Renee picked back up her ice cream bowl, resuming her delicious late-night dessert of cookies and cream. “Oh, I know it. I was actually watching these for another reason.” She pressed the “stop” button on the remote.

Bree wasn’t one to accept vague answers. “And why is that?”

Renee hesitated. “Do you think that I made myself unlovable somehow?”

Before Bree could respond, Renee continued to spill her deepest fears. “Do you think I did something to drive Russell away? It’s okay, you can tell me. My feelings might be hurt, but it will help in the long run.”

Bree’s eyes widened as she moved closer to Renee, nuzzling into her side. “Why… I mean… How could you ever think such a thing?”

She sighed. “I’ve been watching these old videos a lot lately, trying to pinpoint what it was that made Russell leave me. You know, so I can prevent myself from doing those things all over again and losing Dan.”

“Russell left you because he was a selfish asshole,” Bree said. “If he wasn’t boning your kid’s kindergarten teacher, it would have been some other woman later.”

“That has occurred to me,” she admitted.

“You are one of the most lovable people I know.”

Renee shook her head. “You’re just saying that because you’re my sister. You’re genetically programmed to love me.”

“Even if I wasn’t, I know I would,” Bree said.

Renee ate the rest of her ice cream in silence, mulling this over. “There are so many wonderful things happening for me right now. Sadie is working on the design plan for the pie shop and we signed the lease. Tansy is almost here. I’m with a man I’m madly in love with. It just feels like maybe my bubble is destined to pop, the way it’s always managed to when I feel so happy, so content. Does that sound stupid?”

“Stupid? No.” Bree rubbed her back, just like she used to do when they were girls. “But I’m quickly realizing that life is too short to worry about what-ifs. You have to enjoy the present and appreciate the good things as they come. And sis? Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’ve been giving Russell Rhodes way too much power over your life for twelve freaking years now.”

“What? I have not.” Renee was adamant. “I haven’t so much as sent the man a Christmas card. The only times I’ve ever talked to him were to discuss Tansy’s care, and I hardly cried a tear over him.”