Lauren frowned.
Then Ethan released her hands.
He walked down the aisle.
When he reached me, he stared as if he had seen a ghost.
Straight toward me.
Two hundred guests turned to watch.
Lauren called, “Ethan?”
He didn’t stop.
When he reached me, he stared as if he had seen a ghost.
“I think you’ve mistaken me for someone.”
“Is that really you?”
I blinked.
“I’m sorry?”
He looked closer.
“Oh my God.”
Lauren hurried toward us.
“I think you’ve mistaken me for someone.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“No, I haven’t.”
Lauren hurried toward us.
Lauren’s face changed.
“What are you doing?”
Ethan looked at her.
“This is your mother?”
Lauren’s face changed.
“Ethan, please.”
“I wasn’t invited.”
“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.
