Chapter 4

The group-photo confirmation form landed in Zachery's hands while I was still standing at the side of the stage.

Someone from the PR department held out a tablet to show him the preview.

In the photo, Zachery stood in the center, with Madge on his right.

The caption underneath was already laid out: Annual Project Lead Zachery James and family member Madge Swanson.

When I saw that line, the blessing card in my hand was still cracked open.

Zachery saw it too.

The PR staffer asked, "Manager James, the family credit looks fine, right? If it's fine, we'll push the preview to the company page."

I looked at him.

This time, he stood very steady.

That pen, he took from the PR staffer's hand himself.

"Zachery."

I called his name.

He lifted his head to look at me, and the first thing that flickered in his eyes wasn't guilt. It was irritation.

"Don't change it tonight."

"Why?"

"Madge is already in the photo. Pulling her out at the last minute looks worse."

"And what about me?"

He held the pen tip over the confirmation line.

"We're getting the license tomorrow. I'll find the right time to say something."

I looked at that preview image.

In four years, I'd heard "the right time" too many times.

And in the end, the person who fit best standing next to him had become Madge.

The PR staffer was still waiting.

Zachery lowered his head and signed the confirmation line.

"Go with this one for now."

The staffer added, offhand, "Should we put down Miss Swanson's contact info too?"

Zachery paused for half a second.

"Use hers for now."

As those words fell, I heard my phone chime once.

The reminder from the county clerk's office popped up.

Tomorrow, 9:30 a.m. Please bring both parties' IDs and arrive on time to complete the registration.

He reached out for my phone.

"Gail, let's talk about the license when we get home."

I moved my hand away from his and opened the appointment page.

When the cancel button appeared, he finally panicked.

"Don't use this to threaten me."

I raised my eyes to him.

"I'm not threatening you."

He lowered his voice. "Over one photo?"

I set the cracked blessing card down next to the confirmation form.

Then I laid the dented cufflink beside it.

"Because you knew you were registering our marriage with me tomorrow, and you still signed her name as your family."

The area around us went quiet.

The PR staffer pulled the tablet back a little.

The coworker who'd just been pushing for confirmation shut his mouth too.

The PR staffer looked at me, then at Zachery, not daring to put the tablet away.

Madge stood off to the side, the family badge still pinned to her chest.

Zachery stared at that confirmation form, his voice dropping.

"This is company publicity. Don't blow it up into a scene."

I tapped confirm right in front of him.

A line popped up on the screen.

Appointment canceled.

Zachery's face changed all at once.

"Gail, what is that supposed to mean?"

I let the screen go dark.

"The family member you just signed off on is Madge Swanson."

"That license tomorrow, I'm not getting it."

The PR staffer asked quietly, "Manager James, do we still push it to the company page?"

Another coworker followed him out, still holding the family gift box.

"Manager James, this one just got logged under Miss Swanson. Do we still need to change it?"

The color drained a little further from Zachery's face.

He reached for the gift box, but the label on the bag was stuck on tight.

Three words on it, clear as day: Zachery James's family.

He tried to peel it off, scraped at it twice with his nail, and only lifted a thin white edge.

The admin supervisor came out through the door, saw that bag, and her face went a little awkward too.

"Manager James, this one has to be re-registered as well, or finance won't be able to reconcile it."

Zachery gripped the mouth of the bag and said nothing more about pulling the image.

Zachery didn't answer.

The spot where he'd just signed was still pressed under the tablet's preview.

That little line wasn't big, but it pinned Madge's name to his side.

I was standing in the spot closest to him, and yet I'd become the only one with no place at all.

Zachery finally took half a step forward.

But on the screen behind him, that preview image was still lit.

Madge reached for the tablet.

"How about I go explain to them first…"

I didn't listen anymore.

Behind me, someone called out, "Manager James, the family photo needs to go to the group for confirmation right away."

Zachery finally lifted his head to look at me.

I turned and walked out of the company gala hall.

This time, he couldn't hold down my hand, and he couldn't take back that line he'd just signed either.