understand, Daddy. Iâm not crying over the past, Iâm crying over the future. Over whatâs almost definitely, positively, absolutely going to happen to Nicky and me. I donât know why it took me so long to realize. Weâllâweâll break each otherâs hearts, is what weâll do, and Iâd rather walk away now than let that happen.â
Annie smoothed her daughterâs hair from her forehead. âDawn, honey, I can point to lots of marriages that have succeeded.â
âMore fail than succeed.â
âI donât know where you got that idea.â
âItâs not an idea, itâs a fact. That Family Life course Iâm taking at Easton, remember? My instructor showed us all these statistics, Mom. Marriage is a crapshoot.â
Annie gritted her teeth, silently calling herself a fool for having convinced Dawn that she ought to at least attend classes at the local community college, now that she wasnât going to go away to school as theyâd planned.
âThereâs an element of risk in anything thatâs really worthwhile,â Chase said.
Annie gave him a grateful look. âExactly.â
âSo, when people get married, they should be aware that theyâre taking a gamble?â Dawn said, looking from her mother to her father.
Annie opened her mouth, then shut it. âWell, no. Not exactly,â she said, and cleared her throat. âPeople shouldnât think that.â She looked at Chase again. Say something, was written all over her face.
âOf course not,â Chase said quickly. âA man and a woman should put all their faith in their ability to make their marriage succeed.â
âAnd if that turns out not to be enough?â
âThen they should try harder.â
Dawn nodded. âAnd then they should give up.â
âNo! What I mean is...â It was Chaseâs turn to look at Annie for support. âAnnie? Can you, ah, explain this?â
âWhat your father is saying,â Annie said, stepping gingerly onto the quicksand, âis that sometimes a man and a woman try and try, and they still canât make a relationship work.â
âLike you and Daddy.â
Annie could feel the sand shifting, ever so slowly, under her feet.
âWell, yes,â she said slowly, âlike us. But that doesnât mean all marriages are failures.â
Dawn sighed. âI guess. But other peopleâs marriages donât mean much to me right now. All I could think of today was how wonderful it would be if you guys got back together again.â She buried her nose in Nickâs handkerchief and gave a long, honking blow. âAnd then, when I saw you guys kissing...when I thought I saw you kissing...â
âWe were,â Chase said. Annieâs head sprang up as if somebody had jabbed her with a pin. He saw the look of disbelief she flashed him but hell, there was no reason to lie about something as simple as a kiss. He laced his fingers through Dawnâs and smiled gently at her. âYou didnât imagine that, sweetheart. You and Nick were right. I was kissing your mother. And she was kissing me back.â
Dawnâs tearstained face lit.
âYou mean...â She looked at them, her lips trembling. âI was right? You guys are thinking of getting together again?â
âNo,â Annie said quickly. âDawn, a kiss doesnât meanââ
âIt doesnât mean theyâve reached any decisions,â Nick said. âRight, Mrs. Cooper?â
Oh, Nick, Annie thought unhappily. She rose to her feet and put her hand on his arm. âLook, I know what you both would like to hear me say, butââ
âJust say thereâs a chance,â Nick said, his eyes pleading with hers for time, for hope, for understanding. âEven a little one.â
Annie could feel the delicate pull of the quicksand at her toes. âChase,â she
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