The Masked Dance Part 1

Chapter 183

The Masked Dance

Part 1

Mom seemed quite pleased with herself the moment I hung up the phone, she got the jest of it hearing my grandmother screaming from the other end of it that she was not pleased about finding out some time from the last time I had talked to her that I had gone to Texas and most of all gotten married not only to 2 girls but a boy as well.

I didn’t dare tell her about the fact they were both pregnant, or why or anything regarding the Satanic Church. I thought I had enough on my plate before we opened that can a worms it was bad enough that Mom had me invite her to my wedding this weekend. I knew she would come in fact she instead upon it. Yet she still wanted a wedding invitation, Stringum assured us that he, new guy and he new guy that could have it done quickly and professionally and still have them sent out before the weekend.

Again he didn’t care about the expense and decided that it would not only serve our needs but his as well. It was going to be big “Hooten nanny,” his words which means a very big deal. With making the news and the newspaper; they decided that too keep the cover story that Nate Carrion one of the youngest billionaires who is tying the knot that will be married on Friday at Castle Park in Lindon Utah one of the biggest reception halls not more than an hours drive from Heber City. He would have several wedding invitations printed and ready to send out at the party tonight. 

Plus his marriage and Tony’s as well Jody’s and Dave’s. Mom frowned at the idea of sharing our weddings, but then again he was the one willing to spare no expense. He wanted to put on a show. So Landan not only had to juggle tonight’s party but make preparations for our big wedding. It didn’t bother him knowing we would most likely be having a third wedding in the satanic church. He only said. “If you did it once you can do it again.” And he was right; it was just the idea of having to sacrifice two more doves and two more lambs that bothered me the most.

Tony said something about finalizing details of our brand new cover story, which required some fancy footwork regarding if we didn’t have to change their names, but Stringum pointed out that he could make it so that it wasn’t necessary with a little green stuff to the right people, after questioning Eli’s Dad on how and who he needed to contact. Replacing one name with another for the big wigs at top and down here with little cash to switch them again like they did with Eli’s dead sister when she died during a miscarriage; stating ‘if you did it once you can do it again,’ more so if they are too busy chasing their own tails back in Texas trying to deal with the fallout. We called it stage one to see how fast they would react when a small coven disappeared off the map stating It was barely functioning as it is that they might consider it nothing more then mosque bite.

Stringum reminded Mom that tailor would be here at 1 and photographer at 2. So we could have our pictures for the wedding invitations for tonight’s party. Mom cringed said. “Then we better hurry considering it’s almost 10 now.”  Mom quickly made sure she had everything our sizes and most important the company credit card.  Landan opened the door to our limo, he didn’t join us as he reminds the driver that we needed to be back by no later than 12:30 or he’ll hunt him down personally and kill him. He gave a quick nodded making sure we had every, thing, wheelchair eye patch, and money.

Mom waved the credit card and I raised the silver briefcase that held another 250 thousand dollars inside just in case. I had learned that they had easily made that back and then some after the last night’s raid. Eli gasped when I had opened the briefcase; even more so when I gave them each two bundles of 100 dollar bills, said. “A little payback for what they did to you over the years. Besides where they're going they won’t be needing it.” I didn’t elaborate it, because I simply didn’t care. I didn’t even care about where they stashed Arthur, considering I had yet to see him, wherever he is I am sure he’s not happy and if is he won’t be after tomorrow.

Mom was quick when she didn’t have to worry about prices tags she held up the clothes to Eli and had the girls try on several outfits with several matching shoes and handbags and lots of makeup. While she quickly went down the list: Sneakers, Dress shoes, Socks, Dress socks, boxers, and pants. Grabbing large stacks of them and putting them in the shopping cart all with Eli’s name on it, for school and for church. Including several white shirts and ties; he like me would be wearing at least a two-piece suit to church at LDS church nearby, well nearby enough that satanic church wouldn’t bother looking.

Mom insisted that Eli and the girls keep their first names, but they hadn’t agreed on the last name, other then the Rhoda would become Carrion once we married again. Stringum said they could keep their last names if they wanted which was Alden considering it was a common name. It just became complicated because Eli was to be married to me as well so we had to think what to do about Jackie’s.

That was until Eli said that when his Dad married plural wives and husbands everyone kept the same last name as his because he was the one that held the most money and power in the family and the church. Mom said fine and it was decided the four of us would keep the name Carrion and use Eli’s and Rhoda fathers last name Alden as a middle name to honor him. Jackie would use her family name Krandle as her maiden name. She said.” It’s all pretend anyway, mostly.” Stating she had ended the debate.

She was starting to warm up to the idea of me not only having a wife but a husband because it was unique that not everyone in the world had that option of having both, more so a 16 almost 17-year-old teenage boy. It wasn’t common all that common to be married at 16 like it was back in the olden days, but it does happen. Law of Utah states: If you are 16-17 years of age, you will need parental consent to apply for a marriage license. If you are 15 years of age, you will need not only parental consent but also the consent from the Juvenile Court.

My adoptive parents would be giving me the consent to be married as Nate Carrion and Eli’s Dad would be giving consent for him and his sister as well as Jackie because she no longer had parents and they had given Eli’s Dad prenatal consent to raise her; which was one of the things Landan and Tony were doing with Stringum’s help and contacts. Like producing birth certificates (making them) and completing a marriage license for all four of us and for Tony, 

Stringum's and Jody, and wanting it in his hot little hands by tonight. Including pictures, fingerprints stating they are who we say we are. So by the time we go to school and register that there will be no secret that we were married. Not even the Satanic Church could dispute that. Like I said it’s going to be big, one of the biggest fake and real marriages of a lifetime.

We just made it back in time as we pulled back up to the cabin at 12:30 on the dot noticing a huge van unloading our wedding presents. We were given the choice of opening them now or wait until Friday night now that that Stringum has set a date at Castle Park in Lindon renting the entire building. He was on the phone with the well-known baker for his cakes I didn’t catch the name, but I did gag at the price of the cake, seeing the number written down that read 300,000 dollars. Moms eyes popped out said. “You got to be kidding for a piece of lousy cake.”

The girls quickly ganged up on him said “No way, not for cake.” Stringum said. “But…” He compromised until the cake price went all the way down 10,000 telling them over the phone. “It better look expensive Gregory or it will be your head.”

Mom said. “It might as well be dipped in gold bars.” Then told Stringum that it better not be, knowing he’d think about putting gold bars on the table with a bride and groom on top.

He said. “You women drive a hard bargain.”

They said. “We may be rich, but we aren’t stupid. Money is money.”

The next few hours went by like whirlwind rushing here and there, snapping pictures here and there... people running this way and that way; the phones constantly ringing always verifying this and that; clothes, makeup, hair. It was a flurry of things that needed to be done. It was nearly Four thirty before everything slowed down as everyone paced watching the time as we waited for the rest of my friends and their parents from Highland to come back.

Stringum had worked out a fair arrangement. He couldn’t get Bishop Sakes to budge no matter how much money he threw at him, but he did manage to talk him into baptizing them all on Friday morning early like the crack of dawn; staying true to his word. Stringum wasn’t about to attend another satanic service without getting his big new stick. The temple marriage wasn’t doable no matter who he talked too. Unless you were a member of the church for a period of time liked 6 months to a year, and reformed to their standards like no drinking or smoking that included cigars.

The hardest things he and Tony could get away with were coffee tea and a can of Coke or Pepsi. Plus they had to have the have the missionary discussions and that meant having missionaries being snuck in under the fence it was either that or no deal and it didn’t matter how high he went they weren’t budging. Jeff said it was a start he could live with that, regarding the deal he made with Tony. And if Stringum was a good boy he was willing to make a compromise, but not until he knew he wouldn’t back down.

Stringum looked hurt when I told him that, he said. “Why doesn’t he trust me? I am an honest businessman, mostly.”

I said. “It’s the mostly he is concerned about.” He felt robbed that Tony was getting a better deal than him because he too wanted a special friend like Jeff. Plus Stringum knew me longer then Tony did and so reminded that maybe that was the reason why he was being harder on him. Because he knew Stringum and his way of business deals; Stringum still felt he was getting cheated, but it wasn’t up to me it was up to Jeff.

The people he was able to talk into moving down here with us was Couch Brady and Adams family that had been offered jobs at Heber High School with the help of Stringum putting in a good word which I assumed it had to do with greasing a few palms and donation or too the school. Plus I had feeling it was little more on the heavy side in regards of money that made the deal sound more than fair. Stringum liked having friends because you never knew when you would need a favor from a friend.

Jake's parents too had decided the offer was too much to pass up and besides they really couldn’t forgive the people in our neighborhood for what happened said; ‘if the Rothwell’s weren’t going to be there they weren’t,’ plus they really like working for Mr. and Mrs. Vincent. Mom and Dad liked the idea of sharing this cabin with the Vincent’s and Mr. Stringum until he built his large one above us. With Doty and her family living just down the road from us and Adams family the Tomas’s until they can build a smaller cabin in our brand new elite closed gate community,

Coach Brady was still single so he would be staying with us until he can find a little cottage just for him had taken the job as Head Coach at Heber High and has given his two-week notice staying long enough to end the term or first quarter. Stating he might be considering finding a little woman to settle down with here and perhaps become a nudist. Said for us not change one single thing about us, but he did have his eye on Mrs. Hothner. And if things work out she might be the little woman he was thinking about settling down with.

But for now, her plans were to finish the school year at American Fork High School and see where their relationship takes them. Jeff said it was a match made in heaven. That she’ll follow him quicker than he thinks finding that she can’t live without him. Something said they had been seeing each other for a long time.

My three best friends, however, decided to move to another neighborhood. Not wanting to be anywhere near the satanic church until it was no longer a threat here. But however, would be willing to move three towns away if Stringum was willing to hire them to run one of his stores that he was considering to open down here. He couldn’t pass up that opportunity so they compromised and the deal was struck. The neighborhood was going to pot quicker now that Crawford and his people tainted it. Mom and Dad were still trying too decided what to do about the house and the things in it. But Stringum settled the argument and bought it from them and everything inside of it except for the things Mom and Dad refused to part with.

So at the moment everything has or is in the process of being put into storage Dad had given Stringum the key on Monday after dropping me off at the boarding school and ever since then everything has been moving quickly. I have been told that Stringum had purchased a large moving company adding to the other business he owns and using the company to move everyone that wants to get the hell out of dodge or Highland. I have been told that it looks like the whole neighborhood was a mess of cars and moving Vans that it required a full-time squad of police cars to ensure the safety of the road and moving traffic. Mom wasn’t kidding when she told Jody ‘a lot can happen in three days.’