Blood Is Thicker...
By
Christine

Part Two

Chapter 16



"What about rings?" she whispered to Pik just as they walked into the justice's office.

"When are you going to learn I always think of everything?" he smiled as he pulled out a different ring box and opened it. Inside were two simple but heavy gold bands. She nodded in approval. He had also brought the necessary documents the justice would need. The ceremony was simple and short, but it did the job. He kissed her madly in front of the justice, who shared no joy in knowing their secret. He entreated Pik to be sure Fouchon was agreeable to the marriage before he let him know who had performed the ceremony.

Marriage certificate in one hand, bride in his arms, Pik Van Cleaf carried his new wife over the threshold of a nearby motel. There wouldn't be much time before they were missed back at he mansion, so they made the most of it. "Wife," he whispered into her ear as they joined their bodies. "Husband," she whispered back to him.

An hour later Pik sat on the bed tying his boots. She knelt behind him and hugged him. "How did you get to be the way you are?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you are very different from my father, of course. But you're also very much like him in some ways."

"What ways?" He tied his other boot.

"Dark and dangerous."

"Do you really think so?"

"Yes. I mean, not to me, but I can see a lot of people are afraid of you. That justice was," she said.

"I like it that way."

"Come on..."

He looked back over his shoulder at her. "I am a black sheep." He smiled wickedly.

"Oh?"

"Yes. Disowned by my family, a prodigal son, a wanted man, a rogue…" he continued to smile throughout his litany.

"Are you serious?"

He shrugged. "I had to live by my wits, make my own way, and do what I had to do to survive for a long time without even my own name among my possessions. Our marriage certificate here," he indicated the piece of paper, "is the only legal document I've had my real name on since…well, in years."

"You don't seem to care."

"I don't. It's suited me. I've been content for a long time with the…business arrangement…I've had with your father." He pressed her shoulders onto the bed and rubbed his nose against hers.

"At least until I met you." He bent to kiss her, but she stopped him.

"Don't you think we should get back?" She was getting worried about being missed by her father.

"You're right," he sighed, conceding her point.

They rode back in silence as the rain poured. Madeleine turned on the radio. Queen's haunting tune told them there was no time for them…no place for them…no chance for them…It felt like a bad omen to her and she turned it off. She was tense again, Pik noticed. She grew pale and he reached over and held her hand, "Hey, it's all going to be okay. We'll be back in time." She smiled and nodded.


***


As the evening of her party drew closer, Madeleine grew chronically distraught. She was thrilled to be Pik's wife, but wondered if having the extra burden of another secret was what had increased her agitation to its current extreme. She could barely keep down anything she ate, and knew she was growing pale. She couldn't sleep and felt weak constantly, and sometimes dizzy. Her father's main concern was that her appearance would embarrass him at the party. He advised her to use cosmetics to cover the dark circles under her eyes and hide her pallor. She ached to please him, she truly did. But she didn't think it was possible. She was just like any of his other possessions. Instead of a trophy wife, she would be his prize, a thing, a perfect thing, to show off. Another accomplishment of his. She simply could not fit the bill, and she knew it.


The morning of the party, the apparel shop delivered the finished dress to the mansion. Madeleine was asked to don the dress one last time to double check for any last minute nips or tucks. She turned to walk up the stairs to change, but continued to turn and faced the room again and spun into unconsciousness. Pik heard the commotion and raced into the room to find Madeleine in her father's arms as he kneeled on the floor. "Dr. Morton," Fouchon said to Pik, "Get Dr. Morton on the phone. Tell him I will meet him at the hospital. Here, help me get her to the car."

"What happened?"

"I don't know, she just fainted." He looked around at all the preparations being made. "God damn it!" he shouted out loud. Then to Pik, "Let's go."

Dr. Morton felt a shudder go down his spine when he heard Pik Van Cleaf's voice on the other end of the phone. The man scared the hell out of him. He assured Van Cleaf he would be at the hospital before even Fouchon arrived.


***


"It appears to be a simple case of fatigue," Dr. Morton told an impatient Fouchon. "But I've only examined her briefly. Her blood pressure is way too high, though, and she's going to need a complete exam."

"I am in a hurry, Dr. Morton."

"Okay, we can do that next week. But she hasn't been eating well, she said, and it's taken its toll. I'm sure that with a day or two of bed rest and a bland diet to start with, she'll be fine in no time."

"We have an important engagement tonight, doctor. You know that, you're on the guest list. I need her up and about, now." Fouchon would not be quelled.

Dr. Morton knew better than to defy him. "Okay, okay. I'll give her a vitamin B-12 shot, that should get her going. And it should bring some color back to her skin." He hoped that would satisfy him. "I've also run a few tests, blood and urine, just as a precaution, and I'll let you know tonight what the results are. I'm sure it'll be nothing, just fatigue."

"Madeleine, let's go," Fouchon called to his daughter through the curtain. "Give her the shot, doctor. And I'll see you tonight." Dr. Morton sighed relief when they left, but he had a feeling the worst of this day was yet to come.


***


The B-12 did improve her color, and she felt better. Fouchon insisted she rest in the cottage for a few hours, and she was happy to comply. He later asked Pik to check on her and see if she had eaten anything. Pik, also happy to comply, audibly grumbled for Fouchon's ears how he detested baby-sitting duty. Fouchon smirked.

"Are you feeling better, Maddie?" he asked her as she lay curled on her bed.

"Just hold me and I will be," she said, and he lay behind her and gathered her in his arms.

"This is it," she said. "It's over tonight, okay?"

"Yes, we'll leave tonight, after your father goes upstairs for the night. I'm so sorry it's gotten to be this awful for you." He kissed the back of her neck. "It's almost over. You rest as much as you can, okay? You've got a busy night."

"I will."

"And try to eat some toast or something when you get up…You really scared me today, by the way."

"Sorry." She had dozed off again.



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