***
The wedding was enormous.
Flowerseverywhere. White tablecloths. Champagne. A venue with enough chandeliers to illuminate a small airport.
Our daughters were thrilled.
The wedding was enormous.
My three-year-old had already acquired frosting from somewhere despite the cake not being cut.
Then Max saw us.
His eyes went first to me.
Then Edward.
Then back to me.
His eyes went first to me.
For one lovely second, he didn’t know what to say.
Claire stood beside him in a fitted white gown. She looked beautiful.
I hated that noticing it still hurt.
Max approached.
“So this is your plus-one?”
I hated that noticing it still hurt.
“Max, this is Edward.”
Edward offered his hand.
“Congratulations.”
Max looked him up and down.
Then he laughed.
Not a polite chuckle.
An actual laugh.
“Max, this is Edward.”
Several people nearby turned.
I felt Edward’s sleeve bunch under my fingers and realized I’d grabbed it.
“Max, why areyou laughing?” I asked.
“Him?”
He looked around as though he expected someone else to appreciate the joke.
“Your boyfriend?”
“Max, why are you laughing?”
Claire touched his arm.
“Max.”
But he kept going.
“I’ll never believe that. No one would date you. Especially someone like HIM.”
My face burned.
Then Max gave me the same teasing grin he’d used whenever he wanted an insult to sound like a joke.
“What, did you pay him to come with you?”
“No one would date you. Especially someone like HIM.”
For half a second, I was back in our bedroom watching him pack.
I wanted to disappear.
Edward didn’t raise his voice.
He smiled.
“Actually, Max, I brought you a wedding gift.”
I wanted to disappear.
Max looked surprised.
“For me?”
“Especially for you.”
Edward turned to me.
“Give me five minutes.”
Then he walked out.
Max watched him leave.
“Seriously, Veronica?”
“Give me five minutes.”
I said nothing.
He smiled again.
“I knew it.”
Claire looked at him.
“Knew what?”
“Come on. Look at the guy.”
“I knew it.”
He gestured toward the door Edward had just used.
Then toward me.
