Ashes of a Golden Anniversary

against my sudden madness. I ignored Sarah' s furious glare and took David's han

hoing slightly in the stunned silence. "They are the ones who ar

nter of the room, my ey

truly love," I said, my vo

not how the script was supposed to go. I was supposed to be

her-bound journal from her purse-the one I knew she used to write endless, flowery poems ab

d to fix it. This time, I simply sidestepped. The journal flew past my ear and sailed through an open

g into the wate

back to the stunned crowd. "The engagement is off. From now

lked over to Olivia, took her hand,

o," I wh

nfusion behind us. I could hear Sarah starting to scream my name

gardens before Olivia finally spoke. She pulled

ce cautious. "Are you seri

g at me, trying to see past the publ

heart pounding. "Especi

dazzling thing that made my breath catch. She st

d, and then she lean

eling that felt like it had been waiting for a long, lo

nd here I thought I'd have to keep waiting." Her smile turned a

, confused. "Wh

nt blush on her cheeks. "I told you how I felt. I confessed that I had a huge crush

ack. Olivia Hayes, the brilliant music student, had told me sh

s been there, on the periphery, a constant, supportiv

ccident that happened while Sarah was away on a "girl's trip" that I later learned was a vacation with David. Olivia, fi

h who saved me. It was Olivia. She had been a guest at the anniversary party. She had shoved me out of the

ew life, I would spend every single day repaying that de