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**** 2013***

PART —-

"You look like an heiress right now."

"I've only ever flown first class with your family."
"It's a long flight. It would suck."

"Of course it would. What kind —what am I an heiress of?"

"Ketchup."

"Ketchup—like all condiments—?"

"Just ketchup.

Like hunts?

Heinz.

I am dreading being your mom

It will be ok.

Are you glad your dad won't be there.

I wouldn't have come.

Jack was actually ok—maybe even glad to see me.

And Hope was there—Jack's fiancé.

Jack has grown into a WASP-y, privileged conservative. He is very different from when we were teenagers together. Gone is the sweet and open guy. Now he's kind of an asshole. Kind of- I shouldn't say that. He's also the same old Jack. But the way he drinks—lots more and always top shelf gin or aged scotch. He's going to be an attorney and I can tell by the way he references business or high finance that he'll be in real estate or corporate law—something. He's also grown into a man in these two years. Broader shoulders, his hair has gotten a little darker but maybe he highlights it. His manner, the way he walks and holds his gaze on you—is like his father.

Hope, Jack's finance is a little messy from a couple of gin and tonics. She has a vocal fry that is starting to grate on me but I am constantly mentally correcting myself, should I dislike Hope I worry maybe I have feelings for Jack—which I don't but the whole situation is stressful and awkward. Edward is the person I want and I am different from the person I was year ago when I was a teenager and Jack's girlfriend. Still. Being with the family-especially their mom- is unbearable.

But, Hope is messy, loose. "Oh so you guys" she has a floppy point to Jack and then at me again "You guys used to go out? Then—you almost drowned right? Edward saved you. Then you left Jack for—

"I went swimming." I said. I don't know why I answered that way. Hope is treading out into that ocean of panic and terror and she is pulling me out with her.

"You went swimming and you almost drowned?"
Edward chimes in "Ok. It's sensitive." He gives Jack aa sharp look. Jack rolls his eyes.

"No It's ok" I say. "Actually I don't remember most of it."

Edward tries again "Hope, please."
"I'm sorry. Annie, I really am. I'm stupid when I'm drunk. I'm being an asshole."
"Really, you aren't. It's no big deal."

"But that's when you and Jack were together right?"
I nod. "it was a long time ago. I was only 16."

"But we were together until you were almost 19. That's juts a couple of years ago."

There's a silence. That was the first indication that Jack had any unresolved feelings—or even anger over my dating Edward.

"You weren't with Edward though, right? When you were Jack's girlfriend?"

"Come on Hope!" Edward snaps.

"Of course not."

"How did you guys meet."

[walk on beach]

"You ok?"

"I don't know. I can't believe how much your mother hates me now.

She hates me too.

Why? But why does she hate you?

Fast forward two years. The next time I saw Edward's parent was at Jack's daughter's baptism. How many girlfriends before Jack finally landed on Jane? Now here we are in ___church. A big catholic church and they look like the Kennedy's. Carol thinks they are the Kennedy's. She's doting with such saccharine affection for Jane and Lissy, Jack's baby daughter that I feel like a heretic. She didn't look at me once, not even when we walked over to Jack and Jane afterwards. Not even when I held the baby and doted with Jane. Carol hugged Edward, a cool -for show- sign of affection. I heard her say "go say hello to your father." She prodded him as she would a young child. I see the vendetta in his eyes. I looked over at his father. Mr. Clark was there but he was absent. He was absent like the business executive fulfilling a family obligation but thinking about work, ready to return to that powerful place where he really resides. They have reset I think. I think Mr. Clark and I have something in common: we know that it's best to let some things settle. We know that even at the bottom of a turbulent ocean sediment can remained undisturbed once it descends all the way to the ocean floor.