Page 111 of When You Were Mine

She nodded. “Right. Okay. I’m not used to that.”

He smoothed a finger across her forehead. “Come on, sweetheart. What’s on your mind?”

She hadn’t even realized she was upset. But he did. “I haven’t heard back from Amber, and I want to make sure they don’t cancel the wedding.”

They moved forward, sharing a station.

“Okay, but you keep looking at that text exchange.” He pointed to the screen of her phone.

“Is there anything you don’t notice?” She smiled at him.

“When it comes to you, no. What’s going on?”

“I’m sure it’s nothing. It’s probably only in my head.”

Finished checking in, they hurried to the security line. “Well, let me into your head. Maybe I can offer some perspective.”

Good point. “Bri asked me to walk her down the aisle with her mom.”

“That’s nice. Not her dad?”

“So, her Dad’s not in the picture at all. During college, he tried, but then, he moved for work, got married… Over time, he just stopped reaching out.”

“And the stepdad?”

“They’re very close, and she has roles for him too, just not this one. She wanted the honor of ‘giving her away’ to go to the people who were there for her from the beginning. Anyhow, I was very touched to be included, but this morning, I got a text from the groom’s uncle. He said people were talking about my role at the rehearsal.” She had a hard time even saying the words out loud. “I mean, I don’t even know this guy, and he’s telling me everyone thinks it’s a ‘pity gesture.’”

He gave a thoughtful nod. “You know the groom well, right?”

She nodded.

“You think his family would appoint this guy as the ambassador of wedding etiquette?”

She smiled. “No, I don’t.”

“So, then, he’s just a guy stirring shit up. But you know, it sounds like your niece has been very intentional about her wedding. There’s meaning in the date and the roles she assigned. So, I can’t see a reason to offer her aunt a pity gesture when you’d be happy just to sit in the front row and watch the ceremony.”

Her worries faded, and she squeezed his hand. “You’re absolutely right.” She loved him so much she could barely contain it all.

“No one knows the relationships like you do, so don’t give this guy’s opinion any power over you.”

“You’re right about that.”

“Besides, I’ll bet you were in the delivery room with Amber. You probably watched Bri take her first step. You were there from the beginning, so I’d bet she loves you like a mother.”

“How do you know all that?”

“Weren’t you?”

She laughed. He was making her feel so much better.

“I’ll bet you even took her to her first day of kindergarten.”

As they got in line, she nodded. “Amber didn’t want to be pregnant, but she sure stepped up when the baby was born. She worked her butt off to finish high school and get job experience. She turned out to be a great mom.”

“I’m not surprised. She had you as a role model.”

She got up on her toes to kiss him on the mouth. “My champion.”

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