Antler Crown, Silent Departure novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: The One Who Walks

Dot sat Poppy down at the table and put a bowl of soup in front of her.

"Eat first," she said. "Confess second. People confess better with something in them."

Poppy took one spoonful and put the spoon down.

"I hate weddings," she said. "That part is true. My parents had a huge one, and they split up before the cake was gone."

"You told him that?" Dot asked.

"I tell everyone. That's why they picked me."

I sat across from her with my bandaged hand flat on the table.

"Who picked you?"

"Lacey." Poppy wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "Three weeks ago she called me and said Zack wanted to film a joke for your wedding. He'd play the groom who got cold feet, and I'd play the friend who thinks marriage is a scam. We'd stage a fake mix-up in the morning, you'd watch from the suite, and then we'd all pop out and laugh."

"A joke," I said.

"A gift. She said you'd cry laughing. She said you'd already agreed and that you wanted it to be a surprise for Zack's family."

"I never agreed to anything."

"I know that now."

Poppy pulled out her phone and slid it across the table.

The messages were from Lacey, and I read them with Dot leaning over my shoulder.

Lacey had written: "Wear something white, it's funnier. Say you're against marriage on camera. B will lose it."

Then: "Don't text B about it. It's a surprise. I'll Venmo you $500 for your time."

Then, from Friday night: "Zack is picking you up at 8:45. Delete this thread after."

"You didn't delete it," Dot said.

"I'm bad with my phone," Poppy said. "Lucky for you."

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