The front door opened.
Mark walked in.
He saw the tape.
“Oh, hell.”
I turned.
“You know what’s on this.”
“Not exactly.”
“You know enough.”
He rubbed both hands over his face.
Then his mother sat heavily on the couch.
Mark remained standing.
For the first time in twenty years, neither had a joke.
“Her name was Joanna Mercer,” Mark said.
I held the tape tighter.
“How long were they together?”
“Almost three years.”
“Were they engaged?”
“Yes.”
My chest tightened.
“How serious?”
Mark looked at me.
“They had a wedding planned.”
I held up the VHS.
“June eighteenth?”
His mother started crying.
Mark nodded.
“That was supposed to be their wedding day.”
For several seconds, all I could hear was the clock.
“But they didn’t get married.”
“No.”
“Why?”
The front door opened again.
Daniel walked in.
He looked exhausted.
His eyes immediately found the cassette.
Then me.
