The church doors opened.
There were white roses everywhere.
I should have left.
Instead, I slipped inside.
There were white roses everywhere.
Every pew was full.
I sat in the back, partly hidden behind a tall arrangement.
I saw the little girl who used to wear pillowcases as wedding veils.
Then Lauren appeared.
She was beautiful.
For one second, I forgot everything.
I saw the little girl who used to wear pillowcases as wedding veils.
I remembered fastening plastic beads around her neck while she practiced walking down our hallway with a bouquet made from grocery-store receipts. Back then, she’d made me promise I would sit right in front.
That was the first time I ever saw him.
Lauren walked down the aisle without looking back.
At the altar stood Ethan.
That was the first time I ever saw him.
He was tall, dark-haired, and visibly nervous.
When Lauren reached him, his face softened.
Then his eyes moved past her.
He took her hands.
Then his eyes moved past her.
He saw me.
His smile vanished.
His whole face went pale.
Ethan whispered something to the officiant.
I froze.
Ethan whispered something to the officiant.
Lauren frowned.
Then Ethan released her hands.
He walked down the aisle.
When he reached me, he stared as if he had seen a ghost.
Straight toward me.
Two hundred guests turned to watch.
Lauren called, “Ethan?”
He didn’t stop.
When he reached me, he stared as if he had seen a ghost.
“I think you’ve mistaken me for someone.”
“Is that really you?”
I blinked.
“I’m sorry?”
He looked closer.
“Oh my God.”
Lauren hurried toward us.
“I think you’ve mistaken me for someone.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“No, I haven’t.”
Lauren hurried toward us.
Lauren’s face changed.
“What are you doing?”
Ethan looked at her.
“This is your mother?”
Lauren’s face changed.
“Ethan, please.”
“I wasn’t invited.”
