Chapter 30

***A few months later

*

I had been dying for this day to come from four years ago. Ever since I had started college, I kept counting down the years, months, weeks and days left until graduation day. And that day finally came. I was officially a college graduate with my bachelor of education degree. All the lecturers kept encouraging us to go on to getting our master's but I honestly had enough with school for the time- I definitely needed a break from learning.

After the graduation ceremony ended we went out for dinner - my family, Sean's and Kim's family. We just went out together in a sort of celebration dinner. I was more than happy to finally achieve my degree and then celebrating that accomplishment with the people I love. The day brought a feeling of bittersweet. Bitter because I would most definitely miss my friends and fun time we had with our classmates but sweet because I had gotten pass another milestone in my life. The entire day was one of joy and celebration and we had a well hectic day.

~|~|~

"So now that we've finally graduated, are we going to be talking about your next big day now?" Kim asked me excitedly.

"You mean the wedding?"

"No, I mean your funeral." Kim responded sarcastically. "Of course I meant the wedding. You said you and Sean were waiting until after graduation to start discussing wedding details. I can hardly wait to start meddling in your planning."

"I just love how honest you are sometimes Kim." I shake my head with a chuckle.

"Who doesn't? Anyway, back to the wedding conversation?"

"We haven't started any discussion as yet. Graduation was only three days ago Kim but Sean and I had planned to hire a wedding planner when we decide to start planning things." I told her. "I'm not going to bring it up as yet though."

"Why not? You haven't changed your mind about wanting to marry him have you?" Kim asked with panic written on her face.

"No I haven't. I just... I just think that maybe we could wait a while longer until I get a job." I said to her. "I want to be able to contribute to the wedding in some way. I don't want Sean to do it all by himself. He isn't just my sugar daddy anymore."

"I totally get where you're coming from but I know Sean would disagree with you. If you guys are ready to start planning for the wedding, Sean isn't going to care if you're working or not." Kim said to me. "He's going to tell you that it doesn't matter to him if you contribute or not, he can afford it."

"I know he can but he's already done so much for me Kim. I want to marry him but I'd like it if I was able to make some form of contribution."

"It's up to you honey," Kim said to me. "But if you were planning the wedding right now what colour theme would you like?"

"I don't know, there are so much great colours that would look great together." I responded. "Like pink and green, blue and purple, blue and yellow..."

"Girl you better make sure that you invite me when you are going to see that wedding planner. I can hardly wait to start helping you plan your wedding."

"Me neither."

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I was looking at some pictures of different types of wedding dresses that Kim had sent me when Sean came out of the bathroom. The smell of the soap he had used to shower smelled amazing on him.

"You smell really good." I said just before my phone was taken out of my hands.

"Sean hey, why did..." My question was cut off when Sean's lips found mine.

I kissed him back with as much hunger as he kissed me with.

"What was that all about?" I asked panting a little as I tried to catch my breath when we pulled away.

"I just want a few minutes of your time." Sean responded before kissing me once again.

His lips eventually trailed down to my neck and shoulder where I felt him leaving small kisses and biting gently. I smiled as I closed my eyes and allowed him more access to my neck. Sean continued kissing my shoulder as he slipped the thin straps of my blouse off my shoulders. I knew exactly what he wanted and I happily obliged in giving it to him. The next half hour was spent making passionate love.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" Sean asked kissing my head as we laid into each other's arms.

"Only over a hundred times already." I smiled as I placed a kiss on his chest.

"Well I want to tell you more than a hundred more times. That way you'll have no doubt or ever forget." Sean responded as he caressed my back.

"I won't forget. And just so you'll always remember as well, I love you too."

My phone pinged again as another WhatsApp message came in.

"Someone really wants to get a hold of you." Sean said taking up the phone from his bedside table where he had placed it earlier and hand it to me. "It's about the fiftieth time I heard it made that sound. Is it an emergency?"

"No, it's just Kim." I told him as I unlocked the phone and opened the messages. "She just sending me a lot of pictures to look at."

"What kind of pictures? More graduation pictures?" Sean asked.

"No, pictures of dresses." I responded.

"Dresses? What kind of dres... Oh those kinds of dresses." Sean said after glancing at one of the pictures I had opened.

"Yeah, she's been sending me wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses all evening."

"Do you see any that you like?" Sean asked me.

"A lot. They are all really nice." I told him.

"We agreed that we would start discussing and planning wedding details after your graduation. Do you think you'll be able to start doing that now?" Sean asked.

"You want us to start making plans now?" I asked him.

"Don't you?" Sean asked back.

"I just... I do but..."

"But? Have you changed your mind about the wedding?" Sean asked concerned.

"No, no I haven't. It's just that, I wanted to be able to contribute to the wedding in some way." I told him.

"What do you mean? Isn't planning and discussing the details contributing?"

"I don't mean that way. I meant a monetary contribution." I said to him. "I wanted to wait until after I started working so that all the expenses wouldn't be just on you."

"Morgan, that would probably be like next year. You just graduated not even a week as yet, it's going to be months before you're finally working. I don't want to wait that long to start planning our wedding. If we can start making the necessary arrangements and preparation for the wedding to be in the next two months then I would love that."

"Sean did you hear what I said before about not wanting you handling all those expenses alone?"

"I heard you but I think that you've always been worrying about trivial and silly matters." Sean responded. "You know I can more than afford whatever expenses it's going to cost. I don't want to wait another year before we're married. We can contact a wedding planner even tomorrow."

"Sean..." I opened my mouth to protest but Sean kissed me shutting me up.

"All the contribution I need you to make is making decisions about a venue, bridal party, invitation, dresses etc. And lastly, make sure you don't have cold feet and not show up on the wedding day." Sean said to me causing me to laugh.

"You really think I'd left you standing at the altar?" I laughed before giving him a kiss. "That's about the last thing I'd do to you Sean."

"Good. Because I'd have to hunt you down and have you charged with breaking my heart." Sean said to me.

"You have nothing to worry about babe. I'd never break your heart."

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Since I graduated, I had a lot of free time on my hands. Instead of solely staying home not doing anything, I tried to find little things to do and occupy my time. Today I spent the day helping mom in her garden. She bought a lot of flower seeds and so I helped her planted them. After I was finished, I decided to fetch Chrissy and Aliyah from school. The months following my heartfelt conversation with Aliyah, I saw some changes. She was actually trying to make us get along and see if we could give the friend thing a shot. I still wasn't her favourite person but at least she wasn't giving me as much hell as before. I like her much better now than when she was being such a pain in the ass before.

"Alli, I wanted to ask you something." I said to her as I picked her up from school.

"What is that?" She asked me.

"Well, your dad and I have decided to hire a wedding planner and start making arrangements for the wedding." I told her.

"Okay? So?"

"So, we have an appointment with her Friday at five and in making arrangements, she'll probably want to know certain things like how much bridesmaids and groomsmen are going to be present." I responded. "I was wondering if you would be one of my bridesmaids?"

"You're kidding me right?" Aliyah responded.

"Why would I be?"

"A bridesmaid? Uhm... I don't know." Aliyah hesitated.

"What's there to know Alli? You said you were going to try."I said to her.

"And I'm trying Morgan. How much bridesmaids do you have in mind already?"

"Well my friend Kim would be maid of honour. My other friend Joanna would be a bridesmaid, my cousin Lexi and I was hoping you would agree in being the fourth."

"What about Chrissy?" Aliyah asked.

"She's going to be the flowers girl."I said to her. "Your dad would want you to be apart of the bridal party."

"What colours are you going to use?" Aliyah asked.

"I don't know as yet. When we meet with the wedding planner and she shows us the different themes, then we'll be able to choose the colours." I told her.

"Alright, fine. I'll do it, for dad."

"You'd make him very pleased." I said hiding the smile of satisfaction.

"Just don't expect me to wear an orange dress." Aliyah responded.

"And who the hell is going to choose orange as a part of the theme for their wedding?"