Same Day, Afternoon:

Quig walked past the brown pillars on the porch and knocked on Karen's door with his quivering hands.

Grew-Ella allowed him to enter and adjusted the strap of her muted green jumper. Her fidgety hands tapped on a glass table, decorated with glitter-filled snow globes, as a fashion doll-sized merry-go-round rotated and played a soft melody. Her lips trembled, but she didn't speak.

The carnations Dot strung together earlier decorated the entryway, and the room appeared enchanted.

Junior ran past her and Quig with Betsy, almost knocking into them as he yelled over his phone. "Not another word. You adopted me at 20, and I don't owe you anything." He spoke to Silvan-Mack again. "You're on speakerphone, but the media isn't here yet." Junior handed Betsy to Grew-Ella.

"I'll cancel them all," Prime Minister Silvan-Mack yelled.

"They married last night, and there is nothing you can do because Phyllis's time travel device is busted. I examined the unredacted parts of your NDA, and Quig qualifies; you'll have to show me the full contract to prove that he doesn't. If more funds are missing, blame Zoreon. Your friendship with him is why everyone voted you out." Junior ran to a guest bedroom and slammed the door.

Grew-Ella's wings twitched, and she lifted two inches off the hand-painted mosaic floor tiles.

"You'll be okay." Betsy hugged her and ran to Dot's mother and Ruby. *

The Brownstone, Early Evening:

Grew-Ella's white dress twinkled with flecks of muted green crystals sewn into the corseted bodice, and it gave the illusion the dress wasn't white. She adjusted a crown of orange flowers.

A few trusted family members attended the wedding, including her birth mother, but most of the guests were Kindness Rebels.

Karen and Madd-Ox sat in the seat next to Dot. They opened the incense box.

All three lit the traditional, lemon-scented wedding incense.

Purple and yellow smoke lifted to the sky, taking with it any malevolent spirits that wished to harm the couple.

Avery, as the best gal, trailed behind the wedding couple with a handful of paper moths.

Quig and Grew-Ella placed their hands over each other to feel their hearts beating. They recited their vows in unison. "Friends forever... Hearts connected as one."

Grew-Ella kissed him, and the pressure of his soft lips against hers felt wonderful. The new bride dragged Quig to her and kissed him repeatedly.

"Everyone is staring at you because you're breathtaking," Quig said as he broke away from the last kiss.

"You clean up well yourself." She clutched him even more tightly.

Chase and Tiffany played wedding singers. They sang an unusual medley from some long-forgotten TV musical for the guests, and their voices were beautiful. The bracelet sparkled on Tiffany's wrist and reflected her eye color.

Chase ended with the song, "I am a Pirate King," and the guests sang along.

Madd-Ox and Junior's sister sang next, and they stared into each other's eyes while they sang "I Wanna be Loved by You."

"Time for the DJ," Madd-Ox said to the guests.

Everyone pushed their chairs back.

Quig wrapped his arm around Grew-Ella's waist. For a moment, they forgot to be nervous and danced for an hour.

They accidentally bumped into Grew-Ella's brother, Madd-Ox.

"Sorry," Grew-Ella said.

"You two are too in love to notice." Junior's sister touched her auburn hair to make sure it wasn't out of place and straightened her modest, muted green ball gown.

Karen brought out a cake, and the guests hit their slices until candy corn fell on the plate.

Grew-Ella spoke to her mother after she ate. "Mom Karen, I have only spoken to my first mother for 10 minutes, and I don't want her to think I'm ignoring her."

"She headed to bed already. Chat with her in the morning."

*

Brownstone at Nightfall:

"I sparkle pony you," Grew-Ella said to Quig.

"You're adorable, but what does that mean?" He kissed her forehead.

"I'm just tired." Grew-Ella guided Quig to their assigned guest bedroom and locked the door.

*

2:30, Morning:

Nightmares of a different wedding filled Grew-Ella's mind.

Phyllis wrapped chains around her wrist. "You hoped I wouldn't find out!"

"I kept my promise."

Phyllis kicked her. "You don't deserve happiness. I told you that you couldn't admit that you loved him if you didn't confess you were the rebel queen or tell me who she is. Who is she? Who will destroy our beauty laws and our kingdom?"

"I refuse to give her up," Grew-Ella yelled. "I'll never betray her."

Phyllis kicked her in the shin and yanked her hair.

A tear rolled down Grew-Ella's face. She had lost.

Quig lips trembled, and he tried to flee with her. "Nothing is your fault. Run!"

Three squad members dragged Grew-Ella out of the side door and shoved her into a limo.

Dot pulled the door open before Phyllis could latch it. Chase followed behind, dressed as a wedding singer.

Phyllis's lips spread into a grin as she attempted to slug Dot.

Chase touched his ex-wife's glowing temporal watch. "Dot, use your time travel device now, hers isn't working!"

Dot turned on her temporal watch and punched her rival in the face. "Girlie, I have sixty pounds on a weakling like you, and I'll change the wedding date, not that you'll remember."

*

Grew-Ella woke up, and she was in bed, and Quig was asleep beside her. She snuggled next to him.

*

Brownstone, in the Kitchen:

Grew-Ella's bio mother chatted with Karen, Quig, and Grew-Ella and then left for work.

Quig stumbled over his words. "Grew-Ella, you...look fantastic." His fingers moved her brown hair out of her face.

"I'm not wearing any cosmetics," she said.

He kissed her cheek. "I know."

She made a half-heart symbol with her hands.

"Quig, are you sure you don't want a scone?" Karen asked.

"I have to prepare the apartment, but maybe just one." Quig sat down, broke a scone open, spread raspberry jam on it, and took a bite.

Karen poured him a cup of hot chocolate. "I also prepared fried eggs and chickpea sausages."

"Oh, I love eggs and breakfast sausages." Quig selected three sausage patties and one egg. "But I love Grew-Ella more."

Grew-Ella rested her head on his shoulder, but she didn't say I love you.

He laughed nervously, ate his breakfast, and took another scone. His wings twitched widely.

Grew-Ella rubbed his shoulders. She selected a scone and a carrot cake muffin.

Chase entered the home, and Phyllis darted behind him and thrust a milkshake in Grew-Ella's face. "Sis, I bought you a gift."

"No, thank you; I prefer my hot chocolate," Grew-Ella said stiffly.

"Don't be rude. You have to drink it, or you're violating the contract." Phyllis attempted to pour it into her sister's mouth.

Quig snatched the shake and discarded it in the trash. "Who knows what garbage it's spiked with? You spiked Chase's drinks."

"Phyllis, you spiked his drinks too?" Karen stood up. "Get out of my house!"

"Chase is my ex-husband, but he still adores me." Phyllis jumped up and down on the ground. "I'm here to pick up Grew-Ella and stop the wedding."

Grew-Ella handed Chase a cup of hot chocolate and a chocolate chip scone.

Chase sat down and enjoyed his breakfast. "I was forced to be engaged to Grew-Ella or my ex would kill..."

Phyllis covered his mouth with her hand.

Chase licked it, and he kept talking. "Kill me and sell Grew-Ella, but my ex-wife failed. Quig and Grew-Ella are already married, but she never listens to my radio show, so she missed the announcement." He finished his hot chocolate and poured himself another.

"Liar, their wedding is Monday," Phyllis said.

"We got married a couple of days ago." Grew-Ella poured a glass of orange juice.

"Someone tricked me into thinking Grew-Ella was at the aquarium and prevented me from stopping this travesty of a wedding. Her phone app was supposed to track her."

"I wonder how it got deleted," Chase said.

Phyllis snatched the full pitcher and poured it on Chase's head.

Quig offered Chase a kitchen towel. "It was already too late; Phyllis, what is wrong with you?"

"You're lying. It's fake because I say it's fake and Zoreon wants her." She grabbed a scone and lobbed it at Quig's head.

"Zoreon was turned to ash by the executioners," Quig said as he finished his hot chocolate.

"What happened?" Phyllis asked.

Quig stood up and got in between Phyllis and Chase. "He came in unconscious, but the executioners realized he was still breathing and cremated him, anyway."

"Prime Minister Silvan-Mack will still force an annulment because it's not a real marriage," Phyllis said.

Quig blushed and reached for another scone. "Um, Grew-Ella and... I wouldn't qualify for an annulment; not...that...it's any of your business."

"My sister is hideously ugly. Why would you touch her? I might be almost 51, but I can still have kids, unlike her, and I'm not a neurodivergent freak of nature." Phyllis lunged at him.

Quig shrugged. "But I'm also a neurodivergent weirdo, and if you think Grew-Ella is so ugly, why do you obsess over her being queen?" Quig poured himself another hot chocolate and added marshmallows. "She doesn't need to win a beauty title. All she wants is a little life, but she would look smoking hot in a crown."

Phyllis tried to throw hot cocoa in Quig's face but missed and hit the window. "Then why is her face plastered everywhere my adverts once were? Grew-Ella stole my life. I still look 28. I should be on billboards instead of a hideous creature."

Quig sat closer to Grew-Ella and could see her blushed cheeks and feel her hands tremble.

Dot flickered in light and no one saw her at first.

Phyllis sprayed the room with perfume.

Dot appeared to the others. "What are you spraying? It smells like cheese and a dying rat."

"I'm trying to make Grew-Ella admit that she's the rebel queen! It has to be her. The rebel has to be through a royal family, and I'm a duchess and Madd-Ox is a prince."

"Truth potions don't work on me, and Quig always lost at two truths and a lie," Dot joked.

"Is it because you can't feel?" Phyllis asked.

"I'm happily married, unlike you." Dot grabbed Phyllis's and Chase's hands, and all three vanished.

"What happened?" Karen asked.

Dot popped in a moment later with Chase and Tiffany. "Time travel."

Chase wore clean clothes again.

Dot smiled. "The wedding timeline is now locked like a door that can't easily be opened, and Phyllis can't kidnap Grew-Ella again."

Grew-Ella stared into her hot chocolate. "Wasn't that a dream?"

"No, it was real." Chase sighed to himself. "Welcome to my world of terrible visions."

"Phyllis's device probably transferred to both of you, but usually it's one dream like Grew-Ella's, not dozens," Dot said to Chase.

"I guess I'm special," Chase returned.

"Thanks for your help. Madd-Ox and I will talk to the media; if Phyllis wants her face in the papers again, we should give it to her. Whatever scheme she is involved with, Silvan-Mack is behind it," Karen said.

"Do you mind if Chase's wife eats breakfast with us?" Grew-Ella asked.

"I'm not invited in most homes, and I understand if it's a no." Tiffany glanced at where her badges used to be. "I used to live in the workhouse."

Karen lifted her sleeve and showed off her badge. "I only got one before I married, but the badges are stupid. Have breakfast with us."

Tiffany sat down.

*

Thirty Minutes Later:

"Grew-Ella, I'll pick you up around lunchtime." Quig left and drove home.

When he unlatched his door, he found the personal shopper had heaped Grew-Ella's belongings on his hot chocolate table, and Quig rushed to put them away, including her clothes and seashell collection.

He used a moving Dolly to drag the washing units into the kitchen and Betsy's bed into her new room.

Ida walked out of the reflection of the glass in his living room mirror. "I'm not a hero, and now I'm choosing to save a person at a time." Ida helped him position gifts on top with silk carnations. She slid out custody papers and placed them on his hot chocolate table.

"Is this what I think it is? Are you going to be in Betsy's life again?"

"Not directly, and I also talked my ex into signing all rights back to you."

"That is wonderful," Quig said.

"Chase saw the future. I stole his vision of the rebel queen. I thought it was a joke, but I didn't share half of it. Chase also had visions for me. If I allow my ex to regain custody, he'll abuse Betsy, but he can only do so if Grew-Ella is tossed into a workhouse or dies."

"So Dot gave the device to herself," Quig said.

"Yes, but I think she planned to give it to herself when I was in the room."

"Thank you again," Quig said.

"My daughter deserves a mom, and Grew-Ella always loved her in ways I couldn't." Ida jumped through the nearest reflective surface and used it as a portal.

"I forgot the typewriter." He arranged Grew-Ella's typewriter next to his on his bookshelf in the bedroom and spread a comforter on the bed.

To finish, Quig located his picnic basket and blanket and prepared a quick lunch, and he picked up Grew-Ella at her mom's house.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

He took her to the university cafeteria, and he located an empty lunchroom table. "Everything nice was booked."

"No, it's perfect," Grew-Ella said.

He texted Avery that they'd meet her at the cafeteria.

Students ate, studied, and fell asleep there between classes.

Quig felt the warmth of her hand as her fingers intertwined around his. His wings twitched wildly, but he could not hover. 'No,' he thought. 'Grew-Ella always shows me she loves me, but I want to hear it from her lips instead of her weird flirting.' He breathed deeply. 'Why can't she say the words.'

Grew-Ella snuggled against him.

He waved at Avery. "We've been waiting for you. Mom Avery, I want to show you the apartment upgrades. I turned it into a 3 bedroom."

A tiger woman with a swishing tail approached them with a tray of cosmetics and face paint. Advert signs hung around her waist. Madam Eloise Hide's Beauty Serum. "Professor Grew-Ella, our store is two doors from the cafeteria. Our beauty potions are 100% lab-created with no pesky natural ingredients. We tested rigorously on ugly cheerleaders. Half of them died, but they died happy, beautiful, and fabulous."

"I buy my cosmetics from the tent village cheapo market." Grew-Ella backed into the lunch table.

The woman thumbed her nose and made other childish gestures with her free hand. "Professor, you are passable now, but in a year, they'll force you into a workhouse because you'll be similar to spoiled potatoes or stale chocolate donuts. I'd love to see you attempt to fight it out for the title of queen."

Grew-Ella scrunched her face. "I'm married to a man that is considered a catch."

"Weirdo, the only guy I ever see you with is Professor Quig, and he isn't interested. He's after any woman but you," she said.

"Apparently, you don't read the school blogs or the paper." Quig grasped Grew-Ella's hand and kissed it, showing off her nuptial bracelet.

The saleswoman grimaced and fled.

Avery tapped her fingers on the table, and a sly grin spread across her face. "She lost the betting pool." His mother helped gather the leftovers from their picnic and carried them to their apartment.

"Did people bet that Quig and I would get together?" Grew-Ella asked.

"It's a parking space pool," Avery-Jo said.

They walked into the apartment.

"You went all out decorating. Aver-Joy paused. Quig, I regret the collapse of my marriage to your father, but it wasn't our choice."

"Dad regrets it too," Quig said.

"I'll see you later." Avery left.

Grew-Ella bumped into the electric candle behind her.

"I bought gifts for you to feel at home. Yoleta's personal shopper helped me." Quig guided her to the hot chocolate table.

She picked up her repaired porcelain cups, and her finger traced over the green flowers. "You're perfect and wonderful. Thank you. I'd say this is the third-nicest thing you have ever done for me." Grew-Ella hugged him and pressed her lips to his.

A few hours later, they visited Betsy and read to her.

*

They didn't know Silvan-Mack lurked in the hallway, but he left before security arrived, and he slid out his phone. "I want you to follow them tomorrow and if Grew-Ella doesn't give up the queen's name, slaughter her, and leave her on Karen's doorstep as a warning."

"Consider it done, but aren't you afraid of the blood contract you signed?"

"Yoleta will be dead, too."

"But she is beautiful," Phyllis said.

"She allowed her ex-husband to enroll her daughter in a rebel school. You have Zoreon's time travel device, and we need to use it."

"The temporal watch isn't working right," Phyllis said.

"I'll find a working one. If your sister doesn't die before the recall, our kingdom will fall to the rebels. I'm not a profiteer like Zoreon, but I believe that we should remove ugliness." Silvan-Mack hung up.