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“Soas soon as the ceremony is over and we’re legally married,I’llget my part of the inheritance?”Peterwas asking the older man anxiously.
“Exactly.Aslong as you get married by one o’clock onChristmasEveof the year that you turn thirty-five, as your father’s will stipulated,”Birchersaid.
MotherFrancesshook her head.
“Oh, your father was alwayssucha sentimentalist when it came toChristmas!Hetold me once that he wanted all his children married atChristmastime, so they could enjoy the season even more.”
“Daddywasrather silly about things like that,”Peteragreed. “ButIdon’t begrudge him, sinceI’llfinally be getting my money as soon asIsay ‘Ido.’”
“Ishould also note that your father’s will stipulates not only that you marry onChristmasEve, but also that youstaymarried to the same woman for at least one year before you divorce her,”Birchersaid.
“Thatwon’t be a problem,”Peterdeclared. “Cece’squite gone on me—why, she even signed that draconianPrenupyou drew up saying she gets absolutelynothingif we divorce.”
“Iknow—it took you long enough to find a woman gullible enough to sign that thing,”MotherFrancesremarked. “You’vebeen really running out the clock on this one,Peterdarling.Butare youcertainCeliawill stay with you for at least a year?”
“I’mpositive.”Peternodded confidently. “Butjust to be sure,Ithrew away her birth control pills.Onceshe gets pregnant, she’ll stay with me for sure—after the awful childhood she had, she won’t want to raise a baby by herself.”
“Well, just be sure you keep her dependent on you for at least a year,”Birchertold him. “Afterthat, you can divorce her whenever you want to.”
“Andfind someone moreappropriatefor your station,” his mother added.
“Idon’t know—Irather likeCece,”Petersaid musingly. “Iknow she’s rather plump and she’s not up to our standards, but she’s so sweet and trusting.Shenever suspects a thing whenIgo off on a ‘business trip.’”Helaughed nastily and his mother slapped him lightly on the arm.
“Peter!Begood—it’s your wedding day, after all.”
“Sorry,Mummy—you’re right.Ishall straighten up and fly right.Atleast for today,”Peterpromised.
“Speakingof that, whatever happened to what’s her name?Thatgirl you were stringing along in caseCeliadidn’t come back?” his mother asked.
“Oh,Madison, you mean?Icut her loose last night, afterIspoke toCeceand knew she was coming back.Shewas quite heartbroken,I’mafraid—she thought we were having a whirlwind romance.”
“Justas well you didn’t have to marry her instead,”MotherFrancesremarked. “Sinceshe was holding out on signing the prenuptial agreement.”
“Yes, she was a bit of a gold digger, was ourMadison—though she was excellent in bed.Sorry,Mummy,”Petersaid quickly when his mother made a disapproving face. “Shekept sayingIwas rich andIcould afford to at least give hersomethingifI‘deserted her.’Anyway,Iused her refusal to sign as the reason we were ‘breaking up.’”
“Aswell you should!Greedygirl.”MotherFrancesmade that sour face again.
“Yes, well, she was sobbing and promising to sign by the end, butIfinallygot rid of her.”Peterdusted his hands together, as though brushing off some unmentionable substance. “AndnowI’mfree—just in time for the wedding.”Hesmiled charmingly, as though he hadn’t just been talking about using some poor girl as a backup forCeliaand then tossing her aside the minute he didn’t need her anymore.
“I’mjust glad you’re finally getting this done,”MotherFrancesremarked. “Justimagineif all that money your father left you went to that homeless charityinstead of into the family bank accounts where it belongs!Honestly, your father went too far when he drew up his last will and testament.”
“Well, it’s all worked out in the end,”Peterremarked.Helooked at the expensiveSwisstimepiece on his arm. “Byone o’clock today,I’llofficially be the richest member of theThielgoodfamily.MerryChristmasto me!”
Thenscene in the mirror winked out as abruptly as it had started andCeliawas left standing there, staring at her own reflection again, her eyes wide with horror and her stomach in knots.
Shefelt sick—physicallyill.
“MadredeDios,thiscan’tbe true,” she muttered to herself. “Imust have imagined all that.I…I’msleep deprived.I’mnot thinking right.There’sno way theKindredGoddessjust showed me my future husband andMother-in-Lawplotting together in a magic mirror.Thisiscrazy!”
“Thinkwhat you like, daughter,”the strong, feminine voice spoke again.“Ihave shown you the true hearts of those you would enter into a contract with.Youwill be given one more chance to choose your fate.Whenyou are…choose wisely.”
Thenthe voice went abruptly silent and the feeling that someone else was in the room with her was gone.Celiawas all by herself again…but now she had no idea what to believe or what to do.Wasshe going crazy?Wasthis some kind of a nightmare and she was about to wake up?Was—
Therewas a brief tapping on the door andMotherFrancescame back in.
“Cece, darling—are you ready to go?” she asked and began fussing withCelia’sveil. “Theceremony’s about to begin!”
“What…what didBircherwant?”Celiaasked.Thewords seemed to stick in her throat but she forced them out anyway.
