Later almost never arrived.
I looked at the empty chair again.
For one irrational moment, I considered sitting down anyway.
The place card did not carry my name, but thirty-one people had already seen what Celeste had done.
Taking the chair would not have made me part of the family.
It would only have given her another opportunity to call me difficult.
So I smiled.
I said, “Of course.”
I found a small two-person table near the bar, half concealed by a potted olive tree.
The bartender brought me a menu and asked whether I was waiting for someone.
“No,” I said. “It’s just me.”
I placed Celeste’s gift on the chair across from mine.
From where I sat, I could hear the birthday speeches without being fully visible to most of the guests.
Blake talked about Celeste’s strength.
Lila called her the heart of the family.
