Chapter 5: The Four O'Clock

At twenty to four, Bruno parked at the curb across from St. Brendan's and turned off the engine.

I wore Silvio's mother's wedding dress.

It was long-sleeved ivory lace, and two women from the parish had taken it in for me overnight.

I hadn't met them.

Bruno had delivered it to the guest room at noon, in a garment bag, with a card that said only: She would have liked you to wear it.

It was in Silvio's handwriting.

Through the windshield I watched the steps of the church fill up.

My mother came first, in her blue suit, with a corsage on her wrist.

Behind her came my aunt and uncle and four cousins, and then the neighbors from our street, and then Shane's parents.

There were sixty people, and every one of them held a small gift bag with a ribbon.

Shane walked in the middle of them in a gray suit.

Beside him, Tara climbed the steps one at a time in my ivory silk, with the skirt bunched in both fists.

She had pinned her hair up in the style I had picked for myself.

At the top, the church doors were shut.

In front of them stood four men in black suits with their hands folded.

I got out of the car, and Bruno gave me his arm.

I crossed the street slowly, because the lace was long, and every head on the steps turned.

"Claire?" my aunt said.

"Hello, Aunt."

"What on earth are you wearing?"

"A wedding dress," I said. "It's my four o'clock."

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