Page 35 of Fathers of the Bride

“Hardly?”

“I mean, he screamed a few times when I was growing up. I remember a soccer game where… well, one of the other girls had been picking at me for months and I finally just lost it. I punched her right in the face. And on the sidelines Daddy started screaming, which really didn’t help the situation.”

“So, I’ll bet you and the girl made up and became friends?”

“No. We were mortal enemies all through school.”

I can’t say that I remember any of that. I have a vague memory of Kelly getting into a fight on the soccer field, blood everywhere, not being sure which child was bleeding. Terrified it was my little—

Even the memory got my heart racing. Valium and all.

And then Avery said, “I know my parents are awful.”

“They’re not awful. They made you. How could they be awful?”

I thought that was very diplomatic of her. She gets that from me, I’m sure.

“I struck a deal with them,” I heard Kelly say.

“My parents? What kind of deal?”

“We’re going to have an engagement party. And they have carte blanche, they can do whatever they want.”

“You think that’s a good idea?”

“It is if they leave the wedding alone.”

12

Andrew Lane

The invitation arrivedin the mail, the outside of the envelope decorated with a small, leafy branch heavy with green and black—ah, an olive branch. Miles was extending an olive branch. Kalamata, naturally. Meanly, I wondered if he’d ordered the notecards in bulk.

Inside was a small, printed card, inviting me to dinner. It was for the following Tuesday, just three days away. I texted Miles that I’d gotten the invitation and asked to move the time from 7:30 to 6:30. Raj would still be with his trainer. I could leave unquestioned and think up a lie about where I’d been afterward, depending on how long dinner turned out to be. Given the way things had been going between Miles and me, I might be home before Raj.

Naturally, it wouldn’t do to tell my boyfriend I was having dinner with my husband. After the meet and greet, after he found out I’d had coffee with Miles, we’d had a fight. I tried to explain that I’d been ambushed by my own daughter, but he still wanted to know why I hadn’t said anything.

That was harder to explain. I hadn’t said anything because it was mine. Meeting with Miles belonged to me. It wasn’tours; it wasn’t something Raj and I needed to share. I didn’t think there was any reason to tell him.

That did not go over well.

“I thought we had an open relationship?” I asked. He’d insisted upon it. Though I wasn’t always comfortable with the idea, I’d agreed. He was much younger than I was, after all.

“Not when it comes to your ex,” he said. “And you’re supposed to tell me.Beforeyou do it.”

“So, I can have sex with anyone I want as long as I make an appointment and you approve?”

“Yes. Exactly.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter. I didn’t have sex with Miles in the middle of Bean There Donut That.”

“They have restrooms!” he shouted at me.

“Miles would never!”

“So, you would? Is that what you’re saying?”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying.”