She said nothing.
“Grandma told me you asked about moving me last week.”
Vanessa looked away.
“You confirmed my place this morning, even though you’d already been considering changing it.”
“I thought you’d argue if I told you earlier.”
“Instead, you made sure I’d discover it in front of everyone.”
She covered her mouth.
I waited.
Finally, she whispered, “I’m sorry.”
I believed she regretted what had happened.
But I wasn’t ready to call it forgiveness.
“Vanessa, I need you to go back upstairs.”
She stared at me.
“Clara—”
“Your husband is waiting. Your guests are waiting. Finish your wedding.”
“Can we talk tomorrow?”
“Not tomorrow.”
Her eyes filled again.
I continued.
“I need some time to decide what kind of relationship I can have with you.”
She looked toward Grandma’s table.
“Will Grandma ever forgive me?”
“That’s a conversation you’ll have to have with her.”
Vanessa nodded slowly.
Then she said something I hadn’t expected.
“I was happy when Dad brought you home from the hospital.”
I looked at her.
She gave a shaky smile.
“You were tiny. I wanted to hold you all the time.”
I remembered the old photographs.
