The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

The narrative relates another conversation that took place between Hadley and Oliver on the plane. He asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, and she admitted that she didn’t know. Neither did he, and he said he didn’t really want to think about the future. Now, in the church, Hadley watches her father pace as he waits for Charlotte, and Hadley reflects that her mom was the one who urged him to go to Oxford. Without her influence, he never would have met Charlotte. Andrew introduces his daughter to his new wife and tells Charlotte that Hadley has agreed to the father-daughter dance.

Outside, Andrew introduces Hadley to more people, including the O’Callaghans, family friends of Charlotte’s. Mrs. O’Callaghan mentions that they must go to a funeral in Paddington and that they will be back for the reception. Hadley’s mind begins to race just as Violet urges her to get ready to pose for pictures. Hadley smiles and poses as she tries to remember whether Oliver unambiguously stated that he was attending a wedding. Her intuition tells her that the funeral in Paddington is for Oliver’s father. She pulls her dad aside and tells him that she must go.