Skeletons in the Closet by Terry Towers

 
    Chapter 1

    "We're denied!" Nikki's blue eyes widened and her long chestnut brown hair, tied in a high ponytail swayed from side to side, as she shook her head. "You need to check that again. We are not denied."
    "Sweetie, calm down. It's a mistake." Grant slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her tight against him, placing a light kiss on the top of her head. Looking up, he gave the mousy middle-aged female clerk in the horn-rimmed glasses a friendly smile. "Can you double check on that for us? I'd be grateful if you would."
    The woman huffed and shot them an annoyed look over her glasses. "Alright. I'll see what I can find out." They watched as she stood and made her way to the back office.
    "What if it's the uncle-niece thing?" Nikki whispered, looking up at him and seeking his reassurance, that that wasn't the case.
    It had been a month since she and Grant had informed her parents of their engagement and although her parents had ultimately accepted that she and Grant were going to be getting married, there was still tension between the four of them.
    Her parents had asked that they did not ‘publically’ announce the engagement, at least not for a little while, until they got used to the idea themselves. So now when she and Grant visited Bar Harbor, they had to pretend to be nothing more than relatives. Having to lie about them being together to friends and other members of their family was beyond frustrating for Nikki. There was also the fact that the wedding was scheduled in two months’ time; if they waited much longer to announce the engagement, they'd be already married!
    "It's not. Remember that was all explained and sorted out when we applied. Nik , it's an administrative error.... That's all."
    Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the clerk heading back to the counter with a grim look on her face. Nikki winced and shot a worried glance at Grant.
    "Don't worry, I don't think she knows how to smile. You can't judge the result from the expression on her face."
    "Uh-huh."
    As she sat back down at her desk, the clerk glared at Grant. Frowning, Nikki looked up at Grant and then back to the clerk. "Is it straightened out?" she managed to squeak out, although by the disgusted look on the clerk's face she reasoned it wasn't.
    "Well, I would suggest to your fiancé , Miss Rivers, that if he wants to marry you he should consider divorcing his current wife."
    Nikki's mouth dropped as she eyed Grant's face, but his expression was unreadable. Oh-my-god!
    "Grant?" It had to be a mistake. Grant couldn't be married. He'd barely had time for a girlfriend for the most part of his life, let alone a wife!
    Grant chuckled and shook his head. "That's impossible. I'm not married, there must be some confusion."
    Nikki nodded. "Yes, it's a mistake." She let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. It was just one big, silly mistake and Grant was going to fix it now and then in two months’ time they'd be Mr And Mrs Grant Rivers. A smile touched her lips, yes it was a mistake, she was sure of it.
    The clerk heaved a loud sigh and even had the nerve to roll her eyes at Grant, before spewing off all of Grant's vitals, social security number, birthdate and so on. To each fact she recited Grant nodded the verification.
    "And you're married to a Mrs. Diana Rivers, maiden name Williams, licence issued and signed in the state of Virginia." she paused and shot him a smirk, "Oh, and look here, next Tuesday is your three year anniversary. Give your wife my congratulations will you, Mr. Rivers."
    "There must be some mistake," Nikki whispered more to herself than anyone else.
    The clerk gave Nikki a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry hun , this isn't the first time I've seen this happen. Young women coming in here, and not knowing their fiancés as well as they should..."
    Nikki shook her head and anger began to rise up within her. "No, he's my uncle for God's sake! I would think the family would know if Grant got