I Do

Chapter 1

In a private restaurant that served only steak, in the heart of the city in France, a blonde lady was dressed in a tight, hugging black shining strapless knee-length gown. Her beautiful long hair was braided in a French braid, and her lips were painted with sparkling red lipstick. The scent of Eau de perfume mixed in the air. Dawn's focus was on her plate as she savored every bite inattentively, not noticing the guy with ink-black hair and cerulean blue eyes staring at her intently from the other side of the table.

The sharp gaze of her blazing savannah green eyes met with the handsome gentleman. This made the delicious steak in her mouth taste like a burnt heart. She instantly took a long sip of the blue liquid in her royal blue glass to break the awkwardness.

"Merde! Was I eating too fast again?" she thought, twisting her lips to the left like someone who had been caught stealing a Popsicle by her mother. Her shy eyes looked away and then back at him, only to swing back to her plate.

The man she was eating with was her long-time best friend and recent boyfriend of three years, Luca Martinez. She had seen him in a mall at the ring section, and without a doubt, she thought he wanted to pop the big question. Yet, every moment made her nervous. Did she honestly want to marry this man? Sure, he was wealthy, a big CEO of a design company, and he was beau, dashing, and philanthropic. He was every girl's dream, but not hers.

Is this what she wanted?

He would make her happy. He loved her, but...

Shoving all her thoughts aside by gulping down an entire glass, Dawn wiped the corner of her mouth neatly and fabricated a mild smile.

Luca's complexion turned white, and he wiped his face in shock with his hands. "What have you done?"

The calm atmosphere became buried in incredulity.

Taking in a breath, she said impavidly, "Anything wrong?" Dawn was astounded by the recent change. His face beamed with acquiescence, and now he looked awestruck.

Luca's blue eyes became dark. He casually licked his lower lip and chimed in, "You swallowed the ring I had to propose to you."

****

Three months later

At a garage sale in Mariana Lively-Alarie's mini-mansion, Dawn walked out in a sunny flair dress with a tight ponytail to match. Her blonde hair had blue highlights on both sides. She carried a brown box, barely able to breathe when she set the box down. She gasped for air and placed both hands on her hips restlessly.

"Heh, two more at the back," a cold voice ordered from behind. It was Marianne, Dawn's best friend and the person having the garage sale.

Dawn turned to her and gave her an obvious look, indicating that she was tired and that her exhausted appearance was not enough to prove her point.

Marianne is a tall, average-looking person with black hair and eyes. She is about to get married and is clearing out things from her house for spring cleaning through a garage sale before moving in with her son-to-be husband.

"I know, I know... You are stressed," Marie rolled her eyes back and forth when she noticed Dawn didn't catch the sarcasm in her tone. "I am getting married in three days, and you are the one looking all worked up. Fuck! It's been three months."

"I said no," Dawn muttered dejectedly, removing the glass figurines from the brown box and beautifully positioning them on a table covered with a colorful blanket.

"If he can't take rejection, fuck him!" Marie grunted, pushing her hair behind her and tucking them neatly behind her small ears.

"I swallowed the ring," she uttered, bummed out, while her shoulders dropped.

"So? It happens in almost every bad TV show," Marie walked over, and together they placed the box on a table.

"It was his late great-grandmother's ring."

Dawn palmed her face in shame. "Do you know how I had to force it out of my body?"

"Oh, don't tell... poop," Marie asked in shock, barely whispering.

"No, Marie. I had to make myself vomit. I can never face him again," the softness in her voice had a pinch of pain.

Marianne waved her hands dismissively. "Suck it up! He is my husband's best man. Therefore, he must attend, and you are my best friend. How can you be absent from such a wedding because of a breakup? It's very silly!"

The thought ran through her mind, aiming at a new idea or objective to find a date. "Marie suddenly stopped before continuing, 'And you know what? I will get you a date so you won't feel left out."

Feeling lighter, sheinquired, more like an exclamation, "Really?" Dawn questioned, raising her eyes from the ground to the huge smile on Marianne's face.

Marie suddenly uttered in a cocky manner, "Promise, I will set you up right now."

They hugged again, and now Dawn could finally breathe properly. Luca is Marie's soon-to-be husband's best friend, so he must be at the party. And one thing everyone knows is making sure your ex doesn't see you as a loser.

Yes!

She had been thinking about that embarrassing moment, and it was not pretty. What he thought of her mattered. He should not see her as a loser. Now she had a date for the wedding. She was happy now.

The phone in her pocket beeped, indicating a new message from her mother. ''Do not forget diapers for Nora when returning.''

Nora is the youngest in the family and is just one year old. Then a list of notifications popped up about a serial killer alert and a rapist. She only sighed and shoved the phone into her pocket.

Chapter 2

"Oh, thank you," Dawn covered Marie's face with lots of kisses.

Having had enough already, Marie gently pushed off Dawn. She straightened her wrinkled shirt. "First, you will help me with this garage sale and look over my house after I am gone."

To soothe the teary moment, Dawn raised three fingers and swore, "Avec ma vie" (with my life). They both burst into laughter.

Dawn bit her lower lip shyly and hugged Marie again. "I will miss you so much."

"And you too, munchy." They hugged for a long time, and Marie left to attend to a customer. Shortly afterward, the broad lawn filled with buyers, and they auctioned off almost everything except a glass whale figure which Dawn kept as a souvenir in case she missed Marie during her honeymoon, and we both know she will!

"Marie?"

"Hmm?"

"In French culture, we don't ha