In-Laws & Outlaws Read Online Free
Author: Ally Gray
the task.
“I’ve called you all here to tell you to stop it. Now. There will be no more nastiness, no more hatred, no more ugliness. Even if you didn’t care for your own children, you are required by law to care about my property and the physical safety of my staff members. I won’t hesitate to call the police and have the guilty parties arrested for as many crimes as I can get to stick. Not only will I inform them about all of your little games, I will ask them for help in coming up with new crimes to charge you with. You will have shot JFK by the time I’m done accusing you to the authorities, do I make myself clear?”
Her forceful tone was working on most of the group, and Stacy continued to rise to the occasion in order to secure her own safety and that of the company, even if she couldn’t hope to actually change these people’s attitudes and behavior towards the hapless bride and groom.
“And if any of you still need convincing, I have this,” she declared, reaching into her leather folder and withdrawing a piece of paper that she held up for all to see. “Don’t bother trying to strain, there’s a copy for each of you. It’s required by law that you be provided with your own copy. This is a restraining order. If any of you comes within 200 feet of this property, or of Priscilla or Porter, between tonight’s rehearsal and the wedding reception, you will be arrested. Does everyone understand what that means? Arrested? As in, you will have your hands ziptied behind your back before you’re placed on the ground, awaiting transport to the county jail? You are to attend the ceremony while standing a safe distance from the happy couple. You will eat food, you will dance, you will smile, then you will be gone. No one is to interfere with their wedding, or I will make sure you suffer.”
A few of the previously proud faces looked partially sheepish, so Stacy knew they’d understood her meaning. She smiled triumphantly at the group for only a second before one tiny, wrinkled, old woman climbed to her feet with no small amount of effort. She looked around the room, staring into each and every face, both those in her family and in the family of her mortal enemies. She drew herself up to her full height—which couldn’t have topped out at five feet—and turned to the front. Stacy smiled at her weakly, pleased to have gotten through to at least one person in the room long enough to make an ally of her. Her hopes were crushed when the woman spoke.
“Those two young ‘uns are gettin’ married over my dead body.”
Chapter 5
A s was her custom , Stacy greeted the bride and groom when they arrived for the rehearsal and escorted them to a small office near her assistant’s desk. She would send the minister in momentarily, after giving the happy couple a few moments to themselves to let the reality of it all sink in. By this time the following day, they would be married, and that was usually a breathtaking feeling for most couples.
Next, the families would arrive, and would usually be seated somewhere pleasant where they could chat, visit, and snack on the delicate hors d’oeuvres and heartier finger foods that the groom’s family provided while they counted down the moments until their two families were joined together.
Instead, Stacy ordered the relatives from the Lancasters and Hardys to be escorted from the room where she’d attempted to talk some sense into them. They were brought to the large gathering hall in the rear of the building, the one specially built for indoor events, and lined up against the two walls. She had already ordered the groom’s family’s covered dishes to be divided up and placed on two separate tables, one for each clan, so there would be no need to mingle.
The music started and everyone took their seats. All conversation ceased and all eyes turned to the back of the room where the bride entered on her father’s arm. Priscilla had only taken one step towards the front
“I’ve called you all here to tell you to stop it. Now. There will be no more nastiness, no more hatred, no more ugliness. Even if you didn’t care for your own children, you are required by law to care about my property and the physical safety of my staff members. I won’t hesitate to call the police and have the guilty parties arrested for as many crimes as I can get to stick. Not only will I inform them about all of your little games, I will ask them for help in coming up with new crimes to charge you with. You will have shot JFK by the time I’m done accusing you to the authorities, do I make myself clear?”
Her forceful tone was working on most of the group, and Stacy continued to rise to the occasion in order to secure her own safety and that of the company, even if she couldn’t hope to actually change these people’s attitudes and behavior towards the hapless bride and groom.
“And if any of you still need convincing, I have this,” she declared, reaching into her leather folder and withdrawing a piece of paper that she held up for all to see. “Don’t bother trying to strain, there’s a copy for each of you. It’s required by law that you be provided with your own copy. This is a restraining order. If any of you comes within 200 feet of this property, or of Priscilla or Porter, between tonight’s rehearsal and the wedding reception, you will be arrested. Does everyone understand what that means? Arrested? As in, you will have your hands ziptied behind your back before you’re placed on the ground, awaiting transport to the county jail? You are to attend the ceremony while standing a safe distance from the happy couple. You will eat food, you will dance, you will smile, then you will be gone. No one is to interfere with their wedding, or I will make sure you suffer.”
A few of the previously proud faces looked partially sheepish, so Stacy knew they’d understood her meaning. She smiled triumphantly at the group for only a second before one tiny, wrinkled, old woman climbed to her feet with no small amount of effort. She looked around the room, staring into each and every face, both those in her family and in the family of her mortal enemies. She drew herself up to her full height—which couldn’t have topped out at five feet—and turned to the front. Stacy smiled at her weakly, pleased to have gotten through to at least one person in the room long enough to make an ally of her. Her hopes were crushed when the woman spoke.
“Those two young ‘uns are gettin’ married over my dead body.”
Chapter 5
A s was her custom , Stacy greeted the bride and groom when they arrived for the rehearsal and escorted them to a small office near her assistant’s desk. She would send the minister in momentarily, after giving the happy couple a few moments to themselves to let the reality of it all sink in. By this time the following day, they would be married, and that was usually a breathtaking feeling for most couples.
Next, the families would arrive, and would usually be seated somewhere pleasant where they could chat, visit, and snack on the delicate hors d’oeuvres and heartier finger foods that the groom’s family provided while they counted down the moments until their two families were joined together.
Instead, Stacy ordered the relatives from the Lancasters and Hardys to be escorted from the room where she’d attempted to talk some sense into them. They were brought to the large gathering hall in the rear of the building, the one specially built for indoor events, and lined up against the two walls. She had already ordered the groom’s family’s covered dishes to be divided up and placed on two separate tables, one for each clan, so there would be no need to mingle.
The music started and everyone took their seats. All conversation ceased and all eyes turned to the back of the room where the bride entered on her father’s arm. Priscilla had only taken one step towards the front
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