rely home, busy with wedding plans and their own lives. It was as if she an

the high school

rowded place. A former classmate handed her a beer.

Maybe the alcohol would numb the lingering ache. She

he excused herself and went to

of people coming out of a private room. In the c

bs. She forced herself to look aw

from the room drift

g day is next month,

What about little Jayde? What are you goin

Brendan's voice, cool and

take care of herself. She's

ar, so detached, sob

he hallway, his voice

self, starting to walk again. M

water on her face. As she came out, she r

She opened her mouth to

appeared from the crowd and threw hersel

ld her. He scooped her up in a princess carry and wal

res merging into one, and felt

classmate asked, c

e. "No, just got so

classmate sighed. "He used to be so devoted to you

de's mouth. "We all have

r classmates, she saw Brendan's car waiting by the

d, his voice sharp with di

f in place, un

d, opening the back door for

got in, feeling

s body angled to shield her completely. The rain dripped onto Jayde

when that umbrella had

yde," he'd once promised, "a

in slid down her

sky and then at the back of the m

the umbrella, letting the

thought, to learn