Marcus Arrived Twenty Minutes Later

Claire called him once.

“Come here.”

He started to explain.

She interrupted.

“Now.”

When Marcus arrived, Claire was waiting outside.

He looked exhausted.

“I didn’t want it to happen like this.”

Claire held up her phone.

“You sent the email.”

Marcus looked down.

“Yes.”

“So my mother didn’t do all of this alone.”

“No.”

Claire folded her arms.

Marcus admitted Diane had convinced him that postponing the wedding was best.

He had been nervous about money.

He had expressed doubts.

But instead of talking to Claire, he talked to her mother.

Then he made the worst possible decision.

He logged into Claire’s wedding email account and approved the venue transfer.

He told himself they would work things out later.

Claire looked at him for a long moment.

“You let me think the venue canceled.”

“I know.”

“You watched me cry.”

“I know.”

“And every time I asked what happened, you lied.”

Marcus had no answer.