“His friend Marcus. Marcus’s girlfriend. The officiant.”
I waited.
“No one from our family?”
She shook her head.
She looked at the shoe again.
“He said we’d tell everyone tonight.”
That hurt, but I kept my voice steady.
“What happened after?”
She looked at the shoe again.
For a while, she couldn’t speak.
My eyes moved toward the shoe.
Then she said, “We were walking to the car.”
I waited.
“He stepped into mud.”
My eyes moved toward the shoe.
She nodded.
At least I understood the mud. I still didn’t understand why she had the shoe.
“It got dirty.”
At least I understood the mud. I still didn’t understand why she had the shoe.
“He took it off and handed it to me.”
“Why?”
“He told me to clean it.”
I frowned.
“With what?”
She swallowed.
“My dress.”
The request was ridiculous, but what unsettled me was how naturally he seemed to expect her to obey.
I stared at her.
Tina rubbed both hands over her face.
“What?”
“He said to use the lining because no one would see.”
“You’re joking.”
“I thought he was.”
Tina rubbed both hands over her face.
I felt anger rise, but I didn’t interrupt.
