As his arms wrapped around her, he said, “I love you more.”

Jude spent the afternoon sitting at the drafting table, clicking on his laptop between his medical file and the browser tab with the medical terms defined. When she closed it, she sighed heavily and looked out the window. “That’s heavy.”

“You’re telling me.”

When she glanced over to the couch, two books were stacked next to him, but remained unopened. She felt confident. “It’s not insurmountable though.”

“What are you suggesting?”

Getting up, she made her way over to him and sat square on his lap. She wrapped her arms around him and said, “That we live each day to the fullest.”

“Carpe diem.”

“Carpe diem.”

Taylor flipped her onto her back and began tickling her, loving to hear her laugh. Squirming beneath him, he stopped the pleasurable torture and giggles turned to moans when he started to kiss her. One moan led to more and they made love on the couch in the middle of the afternoon.

As the afternoon chased the evening, Jude paced the living room, internally debating. Hazel had asked her to sit down or talk to him, but she never heard him. The fear building inside her was overpowering any outside noise. At five o’clock, she announced. “I need to go. I need to deal with my family. If I leave now, I can be home for dinner. I’m in the mood for Chinese. Can we order delivery?”

“Of course,” he replied, watching her move around the kitchen searching for something he believed was a distraction to the issue. “I’m going with you.” Her stress had become his and stress gave him tremors. He tucked his hand in his pocket and walked into the bedroom.

When she joined him, she said, “No. I’m going alone. It will be better. If I can smooth things over, we’ll set up a dinner for all of us. If it doesn’t go as hoped, I don’t want you dragged into that mess or to witness it.”

“I’m already a part of this mess. You can’t protect me from them. They either approve or not, but I don’t actually give a fuck if they do. I just care about you.”

“That’s why it’s best if I break this to them alone. I’m going into a battle and I want to win without starting a war.”

She was good. Very good, and she made sense. So he sat on the bed and watched her style her hair, and as if on autopilot, she pinned it back and up. She never bothered with makeup while here, which he liked, but he knew she would feel better while wearing her armor for this confrontation. Instead, she walked out of the bathroom with what he identified as her bravest expression of indifference, and said, “I want the Honey Chicken and an eggroll.”

“Hey, Jude.” When she came and sat next to him, he handed her his phone. “Call the home number if you need me or need anything. It’s the most recent number, so it’s easy to find. We’ll get you one of your own tomorrow.”

She took the phone and smiled while looking at it. “Thank you.”

“I mean it. I want you to call me the second you leave. I can meet you.”

“No, just stay here and order the food. I want a night of good food, maybe a movie, and my handsome, extremely sexy husband all to myself.”

He conceded, realizing she wasn’t going to change her mind. “You got it.” He rubbed her thigh, then whispered, “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She kissed him and stood up.

Grabbing her hand, he pulled her back to his lap. “Call me.”

“The second I leave,” she responded with an easy smile, then kissed his head.

Jude left Hazel and his worried expression in the apartment. As soon as she closed the door, her fears escalated. She had no idea how her parents would react to the news of her marriage or if Isla had already told them. But she found some consolation in the fact she would be able to make her own decisions soon. Her marriage gave her strength and confidence, but more than that it gave her comfort knowing she would be emancipated from her stepfather soon.

Thirty minutes later, she stood on the large stoop in her prettiest dress with the phone tucked into her pocket. She tried to fix her hair, but it was a windy day, so flyaway hair was inevitable. She rang the bell, not something she had ever done before, but this place no longer felt like home to her. She stood as an outsider to the place she’d called home for years, and she liked that.

Roman answered, and her heart started beating again. He stepped out, closing the door a bit behind him. “Hummingbird, you’re back.” Happiness to see her had overcome him. He stepped forward to hug her, but stopped.

She knew he halted because he felt he should, not that he wanted to. She ignored that invisible line that seemed to separate the two of them, not caring what her family would think. She hugged him because she cared about him. “I missed you too.”

“Are you okay?”

“Better than okay.” She stepped back and showed him her hand with the rings.

“You’re married?” he asked stunned.

“I am. He’s wonderful, Roman. I’m going back to him tonight.”

Roman’s eyes got glassy and gave her the response she so deeply needed. “Who is the lucky man? Is it Taylor Barrett?”

His concern for her, his care over her made her want to tell him everything. “It is,” she replied surprised he knew. “How’d you know?”

“Nadia. She told me about him leaving that morning.”

“Oh God! Did she tell my parents?”

“No. Only the two of us know.”

Jude relaxed knowing she wouldn’t have to explain that as well. “Thank you.” Maybe Nadia wasn’t as bad as she once thought, or perhaps she was changing. Either way, she felt grateful. “Thank her for me.”

“I will. Now, you should probably go inside. Your parents are wrapping up their tea. Good luck, Hummingbird.”

She nodded. Whether she was ready to face them didn’t matter. It was going to happen whether she was or not. She followed Roman inside and walked to the wooden archway that led to the living room.

The tray of sandwiches and pastries, cookies, and biscuits was empty, only crumbs remaining. The teapot was discarded to the side, the warm brew now cold. The four of them—her mother, stepfather, aunt, and cousin—talked idly as if nothing had changed at all. It didn’t look like her mother had been crying for two weeks. The house of opulence they wanted everyone to see stood strong before her as if she had never disappeared. Jude’s loyalties had long been betrayed, so standing before them now, she felt nothing of the love that one should for her family.

Suddenly her aunt’s mouth dropped open when she saw her. “Judith?”

The other three followed in succession gawking at the girl in the lavender dress like she was an ugly duckling among swans. Isla smiled, but Jude struggled to distinguish where her alliances lay. Isla sat back in her chair, as if getting comfortable for the ensuing fireworks.

Aunt Leslie broke the silence. “Well. Well. Welllll.”

Jude’s feet moved back, the attention overbearing. Then her thumb felt the metal bands on her finger, which enabled her to gather strength. “I guess we should talk.”

Isla tutted and said, “You think?”

Guess she’s on their side. “Isla, I know you’re upset and I’m sorry. But I’m not sorry for anything that happened today.”

Her family turned to Isla. Jude’s stepfather asked her, “What is she talking about? You saw her and didn’t tell us?”

Standing up, Isla declared, “She’s here. Judith is back. That’s all that matters. That’s all that has ever mattered to you people.”

Isla’s mother stood. “Isla, shut your mouth.”

Isla’s arms went wide. “I can’t do this anymore. I’m tired of her getting everything. She’s crazy. You all said so yourselves. It’s always about Judith.”

Her mother went to her daughter and gritted her teeth. “Get hold of yourself, dear daughter, before you ruin everything.”

Jude stood there, flabbergasted. “Ruin what?”