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me screaming yes, yes, yes. After that, everything went by in a haze. My parents took over from there, and arrangements were made. We had a small, simple ceremony with only our immediate families in attendance. Mia was beautiful. We married on a Saturday and were back in North Carolina on Monday morning as man and wife. I promised her a honeymoon in the late fall. I would make it up to her.

7
     
    Christian
     
    T here is always one point in time for everyone that changes their view on life forever. We never know that it is taking place until we look back years later and say, “Yeah, that was when I started to change.” For me, I changed when my mother died, when my heart froze. I know that for a fact. The second point in time, even though I didn’t know it then, was when I met Mia. My heart started to defrost.
    Anyway, I received a phone call from Brice inviting me over for one of his infamous cookouts. He said that he was inviting a few associates and their spouses. He wanted to catch up on what had been going on. We chatted for a while longer, and he didn’t mention anything out of the ordinary that had happened on his vacation. I did notice that he seemed extremely happy, though. I showered, dressed in blue jeans and a T-shirt and headed over. We lived within two blocks of each other.
    Once I got there, things were already in full swing. The mouth-watering barbecue smells met me at the door, and empty beer cans were overflowing the trash can near the patio door entrance. I said hello to a few familiar faces and made my way over to Brice, who was standing by the grill, grinning like the cat that ate the canary as he saw me approaching.
    He said, “Christian, my man. What’s up?” as he gave me a handshake and a brotherly hug.
    “Nothing much. Have I missed out on something? Did you win the lottery and not tell me? You look good, man! Relaxed and happy.”
    “Christian, brace yourself; I feel like I have won the lottery.”
    “What are you talking about?” I asked. I felt like I was the only one who didn’t know what was going on.
    “Do you need to sit down?”
    “Come on, man, what’s up?”
    “I want you to meet my wife,” he said as he pulled a stunning young lady gently by the arm from behind the grill where she had been standing.
    I stood there in utter disbelief. I’m sure my mouth must have been hanging wide open.
    “Hi, Christian. It is so good to finally meet you,” Mia said as she gave me a big hug and a smile.
    “This is a joke, right? I know my man Brice hasn’t tied the knot. Not Brice.”
    “Christian, believe it, man. I am a different person from the one who left thirty days ago. Mia stole my heart.”
    Mia said, “Christian, I hope that we will become great friends. I have heard so much about you. I know that you are like a brother to Brice.” And again she gave me that dazzling smile.
    Even after Brice filled me in on all the details and apologized that everything happened so quickly that I couldn’t attend the ceremony, I still couldn’t believe it. But then, on the other hand, I guess I could. Brice wasn’t like me exactly in the relationship department. I wasn’t looking for love or marriage. Brice was. He always said that once he found the right lady, a classy lady like his Moms, he would settle down. I guess up until that point he had never found the right woman, even though he had been through quite a few because he loved himself some women. A lot of local women were going to be heartbroken.
    As I nursed my beer, I observed Mia and Brice. I admit, they made a stunning couple. Mia was beautiful in a sexy, innocent sort of way, if that is possible. She was petite, but still fine. Mia was probably about five-three. She had beautiful brown, smooth, flawless skin with thick, shoulder-length hair that was pulled back into a ponytail tied with a red, white and blue hair clip. And from the striped red top with no bra that she wore with denim shorts and sandals, it looked like she