Fake Bride Wanted

by Holly Rayner

  Fleur stands at his side, and lifts the mic to her lips to continue talking. “We fell in love, and I have exciting news to share. As of two weeks ago, Bruno and I are engaged to be married!”

  The room erupts into applause. I join in, clapping so hard my hands hurt. So that’s why Fleur has been so absent over this last year! She’s been on a journey of her own: finding the ring and falling in love for herself.

  “And…” Fleur pauses, waiting for the clapping and hollering to die down. “We’ve also decided to return the ring to the bank. We have each other, we understand now that that’s the real prize!”

  Fleur weaves her hand into her partner’s to the sound of more clapping, whooping and whistles from the crowd.

  “So, Julian and Shelby…I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart.” Fleur stays where she is, but faces our table squarely. She looks at Julian first, but then, her eyes lock with mine. “Thank you for being true to the calling from your heart. Thank you for choosing love, and showing us all what that looks like and how it is done. Thank you for the example that you gave to me. And thank you, above all else, for proving that love is the real treasure.”

  Fleur lifts her glass, and like the wave at a ballpark, the gesture spreads around the room, until everyone is holding a glass up into the air.

  I lift my champagne glass up along with the others.

  “To Julian and Shelby,” Fleur says. “May we all trust the abundance of love, and treasure it above all else for the rest of our days.”

  “Here, here,” Julian says heartily.

  Around us, our friends and family affirm the toast, and then we all clink glasses merrily.

  After toasting all those at our table, I lift my glass and hold it up to the room, as if I’m tapping my glass to everyone else's. I see my mother and father, toasting each other and smiling.

  To love, I think, then bring my glass to my lips and take a sip.

  Several hours later, the conservatory ceiling has become a tapestry of diamond-like stars. Julian and I have just finished dancing to a fast song, and my limbs are weary with exertion.

  Max, who has freshly dyed his mohawk purple for the occasion, is already dancing to the next song. As Julian’s best man, he’s looking sharp in a full suit, pale blue tie, and tulip boutonniere.

  Ever since Julian promoted Max to Chief Operating Officer last year, shortly after we got engaged, the two have become even closer than they were before. Max regularly comes over to our house for gym sessions with Julian, and he often joins us for dinner, too.

  “Oh, this is a good one!” Max says as the next song starts up. He slings his arm around Julian’s shoulder and pats him on the chest. “You picked a good DJ, man. This is a good party.”

  Even though I want to stay and dance, I don’t think my legs will hold me up. I’m just so tired.

  I start to move away from the group; Julian catches my disappearing act and follows suit.

  Serena has just joined us, and she grabs my arm before I can get too far away. “Oh! Don’t go! This is such a good song!”

  “I’m too tired to keep dancing!” I wail. “How about you dance with Max?” I give her a wink and see her look over to Max, who is now down on the dance floor on his stomach, break dancing.

  Serena smiles. “Okay,” she says mischievously.

  Julian and I laugh as we walk away. “They’d make a good pair,” I say.

  “I don’t know if Serena can handle Max,” Julian says. “The guy is pretty out there.”

  “Oh, you don’t know Serena,” I say. “She’s always had a wild streak.”

  Julian laughs again, and I lean my head on his shoulder. “This has been an amazing night,” I say.

  He reaches around me and strokes my arm with his fingers. “It has been perfect,” he agrees.

  I yawn, and Julian notices. “Tired?” he asks.

  “Very.”

  “Let’s see if we can sneak out of here.”

  We’re staying in one of the rooms of the palace, and so are most of our guests, so I know that I will see everyone again in the morning for breakfast. Sneaking off to bed sounds perfect to me.

  “I just have to grab my bag,” I say.

  Julian and I make a beeline for the table. I spot my wrap and scoop it up. We’re across the room and about to make our escape when a voice stops us.

  “Julian! Shelby, there you are!”

  We turn around and I see Julian’s grandfather standing before us.

  Every time I see this man, I’m absolutely amazed that he’s over ninety years old. He looks twenty years younger than that, and even for a seventy-year-old, he’d be considered in excellent shape.

  “Now, you wouldn’t be leaving without saying goodbye, would you?” he asks, in a joking tone.

  Julian grins. “You caught us,” he says. “But, Opa, we’ll see you in the morning for breakfast!”

  “Ah, but I still want a goodbye hug. And to congratulate you both one more time.” Julian’s grandfather hugs me first. He smells like cinnamon cloves and cigar smoke.

  “Thank you…Opa,” I say, trying out the phrase, which Julian has told me means grandfather in Dutch.

  He releases me and smiles. I wasn’t sure that it would be okay with him if I called him that, but I see that it is.

  Julian opens his arms and embraces his grandfather.

  I hear Julian speak as they hug. “You know, I’m curious…it took me a little over six months to find that ring, and Fleur took less than that, even though I never told her what bank the ring was stored in.”

  The two men separate, and Julian gives his grandfather a questioning look.

  “I know that we have the internet nowadays, but still… I can’t figure out why you never found the ring for yourself. Not only that, but my father, and my great-grandfather…they should have been able to find it, too.”

  “How do you know that we didn’t?” Julian’s grandfather asks.

  “Well, the ring was sitting in the bank. No one claimed it, until I came along, and then Fleur. There was a will, written by—”

  The older man waves a dismissive hand. “Again, my dear grandson, you’re making assumptions. Perhaps someone did claim it, but they chose to return it. Just as you did. Just as Fleur did. Perhaps, like you, other Meijers before you discovered that the true treasures in life cannot be contained within the metal walls of a safe.” His grandfather gives us a knowing smile and punctuates his words with a quick wink.

  With that, he turns and walks back towards the crowd.

  Julian and I watch him walk away. I feel amazed by the magic of it all. For a moment, I allow myself to imagine it. Generation after generation of Meijers finding love, and returning the ring.

  I look out over the scene before us. Max and Serena are boogying down on the dance floor. My mother and father are chatting over wine. Everywhere I look, I see love and laughter.

  It is so true. The true treasures of life cannot be contained within a vault.

  I feel Julian’s arm around my shoulder, and he pulls me close. We watch the happy scene for one more minute, then turn towards the exit, ready to spend the rest of our perfect day having some time alone together, as newlyweds.

  Epilogue

  Shelby

  I have news for Julian, but I want to wait for exactly the right moment to tell him. As my skis slip and slide beneath me, I’m way too preoccupied to have a serious discussion.

  All of my energy is focused on staying upright on the T-bar I’m sitting on.

  “Hold on, babe!” Julian calls out, from somewhere behind me.

  I want to look back and see where he is, but I know that the instant I attempt a backwards glance, I’ll fall off of the precarious seat that is carrying me up the incline.

  How do I know I’ll fall? I’ve tried it before, and fallen into the white puffy powder all around me. This time, I’m determined to make it all the way to the top.

  When I manage to glide off of the contraption, I lift one hand
and pump it into the air.

  Victory!

  Julian swoops up behind me and stops like a pro. “You did it!” he says, celebrating my small win along with me.

  “Yeah! I think I’m getting it.”

  “You’re going to be skiing expert terrain in no time,” Julian says.

  “Ha! I don’t think so. But I could try the longer beginner route this time.”

  “Lazy Stroller?” Julian says, peering up at the signs around us.

  I can’t help but laugh. “It sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Really, Julian, if you want to go ski some steeps, I’ll be fine here practicing on my own.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  Julian sidesteps closer to me and leans in to kiss me. We’re wearing matching helmets, and they bonk against each other as our faces near for a kiss. This makes me laugh again. The sun is shining brightly overhead, and the mountain vistas all around us are spread out in full glory.

  We decided to have our honeymoon in the Alps, after Julian insisted that I was going to fall in love with skiing, just as he did.

  I have to admit, he was right. I love skiing. Even though I’m still working on beginner trails, the feeling of moving freely along the snow is absolutely blissful. I can’t get over how high up we are, and every few minutes, I take out my phone and snap pictures to share with my mom when we return to Amsterdam.

  “I’ll ski beginner trails all day with you, Shelby,” Julian promises. “It’s our honeymoon! Besides, I was joking about expert runs, but at the rate you’re learning, you’ll definitely be on intermediates by the end of the week.”

  “You think so?” I ask.

  He shuffles away from me. “I do. Now, you ready to get on this Lazy Stroller?”

  I’m laughing as I start to follow Julian down the wide ski trail.

  That evening, we step into the restaurant that we discovered the night before. It’s just a short walk from our hotel, and the atmosphere is warm and cozy.

  Our waiter recognizes us from the night before.

  “Back again! It’s a pleasure to have you!” he says as he pours waters for us.

  “We thought about going somewhere else, but that fondue last night was too good,” Julian says.

  “Our specialty!” the waiter exclaims. “Would you like me to bring it out for you again?”

  “Yes, please. And a wine list, if you don’t mind,” Julian says.

  I relax into the deep cushions of the bench seat we’re perched on, side by side. A fire crackles just across from us, and the warmth dances on my skin.

  “Mm, fondue,” I say. “Skiing really works up an appetite, doesn’t it?”

  Julian wraps his fingers through mine. “Skiing does, sure. And so do our other activities.”

  I giggle, knowing that he’s referring to the time we spent in bed this afternoon, after soaking in the hot tub. Our honeymoon, so far, has been filled with just as much lovemaking as it has skiing.

  “I suppose so,” I say. “Well, maybe after we fuel up, we’ll be ready for more tonight.”

  “I hope so,” Julian says. He nestles into my neck and kisses me just below the ear.

  His lips are warm against my skin, and the warmth spreads through me, adding to the heat from the fire.

  Now, I think. Tell him now. It’s the perfect moment.

  “Julian,” I whisper. He pulls away from me, and the loving look in his eyes makes me even more confident. He is going to be just as happy as I am.

  “What is it, babe?” he asks.

  “There’s something that I want to tell you.”

  “I’m listening.”

  He has a half-smile on his lips. We’ve gotten so good at communicating. Because our relationship started out as friendship and then blossomed into love, there’s a firm foundation under our feet. Even when we don’t agree on a point, we’re able to talk about it until we reach an understanding.

  I reach for his hand. “Well,” I say. “Yesterday morning, right before we left for the airport, I—”

  The waiter appears. He’s standing at the front of our table, blocking the warmth from the fire. He waits politely, hovering silently so that I can finish my sentence.

  But I can’t. Not with him standing there.

  This news is only for Julian’s ears.

  I place both hands on the table and take a breath. My heart is racing. I was so close to spilling my secret!

  “I’ll tell you in a moment,” I say to Julian. Then, we both look to the waiter.

  “Here is your wine list,” he says, handing a two-sided card to Julian.

  Julian looks it over, then holds it out so that I can see.

  I browse the list out of habit. It takes me a moment to remember that I can’t have any.

  I shake my head. “You choose, honey,” I say.

  “I think a red might be nice with the fondue.” Julian says. “Maybe a bottle of Merlot? This ’79? What do you think?”

  I shrug vaguely and he reads into it. “Or something else,” he says. “Maybe the pinot noir?”

  “Really, you choose. I probably won’t be having any.”

  He’s studying the menu, but as I say these words, he lets it fall away from him slightly, so it’s leaning on the edge of the table.

  “What, no wine? You didn’t have any last night, either. Are you feeling all right?”

  I don’t know what to say.

  Something clicks for him as I hesitate. His face lights up. His eyes sparkle.

  He knows.

  Julian

  Suddenly, I put all of the pieces together. The way Shelby was so quiet on the ride to the airport. How she spent nearly half an hour cooing over another passenger’s baby in the terminal before we departed. The look in her eyes when she said that she had something to tell me. And now, the way she is refusing wine, for the second night in a row.

  It’s not that Shelby and I drink a lot, but we’re on vacation, and I know that Shelby loves to enjoy relaxing with a glass of red wine at the end of the day.

  Her refusal is certainly suspicious.

  But I won’t ask her yet. Not while the waiter is standing over us, waiting.

  “I’ll just do a glass, for now,” I say. “This Sicilian merlot, here,” I say, pointing to the wine list.

  “Excellent choice, Mr. Meijer,” the waiter says. As expected, he hurries off to fulfill my request. I turn to Shelby.

  I can’t help but grin. I want to tell her that I know, but I also want to give her the joy of sharing her news.

  “So…” I say. “You were about to tell me something? You said that it happened yesterday…right before we left for the airport. Let me guess…you figured out how to use the new coffee machine?”

  Shelby laughs. “Not yet,” she says.

  “You…swam your first mile in the pool?”

  “No! Julian!”

  “You fell in love with Jean-Claude, and you don’t want to be married to me anymore.”

  “Way off,” Shelby says, giggling. “Cold, cold, cold.”

  “Oh…so this is a game of hot and cold,” I say. “Well then, tell me if I’m getting warmer… Yesterday morning, right before we left for the airport, you discovered something that might change our lives forever.”

  Shelby’s eyes are sparkling. She shifts on the bench seat so that she’s facing me squarely. “Warmer,” she says.

  “Yesterday morning, you discovered something that will definitely change our lives forever.”

  “Warmer,” Shelby says.

  “You discovered something that will definitely change our lives forever in a wonderful way.”

  “Hot, hot, hot!” Shelby says.

  I reach for her hands. I’m too excited to keep playing our game. And I want to let her say the words.

  “What is it, Shelbs?”

  “Yesterday morning, before we left for the airport, I took a pregnancy test.”

  Part of me knew it already, but still my heart leaps as the words fall from her lips.

&
nbsp; She’s hiding a smile. I see it waiting, ready to burst out into the open.

  “I took several, actually…just to be sure.” She laughs.

  I can barely stand it. I need to hear her say it.

  “And?” I ask.

  “I’m pregnant, Julian. We’re pregnant. We’re going to have a baby!”

  Tears prick my eyes. I didn’t expect to cry, but salty beads of water blur my vision as I wrap Shelby in my arms.

  “A baby! Wow. Shelby! I can’t believe it.” My voice is muffled because I’m hugging her so tightly. I pull back so that I can see her face.

  “Are you happy?” she asks.

  “I’m…” Happy seems like too ordinary of a word to describe the ecstatic, joyous emotion flowing through me.

  Her brow creases because I’ve stopped mid-sentence. “I know we didn’t exactly talk about this…not so soon, anyway…but I—” I don’t want her to worry. Not for an instant. “Shelby, I’m thrilled. I don’t even know how to put it into words.”

  “Do you feel ready to have a family?” she asks. “Do you think we’re ready? You’re working fewer hours now that Max’s been promoted, and my job is completely flexible.”

  Shelby stopped working for Vermaak shortly after we got engaged, transitioning smoothly into a job as a freelance marketing consultant. Even though she doesn’t have to work, she loves to pick up projects when she feels inspired.

  “My mom is so close by,” she goes on, “and so are your parents. I know we haven’t—”

  “Yes,” I say, interrupting her before she can worry herself any more. “We’re going to be amazing parents. You’re going to be a wonderful mother. We’re ready for this.”

  Shelby looks relieved to hear me say this.

  “Are you happy?” I ask.

  I see tears spring into Shelby’s eyes. She doesn’t bother wiping them away.

  “Yes!” she says. “I had no idea it would feel like this. I thought that I just wanted to enjoy being with you…for a few years, even—just the two of us. But now that this is happening, I feel so grateful. We’re going to start a family, Julian. Together.”

  “Let’s have a few,” I say, excited by the word ‘family’. “I grew up as an only child, and I always wanted a brother or sister. Let’s have two, at least.”