Marie: A True Story Novels & Stories

After making sure I had spent every last dollar of the three million, I went straight to the police station. The officer stared at me in disbelief. "Say that again. What are you here for?" "I committed marriage fraud," I said calmly. "I'm turning myself in."

“What? How? Why would they give you this much money? They hired you and paid you up front?” I sink onto the couch, exhaustion crashing into me all at once. “I didn’t work for them.” Her voice rises. “Then what did you do?” I close my eyes for a moment, then open them and meet her gaze. “They want me to marry their son.” The silence that follows feels endless. Until finally she responds. “What?!” “Two years,” I say. “A contract. A child. Then I’m free.” She stands abruptly. “No. No, absolutely not. This is insane!! This is how people disappear!! Have you never watched a crime documentary in your life?!”

If you called her a cougar or whatever hot-to-trot name the kids had come up with these days, Marie was liable to curse you out. She was anything but anybody’s cradle robber. Marie was simply Marie, an older woman who happened to be married to a younger man, and who happened to still have the goods to keep his eyes right square on her. Marie wasn’t like other women her age. Not like the ones who had settled into the grandmotherly role, and not like the ones who acted too much like their own children.

That was the name he had written in the baby’s birth certificate yesterday. His lips trembled as he inched towards the crying baby. Was he dreaming? “Why is he here?” Marie swiftly put on a façade of grief, “Sweetheart, Jane insists on paying us back every single dime we spent on her before she officially cuts ties with us. I told her it wasn’t necessary but she insisted. Little Timmy will stay with us for the time being.” Her acting put Meryl Streep’s Oscar-winning performances to shame. In reality, Marie had dabbled in shares and lost a whopping five hundred grand. She would wring that bastard of a girl dry before letting her go scot-free. Things were looking up for her, she smirked.

She wanted to know what had happened to her family. I asked if she had sent the texts. The M texts. Marie said no. She did not know about the texts. I asked if she had a knife. Or a gun. Marie said no. She was not violent. Luca asked if he could believe her. Marie said yes. We stood in silence. Then Marie started crying. She said she was sorry. Sorry for Marcus. Sorry for Lena. Sorry for the pain they had caused. Luke held her. She asked if she could meet the children.

That night—when she clung to the doorframe, insisting she had nothing to do with the kidnapping—her eyes had been so earnest and clear. When he forced her forward to make the exchange, she glanced back at him—her pale face etched with a childlike fear and helplessness. She had never lied to him in their five years of marriage. She had been as transparent as glass. When she was happy, she would smile so brightly, throwing herself into his arms. “You’re back!” When she was upset, she pouted, clinging to him, never hiding how she felt. He didn’t want to admit it—but even now, he still couldn’t accept that she was gone.

She used men with titles to get ahead and gain power. "Thanks doc, Marie says softly her voice shaking, Can I clean up now?",she was trying to move but doc stopped her. "We need blood work honey and I need to measure your belly",Marie sighs but nods as she settles down. She looks defeated as doc prints off pictures of our kids. I am smitten but I know deep down nothing will be the same once we leave this room. Spencer smiles sadly at Marie as he hands her a towel to clean off her belly. She looks devastated but is trying to hide it.

Patrick said. "What are you insinuating? He is my husband too. I am carrying his child. And who is that impostor? Lisa? The last time I checked, they ain't even married. They divorced... And by the way, who the hell are you? Am I being investigated?" Marie blurted. "Yes you are under investigation for arson and attempted murder of Mr Alexander Peterson. I am investigator Patrick," Pat said and flashed his identity card. "What?!" Marie yelled and stood to her feet. "You're a scam! You called me saying you have information concerning my husband's condition but here you are claiming to be an investigator."

I knew I'd better get my ass in gear too, because I would be spending the day with her tomorrow and had nothing to show up with! Marie was hard to buy for because she was so unique and unconventional; it was ridiculously difficult to top her lifestyle. She also had money enough to get anything she desired. She reminded me of Auntie Mame from the movie in a lot of ways. From the exotic travels to the rich dead husbands to the fantastic dresses in her wardrobe. After three quarters of an hour I gave up and started to head outside, stop- ping for a mocha coffee in the food court first. I needed the caffeine and the warmth.

The stranger sent her a glare that would melt a glacier. As the silence lingered a few seconds too long, the older woman arched one brow. “Really?” His Grandmother drawled. Anita took a deep breath. It’s now or never. “Ma’am, considering no one in your family like this marriage that includes me too, I’m going out on a limb and throwing this out there. This marriage is a sham, bullshit, and utters ridiculous. This marriage is not legal, as we don’t have a marriage license. The only people present at the wedding were my parents, my sister, Michael and Daniel, who officiated this sham wedding with pretty words.”