Chapter 35

THIRTY-FIVE

The inside of the atrium was a humid eighty-five degrees, but it was still somehow cooler than outside. Concrete paths wound through beds of colorful flowers and exotic plants, some of which reached almost to the glass ceiling. Vibrant greens and striking purple, pink, and blood-orange hues surrounded them. Butterflies flitted around their heads. Josie instantly recognized the yellow and orange monarchs. The rest she identified as they slow-walked past signs that named each one. Tiger swallowtails, great purple hairstreaks, and brush-footed butterflies. Among the plants and flowers were small dishes that held slices of orange, lemon, and watermelon. Many of the butterflies flocked there for food. Josie had to tear herself away from the informational placards that explained everything from their life cycles to their feeding habits to take in Trinity’s reaction.

She put a third check in the win column for Drake. Trinity was in awe. “This place is amazing,” she whispered to Josie, as if they were in some sacred place where they needed to be quietly respectful. In a way, it did feel sacred, teeming with life and lush vegetation, its beautiful and delicate inhabitants living peacefully. If only human beings treated one another with such care.

Noah tapped Josie’s shoulder and handed Trout’s leash off. He gave his rehearsed excuse for leaving—to use the restroom—but Trinity was too busy looking around in wonder. A bright blue butterfly landed on the waistline of her dress, and she laughed with delight. “Look!” she whisper-shouted. “Brenna is so lucky.”

Josie looked down at Trout so that Trinity wouldn’t see her smile. Her twin could read her expressions perfectly. Trout walked slowly ahead of them, stopping every so often to look up at Josie, his soulful brown eyes uncertain. The butterflies didn’t interest him one bit. Josie wasn’t surprised. He’d never shown interest in anything but humans and food. He never chased squirrels or any other critters they came across whenever Josie and Noah took him out for walks or hikes. Other than Misty’s chiweiner, Pepper, he didn’t even care about other dogs.

But then, as they got deeper into the garden, Trout began to pull Josie, his very accurate nose picking up on one of the strategically placed treats that Noah and Drake had planted along the paths. Trinity saw him straining against his leash and frowned. “What’s gotten into him?”

“Not sure,” said Josie. “I think he smells something.”

Trinity automatically kept pace with them as Trout frantically sniffed the ground and air, moving with purpose, until they came to a paper lantern on top of one of the walls that hemmed in the many garden beds. Light from an artificial candle flickered inside of it, illuminating a photo printed on white vellum paper that replaced one of the panes. Trout gobbled up a milkbone left on the ground while Trinity stared at the photo, lips pursed in confusion. It was a picture of the outside of a restaurant. “I don’t get it,” she said finally.

Carefully, Josie said, “The lanterns are supposed to spell out a story.”

Trinity stared at the photo of the restaurant for a couple of beats until Trout had pulled Josie several feet ahead. As she caught up to them, she said, “That restaurant is in New York. Have Patrick and Brenna ever been there?”

“Not sure,” Josie said. She’d been sure that Trinity would figure out what was going on the moment she saw the first lantern. Drake had explained the significance of each lantern to all of them. The restaurant was where they’d gone on their first date. Watching Trinity, Josie knew she suspected that tonight wasn’t about Patrick and Brenna at all, but the spark of doubt in her blue eyes told Josie that she was afraid to even think it, afraid to hope for it, so she said nothing.

“Trout’s on to the next lantern,” Josie said softly. “Let’s go.”

Trinity followed as Trout stopped at each lantern. Josie knew what the photos represented. The place they first kissed; their first trip together; the first piece of furniture they bought together; the first gift Trinity had given Drake; their first joint Christmas ornament; and the first time they’d said ‘I love you’ to one another.

Trinity took in each one with a look of consternation and from what Josie could tell, fear. All the signs were there that this night was about her and Drake, but Trinity was afraid that when they reached the end of the journey, her hopes would be dashed. Beneath all of Trinity’s confidence and sass was still a great deal of insecurity. Probably from the horrendous bullying she’d experienced as a girl. She’d spent her entire adult life building a successful career like a suit of armor so that she’d be impervious to the cruelty of others. The problem with that was that even with Drake, who was deeply, stupidly in love with her, Trinity had a hard time believing he wouldn’t betray her.

Josie knew a little something about emotional armor and betrayal. They’d led very different lives, but they had that in common.

At the last lantern, while Trout wolfed down his treat, Trinity clutched Josie’s arm. She opened her mouth to speak but then the first strains of orchestral music drifted through the air, rich and mellifluous. Trinity cocked her head, listening intently. Tears glistened in her eyes.

Josie said, “Everything you want is waiting just around that corner.”

Trinity let go of her arm and started to run. Trout, thinking it was a race, yanked on his leash to keep up. Josie was only an arm’s length behind her sister when she pulled up short. Drake stood in the center of a large open area in front of a fountain. Surrounding him was a small contingent of the university’s orchestra as well as Josie and Trinity’s family: Shannon, Christian, Patrick, Brenna, and Noah. Shannon was already crying. Everyone else was beaming. Josie tugged Trout over to Noah. He gripped her free hand, squeezing lightly.

Trinity walked slowly toward Drake. “You look beautiful,” he said.

She pointed to the orchestra. “This is…”

“An orchestral cover of the first song we ever danced to—remember? At my colleague’s wedding?”

Trinity took in a shaky breath. “‘Beyond’ by Leon Bridges.”

When Drake knelt in front of her and took out the ring, Trinity gasped. Fourth check in the win column. The rock was huge.

Josie couldn’t hear much of what he said after that over Shannon and Brenna bawling, but it didn’t matter. Trinity’s answer was yes. The music swelled and Noah slid an arm around Josie’s waist. His lips brushed her temple. “Drake’s really making me look bad. I’m sorry I didn’t give you something like this.”

Josie laughed. “Don’t be. The way it happened couldn’t be more ‘us.’ Plans are stupid, remember?”

It was practically his catchphrase. “So stupid,” he said.

They all went to dinner afterward, everyone laughing and glowing, especially Trinity, who started planning their wedding on the drive to the restaurant. It was one of the best nights of Josie’s life. She went to sleep with visions of butterflies, lanterns, sentimental photos, and weddings dancing in her head and woke up in a cold sweat, just as dawn was breaking.

Blinking away sleep, her brain latched onto a thought that had threaded itself through her dreams, trying to fight its way from her subconscious into the light. She took a moment to let her body wake and her mind clear. Then she followed the thought, running through the possibilities, testing theories until she was sure that her logic was sound.

She shook Noah awake. “I think I know where the most recent polaroid was taken.”