“I'm sure you did. It wasn't showy enough for you. Come with me.” She got off the bed and beckoned to Carrie to follow her into a walk-in closet. On the back wall was a safe. She opened it and pulled out what looked a manuscript bound in fake red leather. Family was stamped on the cover in gold ink.

“This is my copy of Bobby's musical,” Lu said. “It's all finished except for that last scene. But ‘Carrie's Moon Song’ is there.” She handed the script to Carrie. “I think it belongs to you now.”

“Thank you. But what do I do with it?”

“Whatever you want.”

IT WAS TIME for Carrie to go back to Manhattan. She and Lu walked to the front door. They agreed that they didn't want to lose each other. Kisses were exchanged and Carrie started down the steps of the portico. At the bottom she turned back to see her grandmother standing in the doorway, framed the way she had been when Carrie first saw her. Carrie ran back up the steps.

“I'm glad you were the one Mother told about the pills,” Carrie said. “After all the years, when she was ready, you were the one.”

“Yes,” Lu said. “I was glad about that too.”

Chapter 37 - New York 2009

“ZOE, I WANT you to be my maid of honor,” Carrie said as soon as her friend answered the phone. “Howie wants to do the whole wedding-with-a-gazillion-family-and-friends-at-the-ceremony thing, and I said yes, because I really want a big party, and I'm hoping people will be talking about this one for years, and besides, the man sold his place in Katonah for me even though he says he did it because the roses had blight and that was enough country life for him, but I know better. And I'm going to wear a white dress and a veil, which wouldn't be my first choice because I'm not exactly twenty-two, but Howie says it'll really make his mother happy, and she was so understanding about my not having an engagement ring after I explained about the diamond mining, and she was the one who found the organic farm in New Jersey where the flowers are coming from, so we don't have to worry about kids in Guatemala picking them, and—”

“Carrie, breathe!” Zoe's voice cut in.

Carrie shifted the phone to the other ear and took a breath.

“Now, about being maid of honor,” Zoe said after she was satisfied that Carrie was getting enough oxygen. “Will there be any of Howie's little nieces and nephews running around dumping rose petals on the ground or carrying the wedding rings on fancy cushions?”

“What do you take us for?”

“I will not wear black; I think that's creepy at a wedding.”

“You and Lu can color coordinate—she'll be walking me down the aisle.”

“Okay, I accept.”