Chapter 22: Founders' Day

On the third Saturday of September, about four hundred people stood on the lakefront grass holding laminated programs.

The stage was a flatbed trailer with bunting on it. A microphone stood at the center, and beside it was an easel.

Selena walked out at three o'clock in a lavender cardigan with her pearl bracelet and a stack of index cards.

She had laminated the index cards.

"Friends," she said. "Neighbors. Thank you for coming."

She turned the first card on the easel. It said BRAVE.

"Weeks ago, my best friend fell and lost ten years of her life," Selena said.

Her voice shook exactly right. "And she has been so brave."

She turned the second card. It said SIGNED.

I stood at the back of the crowd with a white binder against my chest.

Gus stood beside me with Milo on his shoulders.

Dot was two rows up, holding a thermos.

"Ready?" Gus said.

"No."

"Same."

"Hattie came to me in tears," Selena said. "She had made a decision about her marriage."

"A hard, grown-up decision. Today, she asks only for your kindness."

She reached for the third card.

I walked up the aisle.

It was a long aisle. Four hundred heads turned one at a time.

"Selena," I said, at the foot of the stage. "Can I add some remarks?"

"Honey." Her smile didn't move. "Why don't you sit down? This is hard enough."

"It's a free country," Dot called from the second row.

I climbed the steps.

Selena held the microphone against her chest for a moment.

Then she let me have it, because four hundred people were watching.

"I'm Hattie Brannigan," I said. "I woke up on a curb with no memory of any of you."

Somebody laughed, and stopped.

I opened the binder.

"This is a binder about Selena. She made me one about my husband. I thought it was only fair."

I turned the first tab toward the crowd.

"Every page is my name, in Selena's hand. She graded them herself."

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