Exhausted. Completely and utterly exhausted. Between my parents and Royce, they have paraded me around, or had me so busy attending to the details of the wedding, that I’ve had no time to myself, let alone a chance to visit Vera and little Henry for three solid weeks.

When Mother enters my room, insisting on going over yet another wedding detail, I put my foot down, insisting I be allowed to visit my best friend. “Tomorrow, Mother, I promise. We have a whole week yet.”

Finally she relents and lets me get dressed to go to Vera’s for the day.