OK, so one of the fellas is finally getting married. Kevon Simpson is twenty-six, four years out of Delaware State (as are we all) with a major in economics and a minor in music. We are the bourgeoisie black version of the Brat Pack as seen on St. Elmo's Fire. At least we think of ourselves as such. We met as freshmen in Medgar Evers Hall, bonded and look to be lifelong friends.
Let's see. There's me (Arthur Jay), there's Kevon, there's DeSean Phillips, there's Eddie Gallison. We're the fellas. Then there's Teralynn House and Jennifer Louis. Technically, they are part of 'the fellas', too, the exception being that they are women.
All of the male 'fellas' have tried to get wit' both of the female 'fellas' at one time or another. None of us succeeded. But Terry and Jennie were so cool about it that we all ended up laughing at our relational failures and became fast friends. When Teralynn and Jennie did end up giving up the scootie (sophomore year), we all were there to make sure the dudes who succeeded were on the up and up. Hell, we were all so close by then that Teralynn and Jennie ended up describing their sexual escapades in graphic terms, just as if they were bragging, like men. They trusted us to keep their business contained within our crew. And we did.
We all graduated and went our separate ways. We kept in touch via social media. Occasionally one or three of us would get together to party and compare notes about our careers. Kevon's wedding would be the first time all six of us were in the same room at the same time since graduation. I was looking forward to it.
The wedding was to be held in Pittsburgh, PA, Kevon's hometown. He was marrying a beautiful girl named Cynthia Preston. Kevon warned us ahead of time that she was a bit persnickety. None of us met that description. We were, to a man, true hellions who really didn't give much of a damn about convention. That was our bonding factor.
Eh, WTF. She was Kevon's woman. Kevon was one of us, so Cynthia would be one of us, too.
The wedding was scheduled for a Saturday. However we all had to be there by Wednesday afternoon, in line with Cynthia's schedule. There would be a meet-and-greet on Wednesday evening, complete with drinks and dining. There was a breakfast scheduled for Thursday morning at the Sheraton where most of the out of town guests were staying. Then an entire afternoon was scheduled for wedding rehearsal. Thursday night there would be separate bachelor and bachelorette parties. No time limits were set for these. Thursday was chosen for these bacchanalias because Cynthia wasn't willing to tolerate the chance that things got too far out of hand on the night before her wedding. She wanted some time for damage control, if such became necessary.
Friday morning was a late sleep. Friday afternoon was another wedding rehearsal. Friday night was a wedding dinner hosted by Cynthia's parents. Then drinks, dancing maybe, and then an early bedtime--especially for Kevon. The wedding was set for Saturday afternoon.
I'd never met Cynthia before that Wednesday. I'd heard about her and seen pics. Of course she'd consented to having Jennie and Teralynn as bride's maids. Her sister Beatrice was the Maid of Honor. She'd invited her two best friends, Nicole and Lisa, to serve as bride's maids, also.
DeSean, Eddie and me were groomsmen. Kevon's older brother Mike was best man. His younger brother Ivan filled out the bridal party.
Of the ten of us, only Mike was married. I'd recently fired my girlfriend of two years. Jennie was still dating Simon off and on (it's a long story). DeSean was too wrapped up in his career to boo up with anyone, and Eddie was too much of a hater for any woman to put up with his bullshit for long. Teralynn was still dating casually. I couldn't wait for the six of us to get together and laugh about our various relationship peccadilloes. None of the other members of the bridal party would be invited, of course. This was just for us.
My flight landed in Pittsburgh. Kevon sent his brother Ivan to pick me up. Eddie was flying in, too, and his flight arrived an hour after mine. Rather than come back to the airport twice, Ivan and I sat down at an airport bar to await Eddie's arrival. We didn't really know each other (except for what Kevon had told us), and so we had an enjoyable conversation comparing notes about the groom.
Eddie arrived on time. I hugged him at the gate. He shook hands with Ivan. We headed off to the meet and greet. I asked Ivan to stop off at the Hilton so I could check in. I hadn't been able to get a room at the Sheraton. We stopped, I checked in and took my bags up to my room. Then we proceeded to the meet and greet.
It was a joyous occasion. Kevon saw Eddie and I. He ran up and embraced us in bear hugs. He immediately dragged us over to meet his bride. Cynthia greeted us with that sissified upper-body, cheek-to-cheek half-a-hug that is appropriate for people who don't really know one another well. She was all smiles and charm.
"Oh! I've heard so much about you!!"
You know the drill. We returned her "this is the first time I'm meeting you" welcome. She really was a pretty girl. Sparkling eyes. Hair parted in the middle and pulled back into a braided bun. Full lips. Cinnamon skin. A nice rack, girdled waist and an apple-shaped bottom. She had straight, white teeth and a winning smile. What's not to like?
I dunno. The 'persnickety' bit put me off. Maybe she was a wild woman in bed. Kevon would fill us in on her details before the long weekend was out.
I heard an animated scream on the other side of the room. It was Jennie. She ran up to embrace Eddie and I. She said Teralynn was in the little girl's room powdering her face.
"She must be taking a dump. She been in there long enough." Jennie observed acerbically.
We laughed. The two of them were infamous for making inappropriate remarks about one another. Yet they were as close as sisters. No one denied that much.
Cynthia seemed horrified by the graphic remark from one of her bride's maids. She flashed Kevon a look and immediately changed the subject.
"Eddie? Artie? I want you to meet Nicole and Lisa. You all are going to be matched up in the wedding train."
Two women stepped forward, one black and one white. Both of them were breathtakingly beautiful. The white girl had a foamy mass of curly, crimson tresses framing a demur, freckled face. She had green eyes, a dimpled chin, and her blouse was cut low enough so that her cleavage bulged forth innocently without being whorish. She smelled of rainbows and daffodils. Her smile told me that she was used to being around black people without being fake, wiggerish or condescending. She offered me her hand and I took it.
At this point I have to admit that, as far as white women go, red hair and green eyes are my thing, second only to hazel eyes and dark skin. If anyone pulled my search history in porn sites, these two things would pop up most, in addition to hairy pussy vs BBC (I have that latter, I am enamored of the former). So I was definitely happy to meet Nicole Hanson. I'd never met a woman who met all of my physical requirements in one package. Nicole was it. She had the right twinkle and the right swagger.