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love with someone else? Those sample invitations . ."

I muttered, the realization falling over me like icecold rain.

"You saw them?"

I nodded.

"Well you might as well know it all," she said,

pulling herself up firmly. "I'm in love with Tony

Tatterton and he is madly in love with me, and we're

going to have a Christmas wedding and live at

Farthy!" All at once the face that had seemed a

monster version of my beautiful Momma relaxed.

Then she smiled, her eyes filled with happiness. Even though I had anticipated something like this, actually hearing her say these words was devastating. I felt my face whiten and drain. A combination of shock and sorrow numbed my legs and nailed my feet to the floor. I couldn't speak, couldn't swallow. I think my breathing stopped and my heart froze. It was as if two giant hands of ice had

clasped over my chest.

"You must not hate me and you must try to

understand, Leigh. Please. I'm speaking to you as one

woman to another."

"But Momma, how could you fall in love with

someone else?" My mind was racing about, trying to

understand. When I recalled the way Momma and

Tony had been dancing together at the Bon Voyage

Ball, every moment he held her there, every look he

gave her had more meaning, had its true meaning. I

had felt something when I went to Farthy with her and

saw the way they walked together and whispered, but

I had not understood what it was I had felt. Why is it

the heart knows things so much quicker than the

mind? I wondered. Perhaps I didn't want to know,

didn't want to understand. Now, I had no choice. "It's not hard to understand why or how this

happened, Leigh. Tony adores me, worships me. He

says I'm like some mythical goddess who has descended from the heavens above to make his life worthwhile, for even men with all his money and power feel incomplete if they don't have a woman to

love and a woman who can love them.