* Wedding night ( 3 ) *
*  Friendship is the surest foundation of love. *
****
— Miranda –
  The sound of my phone ringing woke me up from my slumber. 
I recognized the ringing tone so well and couldn't help smiling helplessly. “ Hello, little Bride. ” her enthusiastic voice sounded from the other side. 
   “ How are you, Evelyn? ” I interrupted her, before she could begin her banter. 
“ I'm fine. What about you? ” her voice carried a sign of mischief, but I decided to ignore it. 
“ I'm okay. ” 
“ You sure? ”
“ Yup. ” she probably sensed I'm in no mood to talk as her next words proved so. “ I called to check up on you. Take care, okay? ” 
“ I will. Thank you.  ”
…
— Evie. —
I called to check up on Miranda, only to sense something wrong, but couldn't pinpoint what it was.
I just hope she's okay.
****
 —  Joseph. —
I've been lost in thought, wondering how I could get my bride's attention. It's been hours already, yet she's been stuck in the room. 
What should I do?
All of a sudden, an idea came up and I couldn't help muttering a word of thanks to my Lord.
  I took my laptop and sent an email to my best friend using my email address.
Me;
Mira,
How are you, Bestie?
I haven't heard from you in a while. 
Are you okay? 
Though that sounded silly, it actually worked as I got a reply in five minutes.
Her;
Jose,
I'm fine. Just being feeling overwhelmed lately.
What about you?
Me;
Mira,
Why? 
What happened? 
You are meant to be happy now that you are married, that has always been your dream, right?
Though Joseph wanted to tread carefully, he felt he had to go straight to the point before their conversation breaks.
Her;
Jose,
I'm glad you are okay.
Well, it's something very personal.
Me;
Mira,
Personal? I thought we agreed that we are best friends and there's no secrets between us?
Her;
 
Joseph,
I know, but…
Me;
Mira,
But?
Please talk to me, Bestie.
I'm super worried. 
You okay?
Her;
Jose,
I'm fine.
While Joseph waited patiently for her to reply, Mira on the other side was trying hard to make a decision.
Should she tell him or not?
She couldn't deny the fact that her new husband and Bestie are the same person.
Which should be a good thing, right?
But why does it feel weird?
After about three minutes, she decided she was simply going to pretend she was talking to her Best friend and not her new husband and that's what she did.
Me;
Mira,
I'm waiting.
You okay?
Her;
Jose,
I've lost my maidenhood and I feel tainted.
I can't explain why, but I feel invaded and now impure. 
It now feels like my body isn't mine alone, but also someone else's and that fact makes me super uncomfortable.
Reading her message made my heart thump loudly.
I was stunned to know the truth.
So she wasn't trying to be ghosty or proud.
So this was how she's feeling?
Lost? Tainted? impure?
Where did these feelings come from? 
I wondered. 
“ Lord. What's going on? ” 
“ Wrong beliefs. ” The answer came almost immediately.
Me;
Mira,
  You once told me you were scared of intimacy. But I never got to ask why.
Why, Mira?
Her;
Jose,
  I feel once intimacy sets into a relationship, it'll become the number one goal in it. 
Also, I believe sex is only pleasurable to the males and not the females?
You know, I had the worst experience on my wedding night.  It felt like I was being torn apart. Despite all the painful cries.  My new husband didn't stop. He kept going on till I blanked out. Then I woke up to a blood stained sheet.
Is that what pleasure is all about?
Reading through her message, I got the entire picture of what was going on.
     And it broke my heart to realize that this is what my bride thought about intimacy.
Me;
Mira,
Do you miss your Bestie?
Five words, yet it was enough to make Mira's heart skip a beat. 
Her;
Jose,
 I do.
I wish he was here with me right now.
It wouldn't be so hard then.
Me;
Mira,
Can I meet you?
Mira fought a long battle in her mind before replying.
Her;
Jose,
Yes. 
Joseph was overjoyed when he received her answer, yet he tried to curtail his joy.
Me;
Mira,
Can you come outside?
Let's have some home made pancakes together at the dinner table, shall we?
Her;
Jose,
Okay. 
What should I wear?
Joseph couldn't help the smile that blossomed on his face when he saw her response.
Me;
Mira,
Put on our Best Friends Outfit and I'll do the same.
Tie up your hair in a messy bun and put on some flip-flops.
Her;
Jose,
Okay. I'll meet you in thirty minutes.
I had a big smile on my face as I typed my reply.
Me;
Mira,
Okay.
I will be waiting for you.
Take care.
Mira smiled at his message, she felt like a huge burden had been lifted off her shoulders.
She had stopped questioning why she found it easier to talk to Joseph than Evie. 
Joseph on the other hand was filled with gratitude to the Lord.
“ Thank you so much, father! I love you. ” 
“ Stay in me. ” The reply came, bringing him to his knees.
“ Help me to stay in you, Lord. ”
“ My strength is made perfect in your weakness. ” 
“ Amen. ”
Joseph turned off his laptop and started preparing for his date with his Bestie and Bride. 
….
A/N : What do you think, guys? How will their date go?