ily

“Lily, the limousine is here!” Maxine called up the steps.

Lily stood looking at herself in the mirror thinking maybe, just maybe, Nate hadn’t been bewitched by Fazire’s magic, maybe she was beautiful.

Her dress was simple ivory silk, strapless, form-fitting, cut at just above the knee. At her waist there was a thin belt of the same ivory material with a small, silk-wrapped, square buckle. She had on a pair of pointed-toed, stiletto-heeled, ivory, sling-backed pumps. The only jewellery she wore was a one strand pearl necklace and matching bracelet with pearl studs in her ears, a set that Laura had given her that morning stating it was her engagement present from Laura and Victor. Her hair was swept back softly in a satin ivory ribbon tied in a bow at the nape of her neck.

“You look fab,” Susan said from behind her.

Lily’s eyes moved to the three girls in her bedroom with her. Susan, Emily and Lorna were her shopgirls from Flash and Dazzle. The shop was closed for the day so the girls could attend the wedding and be involved in the preparations.

Susan was great with hair and thus, she did Lily’s for her wedding day. Emily was great with makeup so ditto Emily’s reason for being there. Lorna had no special skill but Lily was not about to leave one of her girls out and Lorna was the type of girl who wouldn’t have allowed that anyway.

Lily could have, considering the fact that she had a little less than seven million pounds in her bank account, had the best stylists and makeup artists in the United Kingdom tending to her wedding preparations but what would be special about that?

Maxine hustled into the room, all business.

“Come on girls, you better get going or you’ll never make it to Bath on time and –” she stopped dead when her eyes fell on Lily. Then her mouth dropped open. Then, seconds later, she burst into loud tears.

Lily, Susan, Emily and Lorna all rushed toward Maxie and Lily wrapped an arm around her friend.

“Maxie, what on earth’s the matter?”

Maxine’s tear-brightened eyes never left Lily. “You…” she started then sighed, “oh Lily.” And Maxine threw her arms around Lily and gave her a tight hug. When she pulled back, she looked in Lily’s eyes and whispered, “You’re the most beautiful bride in the world.”

Lily smiled thinking that, of course, Maxine would say that.

“Hear hear!” Lorna shouted so loud and with such conviction that Lily jumped and Lorna downed the last sip out of her champagne glass.

“I’ll say!” Emily followed suit with her champagne.

“Me too!” Susan chimed in, not drinking as Susan was driving all the girls to Bath.

“What’s going on?” Laura bustled in, looking around the room which bore the evidence of not only wedding preparations but of a hen morning that had started the minute Lily staggered, tired from a sleep-disturbed night, but still elated at the events of that night, into the kitchen to see a concerned Maxine and Laura sitting at the kitchen table. Once their eyes hit Lily’s happy, shining face, their concern melted, hugs were exchanged, tears of joy fell and the first of several bottles of champagne was popped open.

Lily felt on top of the world, on top of the universe, gliding along in heaven.

She had Nate, finally, completely, he was hers. She wanted to climb to the roof and shout it to the entire town (this, she did not do, as her dress would be ruined).

Laura’s eyes alighted on Lily and she, too, stopped dead and stared.

“Oh, dear Lord,” she breathed.

Lily moved to Laura and stood in front of her.

Putting her arms out to her sides, her heart thundering in her chest, she asked her soon-to-be mother-in-law quietly, “Will I do for your son?”

It was Laura’s turn to burst into tears and she reached out and clutched Lily to her.

“You’ll do, you’ll more than do.” Laura leaned away from Lily but didn’t let her go. “I couldn’t have made a better bride for my son if I had it in my power. Lily, you’re perfect.”

Lily felt tears fill her eyes at Laura’s sweet words and Emily shouted, “No! Don’t cry! Oh no!” She snapped at Lorna, “Get me my makeup bag, quick!”

Susan, Lorna and Emily swiftly repaired makeup damage on Lily, Maxine and Laura and then Emily shoved lipstick, mascara, blusher and a powder-blue, lacy handkerchief, the one her mother held on her own wedding day which was also the one her grandmother held on hers, in Lily’s small, exquisite, ivory handbag (another gift that morning, this from Maxine) and they all ran down the stairs.

Lily stood on the pavement and waved off her girls as they were shouted encouraging and somewhat raunchy words out their open windows as they drove away. Lily was giggling and smiling and thinking nothing, nothing could ever make her sad again.

However, she did not see the three people alighting from the car down the street as she had her back to it.

But Laura did and her face paled at the sight.

Tash

Natasha Roberts McAllister Jacobs was thankful that Mummy had sent Fazire with them to Bath.

Daddy, Tash found, was not very good at doing a seven year old girl’s hair and making it ultra, super beautiful for a very special day.

This, Tash thought, was okay considering her Daddy was good at everything else. No one, she allowed, could be good at absolutely everything.

And anyway, Fazire had magic. He just snapped his fingers and Tash’s hair had all sorts of fun, bouncy curls and was pulled back at the sides with pretty, sparkly clips. When he did this Daddy stared at Fazire in a funny way that looked both exasperated (Tash liked this word and knew what it meant) and amused. It was a look that made Natasha giggle.

Daddy, Tash found out, now knew that Fazire was their special genie and he didn’t mind. Tash knew he wouldn’t and thought they should have told him ages ago. He was the best Daddy ever and since Fazire was one of the family even though he was a little strange, Tash always knew her Daddy wouldn’t mind.

Mummy was making her wear pale blue, like the colour Daddy had used in Mummy’s new, now old bedroom. Tash had not been happy about the blue, she wanted pink. Until she’d seen her pretty, frilly blue dress. Once she’d seen the dress, she didn’t mind at all.

“Now that I’ve seen to Natasha’s hair, I need to prepare,” Fazire said in his I-am-a-genie-all-bow-to-me voice and he disappeared in a poof of grape-coloured smoke that drifted towards his bottle until it was gone.

Tash looked at her father. He looked more handsome than anyone she’d ever seen in her whole life. And she remembered everyone she’d ever seen in her whole life, she remembered everything, though she’d never told anyone that. He was wearing a dark suit with an ivory shirt and a pretty tie the exact colour of Tash’s dress.

She moved to her Daddy and, even though she was no longer a baby but now a big girl, her Daddy was strong and he picked her up, just like always. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and nuzzled her nose against his. And, again, just like always, he nuzzled hers right back.

Then she pulled back, just a bit, and she took a deep breath because she had to ask what she’d been thinking about for days, for weeks but had always been too scared.

“Daddy?” she said, her voice timid.

“Yes, sweetheart?” her Daddy replied and Tash felt something funny in her heart because he’d never called her sweetheart before and she liked it a whole lot.

“You’re not um,” she stopped then rushed on, “ever going to leave again, are you?”

She watched her Daddy’s handsome face turn stunned then hard then soft and then he said, “Never,” in a way that she really, really believed him.

She took one of her arms from around his neck and put her hand on his cheek and said something else she’d been too scared to say, “Today’s a happy day and once it’s over, do you think you’ll hurt anymore?”

He blinked slowly and then said, “Hurt? Tash, what makes you think –”

“I see it in your eyes,” Natasha interrupted. Mummy wouldn’t like that Tash interrupted but she suspected Daddy wouldn’t tell.

Her Daddy’s arms became tighter than ever and his hand went to the back of her head, his fingers sifting into her fun, bouncy curls and he pressed her cheek against his strong neck.

What he didn’t do was answer.

“You’re too sharp for your own good,” he muttered and Tash had heard that before. She had the suspicion that she wasn’t too sharp for her own good. She was too sharp for everyone else’s good.

“I don’t want you to hurt anymore,” Tash told him quietly, thinking they should get back to the subject because it was an important subject.

Her Daddy pulled back and looked her directly in the eyes, and looking at him she saw her eyes for she and her father had the same exact eyes.

“The hurt’s gone, Tash,” he told her.

She stared at him closely, trying to see any of the hurt there, in his eyes, his face, anywhere.

She couldn’t find any so she smiled her quirky-sweet smile.

Then she cried, “Yipeeeee!”

And then she got her bestest, best gift of the day.

Her father smiled back at her.

Maxine

“I do not believe this is happening,” Lily stood seething in her sitting room.

Maxine couldn’t believe it was happening either. Time was ticking away. They should have left ten minutes ago. Instead these odious creatures were standing in the sitting room saying things to Lily, things… things… things… such things that Maxine was worried her ears were bleeding just hearing them.

It had been a fun, happy morning full of giggles, tears and champagne and they’d tackled the food they’d barely touched the night before (to Maxine’s delight, she liked her food). Lily was Lily again, fully Lily, the girl Maxine had met nearly a decade before, happy, giddy, full-of-life, smiling and open-hearted for all to see.

All was finally well in the world.

Then, watching Lorna, Emily and Susan drive away, Maxine had felt Laura stiffen by her side. She’d turned to see what Laura was looking at and she spied Alistair walking toward them, a man and woman with him.

“Alistair what are you doing here?” Maxine smiled at him.

Alistair didn’t smile back.

Then Maxine felt it, a wave of something horrid pounding at her back and she turned to see Lily, who was even paler than Laura who seemed rooted to the spot, her mouth open in shock – supremely unhappy shock, Maxine felt it important to note – and Lily looked ready to commit murder.

“How dare you!” Lily shouted, advancing on them. “Go away! Go! Get out of my sight! How dare you!”

The hard, angry look on Alistair’s face softened as he gazed at Lily but he remained resolute.

“Lily, you must listen, Jeffrey and Danielle told me about McAllister,” he implored. “Please, you must listen.”

“I don’t have to listen to a thing you say,” Lily snapped and turned to Maxine. “Let’s go.”

Maxine was looking between everyone. She knew who Jeffrey and Danielle were and her eyes narrowed on them then they swung to Alistair and you’d have to be blind not to see her face screamed “traitor”.

“We’re going,” Maxine declared, moving to Laura.

“I want to hear what they have to say,” Laura said quietly, staring at her children and everyone stopped.

“Laura, the booking for the ceremony is firm. If we miss it or we’re late,” Maxine put her hand lightly on Laura’s arm, “we can’t be late or they’ll have to move to the next wedding. Saturdays at the Registry Office are booked solid. Lily and Nate were lucky to get the one they have and even still, Nate had to pull strings.”

“You two go, I want to hear what they have to say,” Laura replied then turned to Lily. “I’ll drive your car. After I’m done here, I promise, I’ll follow.”

Lily was shaking her head but Alistair started speaking and all attention turned to him.

“Lily has to hear it.”

“Lily’s going to go marry my son.” Laura’s voice, which had been soft, now had a fierce tremor running through it. “I’ll deal with Danielle and Jeffrey.”

“I’m not leaving you alone with them.” Lily’s voice also had a vein of iron coursing through it.

Laura turned to Lily and took her hand. “You must go. Go to Nathaniel. I’ll handle this.”

“No,” Lily shook her head again and said with finality, “we’re family and family sticks together.”

Then, before Laura could reply, Lily turned to Alistair. “You have ten minutes.”

They’d all walked into the house. Lily didn’t sit or offer refreshments and neither did Laura. Maxine was standing sentry. Alistair took his cue and stayed standing as did Danielle who, Maxine noted with ire, was staring about her looking at the newly furnished, sumptuous sitting room like she’d walked into a squalid hovel and Jeffrey who was staring intently, even hungrily (but not in a good way, in a way that made Maxine’s skin crawl), at Lily.

“You now have nine minutes,” Lily stated after they’d stood there for awhile and no one but Lily said anything.

“Your fiancé is a criminal,” Alistair stated bluntly.

Laura gasped. Lily’s eyes narrowed and her hands clenched to fists. Maxine tensed.

Alistair went on. “Jeffrey and Danielle have had private investigators investigating him. I’ve read the reports. Not only was McAllister a petty thief and runner for a gangster, your soon-to-be father-in-law was a gun dealer.”

Jeffrey moved forward and Lily took a step back so he stopped but, unfortunately, he spoke.

“Lily, they’ve both gone legit but you should know his mother was murdered. There’s even the possibility he did it, that Nate murdered his own mother,” Jeffrey said, his voice dripping sincerity, false sincerity even the biggest fool on earth could tell he was an out-and-out liar.

Then it started, the vile words spewing forth, not only from Jeffrey but also from Danielle. And not just about Nate, though the words about Nate were more shocking and sad than vile, but also about Victor.

Maxine found it took every bit of willpower in her not-very-full (at the best of times) reserve to stop herself from moving forward and scratching their eyes out.

“Quiet!” Laura suddenly shouted, finally stopping the words and all eyes moved to her. “Quiet,” she repeated in a lower tone, her voice again trembling but this time with anger. “I thought,” she began and then stopped, blinking and swallowing, visibly trying to get control, then she started again, “I thought I was ashamed of you before, of who you are, what you’ve become, all you’ve done, but now, now… now, I don’t even know what to say. You aren’t just no longer my children, from this point on you no longer exist.”

That was when it happened, Maxine was sorry to say. That was when her willpower gave out (but, it might also have been all the champagne she’d consumed that morning, she did, very much, like her champagne). She would, of course, look back and deeply lament her actions but it was beyond her control. She liked Laura and she loved Lily and she couldn’t have stopped herself even if she tried.

Which she didn’t.

For, after Laura made her statement, Danielle walked right up to her mother and slapped her across the face.

And that Maxine could not abide.

Luckily for Maxine, she had a partner-in-crime, because Lily apparently was just as finished with the conversation and she didn’t abide the physical abuse from daughter to mother either.

So both Maxine and Lily acted to put a stop to it.

Which was, it would turn out, deeply unfortunate?

Victor

“I can’t imagine where they are.” Victor heard the girl say.

They were standing in the Registry Office anteroom. The guest list was few, some close friends of Victor and Laura’s, Lily’s shopgirls and various and sundry other people neither Victor nor Nathaniel had ever met that were a part of Lily’s life.

They were supposed to have gone into the ceremony room five minutes ago. If they missed their appointment, they’d have to reschedule.

Victor felt a sense of doom. All day Nathaniel had seemed, well, it was hard to believe but Nathaniel had seemed light-hearted, relaxed in a way that Victor had never seen before in his son. Never. Victor felt certain that Nathaniel had fixed things with Lily.

Now, he was not so sure.

Victor looked out the window and saw Fazire in a strange dark-purple suit, a turquoise tie and a camera hanging from his neck, pacing the pavement, glaring down the street as if he could force, with his magical powers, Lily’s limousine to glide toward the entry and he appeared to be talking to himself.

“Sir, we’re going to have to ask –” one of the Registry Office personnel had approached Nathaniel who, Victor noted with mounting alarm, looked grim, beyond grim, grim tinged with what Victor was devastated to see was resigned.

Then Victor heard Nathaniel’s mobile ring.

“We really must ask you to turn off your mobile,” the Registry Office person said but snapped her mouth shut when Nathaniel’s steely gaze sliced to her.

Nathaniel pulled out his phone, looked at the display and swiftly flipped it open just as Victor’s mobile rang in his pocket.

“Lily.” Victor heard Nathaniel say, his voice terse.

Victor pulled his phone out and saw on its display, “Laura calling.”

He flipped open his own mobile as he heard Nathaniel say in terse clip, “You’re where?”

Everyone’s eyes swung to Nathaniel as Victor put his phone to his ear.

“Laura,” Victor said into the phone but heard nothing but sobs. Victor felt the doom settle in his heart as his body went tense and he watched as rage replaced resignation on his son’s face.

“What’s happened Laura?” Victor asked quietly, thinking he knew the answer.

He didn’t.

“We’re in… we’re all in…” Laura stuttered. “Jail!” she wailed and Victor’s brows snapped together. Then what his wife said penetrated.

So Victor shouted, “Jail?” and Nathaniel’s and everyone else’s eyes swung to him as Laura babbled into his ear something about Lily’s attorney then Jeffrey then Danielle and just as Victor prepared to have a stroke, considering his blood pressure had to be skyrocketing and his anger had reached new bounds, Nathaniel strode purposefully to him, mobile still to his ear.

“I’ll be there in less than an hour,” Nathaniel was saying into his phone, his voice vibrating with fury. Victor watched as Nathaniel listened for a few moments and when he spoke again he carefully controlled his voice and said softly, “Darling, I’ll take care of it. I’ll be there in less than an hour.” Then he flipped his phone shut and looked at his father.

“Laura, I have to go,” Victor interrupted his wife.

“But Victor!” Laura cried.

Victor looked at his son. “Nathaniel needs me,” Victor said.

There was silence for a moment and then, with what he knew was hope in his wife’s tremulous voice, she said, “Of course.” Then, with definite hope, “I’ll see you soon, my love.”

He heard the disconnect in his ear and flipped his phone shut.

“What do you need me to do?” Victor asked his son.

“Lily and I are getting married today,” was all Nathaniel said.

Victor nodded that the message was understood and Nathaniel glanced at his daughter who was giggling with Lily’s shopgirls.

“Look after Tash,” Nathaniel ordered.

Victor nodded again.

Fazire charged in and shouted to the room at large, “What in the name of the Great Grand Genie Number One is keeping them?”

Nathaniel didn’t respond. With swift, long strides, he walked right passed Fazire and out of the building.

“Now where is he going?” Fazire cried as Natasha, looking frightened, ran after her father but Victor caught her and swung her back.

“I have to go with Daddy!” his granddaughter yelled, straining against Victor’s arms and reaching toward the door where her father disappeared.

“It’s going to be okay,” Victor soothed Natasha. “Something’s happened and your Daddy needs to go fetch your Mummy.”

Natasha moved shrewd eyes to her grandfather, looked at him closely and deciding either he was telling the truth or her father could sort out anything (likely the latter), her fear melted, a quirky smile tugged her lips and she said, “Okay.”

Then she skipped back to Lily’s girls.

“Would you like to tell me what’s happening?” Fazire, head tipped back, stared down his nose at Victor and Victor moved toward his odd friend and did as requested. Fazire’s face got as purple as his suit but Victor ignored him and turned toward the fidgeting Registry Office employee.

Then he commanded, “Take me to the person in charge.”

Laura

At first they were treated abominably by the police.

What seemed like hours ago (but wasn’t), back at Lily and Nate’s house, Laura, trying to find her opening to intervene (but failing) in the highly escalated situation, had vaguely heard Lily’s attorney call the police. The police, upon arrival, didn’t seem to care one bit that the girl wrestling around on the floor with Danielle was supposed to be getting married in an hour. They’d carted the lot of them off to the police station and didn’t allow them to use the phone.

Lily, to Laura’s dismay, had seemed completely at ease with this.

Her dress remarkably had survived the wrestling match although, to Laura’s despair, her bracelet had been ripped off and her hair was in complete disarray.

Danielle had come out the worse for wear, however.

Alistair and Jeffrey had managed to pull Maxine out of the fray but it took both of them to control her as she tried to dive back in, all the while shouting encouragement to Lily who was in what appeared to be a struggle to the death with Danielle on the floor.

In the final moments of the battle, Mrs. Gunderson decided she’d had enough of sitting on the back of the couch and watching with feigned cat disinterest. She threw herself, hissing and claws bared, into action and scratched Danielle’s arms and legs viciously but, surprisingly, or perhaps not surprisingly, the cat didn’t touch Lily.

As they were sitting in the police station waiting for their chance to use the phones, Lily had smiled at Laura and said, “Don’t worry, as soon as I can I’ll call Nate and he’ll get this all sorted out.”

This, Laura had to admit, did make her feel a little bit better. However it didn’t change the fact that Laura’s two rotten, horrible children had again spoiled things for Nathaniel and Lily and it was Laura’s fault because she had wanted to hear what they had to say hoping, stupidly, that it was going to be an apology.

Lily wasn’t wrong about Nate.

Ten minutes after Lily phoned Nate, an official-looking person came to them looking embarrassed and casting accusing glances at the officers who had arrived at Lily’s home and taken them away without regard to the celebratory circumstances, then didn’t offer them a bathroom or the use of the phone for what seemed like ages.

Upon arrival, the officer smiled consolingly at Lily.

“Ms. Jacobs, I’ve had a call,” he explained. “Please accept my deepest apologies. Your fiancé is on his way. In the meantime, let’s get you some tea and a place to tidy up.”

“Well!” Maxine stated grandly, standing and shaking out her flowing, lavender caftan that was liberally sprinkled with sequins around the collar and hem. Maxine’s outfit hadn’t fared so well in the struggle, there was a big rip rent from knee to hem. “He offers tea. I never,” she snapped.

“Could I please have some first aid?” Danielle asked snottily from her place down the hall, luckily far down the hall from where Lily, Laura and Maxine were sitting.

“And you would be?” the policeman asked.

“I’m Danielle Roberts,” Danielle stated as if she was saying, “I am Queen of the Universe”.

Laura closed her eyes in despair then opened them to see the man’s back straightening.

“We’ll get to you in a minute,” he said dismissively and somewhat threateningly. Laura noted Danielle’s face registering deep affront but she tore her gaze away from her birth daughter and watched as the officer turned back to Lily and offered her his arm. In a tone that was nearly reverential, he said, “Ms. Jacobs.” He also nodded to Maxine and Laura and they knew they were to follow.

Lily took his arm and they walked away, passed an outwardly fuming Danielle, a surprisingly silent and guilt stricken looking Jeffrey and the glaring, pacing, unrepentant Alistair.

Laura tried very hard to ignore her children but Danielle was scratched and bleeding though she knew it wasn’t that bad, Laura was still a mother and she couldn’t help herself. Even though she vowed never to care, never even to think about her two children again, she opened her mouth to speak but Lily beat her to it.

In a whisper, Lily leaned into the policeman and suggested, “Maybe, before our tea, you could see to her scratches?”

At Lily’s kind words, Laura reached out and caught Maxine’s hand and felt Maxine’s close around her own and squeeze with assurance.

Then Laura bit her lip.

Yes, she thought, yes, my dearest Lily, you are perfect for my Nathaniel.

Now they were sitting in an untidy but not unsavoury office. They had tea and package biscuits although someone had run out and bought Lily a skinny latte, such was Nathaniel’s power, Laura was proud to note. Laura and Maxine had done their best to get Lily’s hair back to its former loveliness. It looked fine but not nearly as fine as Susan’s handiwork. And they waited for Nathaniel to arrive.

Laura felt her heart ache as she struggled to find the words yet again to apologise to Lily that her children ruined everything. She closed her eyes tight, feeling the tears clogging her throat as she sat in a police station, of all places, with Lily on her wedding day, of all days, when Laura heard a giggle.

Her eyes flew open and locked on Lily who was giggling harder, louder, her body beginning to shake with it.

“I can’t,” Lily breathed and then let out an unladylike snort of laughter. She tried for control and started again, “I can’t believe I wrestled on the floor of my sitting room in my wedding dress.” Then she threw herself bodily against the back of the chair and rocked with her laughter.

Maxine was laughing too, softly, as she got up and divested Lily of her latte. Lily’s dress had made it this far, even if they had to wait another month, or, Laura hoped not, two for an alternate date at the Registry Office, Lily could wear the dress again and she didn’t need coffee stains on it.

“I had my money on you,” Maxine said through her strengthening laughter. “You had her hair so tightly fisted, I thought you were going to yank it…” she stopped and gulped down laughter, her eyes swinging horrified to Laura, “Laura, I’m so sorry. She’s your daugh –”

“She’s nothing to me,” Laura declared firmly and both Lily and Maxine’s laughter died abruptly.

“Laura,” Lily said softly and she prepared to stand.

Laura brought her hand up.

“No.” Lily’s movement arrested at Laura’s word.

“But she’s –” Lily started.

Laura pinned Lily to the spot with her gaze and Lily’s mouth snapped shut. “No, she isn’t. I have a daughter, yes, I still have a daughter. And she’s sitting with me in this very room.”

“Laura,” Lily breathed and surged out of her chair. Laura rose as well and they found themselves in each other’s arms and both hugged tight.

“Mr. McAllister,” they heard in respectful voice coming from behind the closed door, “I can assure you…”

The door flew open and Nathaniel stood there, his tall body tense, his eyes sweeping the room then they stopped on Laura and Lily.

“That’ll do.” Nathaniel’s deep voice rang with authority, his gaze still on Lily and Laura but he was speaking to the police officer at his side.

“What I was saying is, I can assure –” the police officer began but stopped when Nate’s angry eyes cut to him. “Of course,” the officer went on, “I’ll, erm, leave you to it.” Then the officer backed out of the room.

Everyone stayed still and silent, the women staring at Nathaniel, Nathaniel staring at Lily.

Finally Lily broke free, ran to him and threw her arms around him. His arms closed around Lily and, as she pressed her cheek against his chest, he rested his on top of her head.

“It’s okay,” Lily whispered her assurance, “it’s okay, we’ll wait. We’ve waited this long. We’ll just go have a party and then we’ll have another one when we –”

Nathaniel lifted his head and looked down at his bride. “We’re getting married today,” he declared, his voice implacable.

“But I thought –” Lily started, her head tilted back to look at her fiancé.

“Victor’s dealing with it,” Nathaniel cut her off and his eyes moved to Laura. “Mother, the limousine is waiting to take you and Maxine to the Registry Office.”

The room stilled yet again and Laura felt a tightening around her heart and a tremble move through her body.

“Wha… what did you just say?” she whispered as she felt her heart travel to her throat.

Nate’s carefully controlled face grew soft as he looked at Laura. “Please take our friend to the Registry Office,” he said quietly, then finished, “Mother.”

Laura stood rock solid at hearing her son call her “mother” for the second time in his life.

Then, shakily, her heart finally righting itself and feeling strangely, beautifully, buoyant, she nodded.

“I’ll take Lily,” he went on.

“Of course,” Laura replied quietly.

Maxine was standing and watching, fanning her face with her hand and swallowing convulsively to stop the tears.

Lily didn’t even try. She pressed her cheek against Nathaniel’s chest and stared at Laura, tears sliding down her cheeks.

“Lily, careful,” Maxine said, “you’ll ruin your makeup.”

“I’ll fix it in the car,” Lily assured her then she smiled. “Go,” she ordered gently.

On trembling legs Laura walked towards the door but as she would pass her son and his fiancée, Nathaniel’s hand came out to stop her. She looked up to him and he bent to kiss her cheek. When he straightened, she bit her lip, nodding as she touched his shoulder. Then Maxine’s hand slid through her arm and Maxine guided her through the door.

Lily and Nathaniel followed.

Jeffrey and Danielle were still sitting in the hall, Alistair had disappeared. Laura was pleased to note (she was, still, a mother), Danielle’s arms were covered in plasters.

“Nate!” Danielle jumped up out of her chair and Jeffrey followed her, grabbing on to his sister to hold her back. “Listen to me, you must –”

First Laura and Maxine then Nathaniel and Lily walked right by the two without a word.

As usual, Nathaniel showed no reaction to seeing his ne’er-do-well siblings. It took a mammoth effort of will for Laura to glide by she hoped serenely. She was helped by Maxine squeezing her arm and moving closer to her body in a show of support.

Then they were out the door and Laura realised she was holding her breath. She let it go in a whoosh.

Nathaniel saw them both safely into the waiting limousine and closed the door firmly behind them.

As the limousine smoothly slid away, Laura and Maxine watched out the window as Nathaniel walked Lily to his Aston Martin.

“Can I just say,” Maxine started, still looking out the window, “he’s the bomb.”

For the first time in hours Laura felt mirth burble up inside her chest and then she burst out laughing.

Nate

Nate was trying very hard not to lose his temper while he drove fast, but not too fast, to what he hoped would still be his wedding. He didn’t want them to crash in a ball of fiery flame in one last trial and tribulation to test their love before Lily’s wish was finally, solidly, irreversibly granted.

Lily was sitting beside him in the Aston Martin leaning towards the opened mirror on the sun visor, calmly applying mascara and babbling.

“Then, Mrs. Gunderson jumped in, hissing and very, very angry and –”

“Lily,” Nate cut into her rambling story, a story that for some reason Lily found hilarious but Nate most definitely did not.

“What?” Lily asked, screwing the top back on her mascara.

“I don’t find this amusing,” Nate told her.

“Well, of course not, you weren’t there. You had to see it to believe it,” she explained on a giggle, underlining her words with verve as she had been doing for the last half an hour. “I was wrestling on thefloor in my wedding dress,” she reiterated a snippet of her infuriating story that she’d already told him, one of the many snippets Nate found he detested most of all.

“Even if I’d seen it, I wouldn’t find it amusing,” Nate replied.

“Well, I do,” she stated firmly and then she went on, saying words that shocked Nate even though he couldn’t imagine ever feeling shock again, he felt it at her words, “Nate, I don’t care what it says about me and I hope you don’t think less of me but here it is, I’m glad. I would have paid for that opportunity. I told you what she said, what they said, her and Jeffrey, about you and also about Victor. And then she slapped Laura. I was itching to get at her, slapping her mother! I just could not believe. What a bitch!”

That snippet of the story, Danielle slapping Laura, was the one he detested most of all. He was pleased he’d not known that part when he’d been at the police station or, he had little doubt, he’d be the one in jail likely locked in a cell after committing double homicide.

“Do you think less of me?” Lily asked quietly, interrupting his thoughts.

“No,” Nate answered honestly.

“You’re sure?” she pressed.

“Absolutely.”

Silence, then in a bare whisper, she said, “I think I may have torn out some of her hair and I have to admit, I kind of feel badly about that.”

Finally, Nate laughed and after a few seconds, Lily joined him.

It took a moment but it registered on Nate that this was the first time they’d shared laughter. They’d shared many moments of amusement, smiles, grins, he’d made her laugh, she’d (far more often) made him laugh but never had they shared a moment like this.

And now he had a life before him that would be filled with these moments.

His laughter naturally died and once it did, he found her hand and brought it to his lips. He brushed them against her knuckles and then dropped their joined hands to his thigh but he didn’t let hers go.

“Do you think Victor arranged for a new time?” Lily asked, Nate glanced her way and saw that surprisingly she was relaxed, happy and not at all affected by her tumultuous day.

“Yes,” he replied, returning his eyes to the road.

“Well, if he hasn’t, please don’t be disappointed. We’ll reschedule and –”

“He’s done it,” Nate said firmly.

“If he hasn’t, then –”

“He has.”

“If he hasn’t –”

“Darling, he has,” Nate said in a tone that was unmistakably final.

“Okay,” she muttered then rebelliously, under her breath, she said, “but, if he hasn’t, I don’t care. I have you now, married or not, it doesn’t matter to me, just as long as I have you.”

He felt that becoming-familiar feeling of happiness surge through his chest, his hand squeezed hers but reluctantly he let it go so he could downshift and stop at a traffic light in Bath.

“So,” Lily changed the subject, “where are we going on our honeymoon?”

“It’s a surprise,” Nate replied, the traffic light changed and he moved forward, closing in on the Registry Office hopefully to find that Victor had succeeded in his task.

“Does it have a beach?” she asked.

“No,” he answered, deftly executing a turn in the heavy traffic.

“Does it have mountains?” Lily tried again.

“No,” he responded, feeling his lips twitch at her sweet interrogation.

“Is it in a foreign country?”

“Yes,” he told her.

“Italy?” she queried, hope in her voice.

“No.”

“France?” Lily went on doggedly.

“No.”

She seemed stymied as Nate pulled up outside the Registry Office. He parked on the double yellow lines and the Aston would stay there. They could ticket him, he didn’t care, he had millions of pounds. He’d happily pay a parking ticket or a hundred of them to shave off ten minutes of waiting to be married to Lily.

He got out and was rounding the car when she alighted from the other side.

“Please wait for me to open your door, Lily,” he requested softly when he made it to her.

“Switzerland?” she ignored his request and kept at her former topic and Nate threw back his head and laughed.

He brushed his lips against hers and escorted her to the pavement, saying a firm, “No.”

“Where are we going then?” She lost her patience and her eyes flashed but with happy frustration rather than true anger.

“I’m not telling you.”

She dug in her heels at the bottom of the steps to the entry. Victor and Fazire filled it as Lily looked up at Nate.

“I never said I wanted it to be a surprise Nate,” Lily stated then threatened, “I’m not going in there until you tell me.”

Without hesitation, for Nate no longer cared if it was a surprise or not if it meant he’d have to wait any longer to get married, he finally relented and told her, “Indiana.”

Lily’s head moved involuntarily and she blinked.

“You’re taking me to Indiana for our honeymoon?”

Nate slid his arm around her waist and pulled her toward his body. When he felt her softness hit him, he bent his head to hers and, their faces a breath away, he said, “I want you to see this property I purchased. It cost a fortune. The people living there didn’t feel like moving. In the end, I persuaded them. It’s a limestone farmhouse with marble window sills and a big pond in the front yard.”

Lily sucked in her breath and her eyes grew wide. Then he watched as they filled with tears and she leaned into him. Her hand went to his cheek, she whispered his name and he felt all the love in the world wash over him in that quiet whisper.

At his name on her lips said in that tone, Nate’s head descended the rest of the way and he kissed her through her tears.

“Lily!” Maxine yelled from somewhere near but Nate didn’t care where. “You’ll ruin your makeup!”

Fazire

“Nate, it doesn’t matter.” Lily said comfortingly to Nathaniel.

“It matters,” Nathaniel said curtly to Lily.

Fazire looked on.

“There’s nothing we can do. We have a full schedule,” the Registry Office person said, wringing her hands.

“Son, I tried,” Victor cut in and Fazire saw he looked completely dejected. Fazire knew the proud man had tried, he’d watched him. Victor had tried everything. He tried coaxing, he tried threatening, he tried bribing, and nothing worked.

“She was accosted in her living room and mistakenly carted away by the police!” Maxine shouted dramatically. “Surely you can make an exception for that.”

The Registry Office employee shook her head.

“But they’ve been waiting eight years.” Fazire heard Laura say, her voice so sad it made Fazire sad too or more sad than he already was. He was sad for Lily, for Nathaniel, for Tash, his glorious Tash who was looking on crestfallen, even for Laura and Victor who so wanted this for their family.

“Lily-child,” Fazire said softly, knowing what he had to do.

Lily didn’t look at him. She was staring up at Nate with love and concern shining in her eyes.

Fazire knew at a glance she had changed. Fazire knew that Nathaniel had healed her last night that Lily had healed Nathaniel, that her wish had finally come true, that they would finally find happiness. For the rest of his genie days, and there would be many, he would live happily with the knowledge that he’d created that for his Lily.

But Fazire was still sad, sad for himself, sad that he was to be leaving them, his adored Lily, his beautiful Natasha and this fine man he’d grown to respect.

“Lily-child,” Fazire repeated, his voice stronger and Lily turned to him, took one look and disengaged from her furious lover and moved to Fazire.

“Are you okay?” she asked softly, her hand light on Fazire’s arm, she was watching him closely, losing track of her own dire circumstances to worry about him.

“Use it,” Fazire said and he found, to his utter astonishment, his voice was croaky.

Oh, how the other genies would laugh if they ever heard that.

He cleared his throat and repeated, “Use it.”

“Use what?” she asked, her eyes confused.

Fazire nodded his head toward Nathaniel and Lily looked over her shoulder at her fiancée.

“I want a word with the Registrar,” Nate demanded.

“I’ve already spoken to the Registrar, he’s already spoken to the Registrar,” the employee pointed at Victor and Tash leaned heavily, despondently, against her father’s legs. Nathaniel’s hand came to his daughter’s shoulder reassuringly as the employee went on. “I’m so sorry. We’ll schedule a new date for you as soon as we can.”

Lily turned back to Fazire, her face pale and Fazire knew she understood.

“I can’t… we can wait,” she whispered, her eyes panicked.

“Look at them, Lily. Look at Tash. She thinks your Nathaniel can do anything. She thinks Nathaniel has a different kind of magic. To learn any different, Lily-child, you know it would break her heart.” Lily shook her head, this she did fervently, fear now filling her face and her fingers on his arm tightened as if she’d never let him go. “Look at them,” Fazire urged softly.

She shook her head again and she didn’t look but she knew, she knew and so did Fazire. He knew she’d do anything for Tash and he knew she’d do anything for Nathaniel.

Her other hand came up to take hold of his other arm.

“Fazire,” she whispered and then she moved close then closer, her arms locking around him.

“Use it, Lily-child,” Fazire murmured softly in her ear as his darling Lily shoved her face in his neck.

“I don’t want to. You’ll go away and you’re family. Family doesn’t go away until they have to go away and you don’t have to go away. You never have to go away.” Fazire felt his Lily’s body jolt then she whispered, “I love you Fazire.” her voice broke on his name and her arms went so tight, Fazire didn’t think he could breathe but luckily he didn’t have to breathe so he just let her hold fast.

“I love you too,” he replied, shocking himself because he meant it, he meant it to the depths of his cynical genie soul.

The genie council for Best Wish of the Century had been wrong. Lily was the best wish ever granted.

Ever. Since eternity.

“Use it,” Fazire repeated.

“No,” Lily denied.

“Lily-child, use it,” he begged and felt her body jolt again.

She was silent for long moments then he heard her request in a whisper, “If I do this, you must let Tash say good-bye.”

Fazire closed his eyes.

“No, I can’t bear… no.” It was Fazire’s turn for his voice to break and he heard Lily’s quiet hiccough of grief.

“If you go, I’ll miss you,” she was still whispering, her voice an ache.

“Use it, Lily,” Fazire pressed, not sure he could take much more.

“We’ll never forget you,” she went on and he knew she was delaying. He knew she was trying to think of another way.

“Please, Lily, now… use it.”

Her arms grew even tighter. “I’ll write a story and forever it will pass down in our family so everyone will know about you,” she promised. “How wonderful you are, how funny, how loyal –”

“Lily-child…” He felt moisture in his eyes and didn’t know what it was for a moment before he blinked it away. Then it dawned on him it was tears. Fazire, the great genie, was crying. He hoped that didn’t get out, he’d never, in eternity (literally), live that down. “Use it,” he implored and at the tone of his voice, Lily’s body stilled.

Then her face burrowed deeper into his neck and she spoke the words against his skin.

“Fazire, I wish to be married to Nathaniel McAllister, today, right here, right now, in the Registry Office in Bath.”

Fazire pulled gently out of her arms and she stood before him, eyes shimmering with tears locked with his, she lifted her hands up in front of her and held them clenched together in despair as her lips pressed tight against each other to fight the tears.

Then grandly, using his best genie voice, Fazire said, “Lily-child, your wish is my command.”

Then he smiled at her sadly, lifted his hand and snapped.

Then the Great Genie Fazire disappeared.