confused.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper to my dad. “I can’t.”
His jaw tightens. “What do you mean?”
“I can’t walk down this aisle pretending I’m whole when the man who raised me is watching from the shadows.”
I step back and remove my arm from his. A few gasps ripple through the room as I lift the hem of my gown and turn around.
Tim is already halfway out the
door, shoulders hunched, trying not to be noticed. He doesn’t see me coming until I reach the back of the church and call his name.
“Tim!”
He stops, slowly turning. His eyes are glassy.
“What are you doing?” I ask. “Why were you leaving?”
He smiles softly. “Because that was the deal, sweetheart. I wasn’t supposed to be here.”
“I never agreed to that deal,
” I say, my voice cracking.
His lips twitch, trying not to show the pain. “Your dad paid for everything. He said—”
“I don’t care what he said. I care what you did. You were willing to disappear for me, to make him comfortable. But that’s not how this goes.”
My heart pounds as I reach for his hand.
“Come with me.”
He pulls his hand back. “I don’t want to
ruin your day.”
“Tim,” I say, loud enough for half the church to hear, “you are part of this day. You’re part of my life.”
He hesitates, eyes searching mine like he’s looking for permission.
“You walked me through my entire childhood,” I whisper. “You deserve to walk me down the aisle.”
Behind us, my dad stiffens in the front row. His arms are crossed
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