Slowly.
I had seen my mother angry many times.
Never like that.
“You pushed your sister into a pool.”
“Mom—”
“She had surgery.”
“I know.”
“You knew she couldn't swim.”
Vanessa’s mouth opened.
Mom’s voice broke.
“You knew.”
“I didn't think—”
“No.”
Mom shook her head.
“You didn't.”
Sirens sounded in distance.
Vanessa looked at Daniel again.
“You canceled everything without even talking to me.”
Daniel laughed once.
Not with humor.
“You shoved someone who couldn't swim into deep water.”
“She’s my sister.”
“As though that helps.”
“You're taking her side?”
“This is not sides.”
“It is exactly sides.”
“No.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“This is me discovering you can hurt someone and then become angry they got hurt.”
Vanessa slapped him.
Gasps.
Her palm hit his cheek.
Daniel did not move.
Vanessa froze.
Everything she had done in the last five minutes seemed to reach her at once.
Daniel touched his cheek.
Then looked at her.
“Thank you.”
She stared.
“What?”
“Because I was still wondering.”
“Now I’m not.”
Vanessa’s face drained.
“No.”
Daniel removed his engagement ring.
Men rarely wore one, but Vanessa had insisted they both should.
He held it in his palm.
“You’re angry.”
she whispered.
“Yes.”
“We can talk tomorrow.”
“No.”
“Daniel.”
He placed the ring on a nearby cocktail table.
“What are you doing?”
“Ending this.”
Nobody moved.
Vanessa stared at ring.
“No.”
Daniel’s voice remained low.
“I am not marrying you tomorrow.”
My mother closed her eyes.
Someone in crowd whispered.
Vanessa laughed again.
“You’re embarrassing me.”
Daniel looked at her for a long time.
“That is what you’re worried about?”
Her eyes filled.
Three hundred guests.