Lindelle DuPont never thought that she would ever meet the love of her life while shopping for her mother.
Author's note: Hey guys, I am about to share with you my first ever short story that I wrote. Please don't forget to comment your thoughts and recommendations about the story. Enjoy!
My heart begins to beat faster as I walk with my uncle, behind my four beautiful bridesmaids. The sun shines bright and the birds are singing, as if they all knew that today is a very special day for me. This day is more special than the day I got my braces off, the day I turned twenty one, and the day I graduated Cum Laude at university. Today was the day I was going to promise myself in front of God and everyone else watching to my best friend, the love of my life, My Cale. My uncle turns to me with a worried expression, “What’s wrong Uncle Joe?” “Are you sure you want to do this? We can always runaway and eat ice cream on the beach”. I laugh so hard my stomach begins to hurt, “No, I promise I’m okay. In fact I’m more than ready to promise myself to him, after all, it’s been more than 3 years, so I think I’m ready”. My uncle nods his head in acknowledgment and turns to the front, just as the wedding march starts playing, beginning our descent down the aisle to my waiting husband-to-be at the altar. As we draw nearer to Cale and the priest, My heart flutters when I see his smile from beneath my veil, the same smile that won me over for coffee almost four years ago...
Three years earlier...
“Lindi! Lindi! Lindelle Bongiwe DuPont!” I cringe at the sound of my full name being used, which can only mean my mother is in a less than pleasant mood, considering today is the day of her thirty year anniversary with my father. We would be celebrating except my dear father left us when I was ten years old, with the reason that he “simply could not live a lie any longer”, before he went off with his new boyfriend. So, thanks to my father, it is now my brother’s and my duty to accommodate my mother on what she calls one of her “mournful periods” of her marriage. “Mama, I’m coming. I’m just touching up my hair, I promise we’ll make it to your reservation on time”, I reply whilst trying to rush the process of putting my hair in a ponytail while simultaneously trying to put on my cream pumps. Once done, us two ladies head down to my car and off to Rosebank, where my mother placed a reservation for four (herself, my brother, her best friend and myself) at her favourite restaurant. “You know ma, we don’t have to eat at this specific restaurant. I know it has been you and dad’s favourite restaurant ever since you guys met, and I don’t want to go there if it’ll keep bringing you to tears”. Ms. DuPont smiles at Lindi before reapplying her make-up, “My darling, have no worries. I can’t avoid that place forever just because of your father. Besides, they serve the best tiramisu and red wine I’ve ever tasted so why waste such a place on a man!”. I gape at my mother as I search for parking at the restaurant. “Mama, you can’t seriously want to drink wine now?! It is only ten o’clock in the morning. The waiters and your children will think you’ve gone mad”. “No man, no one will think that. I’ll just give them the assumption that I am drinking to the life I shared with my husband since he is no longer here with us”. “He is not dead ma”, I say to mom, with a hard look on my face. “Well I’m sorry but to me he is. Why he had to lie all these years is beyond me, but don’t expect me to forgive and forget so quickly Lindi”, and we both went silent as we approached the restaurant. To our surprise my brother Romeo had already arrived, and so I left him with mom with the excuse that I had to run to the ladies room. Truth be told, I needed a few minutes to absorb what my mother said on the way here.
Finding out that your father is gay is easy thing to absorb especially since you’ve seen him act with so much affection for the ten years I was with him. I groan at the thought of heading back to mom, so I decide to buy myself a little token for this special day- some Lindt chocolate to snack on until I feel ready to deal with my mom and her red wine. Whilst standing in the queue at a small confectionery, I feel something tapping my shoulder very hard, and not feeling in the cheery mood I turn around to face this annoying person with the intention of telling them to leave me alone. It doesn’t happen. My mouth goes dry as I face a gorgeous face, which looks to be chiseled to perfection. His chocolate brown eyes are filled with warmth as I continue to admire this gorgeous human being behind me. I see his mouth moving but I can’t seem to concentrate because, my word, he really has a great smile. Come on Lindi, pay attention. “I’m so sorry, what did you say?”, trying not to look so confused. The gorgeous man laughs (Oh my word that laugh), “I said, I see you have the dark chocolate Lindt with the strawberry flavour. I never knew a lady like you would eat strawberry flavoured dark chocolate”. “Really now? As far as I know, we don’t even know each other, so you have no clue what I like”. “Well I would like to know if you’d allow me”. I stare at this man in amazement, wow he’s trying. “So that’s why you poked me so hard? To comment on my choice of chocolate?”. He shrugs, “Partly yes, but I also wanted to ask if you’d be willing to get coffee with me sometime?”. Seeing that he is trying a bit, I decide to have some fun. “Well, I would agree except, I’m not in the mood for a relationship at the moment”. He opens his mouth to reply, and I shut him down, “But it was really nice to meet you”, and with that I pay for my chocolate and head out of the store back towards mom, who I know is looking for me because my cellphone has been buzzing like a bee in my bag.
As I return to the table, I spot my mother and her best friend already enjoying the red wine, while my brother sips on his tonic and texting his friends (or girlfriend). “Sorry I took so long, had to pop in the confectionary for some gum. How are you Aunt Anna?”. My mom’s friend replies with a simple nod and smile before returning to her conversation with mom, I don’t think she likes me. Turning to Romeo for our own conversation, the morning flies with breakfast, tiramisu, and more wine.
Eventually as one o’clock draws near, Romeo and I make excuses to leave the restaurant, ending the long morning. After all the goodbyes and promises for phone calls, Romeo walks mom and I to the car, giving us each a hug and kiss before departing. “Romeo, you really should visit more, the house is lonely without you and Lindi. At least come by for some tea or juice every once in a while”. “I shall try very hard mom. I love you and I will call you later on. Bye Lindi”, replies Romeo before answering his phone and heading into his own car. Just as I place my hand bag in the boot, I hear someone shouting out in front. As I look up I see the gorgeous man from the confectionery walking towards me with that amazing smile of his. Oh dear. “Hey, I’ve been wondering when I’d bump into you again”, he says as he gets closer. “Lucky you found me before I was out of your life for good”. “Listen, I meant what I said earlier about coffee, I really would like to get to know more about you than just what your favourite chocolate is ”, he says as he hands me his business card. I look at him in shock, this man really doesn’t give up. “Uh...I don’t know...Cale Lindergaard”. Wow, his name has a nice ring to it. “Just think about it, I think you are beautiful and I really wouldn’t like to miss out on the opportunity to take a lady out”. Okay, he has won. “Alright, one coffee date, and then we’ll see”. His grins grows into a smile and I want to faint. “Thank you....”, oops forgot to tell him my name. “It’s Lindelle, but everyone calls me Lindi”. “Okay then. Hopefully I’ll see you very soon Lindi”, Cale says as he walks away, leaving me breathless and my mother shouting from inside the car.
“Lindi! Lindi, who was that gorgeous man you were talking to?” I shake my head as I reply, “He is some guy I met in the confectionery ma”. “Ooh, well I wouldn’t mind some mixed race grandchildren you know. I’m not getting any younger”. I roll my eyes at mother’s words as we head back to her house, with Cale’s eyes and smile still lingering in my head. As the evening grows, I change into my pyjamas and settle on a movie with coffee, after dealing with my mother today. As the movie progresses, mom’s words ring in my head about her getting older. I mean I’m turning twenty six soon and I haven’t been dating for so long, how bad would one coffee date be? “Can’t know until I try”, I say to myself as I dial Cale’s number secretly hoping I’ll reach his voice mail. No luck, he answered, here goes. “Hi Cale, it’s Lindi from the mall...”
II.
Two years and many dates later, Cale and I have been going strong, and even though he keeps surprising me with his chivalrous antics and witty actions, I find myself laughing and falling hard for this man. Both Romeo and my mom like him, and I feel that maybe something long term can eventually happen between the two of us. I laugh at myself as I think of all the times my friends constantly jumped on me to hear about our dates and about Cale, and when they finally got the chance to meet him on my twenty-sixth birthday, not only could they not stop gawking at the man, they also couldn’t stop questioning him. So much that I had to pull him away and make him dance with me for the majority of that night, which wasn’t bad in the least. As I stare at my outfit in the mirror, the nerves begin to appear as I prepare for a meeting with Cale’s parents. They live in the Netherlands, so we technically met via Skype, but Cale insisted on them meeting me in person since they were coming down to visit. After scrutinizing my red knee-length cap sleeved dress and black pumps, I hear Cale knocking at my door. Greeting this man never gets old, and when we kiss it’s like we’re kissing for the first time, because I always seem to float for quite a while after we separate.
“Hello beautiful. I must say, you look amazing as always, and did you know that red is my favourite colour?”, he says with that faint-worthy smile of his. I may die very soon staring into his chocolate eyes. Come on Lindi, wake up! “Well, hello to you too handsome. You also looking very good, and yes I did know red was your favourite colour”, I reply with a wink. As the two of us head to Cale’s house for lunch, the nerves continue to grow with Cale occasionally squeezing my hand trying to calm me down. Oh I just love him! As we arrive, I spot two elderly looking people standing at his door with big smiles, it must be genetic. “Lindi, I’d like you to meet my parents Elejna and Dale Lindergaard. Mama and papa, I’d like you to meet Lindi, my girlfriend and love of my life”. I couldn’t help but blush at his words. Cale’s dad pulls me into a bear hug, before allowing his wife to give a smaller but equally as warm bear hug. I guess they really like me.
The afternoon goes off without a hitch, as his parents enjoy my company. So far they don’t look disappointed since I’m educated, beautiful and in love with their son. As we all head into Cale’s lounge for some football and more wine, Cale excuses himself, leaving me with the Lindergaards. After what felt like a whole hour of conversations and football commentary, Cale returns to the lounge and heads straight to the TV, muting it and moving the coffee table aside. I wonder what he is about to do.
“Mama, papa, believe it or not, when I first met Lindi it was in the queue at a confectionery. She was buying Lindt and I was buying some water. Her beauty was so captivating that I had to speak with her and try get her to have coffee with me.” Elejna gives me a look of adoration and I blush once again. “Thankfully, after much persuasion and a card, Lindi finally gave me a chance, and that coffee date led to two amazing years of love, adventure and definitely new experience. Including learning about Lindi’s Zulu culture. I do hope however, to continue with those experiences and adventures for a lifetime with you”. Oh no, I start struggling to breath as I see Cale kneel on one knee. “Lindelle Bongiwe DuPont will you please spend the rest of my days and nights, giving me your love and kisses by becoming my wife?” I nod my head furiously as my eyes fill with tears. Cale places a ring with a red ruby surrounded by small diamonds on my finger and I cannot help but laugh at its symbolism. “For my strawberry chocolate lady, I love you”. I remember mumbling “I love you too” before wrapping him in my arms and flooding him with kisses. I just couldn’t wait to be his wife.
Three years later at the wedding ceremony...
I look at Cale’s eyes through my watery eyes, as I just barely hear the priest’s words on love and marriage in the eyes of God. I’m secretly wishing he would just hurry up so that we can do our vows, get the rings, kiss each other and head off to our reception. And after this morning’s traditional Zulu wedding, I cannot wait to lie in Cale’s arms for the rest of my life. Ooh, I think the priest is approaching the vows... “Mr. Cale Niklaas Lindergaard, do you take Lindelle Bongiwe DuPont to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?” Cale’s smile grows as he answers yes to the priest and myself. “And do you Miss Lindelle Bongiwe DuPont, take Cale Niklaas Lindergaard to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?” My tears start to flow as I say “yes” with so much pride and joy in my voice. We place our rings on our fingers and after the priest says a few more words, he pronounces us husband and wife. Those beautiful words echo in the ears as Cale lifts my veil and leans in, whispering “my beauty”, before planting a big kiss on my lips. “Ladies and Gentleman, I now give you Mr and Mrs Lindergaard!” The crowd give shouts of joy and starts singing as Cale and I walk up the aisle, to our reception and to our future.
The End.
xx
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