The Stand-In Bride

“Tina, you have to help me,” her best friend cried on the phone. Tina wondered what the problem was now. 

Her friend Becky has a habit of being too enthusiastic when performing her job. Sometimes, she forgets things or makes mistakes, and she usually calls on Tina to save the day.

“Calm down, Becky. What is the problem?”

“You know the wedding I have been planning for weeks?”

“The one happening at the Bellows Estate?” Tina asked. 

“Yes. I forgot the flowers, I mean the main bouquet for the bride. Please help me bring it and also the marigold that we will use for the lighter decoration. I think I’ll need an extra five. Oh, Tina please, the wedding starts in a few hours. I thought I had everything I needed….”

“I'll bring them.”

“Thanks, T,” she breathed a sigh of relief. “You are the best. I’ll send you the address right away.”

Tina shook her head. Good thing she runs a flower shop. If not, she has to run to the market now and start buying what her friend needs. Tina’s hands worked quickly as she arranged the last of the lilies in the bridal bouquet. The scent of roses and peonies filled the air, mingling with the sharp tang of fresh-cut grass from outside. 

She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, beads of sweat forming from the heat of the sun streaming through the shop’s large windows. Wedding season always left her on edge, but there was something different about this one. Luckily, she already knew the exact flowers she needed to pack and she hurried out with them while locking her shop. 

The disadvantages of having a one-man business, she thought, looking back at her shop. Now she won’t make any sales till she comes back. Oh well, Becky is her good friend.

She got into an Uber with her packages and soon she arrived at the venue. She motioned to one of the guards she saw at the gate and begged him to help her take the flowers inside.

Soon, she saw Becky talking to one of her girls. She always has 3 or 4 girls when she has an event, but for this one, she had brought up to eight girls. According to Becky, this is one of the biggest weddings she has had to plan this year, probably going to be the highlight of her career as an event planner.

As soon as Becky spotted Tina, she ran and gave her a quick hug, before gesturing toward the back. 

“Take the flowers to the back garden,” Becky said. “I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Okay,” Tina said, carrying one of the crescent-shaped marigold flowers towards the back.

“Thanks so much, T. I have to check something over there,” she said, pointing at the stand where the couple will sit after getting their blessing. “I’ll be right back.”

“Sure, go ahead.” 

Tina looked at the place her friend pointed and marveled. The design was breathtaking. From there, her eyes traveled round the garden, the venue of this wedding. Her mouth opened in awe.

All this space in one house. How rich is this man? Becky had talked about this family and how she was so happy to get this job but Tina had half listened, thinking it's the same way Becky exaggerates some of her tales.

Before she knew it, she had wandered off the spot where her friend and staff were decorating. She was moving towards the main house, still admiring all the decorations made here. Becky was good at her craft. She saw the pathway the bride will use to get to the altar and wondered who the lucky bride was. 

She chided herself. Oh Tina, how can you be talking about a lucky bride as if you are into romance? Such things are not for her. She wanted to turn back and head back to her shop when she sighted Iris. She called to her but Iris hadn’t heard her and walked into the main house.

Her eyes could not be deceiving her, it was really Iris. She decided to follow her and talk to her. She has to do this for her brother. 

As she went inside, she noticed that there were three floors with many rooms in the house and she was soon lost. There were many people moving about and she decided to ask questions.

“Excuse me, I saw a young lady walk past just now. Iris! Is she related to this family?”

“Yes, of course. She is the only sister of the master of this house.”

“The master of this house. The one getting married today?”

“Yes, it's Stanley Bellow’s wedding today.” 

The lady moved away immediately wondering how anyone here does not know who is having a wedding. Well, Tina has confirmed something. It's really Iris Bellow, the lady who broke her brother’s heart. Now, if only she could see her.

She went up the stairs and decided to check a few rooms on the first floor, yet nothing. Before long she had reached the third floor. She decided that if she doesn't see her by then she’ll leave. As she came near a door, she heard a deep baritone voice coming from the room to her right.

“Dammit! I don’t care what you have to do, break his arms and legs. Just get me that information.” 

She stood transfixed at the door. Now she remembers why the name Stanley Bellow sounds familiar. He is known as the ruthless businessman who crushes anything that gets in his way to success. Cruel, unfeeling, those are some of the adjectives that have been used to describe him.

She was still thinking about him when the door suddenly opened and she was face to face with clearest blue eyes she had ever seen. He was wearing a crisp blue suit, that Tina is sure was handmade just for him as it fitted him perfectly. 

She saw his smooth black hair brushed back, square face with a slight stubble that gave him an edge, and intense blue eyes scanning her like he was trying to place her. 

She was mesmerized as she was drunk by his features. She rarely heard anything else happening around her but then she felt that the man was talking to her and she jolted from her reverie.

“I said, who are you, and what are you doing here?”

“I… I am the ..florist.” she stammered, and the man gave her a once over and left.

She turned and started going down the stairs. She would come find Iris another day but then she passed a door that was slightly ajar and the gown inside drew her in. She poked her head in and before she could stop herself she was inside the room. This must be the most beautiful wedding gown she has ever seen. It was hanging in the centre of the room spread out and there was an intricate flower pattern on the skirt that flowed down.

She went round touching the soft fabric of the gown and imagined how it would feel on her skin. Wrong imagination, she shook her head. It should rather be how it will feel on Becky’s body. She is the one who is into love and romance and has been waiting for her Mr Right.

“What do you mean you can’t find her?”

Tina heard voices from outside the door. That voice sounded like the man she talked to a few minutes ago.

“We’ve searched everywhere in the house, sir. It's like she just disappeared.”

A set of footsteps can be heard just outside the room she was in. She wondered what was happening.

“This cannot be happening,” the man’s voice said. “Not now, not today.”

She was sure it was the voice of the handsome man in the blue suit she met earlier. What could be wrong? Immediately the door opened and the man walked in with two  security guards. She recognised them because of their uniform, black suits on black pants. She had asked one of them to help her out at the gates.

"What’s going on?" Tina asked, instinctively taking a small step back. Her stomach twisted as the air felt thick now, heavier somehow.

“What are you doing here?” Stanley barked at her, his face contorted in anger.

“I…I..” Tina stammered and wrung her hands. How was she to explain that her curiosity has led her here? Would they believe her?

“Detain her. Make sure she doesn’t leave your sight,” he told one of the men and went out with the other. Tina's eyes went wide in panic. What has she gotten herself into? The guard went near the closed door and blocked it. 

Tina took deep breaths to calm herself and looked at the man standing near the door. He just spread his legs and folded his two arms together while looking at her. She didn’t think that was a good attack posture. She shook her head.

Right now, she has to think of a diplomatic way to get herself out of this situation without getting her friend in trouble. If she tries anything rash, many people will be affected, so she started thinking of a good reason why she is in this room.

Soon, the man came back with the guard and a woman.

“Sir, I can explain,” Tina started talking immediately as they entered. “I came to deliver the flowers the event planner ordered for the wedding. And then I lost my way and ended up in this room. I was just about to go out when you came in.”

The man sneered at her.

“My bride is missing, and you just conveniently found yourself in her room.”

“What?” Tina shouted.

“I will deal with you later. But now I have a wedding to attend, and you are my new bride.”

“No, wait. You can’t be serious.”

The man was in front of her in seconds, and his hands were on her neck as he pulled her up in a firm grip.

“Do I look like I’m joking? You have 8 minutes to change into that wedding gown, or you’ll regret crossing my path.”

He released her, and she fell to the floor, coughing.

“But, I’m not…I’m not your bride.”

“You are, as of this moment. After the wedding, you’ll tell me where you kept my bride. But this wedding must be held today.”

He turned to the woman he came in with and ordered her to dress up the bride. He told her she could use force if needed and even call on the guards to strip her if she resisted. Tina was scared but decided not to show it. Instead, she screamed at him.

“You can’t force me to marry you.”

He paused at the door and turned to face her. He looked at her