“Oh, she’s at home uh, picking out invitation stationary and whatever.” Dana laughed nervously, looking down and playing with her finger before casting a quick glance at Alice. “She’s also looking for some planners and stuff.”

Both Tina and Shane nodded their heads.

“Lemme guessher idea?” Alice said taking a sip of her beer and Dana turned to face her.

“So? She likes to plan things.”

“So will the swans be caged, or are they going to walk down the isle behind the flower girl?”

Dana replied with her middle finger and an icy-cold glare. Alice just raised her eyebrows in confrontation and was about to say more when the phone started to ring. All four heads snapped toward the phone the second it began to ring. Alice, Shane, and Dana turned to Tina, who had suddenly paled.

“Should I?” Alice asked Tina, who shrugged.

“It’s your phone.”

Shane grabbed Tina’s hand and squeezed it, trying to smile for Tina out of reassurance. Tina sat back in her chair, her breathing becoming more haggard with each step Alice took toward the phone. Because of her hesitation, Alice wasn’t fast enough and the machine got it instead.

“Hi, you’ve reached Alice Pieszecki, if you don’t know what to do after the beep; I’m embarrassed that you know me.” Beep!