Chapter 23 - VIVIENNE’S WEDDINGTwo years after hotel corridor, Vivienne married Peter Winslow? Let's settle on Thomas Keene? Keene used contractor. Choose Elliot? no. Let's call him Marcus Hale but Hale used. Julian Frost maybe. User may not care. Let's name Evan Mercer? no. Maybe no name: documentary producer Theo Grant but Theo used. Let's use Calvin Rhodes, 39.
Vivienne married Calvin Rhodes in Newport.
She invited Conrad.
Not Clara initially.
Then sent separate invitation to Clara.
Clara called.
“Are you sure?”
Vivienne:
“No.”
“But I think yes.”
At wedding Clara wore navy.
Conrad black tux.
Rose flower girl? Too much. Vivienne invited Rose maybe but not role.
Conrad watched Vivienne walk aisle.
He cried.
Clara noticed.
Held hand.
Not jealousy.
Respect grief.
At reception Vivienne approached.
“You cried.”
Conrad:
“Apparently.”
Calvin laughed.
“Good sign.”
Vivienne looked at Clara.
“Take care of him.”
Clara:
“He’s exhausting.”
“I know.”
They laughed.
Later Clara and Vivienne spoke alone.
Vivienne said:
“I’m glad you came back.”
Clara looked surprised.
“I wasn’t for while.”
“Fair.”
“You hurt him.”
“But you also made him become someone he would not have been with me.”
Clara frowned.
“That sounds like insult to both.”
“Probably.”
They smiled.
Vivienne continued:
“I loved version of Conrad who could compartmentalize pain.”
“You forced him to stop.”
Clara looked at dance floor where Conrad spun Rose badly.
“Maybe Rose did.”
“Children usually ruin adults more efficiently.”
They laughed.
Vivienne’s wedding gave closure.
Not because everyone best friends.
Because no one needed rewrite love as mistake.
Conrad and Vivienne had been real.
Simon and Clara had been real.
May you like
Conrad and Clara were real now.
Life not competition.
