“That leaves us with the signing to do.” Theodore reached over and pushed a button on a com-unit. “Franklin, we’re ready for you and Ms. Farleigh to come in now.”
After the two witnesses entered, all parties signed the document, and Theodore dismissed Franklin and Ms. Farleigh. Rubbing his hands together, he said, “Now, let’s all have a celebratory drink.”
Kiernan saw Ariel roll her eyes before slowly standing. She hastily went around the table to Ariel, whispering loud enough for only her to hear, “Stay here a moment.” Kiernan said to the others, “You two go on. I want to speak to Ariel.”
Theodore and Joyce left, and when they were out of earshot, Kiernan took Ariel by the elbow, pivoted her to face the window, and said in a stern and low voice, “I don’t know what your problem is, but it stops here. The agreement is signed, and we’ll be married tomorrow.”
Ariel’s face shaded pink and she clipped her words. “That’s true, but I don’t have to like it.”
“No, you don’t. However, I would appreciate it if you would show me some consideration. You’re embarrassing me in front of a peer, and that I will not tolerate.”
“I’ll endeavor to do my best,” Ariel said frostily.
“I have no doubt your best in anything always succeeds.” Kiernan took Ariel’s hand. “Let’s join the others, shall we?”
Ariel dipped her head in assent, and Kiernan led her over to the other two, noticing Ariel managed to produce a smile, but her eyes were icy.
Chapter Fifteen
A SOFT TAPPING sound roused Ariel from sleep, and she opened her eyes to the light before she instantly closed them against a stabbing lance of pain through her temples.
“Ariel, it’s time to get up,” her mother called from the other side of the door.
“All right, I’m up,” she ground out hoarsely from a sore throat, making herself sit up. Pain pounded behind her hot, gritty eyes.
She forced herself to her feet, slipped on her housecoat and made her way to the bathroom. She caught her reflection in the mirror over the sink, startled at the fevered brightness of her eyes and the little dark smudges beneath them. She opened the medicine cabinet, pulled out the box of disposable thermometer tabs, removed one, and placed it against her forehead. After a faint beep, she removed the tab and read 101. Her sore throat almost prevented her from swallowing the analgesic tablet for her headache and a cold tablet to alleviate her symptoms. Feeling as bad as she did, she took another cold tablet in hopes of faster relief. Not that it would do that much good, as she had been doubling the dosage lately with very little effect.
After a hot shower, she dressed in her housecoat and made her way to the kitchen where everyone was seated around the kitchen table. Seth and Leigh were enjoying a breakfast of pancakes.
Her mother put down the English muffin she was eating, and Ariel saw her assessing her condition. Finally, Joanna said, “I see you got about as much sleep as I did.”
“Sleep? Who needs it? I sure don’t.”
“I made a pot of the real stuff this morning. That should wake you up.”
Ariel almost asked what the special occasion was, but bit her lip, thinking her mom probably prepared the expensive commodity in an attempt to add some cheer to what was, to date, bound to be one of the lowest points in her life. A clean cup was on the counter by the vintage coffee pot. She picked it up and filled it, sloshing some over the side of the cup.
She grabbed an absorbent towelette from the dispenser and sopped up the spill. Seth was singing, “Ariel and Kiernan sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”
Leigh joined in. “First comes love, then comes marriage, here comes Ariel with a baby carriage.”
“Shut up!” Ariel snarled and whirled around, glaring at them.
The twins stared at her in shock with their mouths hanging open.
“That’s enough you two,” Joanna ordered. “Go get ready.”
“But Mom, I haven’t finished eating,” Leigh protested.
“Then go out in the dining room and finish.”
“Mom,” Leigh whined.
“Don’t argue, do it. Now!”
Both kids exited, and Ariel seated herself at the table across from her mother. “I’m sorry.” A creepy shiver crawled down her back thinking about the last few words to the song. “That’s not the image I need right now.”
“Sweetheart, you don’t have to do this—”
“Mom, please don’t harp. I’m doing it.”
After an uneasy silence, Joanna said, “Don’t you want to eat something? I have some pancake batter left and can make you a stack.”
“No thanks. I’m not hungry.”
After Ariel finished her coffee, she got a glass of orange juice and took her seat at the table, noticing her mother scrutinizing her hair.
Joanna said, “I’m thinking a French braid would go really nice with your dress. I can do it for you.”
So what if her hair was a squirrel’s nest. Ariel didn’t care, but apparently her mother did. She said unenthusiastically, “That’ll be fine, Mom.”
“I’ll make your face up, too.”
Ariel rarely used cosmetics. “That bad?”
“You do look tired. How’s the cold?”
“Not good. I’m taking medication, but it doesn’t seem to be working as fast as it should.”
“Uh oh. I hope you’re not getting the flu. You did have your flu vaccine this year, didn’t you?”
“Yes.” Ariel took a sip of juice and stared off into space.
“Mysha called last night.”
Ariel jerked her attention back to her mother.
“She said she has been leaving messages for you on your IMP and wanted to know whether it was working. She wanted to tell you she managed to get an earlier flight out of Beijing and will arrive home around six tomorrow morning. She wanted to know if that would be a good time for you to pick her up.”
On Thursday, Ariel had tried calling Mysha but couldn’t reach her, so she left a message on her IMP that things were the same. It disgusted her that she lied. Deliberately, she had not read any of the messages from Mysha after that call as it would be too painful.
“What did you tell her?”
“The truth—that you’ve had a bad cold for the past few days and went to bed early. I told her you wouldn’t be able to pick her up at the airport. She’s going to take a taxi and call you later.”
For a moment, silence, until Ariel let out a shuddering sob. Joanna left her seat and knelt by her daughter, holding her close, her own tears falling.
“YOU ARE LOVELY, my dear.” Theodore’s eyes twinkled as he checked Kiernan over. She was dressed in a rich cream jacquard outfit with gold embroidered flowers that fell a couple of inches below the knees. Over it she wore a matching cropped jacket with a Mandarin collar and slim dolman sleeves with side slits.
“Thank you, Uncle.” Kiernan glanced around the living room, making sure everything was in order. A dozen floral arrangements of cream and pink roses adorned the room. Two arrangements sat in front of the fireplace, spaced far enough apart for the ceremony to take place between them.
“I think I’ll go over and talk to Judge Baker and Jack,” Theodore said. He kissed her cheek, leaving her to her thoughts.
She glanced at the grandfather clock and saw it was a quarter after ten. The ceremony was due to start at eleven. Earlier, she’d sent David out in one of the limos to pick up her bride and future in-laws. Thinking about Ariel as her bride made her stomach feel as if it contained a tiny fish swimming around.
Judge Margaret Baker, who had been a friend of both her mothers, would perform the ceremony.
Jack hurriedly came up to her. “David called. They’re coming up the drive now.”
Kiernan’s nervousness increased until a school of fish was now swimming in her stomach. “Jack, go out and escort them in. I’ll alert the staff they’re here.”
“Kiernan, dear, do you need my help?” Theodore called from where he
was conversing with Judge Baker.
Kiernan hurried over. “Uncle, please tell the staff they’re here.”
“I’ll do that.”
He left to carry out Kiernan’s orders, leaving her with Judge Baker, who put her hand on Kiernan’s shoulder and gently squeezed. “Relax, Kiernan.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You’re only doing the marrying, not getting married.”
“I’ve been on the receiving end twice. You’ll survive it.”
“If you say so.” Kiernan crossed her arms in front of her chest, nervously rocking on her heels. After a few seconds, she asked, “Margaret, did Uncle Theodore give you the rings?”
Judge Baker reached into the pocket of her blue dress jacket and drew them out. “Here and accounted for.”
She held them out in her palm. Kiernan noticed one with a red string tied around it, and she asked curiously, “What’s with the red string?”
“Theodore did that so I wouldn’t get them mixed up and hand you the wrong one. Yours has the string.”
“That’s a good idea.” Kiernan went back to rocking her body back and forth on her heels.
Kiernan saw Judge Baker focus her attention past her and say, “I do believe your bride has arrived.”
Kiernan whirled and caught her breath when she saw Jack escorting Ariel and her family toward her. She had eyes only for Ariel. True, she was with Ariel when they selected their outfits for the wedding, but seeing her bride in her home walking toward her in that amazing dress was awe-inspiring.
Ariel wore a cream satin gown with a fitted sweetheart bodice. The sleeves were between the elbow and shoulder and slightly puffed. It had a sweeping full-length bias skirt and matching belt sewn into the dress. Delicate embroidery of gold metallic thread in a curving vine design covered the dress. The ensemble complemented the outfit Kiernan wore. Kiernan’s gaze traveled down the length of Ariel and back up to her hair. Ariel’s French braid went well with the dress.
Kiernan met Ariel, grasping both of her hands, with her voice full of emotion. “You’re very beautiful.”
Ariel’s expression was wooden and her voice stilted. “Thank you—Kiernan. You look very nice.”
“Thank you. Let me introduce you to Judge Baker. She’ll be officiating.” Kiernan let go of Ariel’s right hand but kept hold of her left hand. “But first, there are two members of your family I haven’t met.” She looked toward Joanna and the twins. “Hello, Joanna. You look lovely.” Joanna was wearing a pale peach dress with an over layer of ivory lace.
Inclining her head, Joanna replied coolly, “As do you—Ms. O’Shay.”
“Thank you,” Kiernan replied warmly, ignoring Joanna’s cold tone.
Ariel tugged her hand from Kiernan’s grasp before introducing her brother. “This is my brother, Seth.” Seth wore a gray suit with darker charcoal pinstripes over a pink shirt and a burgundy tie.
Kiernan stuck out her hand and he took it in his.
“How do you do, Ms. O’Shay?”
“I’m fine. Please call me Kiernan. We’re family now.”
He said shyly, “Kiernan.”
“That’s better.” She peered at the gawky young girl who, despite her gangly appearance, Kiernan knew would grow into a beauty like her sister.
“This is my sister, Leigh,” Ariel said.
“My, don’t you look nice,” Kiernan said while shaking her hand. Leigh was dressed in a light blue pantsuit. The jacket was similar to a tuxedo with a slim collar in a silky light gray.
Leigh blushed. “Thank you.” Kiernan thought blushing must be a hereditary factor in the Thorsen family.
Kiernan took the group over to Judge Baker and introduced Joanna and the twins. Next, she introduced the twins to Jack and her uncle.
Her last introduction was to Judge Baker. “Ariel, this is Judge Margaret Baker. Margaret, this is Ariel, my bride to be,” Kiernan said with pride.
Judge Baker took Ariel’s hand. “It’s a pleasure, my dear. Kiernan is a fortunate woman.”
Ariel politely replied, “Thank you, Judge Baker.”
“Please, call me Margaret.”
Kiernan said, “It might be a good idea to take your family up to your suite and show them where the facilities are before the ceremony.”
Ariel said to her mother, “I’ll show you my rooms and where the bathroom is located.”
Joanna gathered the twins, and all three followed Ariel up the stairs. Jack and Theodore left to check on a few things, leaving Kiernan and Judge Baker alone.
Judge Baker said, “She’s quite lovely. You didn’t tell me much when you called to ask me to perform the ceremony, except mentioning something about you meeting her through her mother. And you were evasive on how long you’ve known her.”
Kiernan took a few seconds before saying, “Margaret, this is strictly a business arrangement.” She debated briefly on saying more, deciding she would go ahead, knowing Margaret would keep it confidential. “Grandmother’s will requires I marry and produce an heir before I’m forty if I’m to have complete control of Stellardyne. Ariel meets the requirements I want in a wife and in the mother of my child.”
Surprise flashed across Judge Baker’s features. She recovered and said, “Shanna always had a bizarre sense of humor. But this is really—”
“Warped. I could almost believe she got the idea from the plot of a B-grade Bollywood made-for-EM melodrama.”
Judge Baker added, “Or a soap opera. Why would she write something like that into her will?”
“To control me. She couldn’t do it while she lived, so she’s doing it from the grave. I should go dig her up and hammer a stake through her heart.”
Judge Baker laughed briefly. “Shanna always controlled Maureen’s life until she married Nicole. But Nicole wouldn’t stand for it.”
“I have no choice, if I want Stellardyne.”
“I’m sorry, Kiernan,” Judge Baker said sincerely. “There is the matter of the marriage vows. I suppose you don’t want to go the route of ‘til death do us part and eternal love.”
“Given the circumstances—”
“I have the vow for you. Actually, I’ve used it quite often. Business marriages seem to be the vogue these days.”
“Thanks, Margaret.”
ARIEL TOOK HER turn in the bathroom after activating the EM in her sitting room for the twins. When she exited the bathroom, she saw her mother sitting on the edge of the bed.
Joanna stood. “How are you feeling—healthwise that is?”
“I feel drained, and my headache is back. I found some pain capsules and cold tablets in the medicine cabinet and took those.”
Joanna placed her hand on Ariel’s forehead. “You feel feverish. You need to take care of yourself.”
An irritated sigh escaped Ariel. “Yes, Mom, I will.”
“Someone brought in your suitcase from the limo. I’ll help you unpack your things, and this weekend I’ll pack the rest of your clothes, so you can pick them up after your honeymoon.”
Ariel wanted to shout it wasn’t a honeymoon, though technically of course it was. And with stipulation number nineteen—she didn’t want to think about it. “Okay, Mom.” Ariel placed the suitcase on the bed, opened it, and handed Joanna a couple of pairs of jeans and four shirts. There wasn’t much Ariel needed to bring, since Kiernan had bought her over a dozen outfits for casual wear and a few formal outfits for their—trip.
“Where do you want these?” Joanna asked.
“Go through the door over there and you’ll find a dressing room leading to a walk-in closet. You can hang them up in there.”
Ariel took her undergarments and pajamas over to the double dresser. She placed the bundle on the dresser top and opened one of the top drawers, only to discover it filled. On seeing the neatly folded panties and briefs, she did a double take. She picked up one pair of ice blue bikini briefs and checked to find them her size. She wasn’t sure of Kiernan’s size, but she judged her hips to be smaller than her own.
A silky black pair caught her eye, and she checked, finding that they would also fit her. Both anger and apprehension seized her. Apparently, Kiernan had bought her undergarments— some very suggestive undergarments. Was Kiernan expecting to see her in them? Ariel chastised herself for acting like a Nanobrain. Of course Kiernan would want to check out the merchandise. After all, there was stipulation number nineteen.
She opened the second drawer and discovered bras in various pastels, as well as in red and one with black lace. This was too intimate, and despite her slight fever, her cheeks flushed warmer. She checked the sizes, and sure enough— She wondered how Kiernan knew her size and suddenly remembered going into the 3D measuring booth for a scan of her body at Christiana’s.
She hesitated before opening another drawer, but when she pulled it out, she found pajamas and other nightwear, some of which was suggestive reds and blacks. She didn’t bother to inspect the sizes and slammed the drawer shut as her mother came out of the dressing room.
“I thought you told me you bought only a few items for your trip. There’s almost a third of the closet filled with dresses, pantsuits, coats, you name it—”
Ariel walked past her mother and into her closet. The clothing filling up a third of the space was equal to at least four of her closets at home. Coats were in one section, pantsuits and dresses, both formal and informal, in another, as well as a section for casual wear. A check of the shoe rack showed more than a dozen pairs of assorted footwear. A variety of bags and purses hung above the shoe rack.
Her mother said from behind her, “I took the liberty to check the labels in the clothes. The ones having size labels will fit you. Some don’t have size labels but have fancy nametags sewn inside with your name on them. I can tell you all are exclusive, and they sure don’t come from Sears. I can’t begin to guess how Ms. O’Shay did this in only a few days.”
Ariel said nothing. She studied a pair of jeans, running a finger over the seams, instantly knowing the tailoring was to her measurements. Then in a matter-of-fact voice, she said, “She’s Kiernan O’Shay, Mom. What she wants done is done. And when she wants it done, it’s done. Who is to deny her anything?”
Linda S. North - The Dreamer, Her Angel and the Stars Page 13