On The Dotted Line

by Kim Carmichael

  “Of course, I doubt I’ll ever have any children. I just want my house and my business and then I’m packing up Junior and his trophy.” He glided his car to the front of the home, threw it into park and turned to her. “Leave your crystal ball and magic potions in the car. We have staff to help you unpack.”

  Without another word he got out of the car.

  Of course there was always the possibility his history made him narrow minded and a jerk, one who only wanted to conform. Above all else she needed to remember to stay true to her values and not become attached. She reached in her bag, pulled out her sequined headband and put it on as he opened the doors for her and Nan.

  “Ladies.” He offered Nan his hand first.

  Nan took his hand and allowed him to hoist her out of the car. She smiled at him and touched his chin. “How will we all fit in such a tiny place?”

  Randolph tilted his head. “It would be much more spacious if we could get rid of my parents.”

  Nan sighed.

  Randolph held out his arm and gave her one of those manufactured smiles. “Mrs. Van Ayers?”

  She jutted her jaw out.

  “We’re married Mrs. Van Ayers. We ‘re on my turf now and need to enter the home as a couple, as decreed by the paperwork you signed.” He took a breath. “Please?”

  She agreed to their arrangement, said vows in a chapel and signed a contract she barely skimmed. Rather than argue about being genuine, she hooked her arm in his and let him help her out of the car.

  He went to walk forward, but she stopped. She glanced at the huge wood double doors with ornate handles. Her stomach dropped. Something, call it intuition, ESP, or a sixth sense, told her he wanted to lead her into a disaster. She resisted. “Randolph.”

  “What is it?” He lifted his sunglasses.

  The sun twinkled on those green eyes. How on earth could he not find a girl to marry him? Between his money and his looks, many women would forgo the personality to be with him. Hell, even she was taken in, but like the words she said in front of some nondenominational official, she vowed to herself she would keep her guard up. Since their interruption in the hotel, something nagged at her. His whole situation was layered with lies and cover ups, and she added to the whole deception. “Is there anything else I need to know before I walk in? I don’t want to be blindsided.”

  “What do you mean?” He jutted his jaw out. “I’ve told you everything you need to know.”

  “Are you sure?” She tried to search his eyes. The sparkle had vanished.

  “Shouldn’t you be able to tell without me saying a word?” He wiggled his fingers as if casting a spell. “Or is that headgear squeezing too tight?”

  “Yes, I suppose I know the answer.” She let go of his arm. “I’m ready to go inside.”

  He motioned forward, and as she walked ahead the door magically opened and he put his hand on the small of her back. The man would make them keep up appearances no matter what it took.

  They stepped inside to the most incredible room. She may not have wanted to touch Randolph before, but now she reached for him to keep herself upright. Only in movies did she think such a room existed. Wood paneled gleaming walls were offset by a white marble floor with what she could only assume was an oriental or Persian rug. An antique table in the center held a huge arrangement of fresh flowers. Two matching curving staircases led to the upper floor, and the crown jewel of the entrance was a humongous twinkling crystal chandelier, something one would see in an opera house. “Oh my God.”

  Nan grabbed her arm and squeezed.

  “Sir.” A man in a three-piece suit greeted them.

  “Willow, Nanette, this is our Head of Staff, Dimitri.” He nodded and handed the man his car keys. “This is Willow Van Ayers and Nanette Riviera, their belongings are in the car and need to be brought inside.”

  “Excuse me?” A woman’s voice echoed through the space followed by the click of heels on the stone floor. “Randolph?”

  As if made to match the room, a beautiful woman entered. A bit older, the blonde had her hair swept up and wore a pristine pink skirt suit. “Where have you been? Who’s this?” She pressed her hand to her throat and her attempt at a smile failed. “We missed your birthday.”

  “Where’s Father? I’ll make the introductions all at once.” Randolph pulled her over.

  Unable to resist, Willow allowed him to put his arm around her.

  “Van!” The woman licked her lips and took two steps toward them. “Van? Where are you?”

  From yet another entrance to the room, a man joined them. “What’s going on?” If she ever wanted to know what Randolph would look like a bit older, all she needed to do was look at the man in navy dress pants and a white button down shirt.

  Several other people gathered in the shadows as if peeking to see a show. Willow figured they must be the elusive staff Randolph continued to mention.

  “Good, we’re all here.” Randolph moved them forward. “Willow, Nanette, this is my mother, Lillian Van Ayers and my father, Randolph Van Ayers Jr.”

  Randolph’s mother reached out and took her husband’s hand. “Hello.”

  His father merely nodded.

  “Mother, Father, this is Nanette Riviera, and this beautiful woman by my side is my bride, Mrs. Willow Van Ayers.” He squeezed her shoulder.

  Randolph’s father tilted his head. Willow swore she detected something strange behind his green eyes. Amusement? Mischievousness? She couldn’t place it.

  On the other hand, his mother was an easy read. Her lower lip quivered, her complexion paled and she fanned herself. “Bride? Did you say bride?” Not waiting for her son to answer, she turned to her husband. “Van, did he say bride?”

  “Indeed, that is what he said.” He shifted his attention to Randolph. “When exactly did this take place?”

  Willow held her breath. Anyone else would find the way the man’s question was phrased or odd, but she knew the deeper meaning.

  Randolph reached into his suit coat pocket and pulled out a paper. “Yesterday, we got married on my birthday. Willow said now I’ll never forget our anniversary.” He handed their marriage license to his father.

  She need not mention they would only celebrate one anniversary. No doubt his father already knew that detail.

  With her chest heaving up and down, his mother leaned over. “Married? You got married?”

  “Yes mother, Willow and I are married.” Randolph’s tone was one of boredom as if he had anything better to do.

  His mother braced herself against Mr. Van Ayers, well the older Mr. Van Ayers. “He got married? What happened? He got married to a gypsy?” She leaned over.

  “Lillian?” Mr. Van Ayers put his hand on her back.

  “Van?” She reached up for him, but missed. “I can’t breathe.”

  “Lillian, get control of yourself.” He took her hand. “What’s done is done. He’s married.”

  “I had plans. Him and Stephanie. He got married.” Her breath labored, she lowered herself to her knees.

  “Randolph.” Willow covered her mouth, keeping her questions inside. Who was Stephanie and why wasn’t Randolph doing anything about his mother passing out? She went to step forward.

  Randolph pulled her back

  “My son is married and we weren’t there?” Lillian’s words trailed off and she slumped over.

  “Someone get me some water!” His father got down on the floor as well.

  “I have something for this.” Nan went into action. She rushed over to Mrs. Van Ayers and put her tote on the floor.

  Her stowaway cargo took his opportunity to free himself, and popped his head out of Nan’s bag.

  With all the insanity Willow sort of hid the fact she owned a dog. She winced and pushed Randolph aside to lunge for her baby, but before she reached him he jumped out of the bag and ran straight into the scene of the crime. “Jeb!”

  “What’s that?” Randolph yelled.

  “Let me put this under her nose.” N
an shoved one of her sachets up to Mrs. Van Ayers’ face.

  “Jeb, come here!” She tried to catch up to him, but tripped on the long skirt she got with a costume several years ago. Her palms slapped against the unforgiving marble.

  “Willow!” Randolph grabbed her around the waist and yanked her upright.

  Rather than obey, her dog darted between them, bouncing over to Nan.

  “Van?” Mrs. Van Ayers shook her head and opened her eyes.

  Jeb barked, hopped up on her and gave the woman a lick.

  “Van! There’s a rodent attacking me!” She covered her eyes.

  “Randolph!” Willow yelled the first name that came to mind before someone exterminated her boy.

  “Everyone stop!” Nan swooped up Jeb and stood.

  They all froze.

  “You must have never seen a rodent.” Nan pointed at Mrs. Van Ayers.

  The woman peeked through her fingers.

  Nan turned to Randolph. “A son who doesn’t run to his mother in her time of need.” She made a tsking sound and shifted her focus to her.

  Willow recognized the glint in Nan’s eye and pressed her back against Randolph.

  “Chiquita, I told you not to hide yourself, and part of you is the animal you chose to keep.” Nan held Jeb out to her.

  She stayed silent and took her pup. He licked her and she ground her teeth together at his adorable little face.

  At last someone arrived with the glass of water.

  “What about me?” Mr. Van Ayers took the water and thrust it toward his wife.

  Nan narrowed her eyes. “Maybe you should have got the water for your wife yourself.”

  “I don’t think you should be the one to talk when my son’s new wife brought her own maid with her.” He crossed his arms. “We need to get this house in order. Settle my son and his wife in his wing and please help Miss Nanette get acquainted with the rest of the staff.”

  “Maid?” What kind of people were these? Willow stomped forward and stood in front of Nan. “Nan is not my maid, and she is most definitely not part of your staff.”

  “Is she your spiritual advisor?” Mrs. Van Ayers held up the sachet, put it to her nose and shuddered.

  “Father.” Randolph mimicked her actions and stood in front of Nan. “Nanette is part of the family and she will be living upstairs.”

  Willow stared at the back of Randolph’s head. At least the man took charge when needed.

  “So in the course of twenty-four hours you took on a wife, her family and a pet?” His father exhaled.

  “Yes, and right on time for my birthday.” Randolph turned and once more put his hand on the small of her back. “I will show my new wife to our wing now.”

  “Nan?” In search of anything normal, Willow held her hand out.

  “I will make sure Miss Nanette is settled upstairs.” His father waved them away. “Right after I fix your mother.”

  “Go, Chiquita.” Nan gave her a wink.

  She allowed Randolph to guide her away.

  “We have a dog?” Randolph leaned over. “Is that even a dog? It looks more like a cotton ball.”

  “Yes, he’s a dog.” She cuddled Jeb to her chest. Everyone said the same thing about Jeb. “He thinks he’s big, don’t call him a cotton ball.”

  “He needs to look at the evidence. It’s stacked against him.” He chuckled.

  No truer words were ever spoken. She peeked back at their stunned family. Apparently she wasn’t the only person blindsided and something told her there was more to come.

  * * * *

  Second, third and fourth thoughts went through Randolph’s mind after he settled Willow in his wing and asked her to change for dinner. What other costume would his new spouse conjure? What other animals might appear? He walked over to the bar and poured himself a scotch, swigging it down without taking the time to bother with ice or anything else. He welcomed the burn.

  “If you’re going to do shots, go get your mother’s vodka out of the freezer.” His father joined him, put ice in both their glasses and poured them each some of the high-priced elixir. He lifted the glass in a mock cheers motion and took a sip. “You pulled it off in the eleventh hour. Kudos, though until you walked in the door I thought you were finally showing your face after you didn’t finish your last assignment.”

  Randolph narrowed his eyes at the glass and gulped it down.

  His father chuckled and took a seat. “So, where did you find her? Is she the fun one you kept on the side when Stephanie became too boring?”

  “You are a pig.” He eyed the decanter once more, but put his glass down. Something told him he needed some of his wits about him to get through the rest of the evening.

  “Maybe she is merely a punishment to your mother and me. I mean you practically live in squalor and we never gave you anything.” Though the man’s words rolled off his tongue as smooth as the scotch, the clink of the ice in the glass betrayed his father’s shaking hand.

  “I have a task list longer than our staircase that outlines everything you ever gave me.” Since his father would never allow him to forget his contract, he would return the favor.

  “Without that piece of paper, you wouldn’t be half the man you are today.”

  “How will you ever know what I would have been?” Randolph backed up to glance into the foyer in search of the newest additions to the family.

  “I saved you from being a starving artist.” His father put the glass down on the side table and ran his finger along the rim. “Art was never your forte.”

  Heat encompassed him, shooting up from his feet and overtaking the rest of his body. He balled his fist into a hand.

  “I need to meet with you after dinner on the Hartford investments.”

  “Now those are some people who could definitely use some art in their life.” He tilted his head from left to right, the popping of his vertebrate ringing in his ears. His father gave new meaning to the term pain in the neck.

  “It’s a waste of time.”

  Maybe he needed to hand the man a shovel to take more digs at him. “Leave it, I am in the home stretch and you can’t stand it.”

  “So, what did happen? Did Stephanie finally come to her senses and walk because you wouldn’t give her a real wedding to spite me and your mother?”

  “Who said she left me?” He glanced over his shoulder at the man.

  “If that weren’t the case, I have a feeling you would have flaunted your more interesting selection for us much sooner.”

  Before countering his father’s argument, he turned back to find Nan, the lint ball and Willow coming down the stairs. Gone was the gypsy in a headband with layered skirts and a bejeweled belt, and in her place entered a woman in a short lace peach flowing baby-doll dress, some vintage jewelry and her hair pulled back showing off her features. One thing was certain, no matter the circumstances, his wife was a beauty. “Excuse me.”

  The legs that were wrapped around him in the hotel were on full display and the heat from his anger morphed into something much more pleasant. Especially once he remembered she wore nothing under the dress. Maybe they could put their miscommunications of the day behind them and have a repeat performance of Las Vegas.

  Trying not to smile at the animal trundling down the stairs, he stepped into the foyer and did as he had been taught since he was old enough to stand, offered Willow his arm. “Good evening.”

  Her focus darted between his face and his arm, but she didn’t move.

  Fine, they had their fair share of ups and downs today, mostly downs.

  Rather than call attention to her non-action he tried a different tactic. “Miss Nanette, may I say you look exceptionally lovely this evening?” He held his hand out to assist her down the last two stairs. Though she never changed from the purple floral dress, she cleaned up and put a flower in her hair. Apparently the woman liked flowers.

  Nan took the offering, got to the bottom of the stairs, but stopped short in front of him and shook her head.


  “Is something the matter?” He gave her a smile.

  She stood on her tiptoes and took his chin in her hand. “You are much deeper than your looks, remember that and be genuine.” With her words out, she let go.

  “Thank you?” Apparently living with Nan would be like living with a giant, floral fortune cookie.

  “Oh, good, there everyone is, even the dog.” His mother entered the room in an emerald green cocktail dress and backed up at the sight of the animal. “Does he need anything special?”

  “I will make his dinner after we eat.” Nan whistled, and the dog ran over to her and sat down.

  “Look how he listens.” His mother pressed her hand to her chest and forced her lips into a smile. “I set up dinner in the formal dining room and thought we could have a little celebration for Dolph’s birthday since we missed it.”

  “It was also my wedding day, mother.” He reminded her.

  “Of course, Dolph.” Her smile stiffened. “I keep forgetting your wedding was yesterday.”

  “Not me.” Willow came up beside him and at last took his proffered arm. In fact, she absolutely tangled their appendages together. She pressed her body to his side and stared up at him. “We didn’t need anyone else to help us celebrate yesterday, or today.”

  Not sure if he wanted to crack up or sling her over his shoulder and haul her upstairs to a private celebration, he turned to her. Those light blue eyes sparkled with mischief and mayhem. His naughty wife could be bad when she wanted.

  “Is your neck hurting you?” Her sparkle subsided.

  “A little.” How did she know?

  She curled her arm around his neck and gave him a few squeezes somehow hitting the exact spot he hurt.

  “That’s perfect.” Her fingers worked wonders and it was all he could do not to close his eyes.

  “Oh, you’re tight.” She continued her massage.

  He couldn’t help but widen his eyes, at what sounded similar to something he moaned the previous night.