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“Tellme something,” she said toMotherFrances. “Isthe reasonPeterhas to marry me before one o’clock because if he doesn’t, he loses his inheritance?”
“What?”MotherFranceslooked shocked. “Howdid you find that out?Whotold you?” she demanded.
“Soit’s true?”Celiaturned toPeter, who was just standing there, gaping. “Isit also true you were seeing some other girl namedMadisonwhileIwas gone withHoldandFierce, so you could marry her instead, ifIdidn’t come back?”
Peterturned positively pale.
“NowCece, darling—Idon’t know what that lying little bitch has been telling you, butIcan promise thatI’vealwaysbeen faithful to you.”
“Whatabout on your ‘business trips’?”Celiademanded. “Areyou telling me you weren’t sleeping with other women then?”
“I…I…”Peterstammered, shaking his head. “Idon’t know what you’re talking about!”Hegot out at last.
“Thisis all ridiculous!”MotherFrancesinsisted.Shelooked at the clock and then looked at the priest. “Father, quickly—continue with the ceremony!Wedon’t have much time!”
“Er…”Theelderly priest looked befuddled. “Doyou,PeterFrederickThielgoodtheThirdtake this woman,CeliaMarieAlvarezas your lawfully wedded wife?”Hefinally went on. “Tohave and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”
“Ido!Ido!”NowPeterwas watching the clock as well.Itwas only a few minutes until one,Celiasaw, glancing up at it herself.
“Verygood.”Thepriest nodded. “Anddo you,CeliaMarieAlvareztake this man,PeterFrederickThielgoodtheThirdto be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“Idonot!”Celiaexclaimed, before he could go on.Sheturned toPeteragain. “Itall makes sense now—the whirlwind courtship, your rush to get married.Itwas all for the money!”
“Cece, please!Bereasonable!”Peterexclaimed.
“Iambeing reasonable—for the first time since you ‘swept me off my feet,’”Celiaexclaimed. “Theminute you met me all you saw was a gullible, stupid woman who was willing to sign that draconianPrenupsayingIwouldn’t get a singlecentwhen you divorced me—whichIknow you’re planning to do in exactly a year!”
“Inever said that!ThatwasMother’sidea!”Peterdenied. “Cece, please—just say ‘Ido’ and we can work all this out.We’lldraw up a whole new contract—you can have whatever you want!”
“WhatIwant, you can’t give me.”Celiatook a step away from him. “Anddon’t call me ‘Cece’—I’vealways hated that nickname!” she snapped.
Sheturned and marched down the aisle withHoldandFiercebehind her, ignoring all the shocked faces in the pews on either side.
“Whereis she going?”MotherFrancesshrieked. “Shemustn’t get away!It’snearly one—we don’t have time to find another bride.Gether!Bringher back!”
AllofPeter’sgroomsmen—mainly his brothers-in-law—came running down the aisle.Butthey stopped short whenHoldandFierceturned to face them.
“Thelady won’t be getting married today,”Holdsaid politely but firmly.
Fiercewas more direct.
“Fuckoff!” he growled. “Youlay a finger onCeliaandI’llfucking break it for you!”
Thesight of two seven-foot-tall, muscular alien warriors seemed to put offPeter’sgroomsmen.Theyall worked out and were in reasonable shape, but none of them was anywhere near as big and strong as theTwinKindred.
“Gether!Whatare you waiting for!Don’tlet her go!”Peter’smother kept shrieking but the groomsmen fell back, eyeingFierceandHoldwarily.
“Comeon, my lady,”Holdsaid toCelia. “Let’sleave this place.”
“Yes—let’s get the fuck out of here,”Fiercegrowled.
“Coming,”Celiatold them and the three of them hurried down the aisle amid shocked gasps as the guests watched them go.
Asthe chapel door banged shut behind them,Celiacould hear her former-future-Mother-in-Lawwailing,
“It’spast one now—it’s too late!Toolate!”
Good,Celiathought to herself.Ihope whatever homeless charity the money goes to gets everything!
