Blue Heart Blessed by Susan Meissner Read Free Book Online Page A

on blind dates. It’s actually my mom and L’Raine who excel in that department. Shelby tosses her container down by mine.
    Easy silence. And then, before I can decide if I really want to know the answer, I blurt out the question that’s been on my mind for nearly a year. “Shelby, were you truly shocked that Daniel backed out of the wedding? I mean, did it take you by total surprise like it did me?”
    Shelby turns to look at me. “What brings this up?”
    I shrug. “I just want to know. I’ve always wanted to know.”
    She looks away. “What difference does it make now, Daisy?”
    “It doesn’t. I just need to know.”
    Shelby picks at a long frayed thread on her shorts. “I wasn’t completely surprised. I was completely mad at him. But not completely surprised. He never seemed like he really deserved you.”
    My mouth has dropped open. I am blushing. “Why didn’t you say something?” I gasp.
    “Because you were in love with him. It was my job to be absolutely thrilled for you. Besides. I thought maybe I was just jealous. I was kind of, you know. I couldn’t decide if what I was feeling was envy or concern.”
    My mind is reeling around this new information. I hardly know what to make of it. “So, were you, like, relieved, when he called it off?”
    “Of course not!” Shelby turns back to me. “You loved him.”
    “But you weren’t surprised.”
    “You said ‘completely.’ I wasn’t completely surprised.”
    “I feel so foolish.” My cheeks are still warm with embarrassment.
    “Well, knock it off. You weren’t being foolish. You were being vulnerable, open and trusting. He didn’t deserve you.”
    There is silence again. Not as easy this time. We are both looking off in no particular direction.
    “I had a chance to sell my wedding dress earlier this week,” I announce a few moments later.
    She turns her head again to look at me. “Couldn’t do it?”
    “I was this close.” I hold up the fingers on my right hand, making them display an inch of space.
    “Liar.”
    “This close.” I widen the gap to four inches.
    Shelby stares at me, cocks an eyebrow.
    No one knows me like Shelby.
    “This close.” I put both arms in the air and stretch them out as far as they will go.
    “Daisy, why don’t you just keep it? It’s a great dress. One of a kind. You can wear it when you marry the guy who does deserve you.”
    I stare off into the distance, to the bumpy horizon of flat and pitched roofs. “There are moments when I look at that dress and I still think it’s the most beautiful gown in all the world. But all the other times I just remember how devastated I was when Daniel told me he didn’t want marry to me after all. It’s like looking at a car wreck. With bodies strewn all over the place. And broken glass. And parts of toys and skid marks and…”
    Shelby holds up a hand. “Okay, okay!”
    We are both grinning.
    “What does Harriet say you should do?” There is not even a hint of mockery in Shelby’s voice.
    Deep within me I’m certain that I’ll at last be at ease with the turn my life has taken when I can let that dress go. How could I not be? Let’s face it. Who consents to keeping a car wreck in full view all day, every day? A person who’s hanging on when they need to let go, that’s who. I know what I need to do.
    “Harriet says I need to get rid of it.” Not a lot of vigor to my voice, but at least I’m being truthful.
    “Does she?”
    I nod.
    “It’s such a cool dress,” Shelby murmurs.
    Again, I nod.
    Shelby tosses a hand in the air and crinkles her brow. “What does Harriet know?”
    I turn my head to face her. “Harriet knows everything.”

Ten
    Dear Harriet,
    You can now add Shelby to the list of people who weren’t completely surprised that Daniel deserted me at the altar. And don’t ask me, “What list?” I know there’s a list. Shelby is on it. There are probably a lot of people on it.
    I’m beginning to think that way down at the bottom of