“No. This time Vera will go without him. She’ll say it’s for ‘one last assignment.’ I’ve been hearing that for the last four years.”

Thirty minutes later, they came back around, and this time Vera and Miguel had calmed down. They were sitting quietly and holding hands. Her head was on his shoulder.

“They seem to have reached an agreement,” Griff said.

“It looks like Papi lost. Hell! That means they’re going to leave.”

They danced for another twenty minutes. The tent was clearing. Kyle and Becks had left and young parents had taken their overly excited children home to bed. But there were still several couples. Adam and Kelly, and Cait and Coop, were dancing slowly, looking like newlyweds on their honeymoon.

As they passed Vera and Miguel, Griff gave a wave to Miguel, but he didn’t respond.

He turned Mike around so he could see Miguel. His eyes were blank. Like something was missing from them.

Griff looked at Vera, her eyes closed as she leaned on her husband’s shoulder. Griff knew what was going on. He wrapped his arms around Mike, pinning her arms to her sides.

“Hey!” she protested, and moved to free herself.

He didn’t let her break away as he put his lips to her ear. “Please stay calm. Vera just passed.”

“Passed? You mean as in...?”

He nodded.

“No!” Mike said, then turned her head.

Papi was holding Vera. She was smiling and she looked like she was sleeping.

Griff still held Mike. “I’m going to help your father get her out of here and you have to stay calm. Your mother wouldn’t want the attention turned to her and certainly not have the happiness of everyone thrown away. Okay?”

All Mike could do was nod.

Griff kept his mouth close to her ear. “I want you to go with us and, as Miguel and I help her out, smile as you explain that Vera drank too much. We’ll get her to the hospital. They’ll—” He was choking on tears.

It was Mike’s turn to give comfort. She put her hand on the back of his head and he loosened his grip on her. “We can do this. It’s for Vera, for my mother. All right?” She pulled away from him, took his hand and led him to her parents. Mike sat down in the chair on the other side of Vera and held her mother’s hand. Griff moved behind them, one hand on Miguel’s shoulder, one on Vera’s. With a sense of absolute peace, they turned to look at the dancers.

And that’s how the photographer took their photo. Mike and Miguel holding Vera’s hands, Griff behind them. It looked to be a sweet family photo, with Vera smiling in her sleep, close to the people she loved the most.