Chapter 9: In Front of Everyone

The Koehlers' house in Lake Forest had a gravel drive, a fountain and forty guests on the lawn.

Willem parked the gray truck between two Mercedes, and a valet looked at it.

"Last chance to turn around," Willem said.

"No."

"You're gripping the door handle."

"I'm choosing where to put my hand."

He took it, laced his fingers through mine and held on.

I had worn the navy dress again, because it had been my armor once already.

We walked up the drive together.

Inside the big front hall, Diane stood receiving people in a cream silk suit and her pearls.

She saw my hand in Willem's, and her smile never moved.

"Virginia. You came."

"You said you'd moved my name card."

"I did," Diane said. "Next to Edgar's. Where it has always been."

"And this is Willem."

"The carpenter," Diane said. "How nice for the week."

"Restoration," said Willem pleasantly. "But carpenter works."

She led us out to the long table on the terrace.

There were white roses and forty chairs.

On a huge screen behind the head of the table, a slideshow was playing.

A younger me at nineteen, laughing at a dorm window.

Edgar and me at a lake, at a wedding, in front of a Christmas tree.

Edgar and me in Paris, with his arm around my shoulders and my hair stuck to my face.

Ten years, one photo every few seconds.

It was a lovely slideshow.

I looked at it, and I felt very calm.

"Sit, sit," Diane said.

My name card was on Edgar's right.

Willem's was missing.

"We're short a chair," Diane said. "Willem, dear, the staff will find you something near the kitchen."