Chapter 6: I Do

"No," I said.

It rang off the stone walls louder than I meant it to.

My mother stood in the front pew with her arms half open and her mouth still shaped around the word give.

"Claire, honey, it's the custom."

"You lost the right to give me anything when you asked for my dress." I kept my voice even. "Bruno will do it."

Bruno, who was still holding my arm, nodded to the priest.

"I give her," he said, in a low gravelly voice.

Somebody on the Carrara side coughed to hide a laugh.

My mother sat down.

She put the tissue from her sleeve against her eyes, and I walked the rest of the way to the altar by myself.

Silvio held out his hand.

I put mine in it, and his palm was warm and dry.

"You came," he said, very low.

"I told you four o'clock."

"I didn't think you'd wear her dress."

"You sent it."

"I sent it hoping," he said.

The priest began.

I won't say I heard all of it.

I heard the part about an honest vow and a free choice, and I watched the third pew while he said it.

The uncle sat with his arms folded and his gold watch showing.

Beside him, six old men in dark coats watched me and said nothing.

Halfway back on the left, Shane held up his phone.

In the very last pew, on the aisle, sat Tara.

She was still wearing my dress, because she had nothing else with her, and the skirt took up half the bench.

People kept turning to look at her and then looking away.

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