“I can see that. It could be David, though,” she said. “That might hurt less.”
“Maybe. But it’s probably Penny.”
Then Mickey called for help, and the argument had to be shelved until later.
* * *
The celebration of life was in full swing, and Valerie was pleased that Helena’s family and friends were starting to relax. People had come from all over the region to share stories, including a man who had gone to elementary school with Helena. “She was a little hell-raiser,” the man said to anyone who passed his seat. “I was in love with her. Everyone was.”
When the rest of the Badgertons arrived, Alice came up to congratulate Valerie. “I don’t enjoy crowds,” she confessed. “When I was married to Peter, I dreaded doing the social things for the Bread Company because I stood out like a sore thumb.”
“You?”
“I hadn’t realized how many women in that group simply stopped working when they had children, despite having a good education and jobs. Like Jenn. I worked, and I didn’t have kids, or want them. Mark says…” Alice stopped. “Nothing.”
“Mark?” Valerie said the name casually, although Alice had mentioned it several times in a way that made Valerie think this Mark guy meant something more to Alice than Peter’s friend.
Alice turned her head away, almost as if she felt shy. “We’re getting married,” she said in a low voice. “Roger doesn’t know. I’ve been trying to get the nerve to tell him all month.”
“Congratulations,” said Valerie, relieved to have Alice confirmed as innocent in Roger’s investigation, although she’d never seriously been suspected. “Do you think Roger will be upset?”
“Not upset, but things will change.” She sighed. “I’ll always love Peter, and I know rationally that Roger would never expect me to spend my life mourning him, but it feels like the end of something.” She gave Valerie’s shoulder a pat. “That’s why I was so glad to meet you this summer. If anyone deserves a family, it’s him. Don’t worry about Penny. She may think she’s the boss of the Badgertons since Malcolm died, but she’s not the boss of you.”
“Thanks, Alice.”
“Any time.”
Alice went for some air as Fernie wandered by, a glass of white wine in her hand. Occasionally she would grab someone and break into the strange dance she’d been doing back at the cottage, then show them her phone.
“What’s with the turbo-charged tai chi?” Dalia asked as they watched Fernie twist around.
That’swhat she was doing. How had Valerie not recognized it? Fernie caught sight of them and came over.
“Soulvinate is catching on,” she said in a stage whisper, showing them her phone screen. Valerie sawSoulvinatein a script that looked vaguely Thai, along with a photo of Fernie photoshopped into a temple lit with neon lights. “I’ve got a bunch of people following me already.”
Dalia squinted. “Is that Angkor Wat?”
Fernie shrugged. “I told AI to do a famous temple but make it cool. It doesn’t matter; they’re all basically the same.”
“Is Soulvinate your version of tai chi?” asked Valerie to confirm.
“I told you it needed revitalizing! You should see my follower count since I started. Everyone wants the secrets of the East but for modern life, and no one has time for the old boring stuff.” Fernie scanned her face with a critical eye. “Soulvinate helps improve dull complexions, by the way. It optimizes blood circulation.”
Dalia watched her go. “The terrible thing is that I can already see the Soulvinate classes on offer at specialty gyms.”
So could Valerie. Dalia left to check the food as Valerie walked around the edges of the room, making sure it was all going according to plan. Ten minutes until speeches, and after that she could relax. Any time participants were required to take action through speaking, a procession, or dancing meant something to pay extra attention to.
Her phone rang. It was her mother and she moved outside to a corner of the patio where it was quiet but she could still keep an eye on things.
“Bad news, Val. Erica’s planner fell through. Luckily, it’s the early stages, but you know how Erica gets when things don’t work out.”
She did, and she also knew how her mother had been there to catch her stepsister every time a plan had fallen through or she’d met a minor obstacle. “That’s too bad,” she said. “The wedding is a year away, though.”
“I told her you’d do it. It’ll keep you busy since you gave up on Aurora, and save Erica trouble.”
This time, Valerie didn’t bother to correct her about the name. She looked out over the marina at the boats lined up in white rows. A month ago, she would have been grateful for her mother’s belief that she could be trusted to plan Erica’s wedding. She thought back to what Nico said about saying no.
“I didn’t give up Ad Astra.”
