The Honeymoon Game

Chapter one

Darnell's Pov

An unexpected knock at my office door disrupted the little make out session that was going on between myself and Tiffany, my work mate. I smiled mischievously as I watched her struggle to get her dress and hair in their proper position, while all I had to do was wipe off the stain of her lipstick plastered on my lips.

"I would see you later Tiff," I winked at her, settling behind my desk to wait for whoever it was that had knocked.

The door pushed open, just as Tiff got there and my Dad came in. She bowed briefly in greetings and exited in a hurry before he could reply. My dad had a grin on his face as he approached my desk. He was dressed in a long sleeve, designed with black strapes and a faded jean. He looked as though he had just turned forty the previous day, for someone who was in his early sixties.

"Hi Dad," I stood up, rounding the corner to shake him.

"Hi son," he shook my hands firmly, before pulling me into a hug. It was his usual way of greeting and I wasn't surprised.

"Man look at you, I doubt you just turned sixty. You are sure you know your age dad?" I held his shoulders.

"Don't be sily boy," he gave me a friendly punch, laughing off my joke.

"Look, that's what I've been talking about. How can an old man have so much strength in his hands. I felt my ribs crack from that punch," I teased him and enjoyed hearing his throaty laughter.

"Did I interrupt something?" He asked, after taking the seat opposite mine.

"I don't understand? Did you interrupt what?" I asked, confused for a moment.

I watched the glint in his eyes as he nodded towards the entrance of my office. It took a minute to understand that he was referring to Tiffany.

"Oh that, no you didn't interrupt, she was already leaving." I answered.

"Was she?" His brows lifted. "Looked to me like she was rather in a hurry for someone who was already leaving."

"Dad, we had a meeting and we were rounding up when you knocked."

I watched him scratch his chin in thought for a second. Who was I fooling? He knew I was lying and I knew it too. But I desperately hoped we could skip that.

"Okay," he finally shrugged, the grin not leaving his face.

"Okay?" I was confused.

"Yeah, I believe you. It was a meeting and she was already leaving. How's Keisha?" He asked intentionally, leaning on my desk, with his peering eyes on me.

If this was not him trying to guilt-trap me, then I don't know what it is. He was asking about my girlfriend, just after suspecting that I was making out with my colleague. I decided to play along though.

"Kiesha is fine dad, but I'm certain you didn't come all the way here to ask about Kiesha."

"You're right. Actually came to invite you for my wedding," he rubbed both palms together, reclining on his seat, as I stared at him, dumbfounded at the news.

"Your wedding Dad?" It was my turn to lean forward and gawk at him.

"Yeah, my wedding. It's a week from now and you would be my best man." His tune was lax, showing no concern whatsoever about my look.

"Why do I even look surprised? Dad this is the third invitation I'm getting in three years since your divorce with mum. What exactly are you searching for?" I straightened on my seat.

"Genuine love, son. And I think I just found it with Maria," he gave me a boyish smile.

"Wait What! That's her name? Maria? Dad common, you said the exact same thing about Maureen and Flora and neither of them survived a complete year. Have you ever for a moment sat down to think why?"

"Maureen was a sex freak, the woman was going to kill your old man, son. Flora was there for the money. But you see Maria, son I tell you, it's real." He cooed.

"How do you know this? Martha or whatever you call her might be a sex freak as well," I relaxed on my seat, picking up the Tv control and turning off the flat screen television on the wall. I had turned it on earlier to muffle the sound of Tiffany's moan.

"She's not. If at all there's a sexual word connected to us, it should be the word sapiosexual. She's fucking smart, adorable when she smiles and laughs so easily. And you know what else, she loves reading, a whole lot, she's ardent about my writing career." He waved his hands in demonstration as he spoke.

"So you saying, yourself and this Maria lady are not attracted to each other sexually? You know what? Don't answer that. Does she have children, I mean she should have. How many?" I wanted to know what other troubles I had to be dealing with.

"Just a daughter. She has a grown ass daughter, who doesn't mind about this either. You know I've always wanted for you to have a younger sibling and this might just be the opportunity." He stood from his seat, heading for the mini seized refrigerator at the corner of my office.

"Mum would have given me a younger sibling if you both sorted out yourself," I reminded him.

He opened the refrigerator, pulled out a bottle of orange drink. "Can we not talk about your mum?" He was uncorking the cover of the drink.

He took a few gulp at the drink and after a brief silence, walked back to his seat. "I love you son. I might not be a perfect father but I love you. I would need you to be at the wedding at all costs."

"If I don't have work to do, I would definitely be there. Not because I love the idea of you taking in a new wife every year, but because I care about your happiness. And if this would make you happy, I don't have many choices but to do it." I answered genuinely.

"Thanks son," he rose from his seat, shaking my hand. "I need to be on my way, wedding preparation can be very hectic. I don't expect you to know that." He chuckled.

"I saw what you did there dad. It's cool though. I do not want to make mistakes like you, so I'm taking my time. If you know what I'm talking about." I returned.

"That was a huge comeback, but I'd take it." He was returning the juice to the fridge.

"You should be thinking about retirement now , dad."

"And leave who in charge? You wouldn't leave your job to take over, would you?"

"There's Elvis to the rescue."

"He is not experienced enough."

"I do not have any experience either," I shrugged.

"You're my son, I could teach you."

"You can see him as your son and teach him as well,"

"I would see you at the wedding," he paused with one foot outside the door.

"You will. Bye dad."

I fell back into my seat, when the door closed behind him.

~~~~

I didn't blink twice before the week was over and the date for the wedding was there in my face. I hardly had enough time within the week to sort out myself and now I just had to get up and be on my way for a wedding ceremony.

"Look Darnell, you can't just stand him up, it's his special day today and to think that he made you his best man," Elvis said, he was standing at the foot of my closet, with his hands working on his cufflink.

"He has had at least two special days in the last two years and I was the best man. Elvis I feel sick in my stomach man," I lay on my bed, dressed in my white sleeve, with my suit over my head, preventing the rays of the chandelier light.

"You should feel sick. That was a whole lot of drinking you did yesterday man. Not like it was your first time winning a case, I don't know why you chose to party so hard, knowing you had something this important today."

"That was Tiffany's idea. She was so happy about us winning the case. And man, you know how she's been giving me the green light, it was my opportunity to eat that cake." I smiled, feeling impressed at myself.

"I knew it. You so fucked up if Kiesha finds out about this." He was pulling out a pair of shoes from the roof of my closet.

"Man what are you doing that for? That's my shoe bro?" I stood up in defiance.

"Darnell chill man, I'm just taking a look. You should be worrying about Kiesha not me," he settled on the bed, trying out the shoes.

"She's not going to find out, unless you tell her," I strolled into the bathroom to take a look at myself.

"You know I won't do that. I'm just saying you need to be careful. Women can tell when their man is cheating." Elvis replied from the bedroom.

I looked so messed up in the mirror. My eyes had sleep bags beneath them, my hair needed a little fixing. I couldn't just show up for a wedding in this state. "Man I look so ugly right now, which is not a usual thing," I called from the bathroom.

"Darnell, would you bring your fine ass over here, get this suit on your body and let's go meet your old man?" He yelled.

"You think my ass is fine?" I chuckled, washing my face over the sink.

"What the f... You so dumb. I'd be downstairs waiting. You'd better be fast."

"Elvis don't dare go out with my shoes," I grabbed my towel, hurrying out to catch up with him.

"Baby!!!" I heard Kiesha's familiar voice from the corridor. She was in the room in no second, dressed in a sexy, slitted, red gown, with her hair falling smoothly over her shoulder. I could swear a bit of the hangover was gone at the sight of her.

"Kish baby, you're here," I threw the towel over the bed walking towards her.

"Hi Elvis," she slapped him playfully on the shoulder.

"Hi Kish, you look like you are going to be the bride at this wedding. You know what I'm saying? You look hot!" He complimented her.

"Oh okay. First off, I'm always looking hot, right baby," she pecked my lips.

"Right sweetie," I agreed, holding her around the waist.

"And I would look even hotter as a bride, if Darnell here, would only agree to do me right, by taking me to the house of God."

"Oops!" Elvis was holding himself from laughing out loud. "You know I've told him a thousand times to do just that. I mean you're a fine wine, and if he isn't fast, who knows, someone else might just get in the line."

"You hear him baby," she turned to me, a triumphant smile spread on her face, at having someone agree with her.

"Elvis get the fuck out, I need some privacy with my girl."

"Okayyy. I would be out, but I warned you. And please, you two should be out on time, we have a wedding to attend," he gave a peace sign with his fingers, before closing the door behind him.

"We love you El!" Kiesha called after him.

"You look pretty baby," I returned my attention to her, kissing her on the lips.

"You should listen to your friend and wife me sooner, else..." She freed herself from my hold, picked up her bag and followed after Elvis.

"Babe you can't be leaving me standing like that," I scratched my hair in desperation. "Kish common!"

I picked up my suit from the bed, hauling it over my shoulder. There was a beep from my phone that laid on the bed.

"Where the hell are you at Darnell?" My father's angry voice growled from the other side of the phone.

"Shiiii..."