Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 121146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
“Fuck! Thank you, Kat!” Fierce exclaimed. He gave her a brief hug and Hold did the same.
“Wish us luck!” he said. “We’re going to do our best to win her back.”
Kat said something but Fierce didn’t hear what it was. He and Hold were already rushing out of the Med Center and down the corridor towards the Docking Bay.
They had to get to Celia before she tied her life to another male and left them forever!
52
CELIA
There was a discrete rapping on the door of the little ready room and Peter’s voice called,
“Mummy dear, are you in there? Bircher needs to see us for a moment before the ceremony.”
“Oh right—Mummy’s coming!” Mother Frances called. “But no peeking at the bride when I come out—you know it’s bad luck!” She patted Celia on the cheek and smiled. “You’ll be fine on your own for a moment, won’t you dear? Just don’t sit down—there’s a good girl. I’m afraid you’ll pop the zipper on that gown if you do.”
Then she hurried off, slipping through the door in her long, silver gown that looked much more elegant than the frothy wedding dress she’d picked for Celia to wear.
Celia frowned as she watched her go. Why in the world would she and Peter need to talk to the Thielgood family lawyer not even an hour before the ceremony? Shouldn’t he be getting into his tux and getting ready to walk down the aisle with her?
“Do you really wish to know what the human you are about to Join yourself to for life is talking about?”
“Huh? What?” Celia looked wildly around. Where had that voice come from? There was no one in the room with her, but she had heard it—plain as day! She looked at the full-length mirror at the end of the room, but saw only her own reflection.
“It is I, the Mother of All Life,” the voice informed her.
“Dios! You mean the Kindred Goddess?” Celia asked in a quavering voice. Was this really happening to her right now?
“The same,” the voice confirmed.
“But…but I don’t believe in any God or Goddess,” Celia protested.
“Do not trouble yourself about believing in me, daughter, for I believe in you,” the voice told her. Now look into the mirror and I will show you what you are about to commit yourself to.”
Celia stared at the mirror. For a moment she saw only her own reflection. Then the image of the unhappy woman in the too-tight wedding dress disappeared and another image took its place.
Suddenly she could see Peter, (already dressed in his tux,) his mother, and an older, balding man who she recognized as Bircher, the Thielgood family lawyer.
“So as soon as the ceremony is over and we’re legally married, I’ll get my part of the inheritance?” Peter was asking the older man anxiously.
“Exactly. As long as you get married by one o’clock on Christmas Eve of the year that you turn thirty-five, as your father’s will stipulated,” Bircher said.
Mother Frances shook her head.
“Oh, your father was always such a sentimentalist when it came to Christmas! He told me once that he wanted all his children married at Christmas time, so they could enjoy the season even more.”
“Daddy was rather silly about things like that,” Peter agreed. “But I don’t begrudge him, since I’ll finally be getting my money as soon as I say ‘I do.’”
“I should also note that your father’s will stipulates not only that you marry on Christmas Eve, but also that you stay married to the same woman for at least one year before you divorce her,” Bircher said.
“That won’t be a problem,” Peter declared. “Cece’s quite gone on me—why, she even signed that draconian Prenup you drew up saying she gets absolutely nothing if we divorce.”
“I know—it took you long enough to find a woman gullible enough to sign that thing,” Mother Frances remarked. “You’ve been really running out the clock on this one, Peter darling. But are you certain Celia will stay with you for at least a year?”
“I’m positive.” Peter nodded confidently. “But just to be sure, I threw away her birth control pills. Once she 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,” Bircher told him. “After that, you can divorce her whenever you want to.”
“And find someone more appropriate for your station,” his mother added.
“I don’t know—I rather like Cece,” Peter said musingly. “I know she’s rather plump and she’s not up to our standards, but she’s so sweet and trusting. She never suspects a thing when I go off on a ‘business trip.’” He laughed nastily and his mother slapped him lightly on the arm.
“Peter! Be good—it’s your wedding day, after all.”