Marriage of Unconvenience

“Do you want to stay over?” she asked a few hours later. The cannoli were long gone and it was dinner time. I had been just about to suggest that we order pizza.

“You mean like old times? We won’t get to sleep in the hayloft.” She smiled and rolled her eyes.

“I will never forget that time you told me that story about the farmer using the barn as his murder shed and that the walls were painted with the victim’s blood,” she said.

“Yeah, maybe that wasn’t the best story to tell before we went to sleep that night. Sorry about that?” Cara threw the empty cannoli box at me.

“Brat. But seriously, do you want to stay over? No murder stories this time.” The idea of going back to my apartment and being alone in my room sounded miserable, so I agreed.

“Do you mind if I go back and just grab some things real quick?”

“Not at all. I’ll go with you.” That was sweet of her, but that was the kind of friend Cara was. I hadn’t won the lottery when it came to money, but I’d won the friend lottery, that was for sure.

BY THE TIME WE GOT back to Cara’s from going to my place, we were both hungry enough to eat our rings instead of wearing them. Cara ordered pizza and I put my cutest pajamas on. She dashed out of the room and then came back in a tank top with dancing avocados on it and a pair of matching green pants.

“Oh my god, you look adorable.” I stood up and she did a little twirl.

“So you do. I love these.” She tugged at my pants that had otters all over them, including lots of otter puns. I’d fallen in love with them online and hadn’t been able to resist buying them.

I grabbed her hand and made her do a little turn under my arm. We both laughed. We’d done the same thing when we were kids after watching some old movies that had waltzing couples in them.

“How come you always get to lead?” she said, not letting go of my hand.

“Because I’m taller? I don’t know. Isn’t that how it works?” She shrugged and finally dropped my hand.

“I don’t know about that.”

We were interrupted by my phone ringing with my mother’s ringtone.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Hi, baby. How are you doing? I haven’t heard from you in a while.” That was true, I was a bad daughter sometimes and didn’t call her as much as I should.

“I’m good. Listen, I’m at Cara’s house. We’re having a sleepover tonight, like old times.”

“Oh, let me talk to her. I haven’t talked to her in a long time either. You both need to be better about that.” As far as my mom was concerned, she had two daughters instead of one. I was so glad Cara had someone who loved and cared for her as a mother.

“She’s right here,” I said, handing the phone over.

“Hey... Yeah, I know. I’m sorry, I know I should call more,” Cara said, making a face at me. She was having the same conversation with Mom.

I crashed on the couch as Cara walked around the room and chatted with Mom. At one point, she pulled the phone away and whispered to me, “do you want to tell her?”

“Now is as good a time as any,” I said.

“Hold on, I’m putting you on speaker.”

“What are you two up to? I can only imagine,” Mom said.

“Well, you know how Gram left me that money? Turns out we both kind of need it, so, uh, we’re getting married. For the money. Because we’re awful like that.”

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.

“Of course you are. Honestly, I’m not surprised at all. You should have thought of that sooner. Could have used some of it for your undergrad.”

“I mean, it’s a little late for that, but you’re okay with this, right?” I glanced at Cara. She looked worried.

“Absolutely. You know that I didn’t get along with her and she made my life hell. Did I tell you that she tried to break up your father and I more than a few times?” This was the first I was hearing of it.

“Uh, no? I didn’t know about that. I want to hear about that later, though.”

“She was a mean woman with a lot of money, and for some reason, she decided to give a lot of it to you. So take advantage. It’s not like she’s going to know or approve because she isn’t here anymore.” I could tell my mom was glad about that fact, even if she wouldn’t say it out loud.