Abigail was still in shock to hear that Penny had called off the wedding. It wasn’t Abigail’s fault that Alexa had left the phone on speaker. Her hearing was one of her best features. It allowed her to eavesdrop on some of Penny’s call the other night. Until Mignette gave her a stern look and gently shut the door into the other room. Still, Abigail had heard her former future daughter-in-law say “so much pressure” and “not enough shared goals.” Not enough shared goals! Since the day of the engagement, Chase had been all about partnership. And he assured her after the breakup that Penny was in full agreement with their plans. He used “vis-à- vis” to convey his conviction! What had changed?

She was disappointed that her own son couldn’t make it right in a white knight sort of way. Why didn’t he call off this ill-conceived political career and reconcile with Penny? Add to that the sheer tragedy that the magical wedding at La Mariposa would never happen and she may never see her new friends, the Merry Widows, again. She poured herself another glass of red wine, just a half this time. She didn’t want to be up all night with wine brain.

Alexa knew she had to take the plunge first in this conversation. After all, it was her child that called off the engagement. “I think this may be my fault.”

“Why would you think that? You’re three thousand miles away,” Abigail answered immediately, not wanting to give away how much of the mother-daughter conversation she had overheard.

“Because Penny said so.” Alexa laughed ruefully. “She said that I wasn’t a good role model for committed relationships. That she had never seen one. And maybe she’s right.”

“My mother used to scoff at all those psychologists in the seventies who came to prominence because, quote, they always blame the mother. And she was right!” Abigail added another splash of wine to her half glass. “Whatever Penny’s going through, I don’t believe it’s a straight line from your decision to raise a child on your own to her decision to call off the wedding. You’ve surrounded yourself with loving relationships in your friends and family and Simon. That’s plenty of role modeling.”

Alexa was genuinely touched at the show of support. Abigail was right. There was a circle of love around them both. “Thank you. That’s kind of you to say.”

“We all tried our best to raise children into healthy grown adults. I worked in a high school for twenty years. I saw all kinds of families, and the common denominator in the great kids was a loving family. And I use that in the broadest sense of the word ‘family.’ From what I’ve seen over two days, you’ve created that here.”