el
“sorry,naisdanielactuallyipublican”
“right,”shenoddedandlookedaherhesedays,isntit”sheaddressedthetableeveryonefellintonversationanddanieltuedtoholly“didyouenjoyyourholiday”“oh,iha**bulousti,”sheansookiteasyandrelaxedeveryday,didntdoanythingwildandweird”“justiled“iheardaboutyoueardeathexperience”hollyrolledhereyes“ibetdenisetoldyouthat”henoddedandlaughed
“sureshegaveyoutheexaggeratedversion”
“notreally,shejusttoldabouthotheseabyahelipter”“shedidnt”
“no,notreally,”helaughed“still,thatsthavebeensonversationyouonotnoticeyouingouttosea”hollysfa
“okeveryone,”denisecalled“youreprobablyandiinvitedyouallheretonight”“understatentoftheyear,”danielled,andhollygiggled“ake”shelookedaroundateveryoneandsled
hollyseyeswidened
“selfandtoregettingrried”denisesquealed,andhollyshandsfleouthinshockshedidnotseethatoneing“ohdenise”shegasped,and“thatsulations”
shelookedatdanielsface;ithadgonee
theypoppedopenabottleofiandjirsanthaandsaresadeatoast“holdonholdon”denisestoppedtheustbeforetheystarted“sharon,didyounotgetaglass”everyonelookedatsharon,einherhand
“hereyougo,”toaid,pouringheraglass
“nonononotfor,thanks,”shesaid
“”denisehuffed,upsetthatherfriendcelebratehherjohnandsharonlookedateailed“sspecialnight”everyoneurgedhertospeak
“pregnantjohnandiaregoingtohaveababy”
johnseyesbegantoingeithertearsfilledhereyesassheuch“soletskeatoasttotonddenisesengagentandsharonandjohnsbaby”everyoneclinkedglassesandhollyatedinnerinsilence,notreallytastinganything“youakethattielevenoent
afterdinnerhollyanddanieldetheirextostay“houchshouldileavetohebill”hollyaskeddenise“oh,dontissively
“no,dontbesilly,iuldntletyoupayforithouch,honestly”theanbesidehergrabbedthenuandstartedaddingupthepriealstheyhadboughttherehadbeensonyandhollyhadonlypickedatheroingastartersosheuldaffordit“pagne”
hollygulpedandstareddothethirtyeuroinherhanddanielgrabbedherhandandpulledherup“eon,letsgo,holly”sheopenedheruthtoketheexuoney,thereappearedtobeanextratyshesledatdanielgratefullyandtheybothheadedouttothecartheysatinthecarinsilence,boththinkingaboutovingonexcepthersdanielpulledupoutsideherhouse“doyoueinforateaorffeeoranything”shebeltandacceptedheroffershereallylikeddaniel,heobeh,butrightnoedtobealone“thatenight,ylife,andididnotseeanyofthating”“akesyoufeelanybetter,iveknoforyearstooandhedidntntionathing”“althoughsharonoings,butshesaiditrailedoffandherbrainintooverdriveasthingsstartedtoaddup“seasickness”danielasked,nfused
“afteroueardeathexperience,”sheexplained“oh,right”
thistineitheroftheaughed
“itsfunny,”hesaid,settlingdootheuchohno,hollythought;hesnevergoingtoleavethehousenow“theladsalyselfandlauraarried,”hentinued“ijustdidntthinkthatlauraarriedbefore”“shesgettingrried”hollyaskedgently
henoddedandlookedaine,too,”helaughedbitterly“obviouslyhesnotanyre”
“nope,”heshookhishead“obviouslynot”
“sorrytohearthat,”shesaidgenuinely
“ahourfairshareofbadluckyouknohatbetterthananyone”“huh,fairshare,”sherepeated
“iknoheresnothingfairaboutit,butdontoo”“youthink”
“ihope”
theysatinsilenceforanotheroutofthehousesosheuldopentheenvelopehereadhed“sohoessagesfrobovegoing”
hollysatforugdo
“ohright,”hesaid,juingtoattentionhesatupquicklyandputhisgdohetable“ibetterleaveyouatitso”hollybitherlip,feelingguiltyatusheringhiutsoquickly,butshewasalsorelievedhewasfinallygoing“thanksallionforthelift,daniel,”shesaid,follotothedoor“noprobletall”hequicklygrabbedhisatfrohebanisterandheadedoutthedoortheygaveeachotheraquickhug“seeyousoon,”shesaid,feelinglikearightbitdiatelyfadedassoonassheclosedthedoor“rightgerry,”shesaidassheheadedtothetable“
