At My Daughter's Baby Shower, My Husband Gave My Place to My Best Friend novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: The Garden Tea

I went to the tea, and I sat at the back.

I did it because Diane had asked me to, and because I wanted every woman there to see me do exactly what she'd asked.

Her garden was lovely, and I had always loved that about her.

There were white tablecloths on round tables, sweet peas climbing the fence and thirty women in good summer dresses with teacups in their hands.

Sophie sat at the front table in a cushioned chair, with Diane beside her and a cake shaped like a stork.

Evan hovered near the gate in a tie.

My own chair was the folding kind, beside the hedge, next to a woman I did not know.

I carried a canvas bag with a folder in it.

"Welcome, everyone!" Diane tapped a spoon on a glass.

Her smile was perfect.

"Thank you for coming out for our Sophie. You all know how hard this season has been for our family."

A few women nodded.

"Some of you have heard that Helen has been struggling," Diane said, and turned to look at me, and her eyes filled. "I want us all to hold her gently. She isn't herself. She doesn't mean the things she says. She's very sick, and she doesn't want to hear it."

Thirty heads turned toward the hedge.

I was not surprised.

I had known she would do it, in front of everybody, with her hand on Sophie's shoulder and her voice trembling.

I stood up.

"Diane," I said, "thank you for saying that out loud. It saves me the trouble."

She blinked.

"Helen, honey, sit down."

"I'd like to read something to everyone. It's short."

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