My heart dropped.
“Nathan,” I whispered. “What are you doing?”
He pulled out a folded sheet of paper.
I looked at Daniel.
Daniel looked at me.
Judging by his expression, he knew nothing about it either.
Then I saw Father Michael smiling.
Apparently, someone had known.
Nathan unfolded the page.
His hands were trembling.
Then he turned toward the congregation.
“I wrote something.”
A few people laughed softly, not at him, but because the announcement was so perfectly Nathan.
He looked down at the page.
When he began speaking, his voice shook.
“Sarah is my little sister.”
Then he looked directly at me.
“Dad always walked with her when she was scared.”
My hand flew to my mouth.
Nathan returned his eyes to the paper.
“Dad can’t do that today. So I did.”
The entire church went silent.
He continued.
“Dad told me I am her big brother, and I should take care of her.”
He paused.
Then came the final sentence.
“So that is what I am doing.”
I don’t remember how I remained standing.
I remember Daniel placing a hand against my back.
I remember Mom crying without even trying to hide it anymore.
I remember Father Michael removing his glasses and wiping his eyes.
And I remember Nathan folding his paper very carefully afterward.
Then he looked at Father Michael.
“Do I sit now?”
The church erupted into tearful laughter.
“Yes,” I managed to say.
Nathan smiled.
Then he walked over and sat beside Mom.
And the wedding continued.
Margaret said nothing.
Not about Nathan.
Not about the photographs.
Not that day.
Part 5 — The Album
Eight weeks later, our wedding photographs arrived.
The main album was beautiful.
There were photographs of Daniel and me exchanging vows.
Mom crying.
Our first kiss.
The reception.
The flowers.
The cake.
Everything a wedding album was supposed to contain.
But the second album was different.
That one began with Nathan.
There he was getting dressed.
Dad’s cufflinks resting against his wrists.
Nathan checking the time.
