The soft jazz kept playing on the speaker. That was the only sound.
Vanessa was standing by the drink cooler with Irvin. She had her hand on his arm. She was laughing at something.
She saw me.
Her laugh stopped. Her hand dropped off Irvin’s arm.
Her smile tightened. It didn’t go away. It just got very stiff, like it had been painted on.
“Janet,” she said. Her voice was bright and sharp. “What are you doing here?”
I walked across the yard toward her. Slowly. I could feel every pair of eyes following me.
Irvin stepped away from her. He came and stood next to me. Right next to me. Shoulder to shoulder. He didn’t say anything. He just stood there.
I stopped in front of the long table with the white tablecloth.
“I brought the hostess a gift,” I said.
I set the box down on the table in front of her.
