Joe backed up to the doorway and kept his eyes on the floor as he heard the sounds of gas and urine hitting the toilet bowl. “Ugh,” Hannah groaned. “I’m sorry. It’s coming out of every orifice.”

“Indeed,” Joe whispered, his hands at his sides.

When she was done and had flushed, she washed her hands and walked back to the bed. She propped herself up again with three pillows and asked Joe to fetch a wet washcloth for her forehead.

“You want me to go back in there?” Joe asked, pointing to the bathroom.

“Please,” Hannah groaned. “Just hold your breath.”

Joe followed her instructions and kept his mouth shut as he wet the first washcloth he saw and ran back out of the bathroom. He met Hannah on the bed and pressed the cool rag to her hot skin. Just then he heard a knock at the door. Joe froze, assuming that Vicki had finally returned without her key. But when he opened the door, he found Bee.

“Is she okay?” the bride asked.

Bee’s makeup had faded, and curls had escaped from her tightly wound hairdo, probably from dancing. Joe thought she looked prettier now than she had when pinned so tightly for the ceremony.

“You’re back?” Joe asked Bee, quickly checking his watch to see how long it had taken him to get Hannah to bed.

“I’m just running to my room to change into jeans. A bunch of us are going to a bar somewhere downtown, and I don’t want to ruin my dress. I figured I’d check on Hannah before I left. Did she throw up?”

“She’s fine,” Joe assured her. “Go have fun.”

“Beeee! Is that Bee?” Hannah was yelling from the bed.

Hearing her name, Bee entered the room. She sat down on the bed next to Hannah, who removed the washcloth from her forehead and looked up at her sheepishly.

“I’m sorry,” Hannah said softly, placing her hand over Bee’s.

“For what?”

Joe took a seat on Vicki’s bed and watched them.

“For getting drunk and embarrassing you.” Hannah took a deep breath. “And for Tom. I feel bad that everyone thought…I just feel bad. He probably isn’t as horrible as I think he is.”

“I know,” Bee said, squeezing Hannah’s fingers tight. “I thought it would be easier for you tonight. I thought you’d have Rob here to distract you. I thought that with Rob here, next to Tom, you’d get some perspective. I’m—I’m so sorry Rob didn’t show.”

Hannah sat up, the tower of pillows collapsing behind her. Joe stayed silent and tried to remember if anyone—namely Vicki—had mentioned the name Rob before now. Who was Rob?

“Bee,” Hannah pleaded, her voice sober. “I need to tell you something about Rob and me. I need to tell you that Rob and I used to—”

“I know,” Bee said again, calmly cutting Hannah off. She winked and let go of Hannah’s hand. “I mean, I don’t know all the details, but I knew how he felt about you as soon we got to the Cape that one summer. I saw him…I saw him standing in front of your door, Hannah.”