Read Online The Black Chapel by Marilyn Cruise - Free Book Online Page A

meet you, too, dear,” she says, not looking at me. “Michael, may I have a word with you. Alone?” Her tone is harsh, angry even.
    “Mother, I hardly think this is the appropriate time. I think whatever you’d like to say, you can say in front of Scarlett. We’re coming to ask for your blessing, and would like to be married next week,” Michael says.
    I smile feebly. This will never work. What was I thinking? Michael didn’t warn me she’d be this obstinate. But then again, what the hell was I thinking? I should have put the pieces together myself and known this would happen. I mean, she’d have to be extremely gullible to believe our set-up.
    “All right, then.” Diane coughs up a lung and sits up a little straighter in bed.
    Now I can see Michael’s concern for his mother in his eyes, and it touches my heart.
    “Can I get you something, mother?” Michael says, that helpless little boy coming out. So he is vulnerable after all.
    “No, Dear. I’m dying as it is.” Diane takes his hand in hers, possessively, and then turns to me, her hazel wrinkled eyes unwelcoming. “Did you know Michael just broke up with his ex-fiancé?”
    I nod.
    “Mother,” Michael intervenes.
    Diane holds up her hand as if to stop him. “I think you are the rebound relationship, and though the situation of my untimely death is extenuating, I don’t think he should rush into a marriage just to gain his inheritance.”
    “I’m not asking for your permission, Mother, only your blessing. We will get married whether or not you like it,” Michael says.
    But what if she doesn’t approve and gives the money away to charity anyway? I think. This will never work. There are too many holes in this plan.
    Diane frowns and lets go of Michael’s hand. “Always so determined, my young Michael. But always so foolish. And I won’t allow you to dupe me into giving up the family inheritance.”
    “Mother!” Michael’s eyebrows furrow and his eyes grow dark.
    “You are very lovely, though, Scarlett. I can see why he proposed to you, if that’s what he actually did,” Diane says.
    “I love him,” I say and look at Michael. The words, though surprising to me, don’t feel as false as I had thought.
    Michael smiles at me. “I love you, too, babe.”
    And at his words, I melt and smile. If only he really meant it.
    “Well, we’ll see,” Mrs. Manning says, her hazel eyes turning intense and golden as she studies me.
    “I hate to cut the visit short, but Scarlett has to get to work,” Michael says.
    “Oh, where do you work?” Diane asks.
    “Currently I’m a waitress,” I say, wishing now I had picked something more prestigious.
    “I started out as a waitress myself before I got into Real Estate. It’s a very stressful job,” Diane says.
    Michael comes over to me and takes my hand in his. “Thank you mother for letting us see you. I’m sorry we couldn’t stay longer.”
    “It was a pleasure to finally meet you,” I say.
    “If you truly are engaged, I’m sure I’ll see you soon again,” Diane says, her face emotionless.
    We go back to the car and Michael opens the car door for me.
    “I thought the meeting with my mother went rather well,” Michael says, right as he gets in the car.
    “I thought it went horrible,” I say, still feeling Mrs. Manning’s judgmental eyes on me. “She’s so on to me.”
    “She’s not on to you, and if it would have gone horrible, she would not have been somewhat open to the idea,” Michael says.
    “She was open?” I ask, wondering if we had been in the same room talking with the same person.
    “Yes, she said: We’ll see. That means she’ll be keeping her eyes open. The one problem with my mother is that she is an exceptional people reader,” Michael says.
    “Couldn’t you have warned me about that before I met her?” I say.
    Michael takes a deep breath. “I only thought it would have frightened you more.”
    “Well, Mr. Manning, I like to be informed about what I’m