Over the next few months, for every appearance we had to make in the Santa Cruz courts, I had to buy four round-trip airplane tickets—Bonnie was using a different attorney—plus spring for hotel rooms, a rental car, and meals. Both of the attorneys had required a retainer up front. So much for the money I had been saving for the wedding: the entire $3,000 went to pay my attorney’s retainer. Mom and Gram loaned me money to pay for Bonnie’s attorney and all the other expenses.