Welcome, dear reader!!
If you’re a fan of Meet The Dolphynes, then you’ve most likely missed the squad, haven’t you? Well, they’re back! And for a special reason! One of the Dolphyne kids is getting hitched!!
This is gonna be an awesome one to get into. If you’re not familiar with Meet The Dolphynes, then trust me, you’re gonna have to check out the original series if you wanna really appreciate this story. But anyways, let’s not waste much time. Let’s get into it!
“Oh my God!”
Diamond’s shriek of surprise as she rose to her feet, enveloped by the cheers of joy all around them in the Chez Afrique restaurant, was music to the ears of Edem, who was down on one knee, with a ring box in his hand. The standard reaction he had expected.
As the joyful noise and applause subsided a bit, he stood to his feet, the ring box still open.
“Diamond, you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever known. These past three years with you have been incredible, and every single day, when I go down on my knees, I thank God that He led me to you, because you… you make me happy. And now… it’s time we take the next step. I need to give you my last name and make you my partner for life.”
The cheers reemerged with that statement, as Diamond had her hands over her mouth, fully overwhelmed by the moment. She should have known this was the reason he had brought her here. He’d been dropping the subtlest of hints that it was time for him to make this move, but she had never thought that he would be popping the question as he came to pick her up that Sunday afternoon.
Even as he briefly excused himself from the table they were seated at, the prospect of a surprise was nowhere near her mind. It was only when he returned from where he went, and without any words, whipped out the ring box and went on his knees.
But what a joy to finally receive this proposal!
“Diamond Maakua Dolphyne, I am deeply and desperately in love with you, and I need you by my side for the rest of my life. Will you be my wife?”
Tears of joy beginning to run down her cheeks, she hopped excitedly. “YES, EDEM, YES! I’ll be your wife!”
As she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, rapturous applause broke out as fellow customers and waiters celebrated this beautiful proposal. Watching as he gently placed the ring on her finger, they began chanting, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”
The newly engaged couple laughed as they chanted for the kiss to seal the acceptance of the proposal. Facing Diamond, he asked, “You wanna do it?”
She giggled. “Sure. Why not?”
The applause turned into standing ovations from many of the customers as Edem and Diamond locked lips.
**
“Edem, put the drinks on the table.”
Seated in the midst of his relatives in the living room of the Dolphyne residence, Edem duly obeyed the orders of his mother, taking the drinks from the floor and onto the table.
A bottle of dry gin, a bottle of whisky, and a bottle of schnapps.
He further reached into his pocket and took out an envelope and placed it on the table.
On the other side of the table sat Mr. James and Paul Dolphyne, surrounded by the members of the main Dolphyne family.
Diamond, seated between her uncle Paul and her mother Larissa, smiled as the drinks were placed on the table. She briefly looked to her left side; the twins had the biggest of grins on their faces.
“It’s happening!” Serwaah mouthed excitedly.
She looked to her right; Oscar and Toby were seated next to Daniel. The two looked at her and grinned hugely.
“It’s coming on! Live and coloured!” Toby also mouthed.
Indeed it was. Barely three months had passed since the surprise proposal at Chez Afrique. Edem had assured her he would waste no time in putting things together so he and his family could come to do the needful. Now here they were in the Dolphyne house, carrying out the knocking ceremony.
“Babe, I’m on a mission right now. And that mission is to make you my wife as soon as possible.”
Edem certainly hadn’t been playing when he said that.
***
“Okay! So that’s it for today’s session!” Pastor Lois Ocran announced to the couple before her as they closed their books. “So let’s go over what we’ve learned. Edem, what did we say about the devil’s plan as far as conflict in marriage is concerned?”
Edem cleared his throat. “Um, so, the devil’s plan is to steal the joy and love in marriage… deceive the couple by telling them their issues cannot be solved, and to ultimately kill the union.”
“Great! And Diamond, what did we say is God’s plan for conflict in marriage?”
“To teach us unconditional love and unlimited forgiveness… and er, humility… and selflessness.”
“Correct! So keep that in mind, my dears. As for conflicts, they pop up all the time, and there are two pathways to dealing with them. Too many people are giving in to the devil’s deception and throwing in the towel. But that’s not what God wants for us. There’s a better way, and that is to see those moments as an opportunity to grow in godliness. Please, as you walk into this institution called marriage, don’t let those opportunities for growth pass you by. So, God bless you, and we will meet again next week, okay?”
“Okay, Pastor Lois! Thank you!”
***
“Hallelujah!” Reverend Benjamin Ocran, the head pastor of Triumphant Chapel, called out as he returned to the podium, the choir done with their ministration for offering.
“Amen!” the congregation responded.
“Turn to your neighbour and say, love is a beautiful thing!”
The cheers and enthusiasm that accompanied the obedience to that urge made it all too clear that everyone knew what the announcement was. The members of Triumphant Chapel knew all too well what their head pastor was about to talk about.
“People of God, wedding bells are ringing!”
The cheers grew louder, as Edem and Diamond, seated together, smirked sheepishly, seated at the front of the church, behind the junior pastors’ seats.
“One of the daughters of this house is becoming a missus this Saturday, and chaleeeeee! I’m hyped roff!” Reverend Ocran announced, the most excited look on his face as the congregation continued to express their glee. “Mr. Edem Sedudzi! Miss Diamond Dolphyne! Please come up to the front.”
The two smiled at each other before rising to their feet and making their way to the podium where the reverend stood, buoyed on by the cheers of everyone around them.
Going to stand on either side of Rev. Ocran, he proudly announced to the congregation, “You know, the first time I met Mr. and Mrs. Dolphyne, they were this young, cute couple who had just gotten married. And that was around the time I hadn’t been called into full-time ministry, so I was doing my work at the hotel. If you had told me I would one day stand here and announce that the firstborn of that sweet couple was getting married, I wouldn’t have believed it. But what a God we serve!
“So yes, this fine young gentleman found a flower… or should I say, a diamond, in this church, and he has gone to see the parents of this lovely lady, done all the necessary necessities… and on Saturday, they shall become one. I encourage us all to be present to show our daughter love on such a big occasion. And yeah, if there’s anyone who knows of any lawful reason or impediment… you know what, scratch that, there’s no impediment biaaa!”
“Reverend, there’s nobody ooo! Nobody! I’m a reliable source and can confirm!”
The congregation laughed and cheered as Oscar stood at the technical area located on the right side of the altar and called out.
Reverend Ocran laughed. “Her brother has spoken, so that settles it. Toby, do you agree?”
Sitting in the middle part of the church, Toby rose from his seat and yelled, “One hundred and fifty percent, Reverend!”
“Yieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!” Reverend Ocran cheered, pumping his fist in the air as the rest of the congregation cheered along with him.
As they stood before the people, Edem and Diamond looked at each other and smiled.
The joy was so infectious. Everyone was excited for them.
And they loved it.
***
“Okay, ladies! Time for us to impart some words of wisdom to our beloved bride-to-be!” Maabena announced.
Diamond, beaming as she adjusted the sash Serwaah and Maabena placed on her when she entered the Capitol Restaurant, looked around the table.
Maabena. Serwaah. Selasi. Akinyi. Gyamfua.
And three of her good friends from secondary school and university: Lucy, Sabukie, and Araba.
These were the ladies she had chosen to serve as bridesmaids for the special day. And as you’d expect, they had arranged for a bachelorette party.
And what a memorable time it had been!
If Diamond wanted bridesmaids who could dance their feet off, here they all were. From the undisputed princess of dance Serwaah to her secondary schoolmates, they all grooved to the tunes the restaurant dished out. Everyone in the restaurant could not dispute that these girls celebrating the imminent wedding of their friend were having a banging time.
And of course, they had to! Who wouldn’t hype themselves up for an upcoming wedding?
“Alrighttttt! So, let’s begin with… the little warrior queen. The defeater of the devil’s cells. The strong, fun-loving, high-spirited, sometimes-tomboyish Luo doll. Aki, the floor is yours!”
Akinyi, who was laughing at Maabena’s appellations, stood to her feet and turned to Diamond. “My beautiful Diamond! I am so overjoyed right now. This is what we’ve awaited, and it’s happening! Well, as you walk into this new chapter of life, one thing I’ll say is, don’t let the sun go down on your anger. You and he will have those little squabbles, but remember to make up before you sleep. He’s probably… nah, wait, he’ll definitely annoy you. But always remember why you chose him in the first place.”
As the little Kenyan darling took her seat, Maabena rose up. “Okayy! The baby girl of the group. Serwaah, your turn!”
Serwaah smiled as she stood up. Turning to her big sister, she started. “Diamond, all I can say is that you’ve lived in a household where marriage has been modeled so beautifully. Just take all that you’ve learned from Maa being a wife and apply it to your marriage, and it’ll be just as beautiful, if not better. Thank you.”
The ladies clapped their hands. “Chale, Serwaah really talk something ooo,” Maabena commented as she got back on her feet. “Coz me sef, the kind of love I’ve seen between those two eh, one of a kind. Even me that I’m not a relative mpo, I’m inspired by them. Serwaah, you do all! Right, next up…”
As the words of wisdom session carried on, Diamond could only watch on with joy bubbling in her heart.
Ever since the day she and Edem sat in that car and made their union official, she had dreamt of this. It had been three beautiful years of being loved by the most amazing guy in the universe. It felt so surreal that they were now on the road to becoming one flesh.
It still feels like a dream… she thought to herself as she glanced around the table once more, letting it sink in.
… but it’s not. This is reality.
Awesome!! I bet most of us rooting for Edem and Diamond in the original series are delighted to see this. Well, let’s enjoy the ride to their big day!
1 thought on “MTD: Wedding Bells EP 1 – It Feels Like A Dream”
Wow.. what a compelling start. The wedding proposal scene has zero artificiality. You good!👏🏽