Chapter 72: The Daughter's Manumission, Part 6, Twenty-Six Years Ago, Albert's Wedding

From a cafe across the road Mitch, wearing jeans and tee-shirt, her eyes red and swollen in a face stripped of make-up, watches.

The wedding party arrives, the car long and low and black, decked in ribbons, pulling up at the front steps. The bride steps out. Mitch doesn't know her. Dressed in a pale lilac two-piece suit, the woman stands very upright, directing Al to the door, her air crisp and efficient.

More cars pull up behind. Her brothers step out of one. In dark suits and tall hats, they look so smart. Stephen follows the bridal couple inside. David lingers, looking right and left, then also makes his way inside.

Another couple steps out, a little girl toddling with them. Her thatch of brilliant orange hair clashes violently with her lilac bridesmaid's dress.

*****

"You alright, Mitch?" Angelo pauses from his eternal polishing of glasses, examining her. Unusually, her makeup is heavy, almost plastered into place. "You look as though you have a cold coming on or somethin