She paused.
“I understand.”
The dress was emerald.
A color I had never worn.
Simple from a distance.
Perfectly constructed up close.
Terrence’s diamonds were around my neck and in my ears.
My wedding band, which I had eventually moved to my right hand, remained with me.
Marcus suggested the Maybach.
“They’ll watch the entrance,” he said.
“I know.”
“What you arrive in will say something before you do.”
“What should it say?”
He waited.
I thought about the rain.
The suitcase.
The laughter.
“Nothing threatening.”
I smiled faintly.
“Just the truth.”
The gala doors opened at seven.
I arrived at 7:20.
Late enough to be noticed.
Early enough that the room was still full of people looking toward the entrance.
The driver opened my door.
I stepped out in emerald and diamonds.
For one second, I thought about Terrence.
Whenever I had been nervous before entering a difficult room, he had always said something ridiculous enough to make me laugh.
This time, there was no joke.
So I went in alone.
I found Eleanor near the bar.
She was speaking with Howard and several other couples.
Dark blue gown.
Champagne glass.
Perfect control.
