It was only then that Andrew understood what she was thinking.
“Vera!”
She was already at the door, pulling on her coat. He rushed to stop her.
“Vera, wait! Ian is not my biological son! There’s nothing standing in the way of your love! Except maybe your great-grandmother… but I think we can handle her.”
Vera looked at Ian, terrified.
“How did you know my great-grandmother was against it?”
“Your great-grandmother is against everyone.”
Nina stepped into the center of the room.
“I think we should all sit down. And you, Andrew, need to tell our children everything. Though I imagine I’ll find it very interesting to listen, too.”
He spoke evenly. Right then, in that moment, he finally understood that Carina was truly gone. He had to think not of her, but of Vera, of Ian, of Nina.
As he told the story, Vera cried softly. Nina wrapped an arm around her, and the girl buried her face in her shoulder. Ian sat in silence, clenching and unclenching his fists.
“My mother never talked about you. I probably wouldn’t have remembered anyway. But she always told me you were a good man. My great-grandmother took me in when I started first grade. I haven’t been to my mother’s grave since.”
Nina said suddenly:
“Let’s all go. Vera needs to, and so do you, Andrew. To say goodbye, properly.”
Ian looked at his mother, astonished. He’d never seen her so decisive.
“Mom, that’s all the way across the country.”
“We’ll fly.”
“It’s expensive.”
“Some things are more important than money.”
A little over a day later, they stood before a small headstone. On it was a faded photograph of Carina. Andrew felt tears welling up. He felt such sorrow for her, for Vera. But at the same time, he felt a weight lifting. The long-held grief for a person who was gone was finally letting go.
The wedding was set. Eleanor Vance strictly forbade Vera from marrying Ian. But Vera had no intention of listening.
“Grandma, I am going to marry him, and I will be very happy. You won’t succeed in tearing us apart like you did with Andrew and my mother.”
Eleanor looked up.
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