Chapter 9 - THE WEDDING THAT NEVER HAPPENED
The wedding had been scheduled for Saturday, June fourteenth.
By Wednesday, the invitations had already been printed.
Two hundred guests.
A country club in Connecticut.
A string quartet.
A five-tier cake.
My mother had spent months planning the flowers.
Donovan's mother had spent months criticizing them.
I called my mother.
She answered cheerfully.
“Sweetheart, I was just looking at the seating chart.”
“Mom.”
She stopped.
“What's wrong?”
I took a breath.
“The wedding is canceled.”
Silence.
Then:
“Are you safe?”
I began crying.
That was the question Donovan had never asked.
“Yes.”
“Then come home.”
I drove to New Jersey that evening.
My mother met me at the door.
She hugged me without asking for details.
Later, over dinner, I explained everything.
The train.
Juliet.
The altered proposal.
The transfer request.
The affair.
My mother listened.
Then said:
“I'm proud of you.”
I stared.
“For canceling my wedding?”
“For refusing to marry someone who doesn't respect you.”
The next morning, Donovan's mother called.
She was furious.
“You've humiliated this family.”
I looked out the kitchen window.
“I'm sorry you're disappointed.”
“People have made travel arrangements.”
“I understand.”
“The deposits are enormous.”
“I know.”
“Donovan says this is all a misunderstanding.”
I took a breath.
“Then Donovan can explain it to you.”
She scoffed.
“You're being selfish.”
I smiled sadly.
“For once.”
Then I ended the call.
That afternoon, I sent a brief message to our guests.
I didn't mention Juliet.
I didn't mention the company.
I simply wrote that the wedding would not take place and thanked everyone for their understanding.
May you like
I had spent five years explaining Donovan.
I wasn't going to spend another five explaining why I left.
