Sweet, Sweet Fantasy

Champagne flute in hand. Makeup and nails on point. Hair pinned back under a stunning double edge with ribbon, fingertip length veil. Lena danced around in her silky satin slip to Mariah Carey’s ‘Fantasy’. The bride to be and bridesmaids all posed for selfies in the mirror. These were the last moments leading up to the most magical day of Lena’s life.

The wedding had been fourteen months in the making, the apple of her fathers eye, Lena Thompson was marrying Donovan Kingsley today at the Plaza Ballroom, Melbourne.

Lena met Donovan at an office Christmas party, he was the Senior Site Manager at her dad's Construction Company - Crescent Moon Construction. From the moment the two met, there was electricity. Though the two seemed as opposite as fire and ice, Lena was drawn to Donovan like a moth to a flame.

“Where is he taking you on your honeymoon?” asked Stacey-Ann.

“It’s a surprise girls, she doesn’t want to know!” exclaimed Rose, the bashful maid of honour.

Lena squealed in excitement “I do want to know! There have been so many surprises already I can’t stand all the secrecy. Is it an island getaway? Are we going somewhere classy? Is it Paris? Is it England in the countryside? What if Donny wanted to keep it simple and we’re just going up the road to Byron?”

“I don’t think you should have to wait any longer. What does it matter if you find out a little earlier where you’re going hun?” asked Kelsey, “Besides, I heard Donny tell Jeff the passports and the tickets are in his bag.”

“Lets get them then!” screamed Stacey-Ann, as she and Kelsey slipped out the side door and down the corridor to the Cloakroom to find Donovan’s carry on bag. They returned with a small black leather case. Rose and Lena, unsure if they should open it or not, could not speak soon enough when Stacey-Ann had it on the dresser table and opened the bag to reveal the passports and two first class tickets to the Maldives. Lena was overjoyed, the city life was all she knew and the romantic island getaway was the perfect escape for her and Donovan.

“Okay put it back now girls, we know where we’re going. I got what I wanted, Yay!!”

But Stacey-Ann paid no attention to her, she wanted to search further and see what other surprises were in the bag. The left side of the bag accidentally fell to the side of the table and out of a sleeve on the side of the bag fell a small box and a little black book.

Lena opened up the little black book to see what her soon to be husband could have been keeping so secretive, her eyes raced over the pages and as she clutched her stomach and sunk onto the bed behind her, suddenly her fairytale dream turned into a nightmare.

The bridesmaids were too busy in awe over the beautiful diamond ring they found to notice the bride sitting in shock, until the little black book dropped to the floor and Lena sat silently in shock.

“Hun what is it? Look at this gorgeous ring Donny got you! Just one more Surprise!” As Rose picked up the book the three bridesmaids looked on to reveal the pages and pages of women’s names whom Donovan had been involved with, all the while being with Lena. On each page was a detailed description of each woman, her figure, her salary, and a ranking system of their sexul encounters. There were so many of them the ladies could barely get through the pages without feeling sick to the stomach.

Lena knew Donovan wasn’t a virgin but she did not expect to come across anything like this. This wasn’t like finding out a little white lie. Lena was discovering who Donovan was for the first time. She had been living with a stranger.

The name of the jeweler was imprinted on the box with the ring inside, Stacie-Ann suggested they go and get to the bottom of this. They all agreed and Kelsey said she’d stay behind to keep everything under control in case anyone came looking for the girls. Lena, Stacie-Ann and Rosey got dressed, took the ring they found and ordered her limo driver to take her to the jewler where Donovan had purchased it in West Hampshire Lakes. There they would come to The Gallery. They were met by an older lady, Grace, and a young gentleman, Winston the two greeted them with the kindest of smiles.

Holding out the ring, Lena asked them if they knew the man who bought the ring, the two looked at each other and asked Lena to explain who she was. She did and they sat her down comfortably to explain.

Winston told Lena “Hunny, we knew this day would come. Donovan has an account with us. For the past seven years he has brought in girl after girl after girl, he lets them browse then pick out what they want, we put in on his account and we see another girl the next time.”

“If we had known who you were we would have tried to reach out to you dear. I am so sorry this is happening to you, he doesn’t deserve you.” said Grace with the most sincere mum hug for Lena.

Lena asked about the ring she had brought in today and the pair did not want to tell her but knew she needed the truth. Lena buried her face in her hands as Winston told her the woman he bought that ring for often came into the store with him, for a pair of earrings, a bracelet, a new necklace and he had overheard thepair talking about Donovan marrying Lena long enough to become partner with her father. And his plans to take over the company and divorce Lena, taking half of her money with him so that he and the other woman could be together.

“Dear, he told us he had planned to propose to her when he got back from the Maldives.” said Grace.

“I want to trade in the ring.” Lena said as she looked up, with pain in her big green eyes, now red from crying.

The bridesmaids asked how much the ring was worth. Winston showed them the collection it was a part of. 18 Ct Rose Gold Radiant Seamless Halo Engagement Ring $20,000. The ladies almost collapsed in shock at the money Donovan was willing to spend on this woman.

Lena paced the floor of The Gallery and Stacie-Ann and Rosey urged her to sit and take a breather, she could only think of the hurt and humiliation Donovan had caused her and the shame it would bring to her family. What could she do? The wedding was in an hour.

Just then Rosie’s phone began to ring on the countertop and the caller ID was a drunken picture of Rosie, Lena, Stacie-Ann and Kelsey. Throwing a glance over Winston shrieked “Oh my God, That’s her. That’s the bitch your man is leaving you for!” It was Kelsey. At first the others couldn’t believe it to be true so Winston went into detail describing her “She’s got long straight bleached blonde hair, no ass, beady little eyes and a smile like Cruella de Vil. And when she laughs she always throws her head back and shakes her hair like she’s getting ready for a wet t-shirt competition.” It was definitely Kelsey, no doubt. Lena was now furious, one of her best friends and her fiance, how long had this been going on, how could they hurt her like this?

Stacie-Ann came up with all kinds of ideas how they could get Donovan and Kelsey back, Rosey was having a panic attack but Lena somehow found the strength to collect herself calmly, thanked Grace and Winston and told her bridesmaids they were returning for the wedding.

Confused, the girls did as Lena asked and during the limo ride back Lena told them her plans.

Lena was the most beautiful bride, standing there with her three bridesmaids in their burgundy lace figure hugging gowns. As the ceremony went on Lena continued to look ‘lovingly’ into Donovan’s eyes. When at last the Marriage Officiant asked if anyone objected Lena howled like a wolf and said “Hell yeah, I object!” This brought forth a loud gasp from the entire wedding party. Lena then paraded along the front like she was working a comedy club “Daddy, just letting you know Donny over here is trying to steal your company. And everybody, my friend Kelsey over there is trying to steal my man. Well actually he went willingly, typical of stray dogs I guess.”

Just then Lena pulled out the twenty thousand dollars she received in exchange for the ring from underneath her bouquet. She had changed the money into small notes at the bank on the way back from the jewlers. Stacie-Ann and Rosey followed behind her as she left Donovan and Kelsey standing there speechless.

“Oh and just so you know, everybody, this is what Donovan’s ‘love’ for Kelsey is worth - $20,000!” And with that Lena started throwing the money out to anyone in attendance “have some, Donovan certainly likes to throw it around and I’m not just talking about his money guys.”

Everyone was now recording the wedding on their phones, the magazine people were taking photos, Lena’s dad was ready to pummel Donovan. Just as Lena reached the front door she turned to say one more thing. “Donovan, get out of my house and stay out of my life and Kelsey. Your tits, your lips, your nose, your hair, everything about you is fake Kelsey. I hope the two of you are happy together because you deserve each other!!”

Lena walked out of that hall and out of their lives. Lena, Rosey and Stacie-Ann all went on her Honeymoon to the Maldives because there is no more time to waste on toxic relationships, undeserving men and bitter women.