The dinner happened a week later, and I was the one who set it up.
I told Ethan I wanted to have his parents over, just the four of us, to talk about the wedding timeline. He agreed easily. He was in a good mood that week, generous and attentive, bringing me coffee in the mornings and asking about my day. It was the version of him I'd fallen in love with, and I watched it like a movie, from a distance, noting every performance.
Carolyn and Robert arrived at seven. Robert was quiet, a man who had made his money in shipping and now spent his days at the club. Carolyn brought a bottle of wine and a folder of fabric swatches.
We ate in the dining room. I had made a roast, and I'd set the table properly, because I wanted everything to look normal.
Over dessert, I brought out the folder.
"I
