Conform or Suffer: The Darkness of Beauty

Chapter 29 The Decoy Bride

Quig and Grew-Ella walked to the dining room. Madd-Ox pushed the sliding door open, making the room twice the size. Grew-Ella's family members arranged velvet-covered chairs, reused from his last attempt at getting married.

A baker placed a six-foot pink castle cake on the table.

Karen and Paul removed toy figurines and wrapped fairy lights around the cake plate, illuminating the surrounding food.

Paul waved at Quig. "The bakery had a wedding that fell through, and it was either this cake or coffin-shaped donuts. I baked the groom's cake from a sugar-free mix. Nothing too fancy, but I prepared the lemon curd filling and frosting from scratch." He rushed to the kitchen and came back with a nine-tiered layer cake with yellow frosting and blue roses.

"Our wedding cakes look amazing." Quig walked past the table and tripped on a handwoven rug that covered the floor. Photos of Grew-Ella seemed to stare at him.

Garland woven from broken and discarded flowers decorated the room. He tore a sympathy card hidden among the purple carnations strung together with white and red roses and realized the arrangement was originally meant for a funeral.

He dropped the card, wheezed, and thought, 'maybe the coffin donuts would've been fitting.'

Quig's grandmother and a few guests arrived early and made their way to their seats.

"Baby Boy, I'm sad Ida couldn't be here, but she is alive. If I raised her, she wouldn't have gone to a drive-through plastic surgeon when she turned fourteen."

"Ida thought Grew-Ella loved me," Quig said.

Snake Boy climbed into his chair and read over a book titled Haunted Lizard Farms. He waved at Avery-Joy.

Avery-Joy hugged him and then Betsy and left to sit next to the bridal and groom party.

Quig played with Grew-Ella's hair and nuzzled his nose near her cheek to fool the guests.

"Marriages in the Ivy Kingdom take place in a yearly festival," Ruby said.

Dot winked. "Grew-Ella, you're lucky to be marrying a guy as sweet as my brother."

Grew-Ella nodded, 'yes,' but she didn't say she loved him. She couldn't say it.

Quig's grandmother hugged Ruby and showed Ruby Grew-Ella's nuptial bracelet. "Quig and I strung it together when he was thirteen."

"Your work is lovely," Nurse Ruby said.

Dot stood up. "Quig chose me to represent the female side of our family." She turned to Nan-Gran. "You're not upset that he didn't choose you, are you?"

"He asked me to co-represent, but when I'm a helper at someone's wedding, it never happens. Which is why I offered to stand for Ann," Nan-Gran said.

Dot hurried off and stood next to Grew-Ella's parents.

"I'm going to change." Grew-Ella bounced as she ascended upstairs.

Rodrick followed her, unseen.

Ten Minutes Later:

"Are you alright?" Rodrick asked.

Grew-Ella stared up at the tall and muscular man.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to sell you to the workhouse." He lowered his head for a moment. "They'll give Quig reject status if you run. The paperwork is already signed."

Grew-Ella trembled and narrowed her eyes. "Neither of us will run." She walked into her bedroom and slammed the door shut.

Rodrick walked downstairs and overheard Quig talking to the reverend.