The venue.
The fireworks.
And within twenty minutes, none of those things mattered.
Because everyone had seen who she was when she thought nobody would challenge her.
As Margaret and I walked toward our car, Daniel followed us.
“Dad.”
I stopped.
He stood several feet away.
His suit was still perfect.
His tie was still straight.
But he looked like a frightened boy.
“Can I talk to Mom?”
I looked at Margaret.
She nodded.
Daniel approached her.
“I’m sorry.”
Margaret looked at him for a long time.
“I know.”
“Can you forgive me?”
She wiped her eyes.
“Someday.”
His face crumpled.
“But not today.”
He nodded.
“I understand.”
“No,” Margaret said.
“You don’t.”
He looked at her.
“You think forgiveness means everything goes back to the way it was.”
She shook her head.
“It doesn’t.”
She reached into her purse.
Then she pulled out something small.
Daniel recognized it immediately.
His face changed.
The pearl bracelet.
Margaret held it in her palm.
“I gave this to Vanessa because my mother wore it on the day she married your father.”
She looked at Daniel.
“I wanted to give your wife something that meant family.”
She closed her fingers around it.
“I can’t give it to her anymore.”
