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“You commandeered the bachelorette weekend,” Tatum says. “I’mstillpaying it off.”
“I know,” Dru-Ann says. “I’m sorry. When I look back on it now, I see it was an obnoxious flex.”
Tatum turns to study Dru-Ann’s profile. Does she seem contrite behind her designer sunglasses?
“I was jealous of you,” Dru-Ann says. “You had history with Hollis, years longer than me, all the growing-up stuff. You knew who she was at her essence, and I just knew who she wanted to be once she left home. And what can I say? I’m competitive. I wanted to be the best friend. I wanted to be the one who loved her the most, the one she loved the most.”
“I felt the same way,” Tatum says. “I thought of her love as a pie and I wanted the biggest piece. Hell, I wanted the whole pie.”
“Because I couldn’t make your importance to Hollis smaller, I tried to diminish you in other ways. What I said at the reception was inexcusable,” Dru-Ann says. “Believe me, Tatum, Iamsorry. I think about it and I just hate myself.”
The ceremony at St. Andrew’s Episcopal followed by the reception at the Wellesley Country Club are both lovely and fun. Tatum brings Kyle, and they notice that Hollis hasn’t invited another soul from Nantucket other than her father. Nearly all the guests at the wedding are friends of Matthew’s parents. Fine, great; Tatum still enjoys herself. The bridesmaids wear silk sheaths in a dusty-rose color, and Mrs. Madden has instructed them to accessorize with “a pearl choker, nothing opera-length or longer.” (Tatum didn’t own pearls of any length, so she had to go out and buy a pearl choker.)
Mrs. Madden pays for all the bridesmaids to get their hair and makeup done, and Tatum chooses a French-braid crown with pink roses woven in. She is, as she requested, the last one in the bridal party to walk out, and the program readsMatron of honor: Mrs. Tatum McKenzie,which makes her very happy.
Right before the reception, Dru-Ann tells Tatum that she’ll be giving the toast. Tatum has written a rhyming poem, but in truth, she’s terrified of public speaking, so she accepts Dru-Ann’s announcement gracefully; she’ll hand her poem to Hollis later. However, Mrs. Madden overhears the girls talking and tells Dru-Ann that the only people who will be giving toasts that evening are her husband and the best man.
Ha,Tatum thinks. She gives Dru-Ann a sorry-not-sorry smile and goes to find more champagne.
In the middle of the dancing, the bandleader pauses between songs and says, “This next one is a special dedication from our bride to the matron of honor, Tatum McKenzie.” The band launches into “Take My Breath Away.” Tatum meets Hollis out on the floor and they do their dance while the other guests—who are fairly inebriated by this point—cheer. It’s the greatest honor Tatum could have imagined.
Near the end of the reception, Tatum goes to the ladies’ room. She’s had a lot to drink and her feet hurt from dancing in her dyed-to-match-the-dress silk pumps. Tatum stands in front of the mirror and unwinds her French-braid crown—it’s giving her a headache—and her fingers catch on her choker. The strand snaps, and the pearls go raining all over the bathroom floor just as Dru-Ann steps out of a stall.
Dru-Ann gazes at Tatum in the mirror as she washes her hands. “That’s what happens when you buy them at Kmart,” she says—and walks out.
Thinking about it now makes Dru-Ann want to throw herself overboard. Whosayssomething like that? She was every bit as thoughtless and idiotic then as certain young people she has the pleasure to know are now. “I apologize for making a classist joke,” Dru-Ann says. “It was a crappy thing to do and I feel like a jerk.” She rests a hand on Tatum’s forearm and squeezes. “I’m sorry, Tatum.”
Tatum is quiet for a moment and Dru-Ann hopes Tatum realizes her apology is authentic.
“I forgive you,” Tatum finally says. “I have bigger things to worry about now than my Kmart pearls.”
Dru-Ann laughs. “Yeah, me too.”
Caroline creeps around the boat with her camera. She manages to film the moment between Dru-Ann and Tatum. Finally, they’ve made up.
Dru-Ann and Tatum are having a moment on the bow and Caroline is filming, so Brooke sits alone in the cockpit. Only yesterday, this would have bothered her, but today, Brooke is content to take in the scenery and think. The first mate, James, comes by and says, “How’s it going?”
He looks like a nice kid and the way he asks makes it seem like he really wants to know: Howisit going?
She smiles at him. “I came out of my walk-in closet this weekend,” she says.
He tilts his head like he’s heard her but doesn’t understand.
“I’m gay,” she says.
James breaks into a surprised grin. This is probablynotwhat he expected to hear, Brooke thinks. “Good for you,” he says. “Congratulations!”
Not everyone in her life might view her announcement as something to celebrate, but first mate James does. Brooke loves kids this age. The future, she decides, is bright.
45. Hiding in Plain Sight
Hollis drives the Bronco home as fast as she can without attracting the notice of Kevin Dixon or any other Nantucket police officer.
I met you with Matthew in Atlanta,Electra said.
The words Hollis has overlooked until just now arein Atlanta.How would Electra have known Gigi lived in Atlanta? It wasn’t written anywhere on the itinerary.
They weretogether, Electra said.
