Caroline breathed a sigh of relief as she glanced at the faces of the well-wishers gathered around her. Reluctant to leave Ender's side even for a moment this day, she stepped away reluctantly to accept small gifts and words of congratulations from the women who crafted her dress. Caroline was glad to see that Ender had taken the reprieve from her side by engaging in what seemed to be an easy conversation with Lucian nearby.
Nothing had gone wrong, even though the feeling of foreboding had persisted throughout the day. She had pushed away the nagging awareness into the farthest corner of her mind, resolved to enjoy this day for exactly what it was—the most treasured in her entire life.
