I borrowed a top from Alice that was as daring as I dared to be. "Um," she said, "I don't know if you're old enough for that top, but one thing I do know for sure: if you're going to wear it, you have to take a jacket, so you can close it up. You need the option."

A moment in time with a decision to make; was it the right one? For the longest time I thought I had probably made the wrong one. Was it the best or worse decision of my life?

She didn't answer, so I pitched it anyway. "You are an amazing woman who has looked after me like a big sister and Simon, like a second mother. You have a very busy and important job, to which you are dedicated. In doing it you are helping hundreds of people every year. You are one of the kindest people I know. At this moment your world is under threat of change, especially if I marry Simon. There is also all sorts of things going on affecting your father and his commercial empire. You are under a lot of stress and I think you have to accept that things you do might be seen out of perspective. You did what you thought was for the best. I think it would be a good idea to let it rest there until you have had some time to recover and a chance to talk it over with someone better qualified than I am. So stop crying and give me a hug."

I fell in love with David in high school and married him right after college. What was it about him that I loved so much? In this chapter: Step by step by step.