Valerie Croft

POV: CELESTE

Everyone stood up. Hundreds of necks craned, watching his broad back as he marched away. The heavy wooden doors of the glass house slammed shut behind him. The booming echo rattled the delicate floral arrangements lining the aisle. Then, slowly, the congregation turned their heads. All eyes fell on me.

I squeezed the stems of my white roses. The thorns bit through the silk ribbon,