They were back in the house after she made a choice, and Leila left the McKenna siblings to go get ready. After her bath, none of them were back in the room and she got worried. Madonna volunteered to make her up.
Leila stopped in front of the study, hand poised for a knock but she didn't knock. They were talking in hushed voices, about her or another female. She pressed her ear to the door and picked out the words: "Does she know?"
"Know what?" Kelvin fired back. His tone was impatient and she imagined him yanking off his tie.
"How rich our family is. How rich you are."
Leila stared at the door. Kelvin McKenna was rich, she knew that with only a little research but his sister's tone suggested more. His behaviour showed he came from wealth but it didn't bother her because she was not interested in his money. Leila liked him for him.
"She does. Now, get out and go make my wife up. She has to be the prettiest one in the room."
Leila scrambled back to their bedroom before the door of the study opened, smiling at her sister-in-law who walked in with a frown. Madonna dragged her to the seat in front of the vanity. The room was silent as she wiped Leila's face.
"Have you talked about kids?"
"Not yet," Leila replied.
Kids was a topic that couldn't come up since they had not gotten to having sex. She picked a brush from the brushset on the table and pretended to be busy with it.
"Why not?"
Madonna was drawing her eyebrows but she paused when Leila didn't reply. "We are taking our time."
The look of disbelief boldly written on Madonna's face almost had her confessing the truth but she squeezed her hands on her lap. Leila couldn't talk to Madonna about her sexual life, it would make things awkward between them. They continued the makeup, she protested when Madonna added another layer of gold eyeshadow.
"There's something you're not saying," Madonna murmured when she was done with Leila's eye makeup.
"Like what?" Leila toyed with the sleeves of her robe.
Madonna said nothing and finished her makeup. It took a few seconds for her to recognise the beauty staring back at her in the mirror. She looked and felt like a new, different person. Her smile lit up her face.
"Thank you," Leila said with tears shining in her eyes.
"No biggie. It's what sisters do."
The reply melted Leila's heart, she wished she had real sisters, that she wasn't the only child and she wasn't separated from home. The thought brought more tears to her eyes and she fanned herself. She couldn't ruin her makeup. Madonna stayed back to help her dress.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Madonna asked for the third time.
Leila stepped into the gown and Madonna zipped her up. The sky blue gown hugged her waist tight and pushed a decent amount of her breasts up. Sexy and classy.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Because she couldn't bend, Madonna helped her put on her heels and she appraised herself in the mirror. The gown flared from her waist down to her feet, she couldn't see her shoes but they added inches to her height.
"You look beautiful, Leila."
She did. All that was left was a tiara and she would look like a princess. "Thank you."
Together they stepped out of the room and Madonna left her alone to face Kelvin. He was shocked when he saw them. Dressed in a suit with a handkerchief in his breast pocket that matched the colour of her gown, he stood in the corridor with his hand in his hair and mouth wide open.
Leila wanted him to say something. His stare made her uneasy. "Do I look bad, Kev?"
Kelvin shook his head. "No. No, Leila. You don't." He was beside her in a jiffy. "You look stunning." Her chest deflated, she even managed to smile at him. "You look so beautiful, my wife." Her heart was jumping in her chest and her head dipped in mock courtesy. "Leila."
"Kev," she replied in a similar voice.
He took her hand and placed it over his bulge. "This is what you do to me, Leila." Taking that same hand, he put it on his chest. She felt his heart pick up its pace. Kelvin tilted her head so she had no choice but to stare into those grey eyes. Tingles shot down her feet. "Every time I see you."
"I'll give you a blowjob when we get back," she said.
Kelvin laughed. He laughed so hard she joined him. When he hugged her, she wrapped her arms around him and held him so tight like she was scared to leave.
"Are you ready to leave?" he whispered against her neck. "I'm so tempted to stay back with you, Leila."
She drew back to inspect his face. "I can give you a blowjob now, Kev," she offered. It would make him happy and she wanted to please him. "But we will be late."
"Later then." Good choice. Kelvin slipped his hand into hers and her nipples puckered in response. "The event should have started. I don't want us to be too late since I'm the organizer." Her head jerked up. This part was new to her. "Yeah, I host the gala yearly."
"Oh," was all she could say.
"My parents first met there," Kelvin added.
Leila nodded for him to continue and he told her about his parents first time of meeting in front of the venue for the gala. He bought the place to honour them and each year, the donations would go to a different charity.
"They will not be coming," he answered when she asked if they would be there. Her heart stopped pounding. She was not prepared to meet the parents of this man she liked. "We can go see them in Europe if you like." Leila blanched. No. "It doesn't have to be now, Leila. In the near future."
"Okay."
Kelvin opened the door of the car for her. Throughout the ride, they said nothing but basked in each other's presence. The car stopped and someone outside opened the door. Right before they stepped out, Leila kissed him.
"Thanks for letting me be your plus one."
Her husband chuckled. They exited the car holding hands and she readied herself for the flash of the ever present paparazzi. Kelvin promised it was a private event. Strictly by invitation and only trusted photographers were invited. The pictures would go through his assistant before they were released. It relaxed her.
Leila clutched his hand tight while they took pictures at the red carpet set out in front. A man screamed for her to smile and she walked out without posing. Kelvin laughed behind her, and she slowed her steps for him to catch up to her. He didn't mention her behaviour, neither she did. The photographer's rude tone had pissed her off.
There was another set of doors in front of her. She could hear the music playing from inside.
"Don't let them get to you," Kelvin whispered. She followed his breathing pattern and relaxed even more. "They try to evoke a reaction out of you and run off with a story when you're provoked. It's their job."
Her palms moistened, she accepted the handkerchief he gave her and wiped her hands. "I'm not used to it, Kev."
To be honest, it wasn't something she could or wanted to get used to. The thought hit her hard. If she announced her marriage status to the world, it would put her on a microscope, they would hammer her with cameras, try to fit her into a standard of their making. Leila felt newly frightened by those thoughts.
"I'm right here, Leila." It was harder to focus on his words with her thoughts crowding her mind but she did. "If you feel like it's too much, say the word. Okay?"
"Okay." She threw her arms around his neck without a care for the gown that was rumpling in the process. "Thank you, Kev." She held his hands, voice clear as she said, "Maybe when we get back, we can try to have sex." His eyes bulged, and a squeak left his lips. "I think I'm ready, Mr McKenna."
"Are you sure?"
A clearing of throat behind stopped her from giving him more reassurance. In all honesty, she would never be ready but she could try. If Kelvin continued to let her get away with it, she wouldn't push for the next stage. But she wanted to try, mostly for his sake. Freya had told her a blowjob could only do so much. Sex would be the real deal for them and she wanted to experience true pleasure with her husband.
"Uncle Levi," Kelvin murmured in excitement when he turned. He hugged the man and grinned. Leila stood by his side. If Kelvin was happy to see him, then she had no worries. The man shifted his walking stick to his other hand and gripped Kelvin's hand in a firm handshake. "Nice to see you, Uncle. You didn't say you were coming."
"I wasn't sure I would be in attendance..." His words drifted as his eyes landed on Leila. Uncle Levi was also wearing glasses he pushed up the bridge of his nose. "And who is this beautiful angel here?" He pushed Kelvin to one corner and took his place beside Leila. "Who are you?"
Kelvin and Leila shared a glance. "Mrs Leilani May McKenna," she answered.
"My wife," Kelvin confirmed.
"You didn't tell us you were getting married."
His tone of rebuttal was directed only to Kelvin but Leila felt the need to protect him. Kelvin whispered something to Uncle Levi and he squinted at him. For the rest of their hushed exchange, she kept her hand on his back to let him know she was going nowhere.
A deep sigh escaped Kelvin when his uncle was gone. "He's so tough. Avoid him at all costs," he told her and laughed. "Come."
Sliding her hand into the crook of his elbow, they walked hand in hand and the curtains automatically parted for them. A hush fell over the hall once they took their first step inside, and the smile on Leila's lips died when she spotted Charles.