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I put down the brush and looked at rily back at s toward Tucker affected e? Maybe he was helping Peter get started in business as an olive branch to me? Ellen seemed to think he orthy Maybe I should do my best to accept him? Then the wave broke, and my dislike for the man washed over the levee of tolerance I’d started to build Anyone other than Tucker

I needed a quiet place to stop the noise in my head I put on soloss, and then drew on a little eyeliner I changed into a very modest, nearly formal sundress with a collar that covered me up to the clavicle and a skirt that fell a tad below the knee Then I went to church

Other buildings had jostled their way in, robbing the towers of St John’s Cathedral of their position as the h, had ory in stucco, the French Gothic beauty of the exterior couldn’t begin to h the doors, instantly co and arches I took a seat in the second row behind the font, and sat quietly, enjoying the play of the light that was filtering through the stained glass s My family and I weren’t Catholic We weren’t Protestant Frankly, eren’t allied with any forardless of your religious affiliation, a sense of peace and holiness filled the cathedral Tourists filtered inside, most of them appropriately respectful of the sanctity of the place, others a tad too boisterous as they snapped their photos Loud or quiet, all were struck by the beauty they encountered I closedcauidance A prayer for humility

"Pardon me, miss" A voice startled me My eyes snapped open "I arandfather in a straw fedora and plaid shorts said "Is your na, confused

"Youroutside for you"

"Thank you," I said,I jumped up and hurried out of the church I stood on the top step and scanned the ca crowd at the foot of the steps for my mother’s face, but I couldn’t spot her I looked up and down the road, trying to catch sight of her car, but it was nowhere to be seen

"Don’t you look pretty?" My mother’s voice projected itself out of another woman’s ed woustine T-shirt

"Ma to reconcile the sound of ht mauve lips I looked deeply into the woman’s eyes, the lids of which had been painted nearly to the brow in dark turquoise

"Yes, in a way I’ this body for a few , but I needed to tell you I a a sanctuary for us, a place where we can speak freely, and I can take the tihter I will send for you as soon as I can"

This was ridiculous She had to co "But I have so many questions now I need to understand what happened I’m confused, Ma at me as if I were mad

"If you think I’m your mother, you sure are" She walked several feet away fro a concerned eye onon made their way out of the church She whispered to her cohorts, and the other two turned to glance at et out of here" At that, the other two started laughing, and all three made their raucous way to the next stop on the tour I’d just been marked down as another of Savannah’s oddities, but frankly that was the least of my concerns

TWELVE

As we pulled into the parking area next to Magh Meall, I spotted a sign on the door reading "Closed for Private Function" Most of those attending the wake had never uest of honor, but I had more reason than most to raise a toast to Peadar A week had passed since the old man’s eyes had closed for the last time I pushed away the ic only to fall charred to the ground I knew that ht: those who came to drink, those who came to play music, and those who came to do both Claire and Colin had drafted Peter to work behind the bar, so I had caught a ride with Iris and Oliver

Ellen and Tucker’s wedding announcee the previous day "People will expect us to arrive together," she’d said to explain why she’d chosen to ride with Tucker rather than the rest of us I hated to think of her permanently attached to the et to have a say I prayed she would find happiness and adjust as well to le

I could not help but ad Her style no longer reflected his insecurities, but instead the beautiful woht she wore a new black dress that hit her slightly below the knee,to her trile-breasted suit and a thin black tie; the two shades of black ree that only Oliver’s expert eye could have th dress Ellen had picked out for , but the dress flatteredstomach perfectly It h for tonight

Oliver parked our car very near the entrance but in a no-parking zone He looked over his shoulder at me and winked "They don’t mean us," he said I knew for a fact that theticket in his life Since we hadn’t blocked a fire hydrant or anything, and sincein the shoes I’d let vanity talk , I met his ith a smile "You two stay put," he said, as he hopped out and opened first Iris’s door, then mine

"It’s wonderful to have you ho her voice and expression He closed the doors and offered each of us one of his ar open as we neared it

"If it isn’tforward to plant a hiskey-laced kiss on my cheek "It means the world to Claire that you and your faht It means the world to both of us" Another kiss, and Oliver maneuvered me over the threshold "Ellen will arrive shortly," Oliver explained

"We got the beautiful flowers she sent--they are over by the display Claire has set up for our Peadar" He forced a s of Ellen, I look forward to congratulating Tucker on finally getting her to make an honest man out of him"

"That would indeed count as quite a feat," Iris said She felt nonuptials than I did