A real one this time.
Advertisement
Small, but real.
“Walk me down the hall before the ceremony?”
***
The ceremony was perfect in the way expensive weddings are supposed to be perfect.
White roses. Crystal lights. A string quartet. Two hundred guests turning as I walked toward the man I loved.
Mason cried before I reached him.
I mouthed, “Pull yourself together.”
He mouthed back, “Never.”
“Pull yourself together.”
We exchanged vows.
We placed rings on each other’s fingers.
We walked back down the aisle to applause so loud it felt like the room had lifted us.
For the first time all week, I let myself believe the hard part was over.
Then, just before dinner, Mason took my hand and led me to the center of the ballroom.
I let myself believe the hard part was over.
The chatter softened.
At the head table, Maribel sat with her hands folded beside a dessert she had not touched. Her scarf was still perfectly tied.
Mason reached beneath the tablecloth and pulled out a small wooden box.
A few guests chuckled, expecting some playful surprise.
