Gena sat alone in a small dressing room. Everything was perfect, there was no detail left unfinished, nothing more to do. The day had dawned with a perfect, sunny, cloudless sky, and who could ask for more? Gena thought back to the night she met Quadir in Harlem on 125th Street in front of the Mart 125. Who could have known; who could have guessed? They had been through the fire together and had made it without getting burned.
A gentle knock at the door brought Gena out of her reverie.
“Come in,” she said as she watched a tall, handsome man, wearing a tuxedo and looking like a million bucks, stick his head around the door. “Daddy, come here, Daddy,” said Gena, her arms reaching out for the father she had never known.
“You look like a princess,” Malcolm said, his eyes beginning to water. “I don’t know if I can do this, Gena, all those people out there and all.”
“Daddy, you’ll be fine; I’m going to hold your hand and we’re going to walk together just like we did last night at rehearsal.” Gena smiled reassuringly.
“I wish your mama could see you,” said Malcolm, seeing his wife in his daughter’s smile.
“I know, Dad, I know. Listen…” said Gena, taking her father’s hands into her own and staring up into his big strong brown eyes. “We can’t change the past, but we can change where we go from here, from now on. It’s okay. My mother’s not here; the only thing that matters to me is that… you are, you’re here. And I’m so, so grateful for this day.”
“Baby girl, you think you’re grateful. Them white folks had me locked up so long, I don’t know if I’m coming or going, and I know that I don’t have much…” Malcolm stopped for a minute, to clear his throat, “but I’d give my life for you, Gena, I’d give my right arm for you to have this day.”
“Oh, Daddy, I love you,” she said, embracing her father.
“I love you too, baby girl; I love you too.”
“Hey, whatch’all doin’ in here?” asked Michael, peeking through the partially open door. “Wow, Gena, look at you. You must be the most beautiful bride I ever laid my two eyes on.”
“She sure is,” said Malcolm.
“Uncle Michael,” said Gena, running over to her uncle.
“It’s been a rough couple of years, but you weathered the storm. You and Quadir have nothing but smooth seas ahead,” he said, with his hands firmly on Gena’s shoulder. “I pray God blesses your union today and for the rest of your lives,” said Michael, congratulating her.
“Oh, Uncle Michael, you’re going to make me cry too. Look, my makeup, y’all,” said Gena, making her way over to the mirror for one last glance.
“You okay, brother man,” said Michael gripping his older brother’s hand and hugging him.
“Yeah, I’m here. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m here.”
“Hey, don’t worry; I got you, man,” said Michael.
“Seriously, though, I think I need to take you up on that offer. I can’t walk her down this aisle, man.”
Michael looked at his brother and then down at his watch, “Okay, guys, let’s go, let’s make time.”
Holding a bouquet of white roses in her hand, Gena stepped out into the hallway and found her wedding party all lined up, waiting and ready to make that walk.
Everybody was there, not one person had been left out. Viola walked over to Gena and kissed the side of her face.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful bride.”
“Thank you, Viola, for everything.”
Viola lined up the wedding party, nodded with approval toward Gena, and gave the cue for the music to begin. The groomsmen and the bridesmaids took their places at the altar; the flower girls and the tiny ring bearer walked down the red carpet next. Viola took her seat next to Montel and her daughter, Denise, just as the bride appeared at the doorway.
“Aaaww,” was all that could be heard as everyone turned around to see Malcolm standing tall and proud on her left and Michael standing tall and proud on her right. Everyone there knew about the situation between the two brothers, the death of Gena’s mother, the reasons of it all, and even Gena’s questionable paternity, but on this day, none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was that they were all there together. But for Gah Git to see both her boys standing side by side after being separated for so, so long, brought tears to her eyes. She didn’t know what she was crying for, but she couldn’t stop.
“Gah Git, you okay?” asked Paula.
“She all right. She just crying at the sight of Malcolm and Michael holding Gena,” said Gwendolyn, grabbing a tissue out of a crying Royce’s hand and handing it to Paula to pass to Gah Git.
“Give me my tissue back, woman,” Royce demanded.
“Fool, don’t start wit’ me on this goddamn island out here in the middle of nowhere,” Gwendolyn whispered harshly at him as she passed the tissue to her sister.
“It’s been used,” said Paula, frowning.
“So, it ain’t gonna kill her,” said Gwendolyn, shoving the tissue back at Paula.
Gena, her father, and her uncle made their way down the aisle.
“Dag, Uncle Malcolm look good, right?” whispered Brianna.
“Mmm-hmm, real good, he looks better than Uncle Michael,” whispered Bria back to her twin.
“I see why Gena’s mom was dickin’ ’em both down, now.”
“Mmm-hmm, she sure was,” added Bria, as Gena’s two bridesmaids snickered to each other throughout the entire ceremony.
Gena looked as if she belonged in a Walt Disney World parade. She glowed like a real fairy tale princess wearing Cinderella’s gown about to finally kiss her Prince Charming for everyone to bear witness to.
A Caribbean band played the traditional wedding march as she made her way to her floral altar. Only the minister was wearing black. When they finally reached the end of their walk, her uncle Michael reached down and kissed her cheek before stepping to the side. It was Malcolm who then placed his daughter’s hand into Quadir’s. He looked at her father, and the two men nodded at each other with approval. Holding hands, Quadir and Gena faced each other.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join together these two young people in holy matrimony.”
But the moment of all moments was when a tiny Quanda stepped forward and handed Quadir a red-and-gold Cartier box containing their wedding bands. It was probably the sweetest gesture of the ceremony.
“Thanks, baby girl,” said Quadir, as he bent and took the box out of his Quanda’s hands.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Discussion Questions
1. Did you think Quadir’s explanation for faking his death was believable?
2. Should Gena have understood why he lied?
3. Do you think Gena should have understood Quadir’s relationship with Amelia? What about Quadir under-standing Gena’s relationship with Jerrell?
4. What are your thoughts on the attack on Gah Git? Markita?
5. Did you think Terrell was crazier than his brother Jerrell?
6. Would the police have schemed to take someone’s money-as they did Gena’s drug money-in real life?
7. Are you glad the police were caught?
8. Do you think it was good that Quadir and Gena got away with the money?
9. Are you glad they got together in the end?
10. Did you think it was good that Gena’s father came home?
11. Did you want to know more about Gena and her family?
12. Do you think it was fair for Aunt Gwendolyn to blame Gena for what happened to Gah Git?
13. Do you think Markita should have been more careful when Terrell confronted her at her apartment?
14. Would you have thought that Rik would have turned against Gena? Quadir?
15. What are your thoughts about Quadir killing Rik?
Teri Woods
