“What?”
“I expected some denial.”
“You saw my face.”
“I was across the room.”
“You have glasses.”
Patricia stared toward the bride’s table.
Lauren sat beside Cynthia.
Charles had disappeared with his attorney.
Daniel sat with his best man.
Not beside his wife.
Patricia whispered:
“What are you going to do?”
Margaret looked at her.
“Nothing tonight.”
“That does not sound like you.”
“It sounds exactly like me.”
Patricia frowned.
Margaret continued:
“Anything I do tonight will be interpreted as revenge.”
“Maybe revenge is appropriate.”
“No.”
Margaret set down her fork.
“Accountability tomorrow.”
Patricia smiled.
“There she is.”
Margaret looked toward Lauren.
The bride stared at her plate.
“That girl made a terrible mistake.”
“Several.”
“Yes.”
“Do you feel sorry for her?”
Margaret thought.
“Yes.”
Patricia looked surprised.
Margaret added:
“And angry.”
“Both?”
“Yes.”
She touched her cheek.
“Very much both.”
At 9:17 p.m., Lauren approached Margaret’s table.
The room noticed.
Margaret hated that too.
Lauren had removed the borrowed diamond earrings.
She held them inside a small velvet pouch.
“These are yours.”
Margaret accepted them.
“Thank you.”
Lauren remained.
Patricia glanced between them.
Then stood.
“I suddenly need coffee.”
Margaret nearly smiled.
Lauren sat in the empty chair.
For several seconds neither spoke.
Then:
“I’m sorry I hit you.”
Margaret looked at her.
“Are you?”
“Yes.”
“For hitting me or because everything came out afterward?”
Lauren flinched.
“Both.”
Margaret appreciated that answer more than a cleaner one.
Lauren continued:
“I was furious.”
“Yes.”
“I thought you were trying to ruin everything.”
“I know.”
“You always look so calm.”
Margaret frowned.
“What does that have to do with it?”
“It makes me feel crazy.”
Margaret almost laughed.
“That is not my intention.”
“I know.”
Lauren stared at her hands.
“I thought if I could just get through today, Daniel and I would have our own life.”
“You already did.”
“It never felt like ours.”
“Why?”
Lauren looked toward Daniel.
“Because everything came from someone else.”
“The house?”
“Family trust.”
Daniel owned a townhouse purchased independently through trust distributions.
“The job?”
“Your company.”
“He applied.”
“You hired him.”
“Yes.”
“He’s your son.”
“He started in logistics.”
“Still.”
Margaret nodded.
Fair.
“The wedding?”
“You paid.”
“Yes.”
“The honeymoon?”
“Daniel paid.”
“With money from the company.”