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“The fiancé.”
She holds up his Boston Breakers hat and reads a note attached to it.
This Hat Has Seen the World on My Head. Now Show It What It Looks Like on Yours. XO — Z
“Son of a bitch. He saw me before I did.” I whip the note out of her hand.
Ginny sits down and gestures to the chair across from her. “What the hell happened in Hawaii?”
I give her the Goodknow low down and then say, “But I still don’t like him.”
“He’s dodging Colin’s questions. Don’t fucking do that. Are you going to get your heart broken?”
I pull some prints of Hawaii from an envelope and hand them to her. She peeks at them and her jaw drops. “Just photographs. That’s what it is, not broken hearts.”
She looks and smiles at me. “My cash cow was right under my nose. The tiny badly kept secret show has been up for two weeks. People show up to use the damn bathroom. These people buy a photograph and on the way out they pick up a ten-foot lucite pineapple on a whim. Thank you, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“I’m going to Bangladesh on Monday,” I blurt out and she clutches her hands to her chest with the biggest smile.
“Please don’t tell Zane where I am. I want to do this for me, not about him. It’s only a route, the only thing it has to do with him is the damn sweat lodge and his laugh.”
“Colin?”
“Just for a couple of weeks. Let me get my legs under me with all of this. All I know is that I really want to see things through that lens.”
Ginny leans forward and smiles at me. “Okay but what do I get out of all this besides missing my best friend? What about Nan and Rob?” I pull my hair back through a band around my wrist and almost tip the chair backward. I put the chair back on all four legs as she glares at me.
“I’m telling them I’m surprising Zane on his trip.”
“And when you’re gone for an indeterminate amount of time?”
“I’ll think of something. She’ll be too busy planning my wedding. I’ve spent my entire life either doing what was expected or running away from that. I never really ran to anything, and this strange country none of us can identify on a map represents a path, the first step on my yellow brick road.”
She places the hat on my head and hugs me. I don’t know why but I burst into tears.
“This is Chanel.”
I blubber out, “I don’t care. Thank you.”
“For what?” She strokes my back.
“For seeing me.”
“I always have.” I wipe my eyes and shake my head a little bit to figure out how to not feel all the damn emotions at one time.
“You’re smug now that you figured out your life and you’re happy.”
She pulls me back into a tight embrace and says into my ear softly, “Little bit. Yes I am. And you know, you can always pawn that piece of hardware on your finger.”
“Aunt Lolly would kill me.” I’ve learned the ring was hers.
My mother takes my hand. She’s seen the ring ten times and says the same thing. “Now, there’s a class act.”
She puts swatches in front of me. “Tablecloths for the engagement party. I do wish the two of you could commit. We’re headed out to the Vineyard next week to meet Birdie and Jack.” She says this giddy.
“What? Does Zane know this?”
“Of course, dear. Birdie said he was thrilled by the idea. Did he not tell you?” I sit back in my seat, and I can’t help myself.
