And Linda sat near the front, in a good dress, with a satisfied expression settled over her face like she owned it.

She watched me come down the aisle with the look of a woman watching a plan complete itself — proprietary, pleased, certain.

At one point her eyes met mine, and she gave me a small smile, warm on the surface, the smile of a mother-in-law welcoming a daughter into the family.

I smiled back.

Only this time, I knew what her smile meant.

And she had no idea that I knew.