“Cassie… I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Her eyes darted to the group behind me. “Could you not say that so loudly? If you do this in front of everyone, Cassie, I’ll tell them you’re unstable. I’ll make sure they believe it. Mom even chose me over you.”
“I’m not whispering about my child, Rosie.”
“You’re bringing down the mood, Cassie.” She forced another smile for someone waving from the sidewalk. “Come inside before you freeze.”
“Could you not say that so loudly?”
I stepped over the threshold, my gaze sweeping the room. Streamers hung from the ceiling; people laughed, someone poured wine, but no one looked my way for long.
Not one black dress. Not one lowered voice. Just music loud enough to pretend grief was a neighbor you could ignore. My daughter’s name hadn’t been spoken once in this house — I was sure of that.
Rosie drew me into the hallway.
“Don’t make this about you, Cassie,” she said.
I was sure of that.
“You made it about you,” I said. “You picked the day I buried her.”
She exhaled, irritated. “Today worked. I’m not postponing my life because you’re falling apart.”
“She was seven.”
Rosie’s mouth twisted. “And I’m thirty-two. People are here for me.”
I held her gaze. “Then look at me and say it: balloons mattered more.”
“You’re wearing sadness like a costume. Get over yourself!”
“And I’m thirty-two. People are here for me.”
A hush fell. People had started to notice the tone in the hallway. Neil, Rosie’s husband, lingered at the dining table, swirling his drink.
“Rosie,” Neil said gently. “Maybe we should step outside —”
She snapped. “Not now, Neil.”
“Cassie deserves a moment.”
I turned to him. “Did you know about this?”
A hush fell.
He looked straight at me, regret heavy in his eyes. “Yes, I knew.”
“Neil — don’t you dare…”
He set his glass down. “Everyone, I need your attention.”
Guests glanced over. Conversations drifted into silence.
“Most of you know that Nancy died in a crash last week. What you may not know is that Cassie was never supposed to drive her that morning.”
Rosie’s face turned pale. “Stop this.”
“Everyone, I need your attention.”
Neil’s voice was clear, carrying over the hush. “Rosie insisted that Cassie take Nancy across town so we could finish the party setup. She told Cassie to take Maple, even though there was construction.”
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