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“I didn’t say she was happy with you. I wouldn’t be.”

She sat back in her chair. “Huh.” A pause. “Be right back.”

Kelsey stared at her in confusion as she excused herself to the sidewalk in front of the bar and placed a call. Her father answered on the second ring.

“You okay?” he asked immediately. “It’s after ten.”

“I’m completely fine. But I’m in a spot.” She was pacing because she had all this scattered energy. “I went and saw Allison before the wedding. I told her how I felt.”

“Do you want Mom for this?”

“She yelled at me last time. How about you fill in?”

“How about I hold the phone but keep her in the loop?” he asked.

“Sold.”

Her father’s voice drifted away. “She talked to Allison, you know, the girl she loves, before her wedding. She stormed the wedding!”

“Course I know who Allison is. Give me that. What did she say?” her mother asked, breathless, probably grabbing the phone.

“I’m still here!” her father yelled.

“Don’t delay. What did she say?” Her mother had the phone now. “You stormed the wedding?”

“I don’t know about stormed, but I went there and talked with her, and she told me it was too late. Sent me away.”

A pause. “Oh,” her mother said. “Why’d you sound so happy, then?” she asked her dad, followed by the sound of a smack to the arm she was quite familiar with.

“Didn’t know that part yet.”

Megan continued, “But here’s the thing. She called it off after I left.”

Her mother didn’t hesitate. “Ahhhh!She loves you back! Ding-dong it all, I knew it. I saw it when you were here. I justknew.”

“Ding-dong, indeed,” Megan said. “Now what? Your tough love instructions apparently worked, as scary as it was.”

“I didn’t even raise my voice. You just don’t like being questioned, but I’ll tell you what now, because I happen to know. Moms do. You go very slow and approach her with caution.”

“Slow.”

“Patience,” her father yelled. “Like you’re approaching an unhappy animal in the wild. How I won your mother over. Had to systematically convince her I was a good one.”

“He’sprettygood,” her mom said, by way of mild concession. “Still leaves his clothes on the floor.”

“Allison can throw her clothes anywhere she wants to if we can just be together.”

“Aww,” her parents said in unison.

“That’s a sweet thing you just said,” her mother said. “Bring her back to Corpus for some more fun.”

“I’m gonna do my best.” A pause. “Patience, huh?”

“The only way.”

She sighed. She could be patient when it came to work or seeing a movie she was excited about, but when it came to her life, to Allison who she missed more than was possible, how was she supposed to sit on her hands? How?

“You called her, didn’t you?” Kelsey asked, eyeing her as Megan returned to her chair.