“Dad always helped Claire when she got scared.”
I covered my mouth.
Ethan looked at me.
“Even when she said she wasn’t scared.”
Soft laughter moved through the chapel.
Accurate.
He returned to the paper.
“Dad was supposed to walk Claire today.”
“But Dad died.”
My mother broke down completely.
I heard her.
Ethan continued.
“So Dad cannot do his job.”
He paused.
“I asked if I could do it.”
My chest hurt.
“Claire said yes.”
He smiled at me.
“Dad told me I am the big brother.”
“And big brothers help.”
His voice shook.
Then:
“So today I did Dad’s job.”
He looked down at the final line.
“And I think I did it right.”
Nobody moved.
Then Adrian said from beside me:
“You did it perfectly.”
Ethan looked up.
“Perfect?”
“Perfect.”
He smiled.
Folded the paper carefully.
Then whispered to me:
“Do I sit now?”
The chapel exploded with laughter through tears.
“Yes.”
I hugged him.
“Now you sit.”
“Okay.”
He walked to the front pew and sat beside Mom.
The ceremony continued.
I barely remember parts of it.
I remember Adrian’s hands.
Our vows.
My mother crying.
Sunlight through the windows.
And once, while the minister spoke, I glanced toward Margaret.
She was not watching me.
She was watching Ethan.
Her expression was unreadable.
She did not say one word about him that day.
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