That phrase came to mind when I was halfway home and grabbed my coat.
The passenger seat was empty.
My cream-colored cardigan was still in Eleanor’s apartment, tossed over the back of the dining room chair. The cardigan had two little flowers embroidered near the collar, made by my mother’s own frail hands. She said one flower meant peace. The other, protection. It was the last thing she made for me, and I couldn’t leave it at someone else’s house overnight.
So, I turned the car around.
The city lights blurred the windshield. I convinced myself it was silly to feel uneasy. I was just going back to get a sweater. I’d ring the doorbell, apologize, grab the sweater, and drive home. Tomorrow, I’d wake up early, put on the dress my mother helped me choose, and marry the man I’d loved for five years.
The elevator in Eleanor’s building was mirrored on all sides. I could see myself from every angle: soft waves in my hair, light pink lipstick, navy blue dress for the rehearsal dinner, engagement ring sparkling under the ceiling light. A bride, I thought.
But the smile in the mirror looked forced.
When the elevator opened on the twenty-second floor, the hallway was silent except for the low hum of the recessed lights. I walked to Eleanor’s black lacquered door and raised my hand toward the doorbell.
Then I heard my name.
“Harper just left,” Eleanor said from inside. Her voice was clear, almost cheerful. “Thank God. I thought I’d have to smile until my jaw locked.”
My finger froze in mid-air.
Chloe laughed. “Mom, you’re a great actress. She thinks you really adore her.”
My chest tightened so suddenly that I could barely breathe.
For a second, my mind tried to protect me. Maybe I’d misunderstood. Maybe they were joking. Maybe they were talking about another Harper, even though there wasn’t another Harper in their lives and my coat was still in the dining room.
Then Eleanor spoke again.
“I’ve liked that girl for five years for a reason. Do you think I enjoy listening to her talk about her projects and her mother’s advice?”
The hallway seemed to shift beneath my feet.
Slowly, I lowered my hand.
From inside, a glass clinked against the table. Chloe’s voice grew lower, more animated and incisive. “After the wedding, the apartment situation gets easier, right?”
“Of course,” said Eleanor. “The day after tomorrow, Julian can appeal to her emotions. Not to the legal side. The emotional side works better with Harper. He’ll say he feels like a guest in his own home. He’ll talk about trust, family, future children. She’ll give in.”
I leaned against the wall.
My mother’s voice echoed in my memory. The papers bring back memories.
Chloe asked, “And what happens after his name is engraved?”
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