She didn’t ask me to keep the conversation secret.

Instead, she said she’d speak to Brittany and to Brandon separately.

I respected that.

It was more than the rest of us had managed during the reception.

The following afternoon, Patricia drove to Grandma’s house and asked whether she could come in.

Grandma, startled to have another person standing on her porch because of the cake, offered tea anyway.

Patricia looked at the clean kitchen table and said, “Rose, I was told you volunteered to provide everything.

I’m sorry I believed that without asking you.”