Chapter 2

Mom picked up the gift box beside the reception table. She pulled out the wedding cards one by one and piled them, along with the cash and gift cards inside, into Marigold's arms.

"Since you missed your hike, go buy yourself something you like."

Marigold hugged her. "Thanks, Mom."

I froze. "Those are gifts for Caspian and me."

"My friends and coworkers left cards in there, and so did Caspian's family. I need to thank them myself."

Mom's face darkened.

"I paid for the venue and the food. If I want to give Marigold the cash and gift cards, I will. Are you really keeping score with me?"

I took home $8,000 a month after taxes. Mom said she was saving for my wedding and made me hand over $7,000. Over five years, that added up to $420,000.

The venue, catering, and decorations had all been paid for with that money.

Mom pulled out the gift card with the smallest balance and tossed it onto my wedding dress.

"There. Stop eyeing every card like we're stealing from you."

The card weighed almost nothing, but I could barely breathe beneath it.

Caspian bent to pick it up and set it aside.

He didn't accept her so-called compensation on my behalf. He just steadied my trembling arm.

The emcee knocked again. Mom and Dad couldn't stand the thought of the guests seeing them absent, so they went up onto the luncheon stage.

Caspian's mother offered us her blessing first. When Mom took the microphone, she pulled Marigold to her side.

"Today is Lavinia's wedding, but I want to say something about my younger daughter, too. Marigold has always been bright and outgoing. We're so proud of her."

The guests applauded politely. At my own wedding, I felt as though I'd wandered into the wrong place.

Mom took two gift boxes out of her bag.

"We've prepared gifts for both our daughters. Marigold isn't married yet, but we believe in treating our girls equally. We couldn't give something only to Lavinia."

She raised the wooden cup again.

"Same rule as always. Red gets the box on the right. Black gets the one on the left."

People in the audience exchanged looks. Someone whispered, "Isn't this Lavinia's wedding?"

Marigold reached toward the cup, but I spoke first. "I'm drawing first this time."

I'd always let her choose and taken what was left. This time, I wanted to choose for myself.

Mom's smile stiffened. She shot Dad a quick look.

"Why the rush? You're acting like we'd rigged it. Fine."

"Go ahead."

My fingertips moved over the ends of the sticks.

The black ones were smooth. On the back of each red one, I felt a shallow notch.

All those years, every time I'd lost, someone had marked the winner for Marigold.

I gripped a notched stick and had barely pulled it halfway out when Mom caught my hand.

I looked up.

She was staring at my fingers, too distracted to care about the guests watching from below.

"Wrong one. That stick's still in the cup."

She snatched the red stick and forced a black one into my hand. Marigold took the red one.

Dad exhaled.

Mom held both sticks up for the guests.

"See? They drew for themselves. They get what they picked."

The box on the right held the transfer documents for a river-view condo. The condo was over two thousand square feet, and the deed had already been recorded in Marigold's name.

"Your name is the only one on the deed." Mom wrapped an arm around Marigold. "That place is yours to do with as you please."

The box on the left held the key to the lock on the old e-bike in my parents' garage.

Mom pushed it toward me.

"Didn't you always complain that we were too busy to pick you up from school? Now you've got a bike. You can get yourself wherever you need to go."