Walking around the building, they heard radios squawking and the sound of a crowd. Emerging on the front sidewalk of the courthouse, she blinked as reporters rushed forward. They had microphones and cameras. She remembered to hold her head high.

“Lily,” some of the reporters called. “Mara!” shouted others.

“The idiot called the press,” she heard Patrick say.

“Well, isn't he in for a surprise?” she heard Tara retort with a chuckle.

Lily didn't know what she meant, but she was surprised by her friend finding humor in such a scene. She felt herself pushed and shoved, borne forward like someone at a warped Mardi Gras. There was a festive tone in the air, a feeling of anticipation yet at the same time resolution. When she raised her head, she saw many of the reporters smiling at her.

“Go for it, Lily,” one of them, a young woman with short blond hair, called. “Don't let him win!” called another, a man with dark glasses.

“We're right here rooting for you,” said a print reporter, her notebook open, as Lily walked by. “Can I have a comment?”

Lily couldn't reply, but Marisa did. “We're together in this,” she said.

“Ask her name,” Lily heard Sam direct one of the TV anchors, the pretty dark-haired woman from the Hartford station. Lily turned, saw Sam pointing at Marisa.

“What's your name?” the anchor asked, microphone in Marisa's face.

“My real name is Patricia Hunter,” Marisa said, standing tall and proud.

The crowd began to buzz, and then to roar. “It's his second wife!” someone called, and then they were all pressing forward, asking questions, ready with their microphones. Lily looked at Sam, tears running down her cheeks, her throat tight with emotion and pride for her friend. She knew that Marisa had much more to say, but for right now it would have to wait.

The courthouse door swung open, and Joe stood there smiling—no, grinning—beckoning Lily and her entourage inside. And, glancing at Liam for strength, with her arm linked with Marisa's, Lily walked forward into the Silver Bay Family Courthouse, ready to meet her and Rose's destiny.

No cameras were allowed inside, so the hall was relatively empty. A cluster of state marshals stood off to the side, talking and watching. Like the guard out back, they waved at Patrick.

They made it through the line for the metal detector in just a few minutes. Walking down the corridor toward the courtroom, Lily and Marisa clasped hands. Coming around the corner, they saw Edward.

Or more importantly, he saw them.

In that moment, Lily watched the skies open up. The look in Edward's golden-hazel eyes, when he saw his two ex-wives together, was a full-fledged thunderstorm. Dark clouds, torrential rains, thunder, and lightning. His face went bright red, looking ready to explode.

“Hello, Ted,” Sam called.

“Oh boy,” Tara said.

“Do you see that?” Lily whispered to Marisa.