Chapter Two

Aurora learns what happened in Vegas. Drew plans for the future.

Chapter Two

Aurora was sitting in her hotel suite in New York City when she heard a knock on the door. She went to the door and looked through the peephole. She sighed. It was Trixie Markham, the stylist her agent insisted she hire. She unlocked the door and let Trixie into the room. Trixie strode in carrying a stack of garment bags.

“Okay, we have to decide what you’re going to wear on the Carolyn and Ken show.” Trixie began to take the garment covers off.

“I already had something in mind,” Aurora said.

“Not what you have on, I hope.” Aurora was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans.

“Well, no. But I have some things here.”

Trixie held up black pencil pants, a silver sequin top, and shoes with six inch heels and platforms that she‘d surely break an ankle wearing.

“Isn’t that a bit much for a morning show?”

“Maybe. We have some other choices as well.” She pulled another cover off and held up a pair of orange harem pants and a matching tube top.

“No, way.”

“Listen, I know you hate having someone tell you what to wear, but I’ve been talking to Will and he thinks in order to get you away from girl-next door roles and turn you into a leading lady we need to show off your sex appeal. You don’t want to wear something that makes you look plain. You have to wear something that sets you apart from ordinary women. Something designer and sexy that says you are the sex kitten that other women aspire to be.”

“I told Will I’m tired of doing movies. I‘d like to get back on the stage, or maybe do a cable TV series.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Trixie tossed her long platinum blonde hair. “Do you know how many women would kill to be in your position? You are on your way to becoming one of the most bankable female stars in Hollywood. You could become one of the top paid females in film. Will told me so himself. But you are a product, darling. And you need an expert like me to help market you, Aurora Mendez.”

“I like retro dresses with flared skirts, simple wrap dresses, and tailored suits. What‘s wrong with that?”

“Darling, you are pushing thirty. You simply can’t dress thirty-five. It’s career suicide. Do you think Kristen Stewart wears wrap dresses? When was the last time you saw Emma Roberts in a tailored suit?” Trixie’s coral-painted mouth formed an ugly frown.

“I’m sorry. I just don’t think this is the direction I want to go with my career. I’ll pay you for your time, of course. But I’m not going to need your services.”

Trixie opened her mouth in shock. “Did Will tell you I’m getting my own reality show? That’s extra exposure for you. You are making a big mistake.”

“I’ll explain to Will. It’s nothing personal.”

Trixie sniffed and whipped out her iPhone. “Come to Miss Mendez’s room. I need you to carry things out. Have Ed bring the car. Yes, now.”

Trixie picked an invisible lint from her black pants.

“Call me if you change your mind,” Trixie said.

“Of course,” Aurora said politely.

Trixie left with her harried assistant, her stilettos leaving indentations in the carpet like a little trail.

Aurora’s phone chimed, and her Caller ID showed it was Will, her agent.

“I need to go over a few things with you before the Carolyn and Ken show,” Will said.

“Hello to you too, ” Aurora said.

“What are you going to say when they ask you what’s going on between you and Greg Garner?”

“That we’re just friends.”

“That’s fine.”

“Will, we need to talk. Maybe not now, though.”

“I have a call on the other line. Hold on.” The phone clicked before Aurora could protest.

He was back in a second. “Did you just fire Trixie Markham? You know she’s the hottest stylist. About to get her own reality show.”

“I want to talk about the direction my career is going in and...”

“My assistant said there was a 911 from Cassie. What‘s that about?” Cassie Stark was Aurora’s lawyer.

“I have no idea.”

“Call her. ASAP. Then call me after the show.”

Aurora found Cassie in her contacts and dialed her office. She got Cassie’s secretary, Elsa. Elsa was new to Los Angeles and still had a strong North Dakota twang.

“Hi, Elsa. This is Aurora Mendez. Is Cassie available?”

“Sure, Ms. Mendez. I’ll put you through right away.”

“Aurora, something weird is going on. I got a call from Pennsylvania. They want to serve you with divorce papers. You got married and never told me?”. Cassie was silent for a few moments.

“You’re kidding, right? This is a practical joke.”

“That’s what I thought. But they faxed me copies of some documents. There’s a marriage certificate that’s signed. It looks like your handwriting. It’s from Las Vegas, and it’s totally legit. It took place ten years ago.” Aurora sat down on the bed. She could barely speak.

“Who does it say I married?” Aurora was pretty sure she knew.

“You mean you don’t know? The name is Andrew Macpherson.”

“Oh, God. Oh, God.” Aurora made the sign of the cross, something she still did when stressed out.

“Aurora? Talk to me.”

“Cassie, I...did go to Vegas ten years ago. With college friends. There was one night that was pretty blacked out. Is this legal? I’ve heard of people getting joke wedding photos in Vegas to play pranks on family or friends.”

“It looks legal, but I‘ll make some inquiries. If you were intoxicated or can’t remember, we can make an argument that it wasn’t valid. I’ll get a private investigator on this guy too. I mean, why would he just file now? He must be in debt or something. Don’t worry, honey. I’m all over this.”

Aurora wanted to call Melanie, but she needed to get ready for the Carolyn and Ken show. She looked at her little mixed breed pup lying at her feet.

“What do you think, Sassafras? Should we make a trip to Evergreen Gap?”

*****

It only took about thirty seconds for Carolyn to ask her if she was dating Greg Garner.

“We’re just friends,” she said.

“That’s what they all say.” Ken gave her a knowing smile.

“You went to the movie premiere together,” Carolyn added.

“Greg and I are not dating. There’s nothing romantic between us at all. We enjoyed working together and thought it might be fun to go together to the premiere. That’s all.”

Drew was at his graphic design business when the Carolyn and Ken Show aired. He caught a clip of it online later. He told himself he needed to stay informed on all things Aurora. He wondered if Aurora was telling the truth when she said she was not dating Greg Garner.

“That should be me,” he muttered to himself. “I should be walking on her arm, not him. That should be my life.”

Aurora took Sassafras and went to Evergreen Gap as soon as she was done with the talk show circuit. She checked into the Evergreen lodge near Evergreen Lake in the Laurel Highlands.

“Aurora, I’ve been thinking about doing something with your old bedroom. You don’t stay here anymore when you’re in town, so I think I should make good use of it.”

“You’re right, Mom. You should. You know I only stay somewhere else so you don’t have reporters and crazy people mobbing the house. Could you just let me go through my things so I can see if there’s anything I want to keep?”

“Of course.”

Aurora went into her old room and dug some things out of the closet. There were group shots of the Vegas trip in a box. Drew was even in a few.

“So, you’re my husband,” she told the photo. “Why haven‘t you gotten in touch? Are you mad at me?” It occurred to Aurora that Drew probably thought she ditched him after Vegas. He might be very angry with her. She hoped not. She stood to lose a lot if he wanted to be vindictive. The photo didn’t answer her. It was all so overwhelming. She knew the press would have a field day when they found out about her marriage. There was probably going to be a hearing or something. She might even have to go to court. It suddenly occurred to her that she would probably have to see Drew. The idea of seeing him again gave her butterflies in her stomach. She felt the same way she did back then, seeing him pass by her in the dining hall or on the way to class. She wondered if he looked the same. Maybe a little older. She tried to imagine him with gray hair but couldn’t. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror above her old dresser. She made a face at the reflection. She ran her fingers through the choppy strands that were streaked with highlights. Her hairstylist had insisted this look would give her a youthful look. She decided she was going to dye it back to her natural color and let it grow long again.

She rifled through the box some more. There was a cloth bound book that she recognized as her old journal. She flipped through the pages. Drew’s name appeared regularly, but nothing that gave a clue about her secret marriage. The journal ended abruptly just before the trip to Vegas.

Suddenly she noticed some envelopes bound with a rubber band. They were unopened. She looked at the postmarks and realized it must have been mail that came to her parents’ house after she left for New York City. There were envelopes with the University of Western Pennsylvania logo on them. Then she saw an envelope with a postmark from Las Vegas. She tore it open with shaky hands. It was a copy of a marriage certificate , along with a photo of she and Drew standing in a chapel! She gasped. She had been having trouble believing everything Cassie had told her, but now she could no longer deny it. There she was, standing next to Drew in that strapless gauzy white dress she’d bought at a stand near the beach. She had a white shawl around her shoulders and was holding a bouquet of flowers. Her eyes looked glassy.

“I don‘t remember this at all,” she muttered. “I wish I could.” She put the photo and certificate back in the envelope and tucked it into her purse. She made a mental note to give them both to Cassie as soon as she possible.

Aurora thought back to the morning she’d woken up in the small hotel room she had shared with Melanie. She had still been wearing that white dress, but there were no flowers or shawl to be seen anywhere. Come to think of it, she hadn’t been wearing any rings, either. None of it made sense. Why would she and Drew get married? They hadn't even been on a proper date. He'd just broken up with someone else. They must have been out of their minds.

She had to talk to some people. Find out if anyone knew anything. Maybe, somehow, she could put the pieces to together and find out how she came to be married.

Aurora started going through the clothes left in the closet. She was surprised her mother hadn’t donated them. After all, she could afford any clothes she wanted now. She threw old church dresses in a pile. She decided to have the box with her journal shipped back to her house in California. She’d make another box for things to donate to charity. She saw a college formal gown hanging and took it off the bar. She held it and looked in the mirror. Her mind went back to that night.

Drew had come with Mary Beth. Aurora remembered how her heart sank when she'd seen them together. Aurora's friend Courtney had set her up with a guy she knew from a nearby school. Figuring Drew was a lost cause, she agreed to take the guy to the formal. Aurora had already bought a dress on sale the previous winter and didn’t want to sit at home on the night of the formal. The guy, Nick, was sweet and seemed to like her, and she liked the thought of showing up at the dance with a mysterious new guy. She had been standing in line for the photographer, picking a piece of lint off Nick’s tuxedo jacket with a manicured finger when she spotted Drew walk in. He was standing next to Hal, laughing, when his eyes met hers. His face froze when he saw her and for a split second Aurora’s heart lifted. Maybe he’s jealous. Maybe he really does like me too, she thought.

Aurora and Nick went out for a few months after that. He was her first real boyfriend and she enjoyed going places with him. Most of the other girls had boyfriends and she usually just tagged along on group outings feeling uncomfortable while everyone else kissed and held hands. Aurora never got over Drew, thought, and thought it best just to let Nick go.

Aurora fingered bodice of the red dress. She held it up in front of her and looked in the mirror. She always felt a twinge of sadness when she thought of that dance. She could feel that same knot in her stomach and when she tried to swallow her throat stuck. Then she realized why she felt that way.

Drew wanted to sever ties with her, even though his engagement was supposedly off.. And she still wasn’t over him. She never had been, really. He was always in her thoughts. She dreamed of him at night. She compared every guy she met to him, and none of them ever made her heart beat the way he did.

You’re not a school girl anymore, she reminded herself. You are one of the most desired women in America. You can have practically any guy you want. You could date a rock star or a movie star that most women only dream of being with. Drew was really just a blip on the radar, marriage or no marriage. He's obviously moved on. You should too.

She shook her head. She was having dinner at Melanie's so she needed to finish going through the stuff in her room. She decided not to donate the formal dress. Something made her want to keep it. She picked through some blouses and skirts when she came to a white dress. She whipped it out of the closet and looked it over. The style and the material were both unmistakable. It was the one she’d one that last night in Las Vegas.

Her wedding dress.

Aurora took off her jeans and sweater and slipped into the dress. It still fit. She smelled and touched the fabric, trying desperately to recall some little fragment of that night.

It was useless. Her mind was a blank. She dug in her purse until she found the photo. She examined it. This was the dress, all right, but where did she get that shawl and where was it now?

*****

Aurora rang the bell to Melanie’s house. Melanie’s three-year-old son, Hunter answered the door.

“Hey, Ror. My mom said you were coming. Guess what? I’m Harry Potter’s cousin.”

“You mean the Harry Potter from the books?”

“Yeah. Have you ever met him?”

Just then Melanie came down the stairs. She laughed.

“He’s been on this kick lately where he thinks he’s related to Harry Potter on my side of the family. Glenn is taking Hunter and Madison for burgers. It will be just us tonight. I made a grilled chicken salad. Is that okay?”

“Sounds great.” Aurora followed Melanie to the kitchen. She said hello to Melanie’s husband, Glenn, who was attempting to put boots on 18-month-old Madison.

Another twenty minutes later Glenn finally herded the kids out the door. Melanie saw them off and rejoined Aurora in the kitchen.

“So what’s this news you didn’t want to tell me over the phone?” Melanie put a tea kettle on the stove and turned the burner.

“Maybe I’d better just show you. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” Aurora pulled the envelope out of her purse and set the photo and certificate on Melanie’s kitchen counter.

Melanie looked at the items and furrowed a brow.

“Are these for real?”

Aurora nodded. “I think so. My lawyer is looking into it.”

“Are you sure they aren’t fakes?”

“That’s just it. I found these at my parents’ house. They were postmarked from Las Vegas just a few days after we left. I would’ve been in New York by the time they came in the mail. My parents obviously never opened them. They were in a box along with some other mail.”

The tea kettle whistled and Melanie jumped up to get it. She poured hot water in two waiting mugs and set them on the breakfast bar between herself and Aurora.

“Do you think this is what you blacked out?”

“It would seem that way. The dates fit. There are a few things bothering me, though. That shawl I’m wearing in the picture. I don’t remember ever having one like that. I know I bought the dress while we were shopping.”

“That’s right. I got a blue one like it.”

“When you came back and found me in the room, did I have a shawl? Or flowers?”

“That was almost ten years ago but I don’t think so. We were in an awful hurry to catch our plane, though.”

“And Drew and the other guys weren’t on our flight, were they?”

“No. That’s right! I almost forgot. They missed their plane and couldn't get another one for awhile due to bad weather.

“Do you remember when the guys got back?”

“I think it was day after we did, late at night. I heard about it the next day, but you had left for New York by then.”

“So one of two things happened. Either Drew blacked out and forgot about our whirlwind wedding just like I did, or he knew and just couldn’t find me once we got separated. But how did we get separated? I mean, we were married. It makes sense that we’d spend our wedding night together. How did I end up in our hotel room, by myself?”

“You had too much to drink. Maybe you passed out.”

“Then why wouldn’t he stay with me?”

“Let me think. I think you threw up in the bathroom. There were some things that had been knocked over too. Do you think maybe you came back to get something from the room and just passed out before you could meet with him?”

“That’s possible. And think about this. If we were going to have sex, he may have had to go get condoms or something. Maybe he didn’t want me to go with him for that.”

“He’s never tried to get in touch with you?”

“Not that I know of? Did he ever mention it?”

“No. It doesn't make sense."

“So he might have forgotten too. At least, not until he and his fiancé tried to apply for a marriage license. Maybe I should look up some other people from the trip. They might know something about what happened.”

Drew left his office and got into his car. He’d been distracted all day. His ex-fiancée was trying to get back with him, and he was pretty sure it was because she knew about Aurora and wanted Aurora's money.

He pulled into a Sheetz store and dialed his parents number on his cell phone.

“Hey, Mom, it’s Drew. What are you and Dad doing for dinner tonight?”

“We’re just eating here. I’m making meatloaf and mashed potatoes with a salad. Why do you ask?”

“Well, I was wondering if I could come over. Nicole’s working tonight and I need to talk with you and Dad about something.”

“Sure, honey. Come on over. Is it about the wedding?”

“Sort of.”

Nicole opened a bottle of water and flopped onto a sofa in the nurse’s lounge. She stretched out her five foot nine inch frame and flipped her chin length blonde hair out of her eyes. She wouldn’t be on her feet all day much longer. She just hoped the divorce didn’t take long. Maybe Aurora Mendez would offer Drew a settlement. That was fine with her. Even a few million would do. It wasn’t like Aurora couldn’t afford it. Nicole had done some research and learned that she’d made several million for her last film. Then she could dump her egotistical doctor boyfriend, who was taking too long leaving his wife anyway.

Her wedding to Drew was going to be epic. No plastic utensils and cheap beer for her guests. She grabbed a sheet of paper and pen from the coffee table and began to make a list. On the top was a designer wedding gown. Flowers? Definitely calla lilies, and she'd heard roses imported from Ecuador were used in all the fancy New York weddings. Maybe they could even get married in New York. Surely the Plaza was nicer than any place in Evergreen Gap. Or they could have it in the Pocono's. They could have filet mignon and smoked salmon as entrees. There would be ice sculptures and champagne.

They could get a new house instead of that little thing Drew owned. Maybe they could build one. She would have to make a list of everything she wanted. Whirlpool tubs, a pool, walk-in closets. She smiled, thinking of how fabulous it would be. Maybe they’d get invited to all the best social events in town. She folded her list in half and slipped it into her pocket. She stood and stretched before she returned to her floor. Things were definitely looking up.

*****

“I don’t understand. You’re married? And you never saw fit to tell your own parents?” Kathleen Macpherson’s shoulder length ash blonde hair swung back and forth as she shook her head.

“I was young and stupid. And I was drinking. I married her in the middle of the night in some chapel in Las Vegas and we got separated. Remember how Hal and I missed our flight and got stuck there because of a storm? By the time I got back she’d left town. Disappeared.”

“Have you talked to her at all?”

“No. Not since the night we got married.”

“You can get an annulment.”

“An annulment? That would be like the marriage never happened. Why would I do that?”

“You just said you were young and impetuous. You were drinking that night. You didn’t live together as husband and wife. If ever there was a case for an annulment, I think this is it.”

“I wouldn’t get any money from an annulment. Do you have any idea what Aurora Mendez is worth? We’re talking millions. Think about what I could do with that kind of money.”

“And do you know what divorce means? You will not be able to marry in the Catholic church. In the eyes of the church you will be committing adultery anyone else you marry. Any children you have will be considered illegitimate and you will never again be allowed to take Holy Communion. Is money really worth that? You are doing fine. You have a stable job and a house. Trying to get money from that woman is just plain greedy. And there’s no guarantee a court will give you a portion of her money. They’ll see you weren’t married in the true sense.”

“But I deserve it!” Drew’s green eyes shone. “We were supposed to go to New York together. We had plans and she just left without me. She abandoned me.” Drew’s hands shook as he spoke.

Kathleen looked at her husband, who had been silent throughout this exchange. He didn’t appear to understand, but she did. Her son may have been young and impetuous, but he had loved that girl. When she left he had been deeply hurt. He didn’t want the money out of greed, he wanted it to get back at her for leaving him. And judging from the anger in his voice just now, he still had feelings for her.