Behind Church Doors

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 1

‘’I still can’t believe that you are getting married and having a baby,’’ Sanna, my best friend and bridesmaid excitedly says as she helps zip me into my sleek white wedding dress. I am three months pregnant and the dress is a little too tight around my rounding belly that I can hardly breathe but I will have to endure the tightness of the dress for a few hours.

‘’Tia, you look absolutely beautiful,’’ she says resting her hand on my shoulder.

I stare at myself in the mirror and I get a little teary- eyed. Despite the dress being a little too tight, it perfectly accentuates every beautiful curve I have. ‘’I can’t believe I am getting married,’’ I sniff.

‘’I know right, today will be an amazing day but don’t cry, you will spoil your makeup,’’ she hands me a handful of tissue. I fold the tissue under my eyes and carefully wipe the tears off.

While taking photos with Sanna, I suddenly feel nervous, ‘’what if Zyair doesn’t show up?’’

‘’We all know how much Zyair adores you, I have never seen a man more in love with a woman than Zyair is with you. I am sure he is already at the courthouse, pacing back and forth wondering what time you will get there.’’

I smile, ‘’I am sure he is already there, Zyair is time conscious.’’

‘’You two make an amazing couple, I pray everything falls in place for you guys.’’

‘’Amen babe Amen. It feels like a dream that I will be Mrs. Chitangala in a few hours and in a few months I will have my first child, if someone had told me my life would take such a turn at 23, I would have laughed in their face.’’

‘’We can make our own plans but the lord determines our steps.’’

‘’True,’’ I respond before I sit on the bed, ‘’please get me some water.’’

‘’Right away,’’ she smiles, walking out of the room.

Putting my hand on my little bump, I close my eyes and rub my stomach as my mind takes me back to the first time I met Zyair- a moment that will forever be itched in my memory. It was last year during the Christmas Holidays, I had gone out to get coffee at one of my favorite coffee shops in town. I had been carrying my coffee down to my seat from the counter when I bumped into him, spilling the coffee all over his white shirt..

I quickly apologized and he said it was no big deal. To make up for my mistake, I promised I’d buy him coffee the next day if he came over to the coffee shop. We did meet the next morning for coffee and that was the beginning of our friendship. We exchanged numbers after that and we got talking.

The chemistry between us was intense, I felt sparks each time we were together and Zyair is amazing, he is confident and very good looking so when he summoned the nerve to ask me to be his girlfriend four months later, I instantly said yes.

When I found out I was pregnant three months ago, I was scared out of my mind because I had forgotten to take my pills once or twice. I didn’t know how he would react. Zyair actually asked to marry me right after he found out I was carrying his child. And because my mother wanted me to get married before the baby was born, we started making preparations for this day as soon as his family came to meet mine.

So here we are, about to get married today and expecting our first child. I know this sounds a little crazy because we are still young, I am just 23 and he is 25. I am yet to graduate from university, I am taking time off because of the pregnancy but I should get back in school next year. Zyair is a pharmacist, he owns his own pharmacy. It’s still something very small but it pays the bills. I guess that’s what matters for now.

‘’Here’s your water,’’ Senna says, walking back into the room and handing me the cup.

Thank you,’’ I reply before I take a sip and give her back the cup.

‘’The car is here.’’

‘’Oh great.’’

‘’And Zyair?’’

‘’He is already at the courthouse.’’

‘’Okay.’’

We wait for a couple more minutes before mum comes in to get me.

‘’You look amazing my baby.’’

‘’Thank you.’’

She prays for me and before long we are on our way to the courthouse. When we pull up in the driveway, I instantly spot Zyair, he is clad in a black suit and white shirt underneath- he looks as handsome as always.

I step out of the car and walk towards him, ‘’you look beautiful babe.’’

‘’I can hardly breath,’’ I whisper and he laughs, ‘’you didn’t have to wear this dress you know that?’’

‘’I wanted to, it makes me look so beautiful.’’

‘’You are beautiful and you would look beautiful in anything.’’

‘’Zyair Chitangala and Tia Kazembe,’’ the court clerk calls out.

‘’Finally,’’ we say at the same time before heading in.

Our family and friends have already taken their seats in the small courtroom.

Standing in front of the judge she begins, ‘’’We are here today to witness and proclaim the decision that this couple has made to journey forward in their lives as marriage partners.’’ Speaking again, she asks, ‘’do you both come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?’’

‘’I do,’’ we respond in unison.

Then we face each other and say our vows, pledging our lives to each other for as long as we shall live.

‘’We will now exchange the rings.’’

Senna hands Zyair the ring and his best man hands his to me.

‘’Tia, take his hand and repeat after me,’’ says the judge.

‘’With this ring I thee wed,’’ I say, sliding the ring on his finger.

‘’And Zyair, repeats after me, ‘’with this ring, I thee wed,’’ he says as he slowly positions the ring at the base of my finger. I smile up at him as tears begin to fall from my eyes.

‘’With the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride,” says the judge.

Stepping forward, Zyair gently presses his lips to mine and we kiss for a bit.

‘’I love you Mrs. Chitangala.’’

‘’I love you too Mr. Chitangala,’’ I respond then we turn for hugs from our family and friends.