"Long time no see! Where's your husband? I thought you said he was coming today."
I held the door open.
"Something came up. He'll be here any minute."
The words barely left my mouth before Leila let out a derisive laugh.
"Meg, honestly, you didn't have to make up an imaginary husband just to spite us. Even if you really are single, we wouldn't laugh at you."
"But don't go getting any ideas you shouldn't have. My fiance made things perfectly clear to you yesterday. It's over between you two. The only reason we agreed to come today was to make sure you finally let go."
An awkward silence rippled through the room. Gerard looked the most uncomfortable of all.
He glanced at me with a trace of guilt in his eyes.
"She doesn't know how to phrase things. Don't take it to heart."
"She's just worried you haven't moved on, that you'll box yourself in trying to prove something. She's only giving you a reminder. She doesn't mean any harm."
"Marriage especially is a major life decision. It's not a bargaining chip you throw down out of spite. You need to choose carefully. If you haven't found the right person, there's no rush. Take your time."
"Just don't do something you'll regret."
His voice grew heavier with every word.
I offered a faint smile.
"You've gotten a lot more long-winded over the years. But thanks for the concern. I know exactly what I'm doing."
I lifted my wine glass and reached across the lazy Susan to clink it lightly against his.
His throat bobbed. He raised his glass and drained the red wine in one go.
When he looked at me again, his reddened eyes held something unreadable.
I was about to say something else when—
Crash.
Leila hurled her glass straight at me.
"Have you no shame? I'm sitting right here, and you're making eyes at my fiance!"
"You said you weren't thinking anything? You're playing hard to get, trying to ruin what we have, trying to steal him from me!"
"You homewrecking tramp! Keep dreaming. He's mine!"
A shard of glass sliced across my forehead.
Warm blood trickled into my eyes, metallic and sharp.
I winced. Beside me, Gerard's panicked voice cut through the chaos.
"Meg! Are you okay?"
He rushed toward me, reaching for the wound.
But in the next instant, someone else was faster. A pair of arms pulled me into a tight embrace before Gerard could close the distance.
"Sweetheart, are you alright? Let me see."
Clarence gently wiped the blood from my face.
I leaned into his chest and shook my head.
But when I looked up, I saw Gerard standing frozen, his face flushed crimson, veins standing out at his temples.
"You… really got married?"
