Other bridesmaids would have been excited. But that’s not how Candy feels. Her father’s wedding bored her. She hopes the marriage celebrant will finish the ceremony easily.
She looked around stifling a yawn. None of the guests would think that the bride came from a well-to-do family. It was a simple garden wedding held in their garden. Other than the beautiful flowers around which the bride had requested, there were no other decorations.
The guests are selective. Probably no more than thirty people - who were already friends of the groom.
The best man, Kenneth Ruiz, was the bride’s younger cousin and the only relative who attended her wedding. The parents of the best man are currently in Italy for an important convention. Apparently, the best man’s youngest brother also did not make it to the wedding.
Also, that wedding was quickly planned, and it understandable that the three other members of the bride’s family would not have arrived.
Well, it wasn’t as if this was the bride’s first wedding, thought Candy peevishly.
Karen had been married when she was very young. She divorced her first husband a year later. And now she will marry her daddy again.
An impatient sigh she slowly let out as she stared at the two getting married, though she wasn’t really seeing them. Her mind was not there. She couldn't even notice some young people casting admiring glances at her.
Although Karen was stunning in the off-white wedding gown, which became even more glamorous with the pleasure reflected on her face, Candy undeniably caught the attention of the young people present.
She was wearing an off-shouldered old rose gown exposing a swan-like neck and smooth shoulder. Her hair is in a French braid adorned with a Swarovski hairclip. Young people are increasingly expecting her to focus on them despite the fact that everyone knows she already has a boyfriend.
But none of this caught her attention. The smile she gave them was impersonal.
Throughout the ceremony she looked back innumerable times, hoping to see the one that she’s waiting to come. The more she didn't pay attention to the next best man who didn't want to hide his mouth every time she glanced at him - oh, well, his animosity was for her alone.
As if she cares!
According to Candy’s readings on Social Media sites, Kenneth Ruiz had a reputation as a man with an infinite capacity to charm. He was also a shrewd businessman and he collected money as fast as he collected her women. Only he retained the money and discard the women later on.
Well, Kenneth Ruiz hadn’t charmed her. Not a bit. And she didn’t care a lot about his money either. She also doesn’t bother to think about what makes him angry. She had no time to think about that.
After all, this is a stranger. She had only met him twice. The first was when Karen introduced it to her when they talked about her and her daddy's wedding a month ago. Kenneth represented his parents.
And the second is the occasion itself today. And on the two occasions mentioned she doesn't remember her facing him with a smile. He was too polite to the point of rudeness.
As far as she knew from her daddy, Karen was just young when her parents died in a plane crash. The Ruiz adopted it. Karen’s mom and Kenneth Ruiz’s mom are siblings.
And if Kenneth doesn't want his cousin to marry someone they don't belong to, that's a problem. She also didn't want his cousin to be a stepmother. She could not, however, be able to voice her disgust. There was only one thing that mattered to her, to see her five-year-old widowed father happy.
“… You may now kiss the bride…”
Candy let out a deep sigh at the end of the wedding ceremony. Dutifully, she immediately approached and greeted them. She hugged and kissed her father on the cheek.
“I wish you all the happiness in this world, Daddy,” she said sincerely, almost emotionally.
"Thank you, honey." Gabriel’s smile was radiant.
Then she turned to Karen and kissed the air on her cheek. "Congratulations," she said, a false smile plastered on her lips. Candy was afraid her face would crack any moment.
“Thank you, darling,” Karen said with a smile.
When one by one the guests approached to greet as well she took the opportunity and tolerated she turned around and stepped away.
She had not gone very far when she felt in her arm the seemingly iron hand that restrained her and face her.
“I know you don’t approve of this wedding, Candy…” he hissed. "But you don't have to be rude."
She didn't say a word right away. She was suddenly aware of Kenneth’s hand against her skin. She wanted to shake that off however there are people around. Instead, she raised her face to it.
"Who gave you that idea?" She tried to refute what it said.
“Today, to make your father happy, you smiled and played bridesmaid. You can fool your daddy and the guests, but not me and Karen.” His mouth turned down slightly in a mocking expression.
"Is it hard to convince yourself that not everyone is interested in your attractive cousin becoming a stepmother?" Sarcasm flows in her voice.
“I'm not interested in your opinion, Candy. What matters to me is Karen’s happiness. And if your daddy is her happiness, I will do everything so that no one can stop her, not even you.” His voice was soft, but it emphasized the last word as a tolerated warning.
She glanced at the newlyweds. Her daddy smiled and welcomed the greetings. Next to it is the new wife who is also smiling like her father. Karen looked so happy, as if so totally in love. Karen must be a very good actress.
She rarely sees pictures of her on Social Media sites where various well-known people are included and connected.
At first, Candy couldn't understand what she saw in her father. Not that her father was unattractive. Far from it. At forty-nine, Gabriel Alarcon was still physically fit, handsome and dashing.
Ever since he was widowed, he has seen not a few women suggest that he would notice them. But those women are just like them.
Certainly, you don't consider them difficult. But their status in life is very far from that of the Ruiz. Heaven and earth, that is, although Karen is not a direct member of the Ruiz because she is Kenneth's cousin. Still, Karen inherited her parent’s money when they died.
She looked back at Kenneth and slowly withdrew the arm he was still holding. “My father’s an old man and -”
"Don't be misled by Karen's youthful appearance, Candy," he interrupted. His mouth compressed into a thin line. “She’s thirty-seven. Not that young anymore. If you think it won't be long before Karen leaves your daddy for another young man, you are mistaken.”
"Isn't that what happened to her first husband?" she challenged.
Anger flashed in Kenneth's eyes. “You knew nothing about her previous marriage which happened to be ages ago. And you have no right to judge her. She loves your father.”
She did not answer there. At first, she doubted why Karen had not chosen to marry one of the men belonging to a rich society. And that doubt was answered when she discovered something here a week before the wedding.
"Karen isn't the right woman for Daddy," she said, and it was too late to imagine that Kenneth would have interpreted what she had said differently.
"Really?" His eyebrows rose, the faintest touch of ridicule in his voice. “You can't accuse Karen that she only wants money from your daddy because we both know that Karen inherited the wealth of her parents, Candy. It would be the other way around.”
Her face warmed under its mocking eyes. "Daddy is not interested in Karen's wealth!"
“Oh, I know that. So, should I attribute you going against this marriage to pure and simple selfishness?”
How can she say here that more than anyone else she wants to see her father happy? Her father deserved a second chance to happiness. It had been five years since her mother had died and she had seen how over the years her father had been devastated by grief. She never once hoped that she would marry again if that would bring him happiness.
Then three months ago, he met Karen. As she believed, her daddy's life took on a new lease of life. Although she was overwhelmed by Karen's situation in life, she felt even happier when her father revived her.
If Karen is her daddy’s happiness, who is she to oppose that? Until two weeks ago. But she did not want to reveal to this man the real reason for her dislike of this marriage.
In fact, Candy tried to tell her father what she had discovered about Karen. But he’s just starting to get scolded for it and just laughs instead. If her father didn’t believe her, this man would be even more who’s treated Karen like a goddess.
