a photo of our mo

er hand. Her fingers were shaking, and I could already feel I

" Ivy said.

low, careful. "Put t

y do you have it? What

e shouldn't

said. "And it's in

compli

eps saying you don't l

blurred at the edges. My arms around a woman with long dark

e was your mother

nt," Ivy shot ba

ob. We talked a few times. She helped me through somethi

ok harder. "Yo

was kind to me. That's

lying,"

m n

at was h

new her a

her midd

"Then I'm

keep that pho

only people who ever looked

t while planning to

s. That's why I looked deeper. I tho

d t

n't go to the funeral. I did

r way into our lives, and you're stan

dn't know I had a history w

elieve this wasn't

uld have played

hoto onto the tab

of your fling

anyone's anything. She saw that. She

u're trying

rying to p

t doing a

Ivy. "I never meant

it

es

now w

want to m

eathless laugh.

't change t

ges ever

ore you knew. Tha

s I was

were despera

k this is

k it's

n the couch, arms wrapped

ir," she

nside,"

tell her what to

s not

use o

se of

he planted

wanted you

ed her ar

you que

ould h

his chance at the company. He wants the bo

g me that you knew my m

es

y. "If you're righ

le security. And we mo

ked. "Ex

fe, the harder it is for

to walk down

n the

y said, shaking her

pragm

egic. There's

'm good at th

why I don'

to trust me to b

to be your sh

to be my wife. L

y family histor

r family history from being

to Mia. "

weakly. "

I'll be ther

crossed to the table and pic

appy," she s

as. Th

appened

w what h

o hear it

ot sick. I offered to help. She refu

ways di

o owe anyone. That some debts

her voice steady. "Y

N

re marrying h

't plan

anything that pe

N

t me to follow yo

. "I never exp

e last time, then dropped it in

edding up. But after

e th

ore l

ree

re sur

ll

stays out

ct her like

's n

kno

orbell

th tu

der anything

n't ei

intercom, chec

e was

box sitting

, reached down, a

beside me,

uch it,"

ped t

s a singl

lver

y father wore t

it, a note in

n be erased. Or next tim