That morning Tia
stumbled over to her best friend Melissa's house. She knocked on the door and
Melissa opened it staring at her wide eyed.
"Tia, what the heck happened to you?"
"Ugh." Tia moaned.
"The kids and Mark are away at his mother's for the week
so you can come in. Todd's here."
Melissa led Tia into the family room. She knew Todd would be
happy because he had once told Melissa that he liked Tia. Tia walked over and
flopped down on the couch. "Now what happened, Tia?"
"I was at this party. I must have drank a lot because I
don't remember. It was party for the young men who just joined the army."
"You don't remember anything?" Todd asked.
"Hardly. There was dancing. And the party moved to this
one place. Someone got married I think."
Melissa glanced at Tia and gasped. "Tia what's that ring
on your ring finger?"
Tia gaped. "Maybe it wasn't a dream."
Melissa looked at her sharply. "Tia, what the heck
happened?"
"There were a bunch of people I think. And I'm sure that
someone said, wouldn't it be great if we all got married."
Todd paled, "You didn't."
Tia nodded, "I remember we went to the county and got
married at this one place."
Melissa smiled. "All we have to do is go down there and
get the marriage annulled."
Tia groaned. "We used fake names."
Melissa sighed, "What did you use. And him, for that
matter?"
"I don't know."
Todd cried, "Try to remember!"
Melissa nodded, "What did he look like?"
"He was tall and had brown hair."
Melissa smiled, "Good. What else?"
"I don't know."
Todd moaned, "We really narrowed that one down!"
Tia gasped, "I think he was something like
Ratjkwatjec"
"What?" Todd and Melissa shouted.
"Ratjkwatjec."
Melissa sighed. "This is a real mess. He looks like half
the guys in Florida, he's gone to the army base, you'll never see him again, and
you can't get it annulled."
They sat there in silence for a while until Todd said happily
"I have an idea. We go down to that city hall building. We'll annul the
wedding! I'll pose as the other guy cause I'm tall and have brown hair. I'll
borrow a army uniform. We'll sign it using the same
fake names!"
Melissa laughed. "That's crazy! It would never
work!"
Tia sat up. "It would!"
* * * * *
The next night
Tia and Todd were driving out to San Hermosa to redo the wedding. Todd had
managed to get a army uniform by borrowing one from a friend who used to be in
the army. When they finally reached the place they got out of his car and walked
in.
"We'd like to, uh...annul your wedding." Tia stammered.
Todd was also shaking. They were both very nervous.
The court asked a bunch of questions and Todd and Tia replied
stammering over every word."
Todd leaned over and squeezed Tia's hand, a million sparks shooting
through his body.
"That will be 20 dollars and sign here."
Tia paid him and they started to sign the form.
Tia signed it:
Amanda
McDermott
But when Todd
went to sign it:
Todd Wilkins
The court secretary looked at him. "I thought you said your name was Rats something."
Todd froze, "Well it is..."
"What is this? I'm going to call the police."
Tia and Todd looked at each other with horror. What was going
to happen to them?
