She placed it on a plate beside one of her own and refused to say which was prettier.

For the first time since the wedding, the kitchen felt like the place I remembered from childhood: warm, busy, and full of laughter that nobody had to earn.

PART 9

Brittany asked to meet Brandon two weeks after the ceremony.

She proposed a restaurant halfway between their apartments.

He asked for a quieter setting and suggested they speak with a counselor first.

She agreed after some hesitation.