The Bride Experiment Read Online Free PDF Page B

the car and waited for his mother on the driver’s side. Joan had barely stepped out before James Jr. continued his pitch. “If you get into the bubbles right on target, you get fifty tokens.”
    â€œReally?” His enthusiasm was contagious. Joan looked around for any sign of James Sr. or Raquel. Not seeing anybody, she walked to the colorful door behind her son. The entire building was silver and red and looked like a spaceship ready to take off.
    Joan was opening her wallet so she could purchase a game card when Raquel walked up and handed James Jr. one. He didn’t say goodbye before he took off running, joining the other children and leaving Joan and Raquel alone.
    â€œMy fiancé is in the playroom with Alexis, since she’s too little to play with the big kids.” Raquel never missed the opportunity to let Joan know that she had a daughter by James. James had always wanted a daughter, and Raquel had given him one.
    Joan looked around to see if she could find her son in the large game room. She knew Raquel wanted to get her angry, and she refused to allow her the satisfaction. Instead of playing any of the games, her son was stuffing his face with pizza at a table in the back of the building. James Sr.’s mother, Agnes, was seated next to him. She smiled and waved at Joan.
    Raquel handed Joan a piece of metallic gold paper, with silver italic writing. “This is our itinerary for this weekend and next weekend, our wedding weekend. After we leave Cyclone, we are going to take the kids to the church for rehearsal. Only the children will rehearse this weekend. We wanted them to have extra practice before the wedding.
    â€œJames Jr. and the other children will be staying with Agnes for the rest of the weekend. So call her if you need to speak with him.”
    Joan knew she could trust Agnes with her child. She grabbed the paper and turned to leave. Raquel went on, “Tomorrow they’ll have breakfast, play a bit, then take a nap before having lunch. After lunch we’ll have another rehearsal. You can pick him up from my mother-in-law’s that evening.”
    Joan had enough and started to walk faster. Raquel kept talking. “I’m having Chick-fil-A cater for the children. Does James Jr. like nuggets? Our children certainly do, especially Alexis.”
    Joan nodded, trying to hold in her emotions. Raquel continued talking. “Next Friday, they will meet the adults in the wedding party for our official rehearsal. Then—”
    Joan stopped walking right before she reached the door and spoke. “Thank you, I see you have everything under control.”
    Joan remembered she had forgotten to say good-bye to her son and yelled out for him. James Jr. came and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you on Sunday.” She kissed him on his forehead, and he ran off to join the other children.
    Joan walked out the door. Raquel walked out right behind her. “You didn’t think this was going to happen, did you? You thought James would never make me his wife.”
    Raquel lifted up her hand to show Joan her engagement ring. “Now look at me, and look at you. I got James for life. All that free nooky you gave up, and now you don’t have nothing to show for it. I’ve got the house, the car, the kids, and the husband. You should have known better than to mess with my man.”
    â€œI know where and when you are getting married, my dear. Don’t make me watch you eat your words.” Joan opened her car door, got inside, and started her vehicle.
    Raquel looked confused. Joan rolled her window down and said, “Maybe I should come.... You know the part where the preacher says, ‘If anybody knows why these two people should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace?’ Right then, I could stand up and say, ‘Yes, I know a reason. She is a manipulative, insecure, fat, overdressed, made-up freak who couldn’t keep