I saw recognition on her face.

It established that she knew the garment; it did not establish what happened to the house.

Claire came back with the bouquet and did not continue toward the ceremony table.

No vows were exchanged.

By 11:40, we were carrying boxes through the parking lot to the Buick.

The trunk’s support would not hold, so I kept one hand beneath the lid while Claire slid the box of table numbers inside.

“The cake deposit is six hundred eighty dollars,” I said.