Yuliana to reconcile.

Sensing a change in Eric, Wynston looked up and followed his gaze. She watched Hector and Yuliana and immediately felt sorry for them and most of all for Eric.

Even though she and Eric had not spoken a whole lot on the subject of his parents, Wynston knew he silently hoped they would get back together. Wasn't that what most children hoped for when their parents split?

There had even been a few times when Terrence had asked about her own relationship with Terry. So Wynston knew firsthand that those kinds of situations were never easy...no matter how old the children were.

"You really want them to get back together, huh?" she asked.

Eric looked down at her with a wistful expression that made him look like a little boy. It nearly broke her heart.

"I wish they would, yes," he murmured. "I don't even know if I have the right. So many people were hurt because of my father. Still, I want to see him happy. Is that wrong?"

"Of course not. Think of it this way, what kind of person would you be if you didn't want your dad to be happy? You guys' past is a mess, I get that. But...I don't know; I want to see your parents happy, too. If I had a magic wand to clean it all up, I would. You, Hector and your brothers would live happily ever after and your dad and Yuliana would get married and have the fairytale ending."

"That makes two of us...I don't know about the magic wand bit, but I agree with the rest," Eric joked. "But listen, this is way too heavy for the occasion. I just married the most beautiful woman in the world and I want to enjoy her."

"So enjoy me then," Wynston challenged, kissing the tip of his nose.

And Eric did just that. They ate and celebrated each other. There were a ridiculous number of toasts to the bride and groom; and the more people drank the more absurd their toasts became.

Next, Eric and Wynston cut the wedding cake.

Wynston had ordered a very simple three-tiered cake with fondant. She had chosen yellow marble, red velvet and devils food chocolate cake. The hotel had outdone themselves with the table decorations for the cake as well.

It sat atop a gathered lavender cloth, and white rose petals had been scattered along the tops of the cloth.

As Eric and Wynston cut the cake and fed it to each other, Eric leaned down to whisper in Wynston's ear. "Your cake would kick this cake's ass," he said.

Wynston beamed. She didn't know if he was lying or not, but it was one of the sweetest things he could've said to her.

When it was time to throw the bouquet, Wynston playfully turned her back and pretended like she would toss it. Then, with a twinkle in her eyes, she walked up to Yuliana, gave her a great, big hug, and presented her with the flowers.

Next, Eric got to remove Wynston's garter, but since their parents were there, he kept it PG-rated. Following in Wynston's footsteps, he walked up to his father and snapped the garter into place around Hector's head.

Eric laughed when his dad gave two thumbs up signs and when his mother blushed.

His parents took his and Wynston's place at the center of the room with Yuliana on the chair and Hector kneeling before her. Hector knew that Yuliana would never forgive him if he made a spectacle of them, so he also kept it respectable.

All of a sudden, the DJ played Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," making the group go ballistic. Young and old alike charged onto the floor and danced without inhibition.

As a matter of fact, the dancing got downright silly.

Lacey had waddled onto the floor, her huge baby bump swinging back and forth as she danced to the beat of the music. Bo was never too far from her, and brought back some of the ridiculous 80's dance moves they all did as children.

Not to be outdone, Terrence shook his little rump and danced completely out of rhythm.

Eric was the worst one of them all.

He had long since removed his jacket. With his shirt unbuttoned to his chest, and his tie hanging loosely around his neck, Eric did his best Michael Jackson moves...which turned out not to be so good.

Delighted, Wynston laughed along with their family and friends as they all watched Eric's goofy homage to Michael Jackson. She'd never seen this side of him before.

Lord have mercy, my baby cannot dance, Wynston thought. Then Eric shimmied over to her and grabbed her hands, inviting her to dance with him.

At first, she resisted. But then she thought if Eric could be silly and carefree, so could she.

So Wynston danced outrageously alongside Eric, doing the robot, the cabbage patch and the snake. And when she did her best rendition of the Moonwalk, even Eric shook his head at how crappy it was.

But it was all in good fun.

Finally, when the night came to an end and it was time to leave, Wynston embraced a sleepy Terrence and rained kisses all over his little face.

Amidst a sea of well-wishes, Eric and Wynston left the ballroom. As they got on the elevators, Wynston couldn't contain her yawns...she was so tired. The pregnancy was really starting to take a toll on her.

She felt bad because they were about to go on their honeymoon and she could barely keep her eyes open. Maybe she would get some sleep on the plane.

That was another thing. She dreaded getting on a flight anywhere. Wynston was approaching her fifth month of pregnancy and all she wanted to do was lounge around with Eric, sleep, make love, eat and spend more time with Eric.

Whatever he had planned for them, she would slap a smile on her face and enjoy it, no matter how tired she was. Hurting his feelings was not an option.

As Wynston leaned against Eric with her head on his chest, she realized that they had been on the elevator much longer than they should've been.

When the elevator kept going up, she looked at Eric. "Where are we going?" she asked looking at him suspiciously.

"We're going on our honeymoon," he replied.

As if he hadn't already blown her mind with the bakery, Eric proceeded to lead Wynston onto the club floor of the hotel. "Remember when Bo told us to get a room?" he asked.

He inserted the key card into the lock and swung the door open. They were met with one of the hotel's luxurious one bedroom parlor suites. When they walked into the foyer, the living room was the first thing that came into view.

Rich mahogany furniture met with cream and olive décor; and a chandelier hung elegantly over an 8-person dining table, giving the place an intimate, but swanky feel. There were two French doors that led onto a balcony, and the parlor led to an adjoining bedroom.

Inside the bedroom were a large, king size walk-in closet, and an elegant bathroom with a gigantic garden tub. The room also boasted another set of French doors which led outside onto the balcony.

Rose petals had been peppered onto the big, four-poster bed and there was a cart with chilled wine, strawberries and delicious-looking desserts.

"Wine?!" Wynston said as she walked to the cart. What she saw made her laugh. It was a bottle of the same sparkling grape juice she'd had during her bachelorette party.

"You thought of everything, didn't you?" she asked Eric in wonder.

"I tried. I've only been agonizing over this for a few weeks," he said jokingly.

"Everything is perfect Eric, really. I was afraid I'd have to endure another flight! Now I get to stay locked up in here with you without any distractions?! This is the PERFECT honeymoon," she gushed.

"I'm glad you're happy. Now let's get those clothes off of you. I want to make love to my wife," he murmured.

Wynston dutifully obeyed.

Eric's lovemaking was passionate and intense as they consummated their marriage. He was tender and mindful of their child, and patient as he waited for Wynston to reach her climax.

When it was Eric's turn to orgasm, he exploded deep inside Wynston's silky walls, overwhelmed by how tightly her body cradled his cock. And when he floated down from the waves of their ardor, Eric became aware that Wynston was crying.

Afraid that he had been too rough, he tilted her face upward. "What's the matter, baby? Did I hurt you?" he asked.

Concern was laced all through his deep voice.