“And then,” Brittany said. She stopped. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
“And then what, Brit?”
“And then she said, ‘Don’t tell Jess. Jess will be fine. Jess is always fine.’”
We sat there on the dock for a long time without saying anything.
The sun was almost down now. The light on the water was red. The redwing blackbird had stopped singing. Somewhere far off, one of Vern’s cows bawled.
“I almost called it off,” Brittany said. “The wedding. That night. I lay in bed at the Inn and I couldn’t
breathe. I almost called you. I had my phone in my hand. I had your name up.”
“Why didn’t you?”
She shook her head.
“Because there were two hundred people coming,” she said. “Because Tanner’s whole family drove from Nebraska. Because the deposit was paid and the band was booked and the flowers were ordered. Because Mom was so happy.” She was crying now. “Because I was a coward, Jess. That’sPlan Family Trips
