Free In-Laws & Outlaws by Ally Gray Page B

us, all leading up to the happiest day of my life. Instead, it’s been nothing but fighting, and crying, and feeling like I don’t have anybody in the world. And now, I really don’t have anybody. I’m all alone.”
    Stacy came forward and held the younger woman tightly. “They’ll be here, Detective Sims promised me that himself. It’s just been difficult since it’s a Saturday and he has to have a judge sign their release papers. He’s working on it, though.”
    “Oh, I know. But that’s not what I meant. The whole thing, from the moment Porter first proposed, has showed me just how little they all think of each other, and of me. Every family has its problems, but I’ve always stood by them. I’ve stood up for them. And I just figured out they couldn’t do the same thing for me. Like I said, whether they get here or not, I’m all alone.”
    “No, you’re not. You’ve got a wonderful young man waiting for you, waiting to make a whole new family out of the love you share for each other. If you two can’t depend on your own families to be there for you and support your happiness, you just look forward, honey. Look ahead of you to the joy you’re going to bring to the world as husband and wife!” Stacy smiled at her, wiping tenderly at Priscilla’s tear-stained cheeks in a matronly way.
    The bride smiled weakly and nodded, and Stacy gave her one last tight embrace before leaving her to begin getting dressed. She promised she would return with news of the suspects’ release as soon as she heard anything. In the meantime, she sacrificed having her own assistant for the busy day, sending Mandy in to keep Priscilla company in the way that all of her bridesmaids should have if they weren’t sharing a cell right that moment with two hookers and a DUI.
    “Porter, you still breathing in there?” Stacy called through the closed door to the groom’s suite a few minutes later. She knocked lightly when she didn’t get an answer, then knocked louder when she still didn’t hear stirring. “I’m not afraid to have a security guy break down the door if you don’t answer!”
    God knows we have enough of them standing around doing nothing right now , she thought to herself bitterly.
    Finally, Porter opened the door, looking like death. He had on his tuxedo trousers and his undershirt, a sad-looking white t-shirt that would have to be changed before the ceremony judging by the way he was sweating. Stacy’s mind immediately went to the possibility of another prank, wondering if someone could have slipped something in his food.
    “Porter? Are you ill?” she cried, pressing a hand to his forehead to see if he was feverish. He shook his head, sending little beads of sweat flying off the ends of his damp hair.
    “No, just terrified!” he replied, opening the door and stepping back to let her come in.
    “Why are you terrified? You know Priscilla adores you! You two have been through so much to get to this day, and now that it’s here, it’s going to be wonderful!”
    “It’s not that, I know she loves me. But what if something else goes wrong? Face it, somebody died at my rehearsal dinner! What if that wasn’t the end of it?” He slumped in a wing-back chair and let his head fall to his hands.
    “Porter, I told you what happened, it had nothing to do with wanting to break you two up. That’s all over. And besides, I still haven’t been able to secure the release of your in-laws. You’re safe until a judge signs those pieces of paper. I promise!”
    “So you mean, they’re not here yet?” he demanded, looking up. He looked around the room as if that explained the absence of his groomsmen. “Priscilla is never going to go through with it! You don’t know her like I do, she’s stubborn as a mule. She’s a real fighter. It’s one of her best qualities!”
    Stacy looked around at the empty room and wondered how Porter would be holding up if his family and friends were here by his side. She somehow