Smoke And Mirrors ***completed***

Chapter 9.

If there was ever a bonding experience between a daughter and a mother in law this come really close. It would probably be the last thing they ever did but it was worth it. Elizabeth,at least for her had always had a destructive bend but judging from Barbara's excitement she wasn't that so much but impulsive. Buoyed and carried by a moment decision oblivious to the repercussions. In the heat of the moment, tired and embarrassed to no end by her ladyship behavior in every bridal shops they had bailed on her. Left her stranded when she had gone to urinate. It was a short lived lunacy and they were already regretting it now that the fun of it all had worn off.

"She will probably have a fit if she knows I put the pot roast in the microwave instead of cooking it for twelve hours in the stove but everything seem less evil in comparison to what we have done."
Barbara said closing the microwave door.

"Do you have a bottle of good whisky here somewhere."
Elizabeth asked regretting at that moment the intelligence of quitting smoking all those years back. She would have used a good smoke to fight the mounting anxiety. She hadn't experienced Cora's wrath or seen it in play but from Barbara's explanation it was worse than bad if not worse. But Elizabeth suspected Barbara's vivid explanation was coloured by her innate fear of Cora more than anything but even otherwise it still sounded like the end of the world. Their world at least.

"As a matter of fact I have a bottle stacked away." Barbara said and went on to rummage through a cabinet, " here it is."
She gushed holding up the bottle of a very expensive whiskey.
Elizabeth took out glasses as Barbara opened the whiskey.

"Do you think may be she got run over by a bus?"
Elizabeth wondered out loudly as she took her glass and sipped. Barbara gulped hers and poured another shot.

"More like taken in by animal control for public disturbance."
Barbara grinned already feeling tipsy.

"If this is the end I would like to tell you I don't hate you at least not as much as you hate your own mother in law. As a matter of fact I see you as my own mom. You remind me so much of her."
Elizabeth said tears welling in her eyes. She had forgotten getting drunk made her sentimental

"It's still early but whichever this goes you will always be my daughter. After all i have always wanted a daughter."
Barbara said.
It had gotten getting used to to come to terms with the fact there would be no bride's family at the wedding. No mother to fight over small detail. No grandfathers with annoying habits to hate. Not even hot dads to have a stupid crush on. But with three hundred guest that fact would go unnoticed.
A wedding, in Elizabeth's opinion, was not to impress anyone but the couples day. But Barbara was of contrary opinion if her actions was anything to go by. She was using the wedding to make a statement. But Elizabeth didn't care that much after all who didn't want a big lavish wedding?
Maybe it was basic human instinct to think that if the wedding wasn't big and Lavish and done in the most public way possible it wouldn't make it anymore true or satisfactory. Which Elizabeth suspected was only a woman's thing. Men didn't seem to suffer from such lunacy. It was sheer hell to prepare such a wedding but it was worth it.
She had even invited Daisy and her whole brood. After all Daisy was a mother hen if nothing else. She still cracked up recalling the phone call to invite them to the wedding.

"Hello Sherwood resident. Whom I am speaking to please."
Barney, the loose canon in his days had answered a true paragon of good behavior. Apparently Daisy had managed to tame him and trained him. Though she wasn't proud of her behavior afterwards she had called a dozen times just to hear him say that before Daisy has answered the phone and gone on to have a good laugh about it.
She just couldn't wait to see them again and make more fun of Barney.

"My mom once told me to grow old is only way to have a long life."
Elizabeth heard herself say.

"I don't seem affected by age but I can tell you there is wisdom in that."