Loved

Iris’s p. o. v.

—————

The tunes for Unconditionally by Katy Perry was being played so softly by the DJ and it’s lull filled the entire hall.

The room was slightly beginning to get filled up by business associates, family members and even the press.

Clicks from cameras and chatters from people engaged in discussions were prominent in the enclosed space, filling the area with excitement and buzz.

I stood at the entrance and surveyed the black and blue themed hall in awe and gloom. Claudette has really got a top notch style.

I had already handed Louie to Jenny so she could prepare to be the ‘flower girl’ and now I regret it cause I have no company.

I engaged in a little chat with Guillermo a few minutes ago before I entered the hall but he had to leave so he can go get the priest.

No sign of the bride and groom yet, but the real question is why exactly am I even here?

I had double thoughts about my presence here last night and till now I’m still rethinking every decision I made.

When have I ever made any decision that eventually turned out positive?

The same way I made the biggest mistake of my life and had sex with Hunter.

Nearly a week to his wedding.

Despite everything, despite all the warnings my brain gave me. Despite all he had done to me.

I was stupid enough to give him my body again. This time willingly.

Then he brushed it off like he didn’t spend an entire night with me in the same bed.

After the morning that we woke up naked side by side with each other, he pretended like nothing ever happened and avoided body contact like I’m a moving flame.

At first I thought he didn’t wanna make things awkward so he never brought it up but then he comes home to inform me he’s getting married in a few days.

Then I realized that he wasn’t pretending. That night really meant nothing more to him than a one night stand.

He really does know how to hurt every piece of me without lifting a finger.

To be truthful, I blame myself. For being so stupid.

The music isn’t helping my emotions right now because I can positively see my vision getting clouded with moisture.

” My my, the decor is amazing but no need to shed your tears of joy before the wedding” an elderly sopranic voice teased followed by a little laughter.

I whirled around to come face to face with a very beautiful yet unfamiliar face and a face I never expected to seein my life anymore.

” T- Tucker??” I stuttered after I regained my senses from the shock.

At first he stared at me with unrecognition in his eyes and waringly eyed my form from head to toe like he was trying to detect if he had seen such a person before.

But then his eyes landed on my face and after three seconds of counting his eyes widened in realization.

” Holy cow!! Iris!!??” His country accent had no dent over the years, heck nothing had changed in him at all.

He still kept his stubble the exact same way and his belly all but decreased.

Don’t get me started on his fashion, his trends didn’t falter on bit for he was wearing a blue and white striped trousers with a black dress shirt and suspenders.

Good ole Tucker.

” I can’t believe it’s you. What are you doing here?” I exclaimed and ran into his arms to give him a tight hug.

” What am I doing here? I am the uncle to the groom. I should be asking you nikita and what the hell happened to you? Your hair, your skin, your body. I swear it took a lot of brain work to crack that it was you” he responded and pulled out of the embrace.

Did I just hear-?

” Did you say uncle?” I questioned the surprising information.

” Yeah. Hunter is one of me favorite nephews. Don’t avoid my question”

Favorite nephews?

Is there anyone I know that isn’t connected to Hunter in a way?

Huh? Who else?

” Oh, Yeah. Just a little make over” I casually said with a broad smile.

He laughed so loudly that caused eyes to turn in our direction.

” Well your make over suits you but I prefer your old hair. Keep the rest” he winked and drew the lady beside him who was now chatting away with another woman closer.

” Tom Uriel Carrington McConnell! That is no way to get a woman’s attention” the lady scolded and gave him a little smack on his belly.

” But it got yours” he chuckled out and kissed her on the cheek. ” Iris meet my beautiful wife, my beautiful wife meet a beautiful Iris”

” I try to make him more polite but he deliberately chose not to. I’m Annabelle by the way. It’s nice to meet you Iris.” She smiled and pulled me in for a hug which I had no problem returning.

” Nice to meet you too. You look beautiful ma’am”

” Oh you look better. It’s finally good to put a face to the Iris my husband did find worthy talking about. You’re a good lady sweetie”

“Thank you” I appreciated and she only nodded before hugging her husband so closely.

” Alright Iris, we’ll see ya later okay? And I mean it. We’ve got a lot to talk about, starting from the way you moved without notice” Tucker narrowed his eyes at me but broke into a smile afterwards.

” I promise to explain” just a little bit.

” Good” he nodded and took his wife by the hand as they walked away to address another couple.

I stood in my position, watching the way the two hugged or held hands subconsciously, like it was part of them.

I wanna be loved that way.

I sighed and smiled before turning around but I slammed into someone.

” I’m so sorry.. I-”

” Iris?” The voice interrupted me

I know that voice.

I looked to see the face of who I crashed into.

” Mrs Phoebe!!” I squealed and flung my arms around her waist.

She chuckled and hugged me back. ” My my, sweetheart you’ve grown!” She commented and held me at arms length so she could assess my attire.

” Do a spin for me darling” she said and I twirled in response that resulted in both of us laughing.

” What a lovely dress and a beautiful lady to go with it” an external voice piped into our laughing fit as she approached us with a teenage girl by her side.

I looked to Mrs Phoebe for confirmation on who these two may be because if I am not mistaken, they look eerily familiar.

” Aunt Phoebe!! ” The girl squealed and ran to catch Mrs Phoebe in an embrace.

Aunt Phoebe?

This means-

” Iris, meet Mrs McConnell and her daughter Love. The mother and sister to our happy groom”Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

Happy groom.

That word did strike a chord in me but I refuse to let it show.

At least now I know why they looked familiar, they were the people in the drawings on Hunter’s bedside table.

” It’s nice to meet you Mrs McConnell. Love.” I tried to sound cheerful but I failed woefully.

” It’s nice to meet you too hunny. I’ve heard so much about you from my husband. In due time, we do need to have a little chat” Mrs McConnell said, then added a wink as we shook hands.

Another talk?

” Hey, you’re my brother’s secretary right?” Love asked as she extended her own hand for a shake.

” Yeah” I replied as I shook back.

” Cool. He can be an airhead sometimes, don’t hesitate to smack him” she commented and I barked out laughing.

All four of us actually found what she had just said amusing till Mrs McConnell spoke up.

” Please don’t. He isn’t the best with temper”

” I promise not to” I complied with a smile on my face then she turned to Love once again.

” Come on darling, let’s go find the Reid’s” she said and the two began to head in another direction.

” I’ll need to find the Reid’s too but your expression at the mention of Hunter is funny. You’re not telling me something. Talk later?” She cooed and didn’t give me a chance to respond before walking away.

It’s not like I’ll hide it from her anyway.

Suddenly, the music is tuned low and everyone around begins locating their seats so I do same.

I quickly decide to move to the set of chairs on the left hand side of the room.

Picking the third to the last row as my position, I sit on the second chair from the right.

People start to fill up the seats all around but the chairs to my left and right are still empty.

After looking around one more time, a clenching feeling grips my chest.

I honestly can’t believe the wedding is actually taking place.

I take a deep breath and remind myself that the only reason why I’m even seated here is cause Louie is here somewhere cause if not, I’d have been halfway back to Bridgewaters by now.

Someone flopped down on the seat to my right and I turned to say hello but she beat me to it.

” Bitch!!”She nearly shouted with a bright smile on her face.

It was Megan.

” You’re? How? Oh my gosh I’m so happy to see you” I exclaimed as we hugged.

But what’s Megan doing here?

” Me too babe. Turns out Dylan’s Dad is Hunter’s direct uncle so I couldn’t miss his nephews wedding. Blaaah!” She explains and finishes off by sticking out her tongue.

” Then that’s so far the best thing that has ever happened to me” I hugged her again and suddenly don’t regret coming to the wedding so much.

” Shhhh.. it’s starting” she pushes me away and turns to the entrance where the groom and his best man were walking in through.

Hunter had picked out a black suit with navy blue designs at the edges which fitted his body almost too perfectly. His material made of the finest of cotton that it appeared silky from my angle. He had shaved his growing stubble just a little bit and gelled his long hair backwards.

Walking in with all the allure a man could ever possess, a smile so bright on his face that it defeated all the lights in the room as he walked down that aisle.

His best man, who unsurprisingly was Dylan also moved with so much grace.

Dylan had chosen a blue suit in replica to Hunter’s very own design. He also had a smile on his lips, but his expression was more of a ‘ I can’t believe this is really happening ‘ kinda look.

Of a true fact, this family possessed good looking genes.

The two walked down the aisle to the makeshift alter where the priest currently stood.

Megan nudged my knee with a confused look in her eyes.

” What?” I asked once she got my attention.

” I’m the one who should ask you that, you look like you’re about to cry. I’ve been staring at you for the past few minutes and you never even noticed”

Using the tip of my index finger, I touch underneath my right eye and indeed feel the tears.

“Are you okay? Did Hunter do something?” She asked again with concern.

It wouldn’t be so bad to let it out right? Maybe it will stop hurting as much.

” Megan, Hunter and I-”

” Is this seat taken?” An all too familiar male voice interrupted my tale and Megan muttered a later to me.

I nodded and turned to the voice. Indeed it was familiar.

” Mr McConnell! Oh no, it’s not” I gestured at the chair to my left.

” Miss Jules? Wow, I almost didn’t recognize you. You look stunning my dear” he says as he takes the seat.

” Thank you sir. You look good too”

” I try. How have you been?” He pats my shoulder as he asked.

” I’m okay, everything is going well. What about the office?”.

” All good too if I should say. What about Hunter?”

He’s asking me that?

” What about him?”

” How’s everything with him? Is it okay?”

When he asked that, I didn’t fail to look back to Hunter who stood on the stage.

How’s everything with Hunter?

What’s the best adjective to describe it.

Everything is horrible. And horrible is putting it lightly.

Your son is the most infuriating person I have ever met in my life.

Your son is a cocky, incorrigible, selfish bastard who cares about no one but himself.

Your son has driven me mad with his moodswings like a pregnant woman.

Your son has hurt me more times in life than the number of times that I breathe in oxygen.

Yet…

Your same son made me fall for him.

That’s why it hurts so bad. That’s why everything is choking me up.

I’ve fallen for Hunter.

I don’t know if it’s love yet and I definitely hope against it, but there’s indeed something.

After all he’s done, after it all, my stupid heart still fell for that miserable excuse for a man after all.

I always knew I had a thing for hurting myself.

Of everything and everyone in this life, I fell for the one person I couldn’t have.

The one person I shouldn’t even want.

” Miss Jules are you okay?” Mr McConnell drew my attention back to him but I believe my eyes are holding tears because the expression on his face when his eyes met mine was nothing short of confusion.

I was about to respond when the pianist began playing the tunes of the old fashioned here comes the bride.

In reflex, everyone turned to the door and then she walked in, arm in arm with her father.

Michelle in her splendor and goddess-like beauty entered into the room with her veil over her face.

Even with her facial concealed, no one could doubt the beauty underneath the material was more than those who followed behind with their faces exposed.

But then, that wasn’t exactly what caused the tears I’ve been holding back to slip.

It was seeing Louie walking happily before Michelle while she threw her flowers that did.

Louisa looked so excited as she tossed the flowers in the air, a wide smile on her face as she began searching the crowd for someone as she walked by.

She searched and searched till her eyes landed on mine.

Then with a wider smile, she sent me a wave.

I felt my lungs give out and my eyes get heavier at the gesture.

She’s the flower girl to her own father’s wedding.

With a teary face, I waved back at her as she continued moving then I turned back to Mr McConnell.

” Sir I’m so sorry about this, but I would wish to resign from my job”

My statement caught him off guard and it took him seconds before he could respond.

” If you wish to no longer be my son’s secretary, you can return to working with me”

” No. I want to resign entirely from the Brooks and Shields Enterprise. I want to move back home”

And I mean it. I’m going back to Saint Alamos.

” Jules, can we talk before you-”

” I’ve made my decision sir. Please excuse me” I concluded and stood to my feet.

The air in the room suddenly became too heavy to breathe in, so I began heading outside.

As I walked out, I didn’t fail to notice the way Megan looked at me. But that wasn’t the only eye I felt watching me till I stepped out of the room.

_____________________________

Hunter’s p. o. v.

——————:

I watched as Michelle walked down with her train of bridesmaids following behind.

Even with her shielded face, I could still see that smile beneath.

The exact replica of the smile I was wearing.

Her gown hugged her figure so perfectly that I made a mental note to thank the store that sold it to us afterwards.

Then, something else caught my eye.

The little girl who walked in front and threw flowers like she had no care in the world.

And that little girl is my daughter.

My heart constricted a bit when I wondered if she’ll ever get to know me as her father.

With the way things are with Iris at the moment, I doubt so.

A smile resurfaced on my lips again as I watched louisa throw a bunch of flowers in the air, but then she got slightly distracted.

Momentarily, she began searching the crowd for someone.

Her eyes scanned the entire right area but it seems she didn’t find whom she was searching for, so she turned to the left.

In a few seconds, the confusion on her face washed away and was replaced by a lovely smile as she waved at someone.

My eyes followed the direction in which she waved and then I saw her.

Iris looking as stunning as ever in a navy blue gown and her hair in such a way that it cascaded down her face.

She was covering the scar again. I always preferred her hair up.

She sent Louisa a wave in return and watched the girl walk down for a few seconds before she turned to someone on her left.

My Dad.

I think she said something that caught him off guard because from here I can sight his shock.

I can only wonder what she had just told him.

In the next minute, Iris stood from her seat and began walking towards the door.

She’s leaving?

Before I could process that thought, a man from the last row with a blue face cap stood up almost immediately after Iris did.

Who wears a face cap indoors?

The man’s structure seems very familiar and I joggle my memory to remember which of my relatives had such a sense of fashion.

The man followed Iris directly behind till she stepped out the door.

He on the other hand paused for a moment at the entrance and adjusted his cap.

It was only then did I notice the tattoo on his bicep that he didn’t try to hide with his polo shirt and jeans.

Wait! I know that tattoo.

As if hearing my thoughts, the man slowly turned in my direction and lifted his hat so I could see his face clearly.

And after sending me a smirk, he dashed out of the hall.

Soldo!!

————— ~ —————

THE END.