After a moment, he asked:
“Are you mad at me?”
Amelia nodded.
Once.
“Yes.”
Ryan looked down.
Then back at her.
“Okay.”
That surprised me.
No lecture.
No explanation about adult relationships.
No “you’ll understand when you’re older.”
Just:
Okay.
Then Amelia noticed me.
“Mom!”
She dropped the candle and ran.
I barely had time to crouch before she crashed into me.
“Mom.”
“I’ve got you.”Weddings
Her arms tightened around my neck.
“I ruined Dad’s wedding.”
“No.”
“I did.”
I pulled back.
“You got upset.”
“They stopped everything.”
“That doesn’t mean you ruined anything.”
She wiped her eyes.
“I didn’t want everyone staring.”
“I know.”
“I just didn’t understand.”
“I know.”
Ryan stood several feet behind her.
“Annie.”
I looked at him.
“Not yet.”
He nodded.
Then Amelia said something I wasn’t expecting.
“Everybody keeps saying there were seven of us.”
