She looked at Maddy to check. Maddy’s eyes flickered with relief. She gave a small nod.
‘You. DJ Vortex. Go.’
The DJ did speak, though with a lot more nervousness now, Eva was pleased to note. Eva extracted essentials, cut theatrics, eliminated smoke and excessive bass that would rattle Hawthorne’s windows.
Then the florist. ‘Tall installations or centrepieces?’ she asked.
Adam opened his mouth.
Eva turned to Maddy first. ‘What didyoupicture?’
Maddy hesitated. Eva could see the internal calculation. What pleases Adam, what causes the least friction.
Eva held her gaze. She didn’t want to scare Maddy, but she wanted her to understand she was being heard. Shedeservedto be heard.
‘I liked lower arrangements,’ Maddy said finally. ‘So people can see each other.’
‘Low centrepieces,’ Eva confirmed, writing it down.
Adam blinked. ‘Oh. I thought tall would be more dramatic.’
Eva saw Maddy’s apology forming before it arrived, and she headed it off.
‘The room is already dramatic,’ Eva said evenly. ‘Lower arrangements will balance it.’ She didn’t look at Adam. She looked at Maddy. Maddy stared back at her, startled, as though unable to conceive of the idea that she’d gotten this right.
As catering began outlining plated service, Eva watched Maddy lean back slightly.
‘Plated,’ the caterer began, ‘creates structure—’
‘Or something more fluid,’ Eva interrupted lightly.
The caterer had forgotten that no one was here to pleasehim,and he needed slapping down.
‘What would you prefer?’ she asked the people getting married.
Maddy glanced at Adam. Then back to Eva.
‘Less rigid,’ she said quietly. ‘Something that feels… easier.’
Adam considered it. ‘Family-style could be nice?’
Maddy looked faintly astonished. Eva felt a quiet satisfaction. Maddy shouldn’t be learning her opinion amounted to something this late in her life, but with Eva’s help, by god, shewouldlearn it.
Then the DJ attempted to reintroduce coloured uplighting. Maddy actively flinched but didn’t speak.
‘No,’ Eva said.
DJ Vortex tried a smile. ‘Just a touch?’
‘No.’
He stopped smiling.
Maddy threw her a grateful smile.
The meeting wound down after that. DJ Vortex packed his laptop with far less commentary than he’d arrived with. The florist muttered something about revised sketches. Catering left without a word.
Adam drifted toward the venue coordinator to discuss bar placement.
