Excerpt of My Invisible Husband by Shelia M. Goss

Congratulations on your wedding, Nikki.”

“Thank you,” Nikki Montana replied as she looked
up into the eyes of her co-worker, Kenneth Capers.

“When will we get to meet the lucky groom?”
Kenneth asked as he ate the last bite of cake on his
plate.

Her eyes darted downwards as she repeated to him
the response she had rehearsed and given everyone all
day. “As soon as his schedule allows, I’ll bring him up to
the office for everyone to meet.”

Nikki thanked everyone for coming to the wedding
shower her manager insisted the department throw for her.
As an account executive at Midas Touch, Nikki was
responsible for coming up with innovative advertising
campaigns. Her accounts consisted of small to global
companies in all types of industries. She had been
receiving gifts from her clients all week. Deep down
inside she felt guilty about accepting the gifts her co-
workers and clients so thoughtfully picked out. She
glanced at her watch. Her plane for Las Vegas would be
leaving in less than twenty-four hours so she knew she had
to get home to do some last minute packing. And when she
returned to work a week later, she would be a married
woman.

Some of her co-workers helped carry her gifts to
her car, congratulating her once more along the way. For
the rainy season of April, it was a beautiful sun shining
spring day and under normal circumstances she would have
driven with the top down on her convertible candy apple
red BMW, but today she had to worry about the trail of
gifts and cards that she could possibly leave down the
highway. So the windows being partially rolled down would
have to suffice.

As Nikki stopped at a red light, the passenger
in a midnight-blue SUV that was stopped next to her
attempted to flirt with her, but she ignored his advances.
As she sped away, she heard him yell obscenities at her.

“That’s why I didn’t acknowledge your
existence,” she blurted out.

She drove the rest of the way home listening to one of
her favorite Dallas radio stations. “The Drive at Five”
radio mix always calmed her nerves during rush hour
traffic.

When she pulled into the driveway of her two-bedroom ranch
style home, she spotted a familiar car. It belong to none
other than her best friend, Charlotte. Nikki had hoped to
avoid Charlotte until after her return trip from Las
Vegas, but luck wasn’t on her side.

Nikki got out of the car, deciding to come back for the
gifts and cards later. When Charlotte saw Nikki get out
of her car, she got out of hers as well. The two greeted
each other without speaking a word, but with a hug only.
Nikki could sense that Charlotte wanted to explode with
words, but as she followed her up the sidewalk and to the
doorstep, she stood silently until Nikki unlocked the
front door and the two entered.

“How could you plan on sneaking to Vegas without a
word?” Charlotte said, closing the door behind her. “I
had to find out from your sister that you were leaving in
the morning.”

Nikki knew that she wouldn’t be able to keep her
secret for long and really needed someone to confide
in. “If you give me a minute to get settled, I’ll explain
everything,” she said, setting her keys and purse down on
the living room end table.

Charlotte crossed her arms and with an attitude
responded, “You’d better, because we’ve been friends far
too long for me to hear about this from someone else.
This really hurts. I thought we were close, but I guess I
was wrong.”

“Calm down. I’ll explain it all in a minute,” Nikki
announced, trying to calm her friend down.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “Whatever. You definitely
have some explaining to do, missy.”

“Make yourself at home,” Nikki said, as she headed towards
her bedroom. “I’ll be right back.”

When Nikki returned to the living room she could hear some
rustling around in the kitchen, where Charlotte was making
herself a turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich. Nikki went
into the kitchen and took a seat on one of the wooden
barstools at the island and sat silently until Charlotte
finished making her sandwich and joined her on the
barstool next to her.

She and Charlotte had been friends and inseparable
since first grade. Although they each had siblings, they
were more like sisters. They were both five feet eight
inches tall and wore their hair in a short Halle Berry
style that was made famous years ago. Although both were
attractive, Nikki’s breasts were larger and her sparkling
hazel eyes usually captivated most men. Charlotte, on the
other hand, was well proportioned and had legs to put Tina
Turner to shame. When it came to dealing with issues,
especially issues that involved men, they were complete
opposites.

Nikki cleared her throat. “I know what I’m about to
tell you might sound crazy, but please hear me out before
you interrupt.”

Charlotte took a bite of her sandwich and after
swallowing said, “Sure.” She continued to eat while
listening to Nikki.

“I’m going to Las Vegas because everyone thinks the
ring I’m wearing is an engagement ring.”

“Okay, I know that much,” Charlotte said in a nonchalant
tone.

“And they think I’m going to Vegas to marry my fiancé.”

Charlotte almost choked. “What in the world? What
fiancé? How could you keep something like this from me?
Who is he? Do I know him?”

Nikki waited for Charlotte to stop blurting out
questions. “Are you through so I can finish?”

Charlotte took a sip of her drink. “Go ahead,” she
said as she looked at Nikki in amazement.

“The key word is everyone thinks. I’m tired of
everyone asking me about my personal life…asking me when
I’m going to settle down. The idea hit me after I saw this
lady do it in a movie.”

“Uh huh,” Charlotte said as she stared at her in
disbelief. “The idea of what?”

“If everyone thinks I’m married, maybe they’ll stop
asking me about my love life. Then I can go on with my
life worry free. I won’t have to worry about being thirty-
four and unmarried. And I sure won’t have to listen to
the countless questions about why, when, etcetera.”

Charlotte put her drink down and pushed her plate
away. “So you’re telling me you’ve planned a fake wedding
and everyone, including your family, thinks you’re going
to Las Vegas to get married?”

“Yes,” Nikki said, putting her head down in shame.

Charlotte looked at her with such pity before bursting
out into laughter. “Girl, are you crazy? How in the world
do you think you’re going to pull it off? You do have to
come back. And when you do come back, without a husband I
might add, what will you tell everyone?”

“Actually, I’ve told everyone he travels a lot and
when he’s in town, we only have time for each other.”

“You’ve been setting this up for awhile. I thought you
bought the ring to ward off men you didn’t want to talk
to. I never thought you would do something this stupid.”

Nikki defended herself. “I don’t think it’s stupid at
all,” she said getting up from the barstool and began
pacing. “Besides, I’m due for a vacation and this will
keep people out of my business, especially the people at
the office. Now maybe my director will stop flirting with
me every chance he gets.”

Charlotte shook her head and said, “I can see you
telling those busybodies at work, but did you have to lie
to your own family?”

“You know my family. They’re as bad as my co-workers,”
Nikki said, throwing her hands up. “You know for yourself
that they’re always asking me when I’m going to settle
down. I’m sick and tired of being made to feel like
something is wrong with me because I’m not married,” Nikki
said, in frustration.

“I hear you, but still this is going to back fire and
then what?”

“This will bide me some time. I can always tell them
it didn’t work out and I got a quick divorce.”

“Sounds like you’ve thought of everything.”

Nikki walked towards the side door of her house, which
was off the kitchen. “I sure did. Now help me get my
wedding presents out of the car.”

Charlotte shook her head and began to chuckle. “Girl,
all I can say is you’re something else and watching you
work your way through this one is going to be good!”