Six Months Later

Claire never asked Hannah to pay her back for the flowers or decorations.

Hannah and Luke insisted on reimbursing part of the venue cost anyway.

The relationship between the sisters recovered faster than either expected.

The relationship with their mother took longer.

Diane eventually admitted that what she called “helping” had actually been control.

Marcus tried several times to repair things with Claire.

She refused.

It wasn’t because he had doubts.

Claire could have understood doubts.

It was because he had chosen deception instead of conversation.

Months later, Claire visited Hannah.

A framed photograph from the wedding was sitting on the mantel.

Claire laughed.

“Technically, those were supposed to be my centerpieces.”

Hannah groaned.

“You are never going to let me forget that, are you?”

“Absolutely not.”

Then Hannah became serious.

“Do you regret letting the wedding happen?”

Claire looked at the photograph.

“No.”

She had lost a wedding that day.

But she had also learned something before making a much bigger commitment.

And strangely enough, that might have been the most valuable thing she had paid for.