“Why is she sitting back here?”
Lauren froze.
I answered before she could.
“I wasn’t invited.”
Ethan turned to me.
I held up the velvet box.
“What?”
Lauren whispered, “Mom.”
“I only came to leave her something.”
I handed the box to the usher standing awkwardly beside me.
Ethan stared at Lauren.
His expression tightened, but he still looked more bewildered than furious.
“You didn’t invite your mother?”
“It’s complicated.”
His expression tightened, but he still looked more bewildered than furious.
Then he turned back to me.
He actually laughed once.
He turned back to me.
“I’m Ethan.”
“I gathered.”
He actually laughed once.
Then his eyes filled with tears.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Before I understood what was happening, he gently took my arm.
“Would you come with me?”
Lauren whispered, “Ethan, don’t.”
He looked at her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
When we reached the front, he faced the guests.
The church had gone completely silent.
Ethan led me toward the altar.
My legs felt weak.
When we reached the front, he faced the guests.
“Before we continue, I need to say something.”
Then he looked directly at Lauren.
Ethan pointed toward me.
