“I’m sorry.”
Chloe smiled.
“No.”
She took his hand.
“It’s okay.”
Then she added:
“I look like me.”
He smiled.
“You do.”
Elena arrived twenty minutes before the ceremony.
She looked elegant.
Confident.
Expensive.
Julian was beside her.
Chloe had never met him.
That felt strange.
This was the man her mother had left them for.
He shook Chloe’s hand politely.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Elena hugged her.
Too long.
“My beautiful girl.”
Chloe stiffened but allowed it.
“I can’t believe this day is finally here.”
Neither could Chloe.
Elena behaved perfectly during the ceremony.
She cried.
Clapped.
Smiled for photographs when invited.
At dinner, she spoke warmly to relatives she had not seen in years.
For a while, Chloe thought perhaps they might survive the evening without reopening old wounds.
Then came the speeches.
Her father went first.
He kept it short.
Of course he did.
He talked about Chloe learning to ride a bike.
About how she used to sleep with one shoe on because apparently removing both was too much work.
Everybody laughed.
Then he looked at her husband.
“Love her when she’s easy.”
He paused.
“And when she isn’t.”
More laughter.
“Show up.”
His voice changed.
“That’s most of it.”
Chloe looked down because she was already crying.
He raised his glass.
“To Chloe and Ben.”
Everyone applauded.
Then Elena stood.
Nobody had asked her to speak.
She picked up a glass.
“I know some of you are surprised to see me.”
The room became quieter.
Chloe felt one of her sisters stiffen beside her.
Elena smiled sadly.
“I wish things had been different.”
Chloe’s father lowered his eyes.
Elena continued.
“For years, I wanted a relationship with my daughters.”
Chloe stopped breathing.
“But sometimes one parent makes that impossible.”
The room went completely still.
Her father looked up.
Elena looked toward him.
“I tried.”
One of Chloe’s sisters whispered:
“No.”
Elena’s voice became emotional.
“I sent messages.”
Chloe stared at her.
“I asked to visit.”
Her father said nothing.
“But I was kept away.”
Julian was watching Elena closely now.
She continued:
“I lost fifteen years with my daughters because their father made sure there was no room for me.”
That was when Chloe stood.
Not quickly.
Not angrily.
She simply rose.
“Mom.”
Elena turned toward her.
Chloe smiled.
“You should sit down.”
“Sweetheart, I think people deserve the truth.”
“I agree.”
Something changed in Elena’s expression.
Chloe turned toward one of her sisters.
“Can you bring me the blue box?”
Her sister nodded.
Elena frowned.
“What blue box?”
Chloe didn’t answer.
The box had been hidden beneath the gift table all evening.
She had brought it because she knew there was a chance this might happen.