I’m so relieved to know at least one other person understands my decision to refuse Luka that I could cry. My father catches Samuel’s attention and tips his head towards the back of the room where Chiara is chatting up one of the mourners, a handsome red-haired man who is dabbing at his red eyes and backing away from Chiara’s obvious advances like she is a rabid dog. Samuel rolls his eyes and hustles across the chapel to pry her away.
It seems like a good time to leave. The chapel is beginning to clear out, and clearly Chiara can’t be trusted on her own, so I grab my purse from under the pew and begin sliding towards the center aisle. As I do, I look up and see Cal Higgs’ mother making her way towards the aisle at the same time. A heavyset woman with mascara tracks down her cheeks stands
