Posted: Jun 3, 08 10:45am

Here's a story I subbed to an online publication only to have them promptly fold and disappear. Is it the story of doom? Really though, let me know what you think. I can take lumps, no need to be gentle.

Jim

==================

The Wedding Cake

"So would you like us to take care of the cake or did you have someone in mind?" Margie asked the young woman across the mahogany desk.

Jane smiled broadly and replied, "Oh, I have someone if you don't mind. He makes the most wonderful cakes. After all, you can't have a wedding without a cake."

Jane smiled again and grabbed her fiancé’s hand. "I can't believe I can have the wedding here. I used to walk by this estate when I was a little girl and always dreamed that I lived here. All the stone, the leaded glass windows, the beautiful grounds...they all looked so perfect,” she clapped her hands together and said, “it will be just as wonderful to be married here. Your aunt was so nice to me too." Jane paused and added, "at least until high school...after I introduced her to my first boyfriend, she sort of turned sour and never spoke to me again."

Margie winced and then smiled before saying, "I'm terribly sorry to hear that, but that was our Auntie Dearest. We're still not sure why, but she just frowned on men." She leaned forward conspiratorially and said, "as a matter of fact, Ella and I had to agree to never marry in order to inherit the estate." She cast a glance over her shoulder at the massive portrait of their aunt that hung over the massive stone fireplace.

Jane's fiancé Wallace followed her gaze and said, "I don't know why. Your aunt was beautiful and probably could have had anyone she pleased as a suitor."

Ella's sister Margie shrugged and changed the subject, "The flowers should be in bloom wonderfully by then, so we'll have the ceremony on the north lawn. We should catch a wonderful scent from the gardens as well."

Jane brightened and rubbed her arms. She asked, "Is it always so chilly in here?"

Ella smiled and said, "Not generally, but we've have few overcast days and it takes a lot to warm up these old stones. Don't worry though; we'll have heaters brought in just in case.

Jane nodded enthusiastically and said to her fiancé and the sisters, "We have to be running now. We have an appointment across town to choose our invitations."

The sisters escorted the couple to the front door. Ella caught Jane as she tripped on the way out and said, "It won't be long until Wallace is carrying you over the threshold."

Jane and Wallace chuckled.

Margie looked to the couple and smiled. “I'm so glad you chose us to host your wedding. We will make it everything you ever dreamed of."

The sisters returned to their office after the couple left down the long driveway. Margie made a few final notes and said, "I can't wait for the wedding. If we can't get married ourselves, at least we can do it vicariously."

Ella crossed to a sideboard and poured two celebratory glasses of sherry. She walked back to the desk and handed one to her sister. She raised her glass to the portrait, cackled raucously, and said, "Here's to the first of hopefully many weddings."

Margie grinned and saluted as well before commenting, "You always were able to imitate her cackle perfectly. For a moment, I thought she was in the room with us."

"Remember the time she caught me imitating her? She cuffed my ear so hard it hurt for a week."

"Well, now the joke's on her. We'll turn her beloved estate into a wedding paradise."

Ella slammed the phone down and glared at it.

Margie looked up from her notebook and said, "Is the phone out again?"

"Yes, and I really wanted to get the caterer finalized for Jane's wedding." She rubbed her ear, opened the top desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of aspirin.

Margie shrugged and said, "I have to run into town anyway. I'll stop by and take care of it." She paused and added, "You should have a doctor look at your ear. It's been bothering you for some time now."

Ella shook her head. "It's just some tension from the way this planning is going. I never would have thought it would have taken this long to get everything arranged."

Margie nodded and said, "I'm sure we'll get all the bumps worked out and things will go much smoother for the next wedding we host."

There was a knock at the door of the study and Ella stood and crossed to open it. The gardener, Harris, was standing holding a package looking sheepish. He said, "A package arrived as I was coming in to see you so I signed for it."

"Do come in Harris, have some tea with us," Ella handed the box to her sister and continued, "...and there's no need to feel so out-of-sorts about signing for the package." She poured a glass of tea and handed it to him.

Harris started to say something but a squeal from Margie cut him short. She held up a beautifully engraved wedding knife and server and said, "Look at this Ella. They've done a wonderful job with the set for Jane and Wallace."

Ella examined the set, smiled, and said, "Well, at least one thing has gone right. They even put the correct date and spelled the names correctly."

Harris cleared his throat behind the sisters and said, "I, um, wasn't feeling out-of-sorts from signing for the package ma’am. It seems there's a bit of a problem with the north lawn."

Ella massaged her temples and forehead and from behind her hands asked, "What kind of problem Harris?"

He shrugged helplessly and said, "You should come and see for yourself."

They left the office reluctantly and walked down the long hallway that would lead them through the greenhouse and out onto the north lawn. Both sisters' shoulders sagged from an unseen weight and neither said a word.

They exited the greenhouse and looked out over the gardens. Ella sighed and Margie let escape a quick, "Dammit," before turning to Harris and asking, "What happened?"

Harris looked out of the wilted and sickly flowers that polluted the gardens and said, "I simply don't know. They were fine the other day." He rubbed his head and added, "I've been a gardener for 20 years now and I've never seen a blight come on so quick."

Ella stared at the ground for a long minute and then she looked up, shrugged, and said, "Fine, we'll move the wedding to the rear of the estate. The service road is back there, but it's got a great view of the rolling hills.

Jane waited nervously in the room and looked out over the beautiful rolling hills. She smoothed the front of her dress one more time and looked in the mirror. She jumped at the soft knock at the door.

Margie poked her head in and asked, "Mind if I pop in for a second?"

Jane smiled and said, "Not at all. It's hard being in here with just my thoughts anyway."

Margie looked at her appraisingly and said, "You look stunning. Your future husband is a very lucky man." Jane blushed and she continued, "Again, I'm very sorry about the north gardens."

Jane waved her hand and said, "Not to worry, this view is just as wonderful. Thank you very much for the perfect day."

Margie nodded and said, "We're so glad you're happy with it...and before I forget," she paused and pulled a parcel from the bag she was carrying," I neglected show this to you before with all the craziness we've had on our end."

She handed the package to Jane. She opened it eagerly, looked up, and said, "My goodness, it's beautiful." She held the wedding knife and server up to the light and said, "The engraving is exquisite. Thank you so much."

Margie smiled and said, "I'm glad you like it. I have to run off to help my sister with some of the incidentals. We'll see you at the reception." She smiled, waved, and shut the oak door behind her.

Jane admired the knife one last time and looked up as she heard a truck pull into the service road. She smiled when she saw it was her baker and then shivered as she caught a chill from the room.

The guests were all seated and the best man and groom waited cheerfully by the altar that had been set under an archway. A small breeze blew and Ella reached over to push a lock of her sister's hair back into place. She noticed the bridesmaid looking around and said, "Perhaps we should go check on our bride in case she's lost track of time."

Margie nodded, "Good idea. How's your ear today by the way?"

"Completely cured. Thanks for asking."

The sisters made their way to the study where the bride was waiting. Ella knocked softly at the door and said, "Jane dear, it's time for your debut."

When she was met with silence, she opened the door and peeked in.

"Drat."

Margie and Ella entered the room and Margie said, “We would have passed her on the way to the ceremony had she already left. She seems to have bolted." She paused and added, “Not exactly the auspicious start we were looking for for our start as wedding planners."

Ella sighed and said, "Not at all. I suppose we had best inform the guests."

Margie looked out the window as they were leaving and stopped. She grabbed her sister's arm and pointed out the window wordlessly. Ella gaped and then the sisters ran out the door that led to the service road. They stopped at the parked bakery truck.

Jane looked up at them, a faint spray of red misting the front of her gown. The wedding cake was spread on the macadam, creating a makeshift dam for the pooling blood. The baker lay face down and the wedding knife protruded from his back where Jane had stabbed him.

She looked at the sisters said, "Can't have a wedding without a cake," and cackled.