Bruce had to call Ray on his cell to meet them behind the Metropolitan Opera House. Word that multiple celebrities were at the opera so paparazzi had swarmed the front of the Met. To keep from being photographed, Bruce, Beverly, and the Asians snuck out back. The Asians rode with them in the Hudson limo.            They chatted and enjoyed champagne from the minibar as they traveled to the Waldorf Astoria. Beverly had only been there once. It was to attend Selena’s rehearsal dinner and bachelorette party.            The photographers hadn’t made it to the Waldorf yet so they were able to enter through the front doors. The man at the door of the lounge checked for Bruce’s name on the guests’ list. He was on it. They had closed the entire lounge for the Clooneys’ pa

            It was four o’clock, Friday, and Beverly, Joanna, and Selena were at a diner in downtown New York. They were snacking on mozzarella sticks and onion rings.            “I hope I won’t spoil my dinner,” Joanna said. “Or wreck my diet.”            “Oh please, you look great,” Beverly said.            “Thanks,” Joanna said.            “So what’s been new with you?” Joanna asked.            “Nothing really. Just working and researching – rinse and repeat,” Beverly answered.      &n

            Bruce had just removed his shirt. He was getting ready for bed. He had to get up early in the morning.            He exhaled like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.  Not only was he lying to Catherine, he was lying to his family – and her family. Christopher had quickly offered to go in Bruce’s place just in case something went wrong and he couldn’t make it back in time for the wedding. He was almost insistent on it. Bruce had talked him out of it by reminding his eldest brother that he didn’t know German. He had also added that he was Bruce’s best man. If something went wrong it would be just as bad if he didn’t show up either.            Victoria and Catherine’s sisters hadn’t been pleased, but Carlton and Stephen had calmed

            Bruce couldn’t believe they had spent almost two hours at that god forsaken farm. The tour of the so called farm was nothing but swamp land filled with crocodiles eyeing them as the jeep with no cover passed by them. They even saw a snake that was longer than the width of the dirt path they had rode on. By the time the tour was over, the passengers’ clothes and hair were dusty and they were sweaty like they had to walk the three mile path in the blazing June Florida heat.            Beverly had bought a shirt and a shot glass out of the tacky store before they had left. Bruce had wanted to do a cartwheel when she was finally ready to leave. Once they had left the Glades, Bruce stopped for gas. Then they headed to the hotel.            When they arrived, Bruce walked to the front de

Twenty-two years ago . . .             Eddie Balsom had just been laid off along with half of his department in the middle of a shift at the steel mill. The supervisor had said that he would bring them back on as soon as he could. Eddie had no choice but to grab his lunch box and head home.            His car was in the shop so he got on the bus. The bus stop was a block away from his house. It was a few minutes after nine o’clock at night and it was already twenty-eight degrees outside. The snow was six inches deep and another front was due to come in after midnight.            Eddie sniffed the snot back up his nose as he continued to walk home. His heavy Nick’s coat, matching sock cap, and black gloves didn’t do much to protect him from t