I couldn’t speak. This was my life to come, to be lived onclean and unmarked land. There was no room for shadows. On the other hand, Felicity was the only reason I met Sam. Felicity was all alone. She would always be alone. The girl who had everything had nothing. No matter how hard I tried, she was part of me.
“‘I am half-sick of shadows,’” I said.
“Finally a poem I know,” Sam said. “We were forced to read it in eighth grade, the most depressing thing I ever read. She kills herself and then floats down to Camelot.”
“I don’t think she really killed herself. She died of a broken heart.”
“Nobody really dies of a broken heart.”
“They do in country-western songs,” I told him. “And old poems. I’m named after that poem.”
“I thought you were named after that old song.”
I said, “Both. I’ll explain someday.”
Sam said, “We have plenty of time.”
We talked about things we’d never discussed. He asked if I would want to stay home with a baby. I said it depended on the baby—that I hadn’t really thought past peeing on the stick and getting presents. I asked him if he would, and he said absolutely. He told me his two youngest brothers were twins and that this ran in families. Then he pulled off at one of those rest stops frequented by long-haul truckers, a low-lying building complex that advertised Diner Showers Hookups.
“Do you think they mean electrical hookups or the other kind?” I asked. “Probably both, judging by the looks of that joint.”
I waited while Sam made a phone call and left a message. “Guys, I am at a truck stop in Wisconsin. I just proposed. She said yes.”
Miranda and Patrick were waiting on the porch swing. They came down to meet me.
Miranda said, “I was so surprised when you called. Youhaven’t been up here for a while. How long can you stay? Do you want something to drink? Come inside.”
We all turned toward the porch, not even noticing Sam struggling to manage his satchel and mine. Finally, he said, “Wait a minute! I’m Sam Damiano, I’m a friend of Reenie’s...”
“Sam is Felicity’s defense lawyer,” I said. “You remember. Well, Mom, you remember. Dad, you weren’t there.”
My mother said, “Of course. Hello.”
Patrick put out his hand and they shook.
“That’s a beautiful ring, Reenie,” my mother said. “Is it new? Is it one of those new antiques they make?”
“It’s a real antique. It belonged to Sam’s grandmother. We... Well, Sam asked me to marry him, and I said yes.”
Patrick said, “Is marrying the press required? For a solid defense?”
“It’s required for me. I guess I didn’t do too well with the defense. I did my best.”
My father said, “I was kidding. In a clumsy way. I’m sure you did everything right, Sam.”
“And want to be a good husband to Reenie, and a good father to our children. I hope you want that too.”
Well done!I thought.They will acquit!
My mother said, “Reenie, are you...?”
I said, “Nope.” Then I went on, “Doesn’t anyone want to say congratulations or when’s the wedding? The answers are, thanks and we don’t know, we’ve only been engaged for eight hours.”
My mother hugged both of us, and then said, “I remember Angela from back when I was a reporter. She was a powerhouse. She got some of the worst people off...”
Sam said, “That she did! My mom is one of a kind.”
Miranda said, “Wow.”
