That was one of the differences between him and my parents.

He could recognize pain without immediately trying to control my response to it.

PART 8 — OUR WEDDING

We married at the county courthouse.

Clara cried.

Jasper hit Owen on the shoulder hard enough to make the magistrate look annoyed.

My bouquet came from a supermarket.

Brown twine.

White daisies.

The ring was the same secondhand one Owen had given me.