What You See Is Not Always What You Get | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: What You See Is Not Always What You Get | Previous Challenge Entry
By Terrie Ellington
03/17/16
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What You See Is Not Always What You Get

Candice turns this way then that way to check her appearance in the mirror. She rubs her hands over her hips and lets out a sigh of satisfaction when she sees how the bright red dress clings to her soft curves. She feels confident in both her inner and outer beauty and waits with anxious anticipation for her wedding night next week.

She has found her fiance, Malcolm to be a faithful and respectful man of God. His patience with not becoming sexually intimate in their relationship shows his faithfulness to God and his love for her.

They’ve been dating for over a year now, and have met each other's families with the exception of his twin brother Maurice, who’s been out of the country for military service. Candice is always amazed at how much they look alike when she sees family pictures of them together, and she’s excited to meet him tonight after her date.

Candice’s phone rings and interrupts her musings. Her friend Brenda’s high pitched voice rings loudly in her ear.

“Girl what’chu do’n?” Brenda asks. “I need to show you som’thin.”

“I just finished getting dressed to go out with Malcolm, so now’s not a good time. What’s up?” Candice asks out of curiosity.

“I can show you better than I can tell you. Hold on a sec. I’m gon send you a pic.” Brenda pauses to text the picture, and then comes back on the line. “You have to hang up to receive the pic, but call me right back aft’uh you see’em.”

“Okay, I will.” Candice hangs up and immediately opens her text app to see what has Brenda all in a tizzy. As Candice looks at the picture, she sees the mirror reflection of Malcolm’s image in the face of a man with a beautiful slender woman. “It has to be Maurice.” She says absently to the empty room as she continues to stare at the picture.

Again the ringing of her phone breaks into her musings. It’s Brenda again.

“Brenda, I said I’d call, but since you’re in such a tizzy let me hurry to tell you it’s not Malcolm in” Candice starts before Brenda interrupts.

“I’m sorry Candy.” Brenda uses her pet name. “but pictures don’t lie. I told you if he ain’t git’n it from you he git’n it somewhere else. All men are alike. I caught Malcolm creep’n outside Embassy Suites Hotel when I got off work tonight. He a worthless cheat. You can’t trus him as far as you can throw him and that ain’t far. I ain’t surprised. He thank he so fine and handsome he can have any woman he want. He jus use’em and trash’em when he done wit’em. Don’t marry him gurl. It’ah be a big mistake.”

“Brenda, I trust Malcolm implicitly. You really shouldn’t smear his character like that when you don’t really know him. Have you forgotten that he has a twin brother? That has to be who you saw with the woman at Embassy Suites.”

Brenda humphs under her breath before continuing. “Ain’t no two people look that much alike. You jus in denial Candy. You betta wake up and smell the coffee befoe you make the bigges mistake of yo life.”

The doorbell rings and Candice gets up to answer the door. “I’ve got to go Brenda. I appreciate your concern, but you don’t have to worry. I’ll talk to you later.”

Candice opens the door and Malcolm stands there dressed in the same clothes the man has on in the picture Brenda texted her. In shock, Candice stands there, mouth open to speak, but no words come out.

Malcolm furrows his brow in concern. “What’s wrong baby? You look like you just saw a ghost.”

Candice stumbles backwards away from him with her heart pounding in her chest, and leaving the door standing open, Malcolm hurriedly reaches to catch her and helps her to the couch.

“What’s wrong Candice?” Malcolm asks anxiously as he sits next to her.

Before she can answer, Maurice walks in through the open door with clothes on matching Malcolm’s. The shock of relief is so overwhelming that she bursts into tears and grabs Malcolm around the chest clinging on for dear life sobbing tears of relief.

******

To falsely smear a person’s character, even with a picture, can cause unmerited distress, because what you see is not always what you get.

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