It was more beautiful than she could have hoped. The bannister, wrapped with white crinoline, pale green ribbon and yellow roses, would be the perfect venue to convey Cara down the steps. Missy hugged her dear friend and business partner. “Thank you so much.” “I’ll see you later.” Ann and the other ladies collected the empty cardboard boxes and left. Standing in the foyer the emptiness of the house and absence of Hugo filled Missy with sadness. Cara’s entrance and the slamming of the front door woke her from her daze. “You’re early.” The smile on Missy’s face quickly disappeared. Cara had been crying. Her daughter blew her nose into a tissue and nodded. Missy looked around the newly redecorated room. “Come over here. Sit. Honey, tell me what’s wrong.” At the wrong moment, naturally, Vinnie breezed in. When he saw his daughter crying, he hurried over to her. “What’s the matter? What did he do?” “I’ve been trying to find out,” Missy sniped. Twisting the tissue between her fingers, Cara whispered, “I don’t think I can marry him.”
