Chapter 0330

I laugh, pleased at our bizarre little family. “Where are we going?” I ask, grinning at Janeen. I know she’s got something planned

— she’s been too sneaky for days.

“Home,” she says, innocent.

I just laugh, ducking into the car and letting her take the reins. But then, as we hit the highway and actually head back to the

beach, I twist in my seat to stare at her.

“Seriously?!” I gasp. “We're just going home?!”

“Where did you think we were going?” she asks, turning her head curiously.

“I don’t know!” I say, gasping suddenly with sadness. “But it's my wedding day! I can’t believe you didn’t plan anything!”

“Your fake wedding day!” she insists, laughing. “To your gay ex-boyfriend! Whose actual boyfriend is right there!” she continues,

pointing to him in the driver’s seat. Jerome gives us a little thumbs-up as Daniel laughs next to me.

I pout, crossing my arms over my little white wedding dress which only goes to my knees. “First you make me sit in the middle

seat, on my wedding day,” I grumble, “and now I don’t even get a reception?”

“Sorry, baby,” Janeen says with a sigh, grinning at me. “I’m saving the good stuff for your next husband.”

The rest of the car ride home is a cheerful one, I think all of us wanting to take a day to ignore the realities of our life and just...

have a good time. Dad is laughing hardest of all of us, telling stories about his own two weddings (to Janeen’s mom, and then

mine) that have us all rolling as we pull into the driveway.

I'm thoroughly cheerful, if not a little tired, when I climb out of the car and head to the door.

But as I walk to the house, someone grabs my hand.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Daniel asks, pulling me back to him with a smile.

“What?” I ask, confused. “Insi...” but then, as I look at Janeen and Jerome grinning on either side of him, I gasp with delight.

“You did!” I shout, throwing my hands up in the air. “You did plan a surprise reception! You did!”

They all burst out laughing then and I smack each of them on the chest in turn for teasing me like that. And then a taxi pulls up to

the driveway, beeping twice as my dad waves from the door of the house.

“You're not coming?” I call to him, my face falling.

“You know me,” he calls back, waving as he turns into the house. “Two beers and I’m done. I'll keep the house warm for when ya

come back.”

And I grin at him, blowing a kiss as I allow Daniel to take me by the arm and lead me down the driveway.

“Your chariot awaits, my bride,” he murmurs in my ear.

“How gallant of you, groom,” I reply, grinning up at him.

And then we all pack inside the taxi, determined to have a good time and ignore our real lives for one more day.

Because tomorrow? Tomorrow it really begins.

One hundred miles away in a state prison, Kent sits staring at his hands. It’s recreation hour — a forced activity. If it were up to

Kent, he’d stay in his cell rather than come to this room with all of its shouting and noise.

Most of the other prisoners like it — it’s some of their only time to socialize, to play cards, to watch TV. He would rather be alone.

He doesn’t really know why, not anymore. It’s not like he does anything in his cell except stew, and think, and go over and over

his options that never turn up any real plans. And it’s not like he needs silence to do that.

Still.

He doesn’t want to be...here.

“Hey Lippert,” someone says from over in the TV corner.

Slowly, Kent lifts his head.

“Ain't that your kid?” The man

gestures towards the TV where t

image shows tall dark haired Young

rar aoittd out of city hall holding

the hand of a red-haired girl. Text

rolls across the screen. Please read

the original content at

.

Son of disgraced mafia don Kent

Lippert gets married in civil ceremony

today. Hi bride, cunigedePdatighter of

tha Feet els Alden mafia family, is

two months pregnant with... Please

read the original content at

.

Kent watches passively for a moment until he sees Daniel take Fay in his arms, leaning close, bringing his face to hers.

And then Kent looks away.

“Hey?” the guy asks again, more forcefully this time. “Ain’t that your kid?”

But Kent doesn’t reply. Instead, he turns his attention back to his hands, shaking his head a little.

“Couldn't even marry her properly, in

a church,” he mutterseclenchivg his

jaw aprteery feabt, he could have

gotten that right...” Please read the

original content at .