Madam Alice gently carried Aveline's hands into her opened palms, and cleared her throat. "Are you really fine, Aveline?" Her eyes glistened with curious attention.
"I am. Freya and Riley keep asking me that too. Don't I look fine? I feel fine." she shrugged her shoulders.
"You do appear fine. I just want to know if it's all an act, that's all. I truly want you to be free with me."
Aveline inhaled sharply. "I am fine. I'm truly fine," she paused to collect her thoughts. "I'm happy that after everything, today happened."
"Tell me," she caressed her hands. "What happened to you? Did you purposely leave?"
Aveline's brow furrowed. "No," she shook her head. "I would never have left. That day was a lot for me, but I would never have left. Not after how much of myself I've put into this wedding."
"Then what happened, Aveline? What happened to you? Was it worth you going ahead with the wedding?"
Aveline pulled her hands out of Madam Alice's. Her gaze shot far away, as she reminisced.
