twenty nine

It was at the heart of the year. On a bright Saturday by the sixth month. A perfect day and month for a wedding. The bright sunny day was a beautiful one. No rain, no cloudy sky and the sun were mild. It was at a famous house at the edge of Africa, the home of famous Delta Lagoon to the Eastern heartland. It could have been on the Island where great things happen. They choose the center of the country's excellence where the best thing could be seen and heard; a city and center famous for the stateless and beauty of it architectures and modern infrastructure, an ancient city with every conceivable age and style. . It was the reigning part of Africa at those times of the year, the melting point of event and first ports of call for important events and outings.

         They spend days and nights preparing this day with many friends and trusted ears. They made many shopping's and outings to this regard. There were disagreement which love covered, guest list, family members, choice of colors and trains, honeymoon spots and halls for reception. Not all these gained Zack's approval. He was a man. A man gave little attention on these. He is only satisfied to satisfy his guest. As for a woman, it was her day. Most marry only one's in their life and they wed the man and not the man.

         As the sun rises so does the temperature. It was the middle of August, a month which was usually hot in most continents in Africa. Almost everywhere was hot. This time, the buzzing of the sun could not hold heat. The air was clear, crisp and cloudless for the morning. Cruising the churchyard lawn with the latest Alimma model car, coolly valued at a lifetime salary of the country's civil servant of the administrative cadre and other expensive cars. They made many look. Many companies had taken it up to fund the wedding and paid for the best five star hotels for 90 nights. It was a gesture to attract contract from the government even if their bidding was poor.  For days, it was advertised and that day brought everything to limelight.  It was the day to make public the exchange of vows with wedding rings worth millions of the country's currency. Black Ebony's of Africa, the supermodels and glamour girls from many foreign countries and universities and other maidens from African gal clubs were at their best coming out from their hotel rooms. They were infinitely beautiful. There were many suitors who could make it here finally. They stood watching them with keen interest; perfect concentration. Before the wedding, a well paid model auditioned over one thousand most beautiful girls in the country before arriving at few hundred selected.

The excitement at the beginning of the gathering got the adrenalin flowing to a higher degree. The church bell ringer was seated at 6pm behind the belfry waiting for the arrival of the guests and soon a peal of church bells rang out to the distance.  The service was nice and perfect and could easily not be found elsewhere in the whole country. She looked beautiful, orderly and quite in her white gown, different and sort of transformed, really pretty and sumptuous. Wedding day! The best day in the life of every young lady; getting married for the first time to her choice man.

         At the appointed time the music started playing. The crowd of people in the church hall hushed and turned their heads toward the rear porch looking at them and their steps with all interestedness. Wedding day! One's happiest day.  It was the long awaited day. The time had arrived for the whole world to watch. Though there were delays, but it was no longer accounted. They fed the eyes with moments and scenes to behold. The bridals trains came in with them to the mighty valley view Anglican Church across Disney house. First to come was his most holy and junior priests who were mostly young men. They were patiently waiting, smiling and responding to every greeting, opening pages of the bible and closing and talking in low tones.

Soon they were coming. The ride to the church in the car was very short, but exciting and pleasurable. People were on the lookout. The hall was filled to capacity by reputable men and women from all part of Africa and beyond. It was the finest church available in the city with cliques of renowned reverend gentlemen and their wives, coupled with its modern torch of furniture, roofing and interior decoration with time tested gold and stones, a kind not found elsewhere in Asia and Africa. It was a gift from a white priest from England to the parish in its hundredth years anniversary. This mighty building decked with gold and cheaper corals and jasper lined almost to make anyone joyed was really exciting and enchanting. Then outside carried its beauty, well arranged, perfect and lined with oak trees and Saffron flowers. The bride and the groom marched with their trains in their numbers and groups to the front sit of the church ready to receive the sermon.