Page 5 of When She Dreams

He looked at the column and read the first letter aloud:

Dear Aunt Cornelia,

If a woman discovers three weeks before the wedding that her fiancé is having an affair, should she break off the engagement? This man has apologized and begged for forgiveness. He swears it will never happen again. The woman’s parents and friends think she should go through with the wedding.

Signed,

Asking for a Friend

Dear Asking for a Friend:

Leopards don’t change their spots. If your friend marries a man who cheats before marriage, she will get a man who will cheat after marriage. You wrote to Aunt Cornelia because your friend has doubts. That is her intuition shouting at her, trying to get her attention. She should listen.

Signed,

Aunt Cornelia

Sam looked up. “You wrote that answer?”

“Yes.”

Sam whistled softly. “You’re one tough lady. What? You don’t believe in giving a guy a second chance?”

“I merely pointed out the obvious to Asking for a Friend.”

“Did your advice come from personal experience?”

“That,” she said, “is none of your business.”

“Thought so. Personal experience.”

Maggie sat down. “There is an enormous amount of pressure brought to bear on a bride who cancels the wedding shortly before the ceremony. A woman who abandons a man almost at the altar acquires a certain reputation, you see, regardless of her reasons.”

“What kind of reputation?” Sam asked.

“Some will say she had an emotional breakdown and that it indicates she suffers from weak nerves. Others will tell her she is being hysterical and instruct her tocalm down.”

“I see.”

“And then there is the social side of the matter. The bride will be informed that she can’t call off the wedding at the last minute because she will embarrass her family. On top of the humiliation, there are the expenses involved. The catering fees. The flowers. Thechampagne. The wedding gown. And what about all those wedding gifts the guests have already purchased?”

Sam nodded. “Definitely personal experience talking. Think Asking for a Friend’s friend will take your advice?”

“Who knows?” Maggie sighed. “People are very quick to ask for advice, but they rarely take it. The truth is, all they usually want to do is whine about their problems. They lack the fortitude and determination it takes to actually do something about them.”

“Interesting.” Sam leaned back. The chair squeaked. “That’s certainly been my experience. Who would have thought the private detective business and the advice columnist profession would have anything in common?”

A flicker of intuition told her he was not being sarcastic this time. Just quietly amused. That was annoying. She was not here to entertain him.

“How would you have answered Asking for a Friend’s letter?” she asked.

“Same way you did,” he said.

She relaxed a little.

“Don’t worry, I am prepared to pay you for your time,” she said.

“I am glad to hear that. I appreciate your patience, because until this morning I had never heard of Aunt Cornelia.”

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