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"Especially if there are cameras," another says, dreamily

Cameras Perfect I don’t knohat the odds are ofa televised solstice festival And there are probably dozens of theht He wouldn’t usually care about these things, but has he been looking for me? Is there still a chance after all this time? I just need one month, and then I’ll be able to find my way back ho to an eone to look for rief, he has moved away, too pained by the memories to stay We’ve seen it happen Fahters have been taken And Rowan has never been one to sit idly by

Wait for hts to him, twin to twin I’ll be home soon

As always, there’s no answer

I was skeptical when Deirdre told me my dress would be pink, but when she unfolds it before me, I a pink with a helitters with pearls She does my makeup to match "I bet most of the other wives ear blue or white," she says "For winter I thought you’d want to stand out a little"

"It’s incredible," I say And she beams and holds a folded tissue to ainst the green contacts

"They looked kind of freaky," Cecily says with her arms folded in the doorway Her hair is tousled, and faint purple bags droop down under her eyes Her skin is pale and full of veins "I thought you had soain, okay?" She shudders at the one She is hardly the bouncy, winged bride she was less than a year ago She had her fourteenth birthday shortly before the baby was born, and unlike Jenna who aged quietly, shedeal of it There was a sheet cake covered in frosted leaping uni-corns, and the attendants had to sing to her, and Linden bought her a gorgeous diamond necklace she never has cause to wear She wore it for a while around the house, but I haven’t seen it since she gave birth to Bowen

"She see her with the baby?" I ask Linden

"Every chance I get," he says, and frowns a little too

We’ve both lowered our voices "It’s not always easy to wrestle hirandchild" He looks atto tell me what I already know, that he had a baby that didn’t live A little piece of Rose he should have been able to keep But he only says,

"You look stunning," and takesoutside, but Deirdre’s shawl keeps my shoulders warm Linden ht, but I just snuggle against hilass and the darkness of the night, I can’t see exactly where the hologram of trees is But once we’re out into the city, I pay attention to the streets I press uide Gabriel and htly

"What?" I say

"You You’re so excited" He tucks an over-sprayed curl behind my ear "It’s just kind of cute"

His co et away frouilty that when he kisses my cheek, I reward him with a smile of my own And I continue to keep an eye out

The cine to look for It should be easy to find fron on the door boasts that it’s open twenty-four hours a day Then there’s what looks like soht red tables and paper lanterns And then I reood look at it as we’re turning a corner, and I see yachts farther out in the sea, full of lights

I can hear their music even with the s closed

"They have parties on the water?" I say

"I suppose the yacht clubs do," Linden says, looking out over my shoulder

"Have you ever been out on the water?" I ask hi to remember it My father tells me I was seasick for days Some kind of condition, he says I’ve avoided the water ever since"

"So that’s why you never go into the pool or learned how to swihn so carefully controls his son, that he can’t even allow him to enjoy the illusion of a real ocean in the pool I have my doubts that the seasickness story is even true In fact, his childhood illnesses and supposed frailty see far I put ain, I’ you to swim It’s easy Once you learn, you can’t sink even if you try"

He says, "I’d like that"