Fern Michaels' Godmothers Bundle: The Scoop, Exclusive, Late Edition, Deadline & Breaking News

by Michaels, Fern

Chapter 42

  Six weeks later . . .

  Ida paraded around The Home Shopping Club studio as though she were royalty. And in a sense, she was. For the previous four weeks, Ida, Toots, Sophie, and Mavis had arrived at the studios in Wilmington, North Carolina, at 6:00 AM each Saturday to tape the progress of Ida’s new line of skin care and makeup, which she’d aptly named Seasons, as it was being marketed to women who were a bit, well, seasoned. That day, for the first time, they were going to go on the air live. This would be Ida’s national debut, and Toots, Mavis, and Sophie would reveal their amazing progress over the past six weeks. The Home Shopping Club would play each taped session, showing the amazing results of Ida’s skin-care products. If they were as successful as expected, then she would follow with her line of makeup, which had the same ingredients as those in the skin-care line.

  They had arrived at the studios in Wilmington, North Carolina, at 3:00 AM for the team of experts Ida had hired to do their hair and makeup. Each one would be representing a different product in the line.

  Sophie had used the face cream, and her results had exceeded the expectations of the chemists involved, and the marketing firm Ida had hired was begging for free samples.

  Mavis, with her sensitive skin, who was more prone to wrinkling beneath her eyes, had used the specially prepared eye cream. Her results had exceeded all expectations as well.

  Toots, who had the best skin, was starting to show signs of aging in her décolletage area. A gentler version for this tender area had proved once again that Ida was a true genius in her designated area of entrepreneurial expertise.

  “Beauty at Any Age” was the motto touting the line.

  All were seated in tall chairs, facing the cameras and surrounded by the bright lights in the studio.

  “What if people don’t like this stuff?” Sophie asked as her makeup artist applied a touch of gloss to her lips. Their faces would be free of cosmetics in order to show the viewing audience just how remarkable the changes were.

  Before Toots could answer, one of the hairstylists spoke. “Are you kidding? We see thousands of products come and go, and none of us have ever seen something that works as fast and as amazingly as Seasons. I don’t care what their age. If women don’t jump on this stuff, they’re out of their minds. I think the entire staff has already set aside several bottles of this cream. Frankly, we have never seen anything like it. I think the only thing you will need to worry about is how fast you can produce the stuff.”

  Ida listened as the hairstylist practically salivated when she spoke of the line.

  “How many units do you have ready?” Toots asked while yet another stylist twisted her auburn hair into an updo.

  “We have two hundred thousand units ready for shipping. Depending on today’s sales, we’re prepared to produce the product on an as-needed basis. I’m hoping to keep the production lines running twenty-four/seven,” Ida said. “I’ll break even at one hundred thousand units. Anything beyond that is pure profit. Too bad I can’t market this with Drop-Dead Gorgeous.”

  “Ida, that’s terrible!” Mavis said, though she was smiling. “I’ve learned a thing or two since I started Good Mourning, and one of them is that you can never say never. Who would have thought when we were sewing those clothes by hand that a year later, I’d have two warehouses doing nothing but sewing? I have to say I never expected to become a wealthy woman. You remember when Herbert came through and said he was proud of me? That’s given me more motivation to try other things.”

  Mavis paused as her stylist sprayed her hair. “Wade is going to come out of retirement, at least for a while. Since Ida’s so busy with her live customers, he’s quite good at making the poor souls look almost as nice as Ida can, so he’s going to assist me the next time I’m called to do a dressing out.”

  “Ugh,” Sophie said. “That’s just disgusting. I don’t see how either one of you can spend your working hours with dead bodies. Though I do recall that one time when I had to give you two a hand.”

  Mavis and Ida both gave Sophie looks that should have killed or, at the very least, kept her quiet, but Sophie, loving to joke, continued with her explanation. “No one even knew I assisted you two, either. I never said a word.”

  “Then why are you saying it now, when we’re about to appear on national television?” Ida asked. “I think it’s rude, and beyond mean. This is supposed to be . . . my day! Why you would want to ruin it is beyond me!” Ida shouted. When she realized some of the camera people were staring at her, she lowered her voice. “If you tell, Sophia Manchester, I promise I will tell Goebel that you . . . you were a lesbian in high school!”

  Toots’s eyes widened, Mavis’s mouth formed a perfect O, and Sophie roared with laughter.

  “Oh, shit, Ida, I’m just fucking around. Oops, I mean screwing around. I promised you and Mavis I would never tell, and I won’t. If you want to tell Toots, then that’s up to you. I was simply remembering that time I assisted you two,” Sophie said.

  Toots, more curious than ever, said, “I’m sure eventually one of you will blab. I’m a patient woman, remember?”

  The director began to shout to the crew, and an assistant carrying a clipboard, with a headset on, announced, “Okay, ladies, we’re about to go live in two minutes. All you have to do is sit there, smile, and look pretty. Our announcer will do most of the talking. Then Ida will tell the audience about each different product as the camera focuses on you. Now, no cussing, okay?” she said with a big grin.

  Toots, Sophie, and Mavis nodded, all knowing this really was Ida’s moment to shine. And theirs, too, in a sense. They wouldn’t do anything to mess this up. Though Sophie and Toots delighted in pulling Ida’s chain, they loved her as much as they loved one another. Mavis, sweet Mavis, could always be counted on, no matter what.

  “Okay, everyone into position,” the director called. “We’re live in ten, nine, eight, seven, six . . .”

  The female host of the Saturday morning segment said, “Welcome to The Home Shopping Club. Ladies, you will want to get to the phone when you see what we’re about to offer. A new line of skin-care products, Seasons, will revolutionize skin care as we all know it. We only have two hundred thousand units available today, so without further delay, I’m proud to introduce Ida McGullicutty, Seasons founder and the creator of this amazing product.”

  “Thank you, Carol. I’m so excited to be here,” Ida said as she’d previously been instructed during rehearsal.

  “Each of our models today has used a specific product designated for a particular area. For the past four weeks, these women have allowed us to show them without any makeup, without any touch-ups, as you will see. Let’s watch their transformation.”

  The television monitors showed Sophie, Toots, and Mavis, starting at week one and ending with live shots of them in the studio. While the camera highlighted each woman’s area of application, Ida narrated exactly what product they’d used and how to use it to achieve maximum results.

  “Lines are opening, ladies and gentlemen. Each product you’ve seen comes in a set of three. This product is not offered in stores. The original retail price is two hundred fifty-nine dollars, but today, on The Home Shopping Club, we’re practically giving the product away for fifty-nine dollars and ninety-five cents plus shipping and handling. The first hundred callers will receive free shipping. Okay, ladies, time starts now.”

  The clock at the bottom of the screen showed thirty minutes. The number of sales was registered on the left side of the screen.

  While the viewers saw the amazing progress once again, Carol spoke to Ida live as sales skyrocketed. “Ida, tell us your story. How did you develop Seasons?”

  Ida went through her rehearsed lines, telling the viewers how she’d always had an interest in cosmetics. That it was through her natural curiosity and science that she and her team were able to develop these products and that pumpkin enzymes played a big role in the products’ success.

  “Ida, excuse me. I’m being t
old that the phone lines in our call center are jammed. We only have twenty more minutes left for this item. If you can’t get through, keep trying, as you will not want to miss out on this introductory price.”

  Ida looked at the girls, mouthing, “Can you believe this?”

  They all smiled when the camera panned back to Carol. Sophie gave Ida a thumbs-up sign, and Toots and Mavis just grinned.

  Once again, Ida was instructed to continue talking about the product. “The enzymes in the pumpkin have soothing properties as well. They’re good for scars, scrapes, and skin rashes, too.”

  Before Ida could continue to promote the many healing properties of her products, Carol broke in. “Ida, I’m sorry to have to interrupt you, but I have just been informed that we have sold out! For those viewers unable to get through due to the overwhelming demand, I’ve just been told by the producers, we’re going to try to feature Seasons again in the near future. Please stay tuned. Up next . . .” Carol announced the host for the next segment and quickly helped Ida and the girls make their way off the set.

  Epilogue

  April, the next year . . .

  Charleston, South Carolina

  Giant oak trees dripping with Spanish moss canopied the short path leading to the plush garden where Abby’s wedding was scheduled to take place. The gardens were flush with spring’s blooms. The azaleas were every hue of pink under the midmorning sun; the camellias, red, white, and orange, exploded from verdant stems like wild arms reaching out from the earth. The scent of night-blooming jasmine still clung in the morning air.

  Toots wanted one last moment alone in the garden to ensure that everything was as close to perfect as possible for her daughter’s wedding day. Toots drew in a deep breath, taking in the fresh air, the chirping birds, and the sounds of crickets rubbing their legs together. And every once in a while she could hear the croak of a frog. Had she asked Mother Nature to create an absolutely perfect venue, this is what she would have wanted.

  Abby and Chris wanted a simple wedding, with only those they were very close to attending. Toots had been completely shocked when Abby took an indefinite leave of absence from The Informer, leaving it in Josh’s capable hands. Chris had decided that it was time to return to his father’s estate, which had been in his family for over two hundred years. He was temporarily, at least, abandoning his legal career. When they told Toots that they would be returning to Charleston to live, she and the godmothers could barely contain their excitement. And with the wedding gift Toots had given them a few weeks ago, they were considering the possibility of setting up a foundation for the care of abandoned animals whose medical needs went beyond the ability of existing shelters to handle. With the help of Dr. Becker, who kept insisting they call him Phil, they had contacted specialists on the East Coast to explore the possibilities.

  And now, at last, the day had arrived. It was time to go inside and dress for the wedding. Tapping on Abby’s door, the bedroom she’d had as a child, Toots felt the tears coming again but blotted them with a tissue as she’d already had her makeup expertly applied. Ida’s miracle creams had truly taken years off her appearance. She tapped lightly on the door, and Abby called, “Come in.”

  Sophie, Mavis, and Ida were helping their goddaughter into her wedding gown, which was a simple cream-colored sheath with a scooped neckline. Her blond hair was piled artistically on top of her head, with loose tendrils around her face. She wore her mother’s diamond earrings and a simple gold diamond necklace given to her by her godmothers. On her wrist she wore a single gold bangle given to her by Chris. On the inside, he had had their wedding date inscribed in a simple script. She wore a cream-colored veil that reached the top of her shoulders. Abby was a simple woman, not one for frivolous accessories.

  Toots had been honored when Abby asked her to serve as her matron of honor. Yes, they all knew it was unusual, but they didn’t care. Sophie, Mavis, and Ida would act as her bridesmaids. Each wore an elegantly cut tea-length dress in a pastel green.

  Abby’s bouquet was a single white rose with baby’s breath and a sprig of greenery from their night-blooming jasmine.

  “You look like an angel,” Toots said to her daughter. “I wish your father were here to see you, but something tells me he’s watching over you, and he approves.”

  “It’s time, Mom,” Abby said. “Sophie, tell Goebel I’m ready for him to escort me down the aisle, or the garden path.”

  They all laughed, each a little bit nervous.

  The five women carefully helped Abby down the stairs to the garden, where it had been prearranged that Goebel would wait with her out of sight.

  Lucy, Jamie’s assistant, had offered to provide the music. Abby heard the soft, melodic sound of the young woman as she sang her and Chris’s favorite song. As soon as she finished their song, she began to play the traditional wedding march.

  Toots, knowing this was her signal, walked slowly down the garden path leading to the priest who had christened Abby. He’d flown in from New Jersey just to perform the ceremony. Toots couldn’t have been more pleased.

  She walked down the path, all eyes focused on her. When she reached the altar they’d had specially constructed, she felt her eyes tear up when she saw Chris and Phil waiting. Chris was her stepson, and he was about to become her son-in-law as well, and she, his mother-in-law as well as his stepmother. Yes, this was not the norm, but there was not one thing that was normal about this loving group of women who’d shared the raising of Abby.

  Sophie, followed by Mavis and Ida, walked down the path to the altar. Jamie, who had remained behind, stepped onto the path, leading Chester, who wore a matching tuxedo collar, followed by Coco, wearing a diamond-studded collar with a pale green, silky half dress. Then there was Frankie, dressed in a matching collar, with a mini white top hat secured on his small head. Mike, Jamie’s date, laughed as he saw her walk the animals down the aisle.

  Neither Abby nor Chris had known that the animals were sharing their special day, and both laughed when they saw the trio of canines as Jamie escorted them to the altar.

  Wade and Robert were seated in the chairs placed on either side of the pathway, along with several of Chris’s and Abby’s friends from high school and college.

  Father Cauble proceeded to read a verse by Kahlil Gibran that Chris and Abby had chosen.

  “May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding. May you always need one another—not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness. A mountain needs a valley to be complete. The valley does not make the mountain less, but more. And the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain towering over it. So let it be with you and you. May you need one another, but not out of weakness. May you want one another, but not out of lack. May you entice one another, but not compel one another. May you embrace one another, but not encircle one another.

  “May you succeed in all-important ways with one another, and not fail in the little graces. May you look for things to praise, often say, “I love you!” and take no notice of small faults. If you have quarrels that push you apart, may both of you hope to have good sense enough to take the first step back. May you enter into the mystery that is the awareness of one another’s presence—no more physical than spiritual, warm and near when you are side by side, and warm and near when you are in separate rooms or even distant cities. May you have happiness, and may you find it making one another happy. May you have love, and may you find it loving one another.”

  After Father Cauble recited their chosen poem, he proceeded with the traditional wedding vows.

  “Christopher Clay, do you take Abby Simpson to be your wedded wife to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love, comfort, honor, and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her so long as you both shall live?”

  Chris spoke with confidence. �
��Yes, I do.”

  “Abby Simpson, do you take Christopher Clay to be your wedded husband to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love, comfort, honor, and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?”

  Abby said, “I do.”

  “Does the couple wish to exchange rings?”

  Each placed a simple gold band on the other’s finger.

  “By the powers vested in me by the State of South Carolina, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

  Chris took Abby in his arms and kissed her passionately.

  “I now introduce Mr. and Mrs. Clay.”

  Lucy played the wedding march exit, while Chris and Abby raced down the path, followed by Chester, Coco, and Frankie.

  It was official. Abby’s dream had finally come true. Inside the house, her mother had spared no expense for her small reception. What made it even better was that Toots and Phil were madly in love, Goebel and Sophie were engaged to be married. Wade and Mavis were contemplating moving in together, and good old Bernice and Robert were inseparable.

  As Toots, Sophie, Mavis, and Ida had done since they met over fifty years ago—only this time Abby was included—they placed their hands on top of one another’s, lifted them to the sky, and said, “When you’re good, you’re good!”

  JAMIE’S HEALTHY BROWNIES

  baking spray

  ¼ cup organic salted butter

  ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

  2 large eggs

  1¼ cup Splenda

  1 cup all-purpose flour

  ¼ tsp baking powder

  ¼ cup unsweetened chocolate baking bits

  ¼ cup fat-free milk

  ¼ tsp vanilla extract

  Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 8” x 8” baking pan with baking spray.