On the eve of my wedding, my close friends organised a resounding bachelor’s party for me. They wanted me to do some crazy and naughty things but I declined because I truly loved Cassandra. I imagined that she was right there and watching me, so I felt I must not disappoint her. Although, I must admit I had a few bottles of booze and almost got drunk but thanks to Tobi, my best friend and best man who watched my back for me.

After all the partying and drinking, I decided to have some hours of sleep. However, I couldn’t. I just kept tossing from one end of the bed to the other. I felt restless and nervous. All I wanted was to quickly walk my jewel, Cassy, down the aisle and love her forever. However, I managed to have about three hours of sleep before Tobi came knocking on my door. “Knock, knock Robert, it’s time to wake up. Get up and start getting dressed, I am sure you would not want the bride to get to church before you,” Tobi said. Quickly, I jumped out of bed, looked at my wristwatch and it was 7:40 a.m. I rushed to open the door for him and happily said, “Tobi, wow, this is the day I have been waiting for. Today, I will be marrying Cassy, the love of my life.” “Congratulations, Robert but I hope your wedding will be real this time around?” he said. “Of course, I love Cassy dearly and she loves me too. This time, it is real and I am going to be a married man,” I emphasised. “I hope she will not leave you at the altar like you did to those three other women?” he questioned. “Cassy cannot do that to me neither will I do that to her. I am older and wiser now and we love each other so much,” I assured.

He ordered me to go and have a bath and start dressing up so that we could get to the church in time. In less than an hour and a half myself, Tobi my best man and my five groomsmen were looking dapper in our grey suit and white shirt outfit. Before I left the house, I called Cassy and told her how much I love her. “Cassy I just want you to know that I love you very much. I will be waiting for you at the altar.” “I love you too sweetheart. I cannot wait to finally become your wife and the mother of your children,” Cassy assured.
On our way to the church, I had my secret fears and prayed that Cassy will not abandon me at the altar. Thank God, she showed up but with a shocker before the main blow. The first shocker was that she had among her bridal train, the three ladies I had at different times abandoned at the altar. Then I began to imagine how Cassy knew them because in our one year of dating, I never saw any of them with her. “God are these not Linda, June and Biola? What are they doing in Cassy’s bridal train? Do they know one another? Is this all a charade to pay me back in my own coin,” I muttered.

All of a sudden, I felt cold shivers down my spine. I began to doubt if the wedding would take place or not. While all these negative thoughts were going through my mind, I looked back and saw Cassy and her father walking gracefully towards the altar. The little glimpse I got of her, even though her face was covered with a veil, her beauty radiated with her charming smile and I began to thank God for the day I met her. She looked stunning in her sequined-fitted tube wedding gown. Seeing her eradicated any doubt that the wedding will not take place.

As we sat close to each other, we kept stealing glances at each other until it was time for the exchange of marital vows. “Robert, do you take Cassandra to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish in sickness and in health, till death do you part,” asked the pastor. Smiling and looking straight into her beautiful eyes, I replied, “Yes I do.” And the congregation applauded. Then it was her turn to take her vows and I got the shock of my life. “Cassandra, do you take Robert to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health till death do you part,” asked the pastor. Cassy turned, looked at her bridal train, then smiled and looked me straight in the face and answered, “No, I don’t”.
I almost collapsed when I heard her response. The pastor and the congregation too were surprised at her response. The pastor repeated the question and her answer remained the same. “No, I don’t”. “What is happening here? Can someone please tell me what we don’t know?” yelled the pastor.

Cassy faced the congregation and said, “I will not marry this player who thinks he can treat ladies like trash. A man who thinks he can abandon women at the altar and go scot free. So, Robert how does it feel to be abandoned on your wedding day?” she asked. “Pastor, this player has abandoned three women at the altar and those ladies are all here today. On three consecutive times in three different churches involving three women who incidentally were all my friends, they were abandoned at the altar on their wedding day which was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives. They are among my bridal train and I chose them on purpose just to pay him back in his own coin. The truth is that they never knew one another but somehow they were all linked to me. When I discovered that they were all abandoned by the same man, I made all of them come together so that we can hatch a plan and teach Robert a bitter lesson he will never forget. Somehow, Robert and I met and within weeks, he told me he had fallen in love with me and before I knew it, he proposed. I had to play along because I knew there will be no wedding. Having Linda, June and Biola, the three ladies he abandoned at the altar on my bridal train was intentional as that would be the first shocker when he sees them together. Then, not accepting the marriage vow will be the blow below the belt. I have or should I say, we have no regret for this action,” Cassy narrated. Cassy, Linda, June and Biola all looked me straight in the eyes, laughed hard, hissed and said, “Now you know how it feels to be abandoned at the altar.” Immediately they happily left the church.

It was so painful but the truth is that I truly loved Cassy and wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. My father walked up to me and told me I had been paid in my own coin after what I did to those ladies, and he left with my mother. People kept whispering to one another and in minutes, the church was empty. For the first time in my life, I shed tears while Tobi and my other friends consoled me like a baby.

I felt so humiliated that I wanted the ground to open and swallow me. I realised that the pains I felt were the same those ladies felt and even more while I thought I was being smart back then. Everyone called me fine boy, no pimples because I am very handsome and I guess that entered into my head. I come from a family of four handsome boys but according to my parents I was the most handsome. I thought that the best way to handle women was to be a player. I led these women on, I guess I didn’t know when and where to draw the lines or open up to them that I cannot marry them. I got their family members, friends and loved ones involved and at the end, I intentionally disappointed them by not showing up at the church at all. The worse was that I switched off my phone and cooled off at a hotel until the tension had died down. Now I understand the kind of trauma and heartache they all went through.

I call myself a player until I met Cassy who I eventually fell in love with and wanted to marry but little did I know that she had her game plan. I do not blame her, and I thank God that they did not conspire to kill me. Abandoning me at the altar is torture enough for me.

I learnt my lesson the hard way and I hope young men like me out there will learn from my story. Never take any woman for granted. Do not tell a woman you will marry her when deep down you know you are only playing a game. My story is the evil that men do really live with them. My past caught up with me when I never even expected it.