Free The Ghost of Christmas Never by Linda V. Palmer

The Ghost of Christmas Never
    Blah. Blah. "...kiss the bride." Blah.
    All my hopes for Mia's future settled into a final, fatal nosedive when she kissed her new
husband. But I pasted a smile on my face and clapped along with the other three witnesses in the
rent-a-chapel, hoping everyone would think my tears resulted from joy.
    "I now present Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brody." The justice of the peace, his piano-playing
wife, and Rob's brother-slash-best man beamed at the bride and groom.
    I couldn't bear to look at them until Mia turned to me and held out her arms. Of course I
gave her the hug and the words she obviously expected. After all, her welfare had been my
responsibility for the past ten years, and even though she'd turned her life in a direction exactly
opposite to what I wanted, she was still my baby sis. "You make a beautiful bride."
    "Thank you." She released me and moved to Rob's older brother Jake. Grinning like a
goof, he lowered his video camera and scooped her up in a one-armed bear hug that made her
laugh.
    "Congrats." Jake set Mia on her feet and turned to offer the groom a handshake. "You,
too, bro."
    "Thanks."
    "There's some paperwork," said the JP, "and then you lovebirds had better hit the road. I
don't know where you're planning to honeymoon, but the streets are already treacherous, and this
snowstorm is just going to make things that much worse."
    "I've never seen anything like it." The JP's wife handed Rob some papers. "Talk about
your white Christmases... This one's going to be a white out Christmas, instead, and it has
happened so fast."
    Rob put an arm around his bride, who wore a brown off-the-shoulder sweater dress,
tights and knee boots. He wore dark pants and a leather jacket, as did his brother. I'd gone with
black everything, to match my mood. "We'll be fine. Jake's reserved three rooms at the Starlight Inn,
which isn't that far from here."
    The silver-haired JP and his wife exchanged amused glances before she spoke. "I've
never stayed at the Starlight, but I hear it's as lovely on the inside as out. It's Eureka Springs' oldest
hotel, you know, and supposedly haunted."
    Rob burst out laughing and slapped his brother on the back. "So that's why you picked
it. Should've known."
    I must've looked confused because Mia quickly filled me in. "Don't you remember me
saying Jake has his very own television show on cable? It's called "Ghost Chasers" . The pilot
aired just a month ago, and he's already been offered a multiyear contract."
    "Is that so?" I flicked a glance at Jake, surprised that someone who lived in Little Rock
could have a cable series. I suddenly understood why he hadn't cooperated when I called begging
him to help me talk our siblings out of marrying in haste. He was obviously killing two birds with
one stone and getting an episode out this. Since my sister was one of the targeted birds, I didn't
appreciate the tactic one bit and opened my mouth to say so...until caught sight of Mia's worried
eyes. I immediately switched gears. I'd get him later.
    After Rob and his bride did the legal stuff, everyone who had a coat put it on. We
exchanged cheery merry Christmases with the JP and his friendly wife, who waved their
goodbyes.
    "Don't forget the bubbles," Mia said as we started up the carpeted aisle lined with bright
red poinsettias.
    "Oh yeah." I dug into the pocket of my puff jacket for one of the tiny bottles she'd given
me before the ceremony. Glancing at Jake, I made myself ask, "Got bubbles?"
    "Excuse me?"
    I plucked out another bottle and tossed it to him. "We're supposed to blow bubbles on
the bride and groom as they leave the chapel."
    "For chrissakes."
    His response surprised me since it didn't exactly match his supportive stance. Turning
my back on him, I opened my bottle and obediently blew through the built-in loop in the lid. A
shower of bubbles floated through the air, reminding me of the days when Mia and I had done the
same thing in our two-room apartment. Though we'd both