Page 103 of Love and Memories

Anna nodded quickly. “Of course.”

“It’s okay to be upset.”

Anna stared out the window at her parents’ house. “No, it’s not. I have everything I could ever want and more. I should never be anything but happy.”

Bella squeezed her friend’s arm. “I understand your frustration today. Your mom invited fifty extra people to your wedding, and you don’t even know them.”

Anna’s chin fell. “I know she said she would pay the extra cost, but my wedding is just a networking event for her. I wanted a simple celebration, and now it’s so big and unnecessarily expensive. It’s not the way I want to start my marriage.” She shook her head. “But does that even matter? I should just be grateful and go about my business.”

“Your mom could have at least told you about it. The wedding planner wasn’t happy when she found out what your mom did either.”

Lifting her head, Anna pasted on a fake grin. “I’m happy. Everything is fine. I’ll just forget about it.”

“Your feelings are valid. You can–”

“It’s okay. Let’s just go. Mom will be angry if we’re late for lunch.”

Bella inhaled a deep breath, gathering her courage to spend the next hour with Anna’s mom. The woman had the ability to be nice. Bella had seen it before. But she never showed that side when Anna was around. Even Bella could see that the woman was never happy with her daughter.

Anna didn’t like talking about her mother or her soon-to-be husband. Was she happy with either relationship? If she was, the evidence was well hidden. Sure, Anna put on a smile through most bumps in the road, but she’d perfected the art of hiding behind a compliant face.

Bella followed Anna into the grand entrance, glancing back to see Nathan’s truck parked out front. Too bad he wouldn’tfollow them inside and protect Anna from her mother’s harsh words.

Inside the stately mansion, a forest of tall, wooden columns held up the high ceilings and blended into the sprawling landscape outside the massive windows on the far side of the room.

Soft stirring sounds beckoned them into the dining area. The dark mahogany table surrounded by ten high-backed chairs was the focal point of the room, and the serving bar against the wall was filled with platters heaped with food.

Catherine Harris appeared wearing a different blouse and slacks than she’d worn to meet with the wedding planner an hour ago. An equally lavish pair of heels clicked across the hardwood floor.

“What took you so long?” Catherine asked. Now that they were alone, she did nothing to hide her signature scowl.

“We stopped to get gas,” Anna said as she stepped over to the serving bar. “Will anyone else be joining us?”

“No,” her mother said in a clipped tone as she lifted a glass of white wine to her lips.

Bella glanced at the mounds of food. It was enough to feed at least ten adults.

Anna picked up a fancy plate and reached for the tongs from a bowl of tossed salad. “Thank you for inviting us to lunch.”

“Yes, thank you so much,” Bella echoed. There were leftovers in her refrigerator, but the chicken covered in brown sauce smelled good enough to make her stomach growl.

When all three women were seated at the table, Anna bowed her head to say a silent prayer. Bella did the same, thanking God for once again providing her with everything she needed and more.

Anna’s mother let out an unmistakably exasperated sigh. “I see you’re still thanking an invisible god for the things your father and I have worked so hard to give you.”

Bella slowly lifted her chin and glanced at Catherine. There wasn’t a single wrinkle in her expression, no doubt the work of surgeries and fillers, but there was no doubting the contempt in her eyes as she glared at her daughter.

Anna raised her head and picked up her fork without responding, but Catherine wouldn’t be brushed off.

“It’s disrespectful,” Catherine added.

“My prayers are not disrespectful. I’m not forcing my beliefs on you, but I won’t stop praying.”

“You’re not forcing your beliefs on anyone? What about the prayers during the wedding? It might be held in a church, but a wedding isn’t some kind of religious meeting.”

“Actually, it is. Marriage is a special bond, and God is the witness to the vows we make to each other and to Him.”

Catherine’s hands balled into fists. “It’s embarrassing,” she spat.

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