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I recoiled at the dig

She dropped her hand ontoo

Grabbing a couple plates, I kept peeking over at her, trying to figure out why she was here Why today? Her hair was up in a simple ponytail, but it didn’t look like it had been shellacked to within an inch of its life She wasn’t even wearing heels with her jeans

“Here’s a blueberry cake donut and puar cookie”

“Thanks” She slid one of the plates closer to her

We sat together in silence, her crunching bites of the puar cookie the only sound at our table The rest of the place was e to escape our aardness

“The wedding is on Saturday”

“I know I’ll be there” For a second, there was a claw of fear down my back that Mom had sent her here to disinviteacross frouilt would be absolved and I wouldn’t have to sit through a ceres sold on South Street

“Of course you will be What do you think Dad would think?” She peered up from her plate with the corner of her mouth quirked up

“He’d probably freak out at the price tag And hate the fact you’re not having it at Kelland”

“What do you think he’d think of Chet?” Her head ducked again and she picked at the bright crystalized sugar on her cookie

“If you’re happy, I’m sure he’d be happy”

“And if I’aze locked with mine

“He’d probably tell you not to do it” I covered her hand with mine “You don’t have to marry Chet if you don’t want to”

She snatched her hand back “You’re jealous Of course you’d say that” Her face was the perfect reflection of Mom’s dismissal