My Husband Chose My Best Friend Over Me, So I Took Everything Back novel · Chapter 17 of 24

Chapter 17: The Flowers

We reached Astoria before the sun was fully up, and Anthony drove the whole way with one hand on my knee.

Bree stood on my grandmother's top step with an armful of white lilies.

Bea stood in the doorway above her in a housecoat, holding the rolling pin at her side.

Three neighbors had found reasons to be on their stoops.

One was watering a dead plant.

"Meredith!" Bree cried, turning, her eyes already wet. "Thank God. I only wanted to bring your grandmother something. She won't even let me say I'm sorry."

"I said no," Bea said.

"Mrs. Lang, I have known you for twelve years."

"Eleven and a half," Bea said. "Ever since you stopped coming to Easter."

Bree laughed a little, as if Bea were being funny.

Then she saw Anthony get out of the car behind me, and saw his hand settle against the small of my back.

Her smile did not fall.

It changed.

"Oh," she said softly. "I see. That's the price."

"What price?" I asked.

"Of the case, Mer. I wondered what he'd charge you."

"Careful," Anthony said.

"I'm only saying what the neighbors are thinking."

Bea came down one step.

"Sabrina," she said.

Nobody had called Bree that in twelve years.

Her eyes flicked to my grandmother.

"I let you in my kitchen," Bea said. "I put plates in front of you. I gave you my pot roast recipe. And at Christmas you sat at my table and asked me if my granddaughter's house was in both names."

Bree's face went very still.

"I only wondered."

"I told you no. It was in hers. And I watched your face when I said it."

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