Chapter 2

My mom got up from her seat and hurried to my side.

She was still in her gold suit, with styled hair, but her whole body was shaking. "Julia, let it go."

She lowered her voice, eyes already rimmed red. "I'll go apologize to everyone. Say the Carter family had something urgent and couldn't make it. Let's move on."

I said, "Mom—"

"We're not from fancy backgrounds, just an ordinary little family. If we can tolerate it, we should."

She gripped my hand, palms damp with sweat. "I've called the Carter family, asking them to come over and take charge. They'll decide if the wedding goes on. We'll follow their lead."

I stared at Mom.

She was fifty-three this year. When Dad died, she was only thirty-one. In twenty-two years, she raised me alone. Twenty-two years, she got used to bowing her head.

I didn't argue with her. Because in her world, lowering her head wasn't weakness. It was how she survived.

Seven minutes had already passed.

I walked to the main table and bowed low. "Mr. Grey, everyone, I'm sorry. Please grant me three more minutes."

Stanley Grey reached over to steady the chair, not letting me bow further. "It's not your fault."

Susan King, sitting beside him, poured me a glass of warm water. "Relax a bit. We can wait."

That simple sentence nearly made my tears fall. I held the cup, hadn't taken a sip, when the hall doors swung open.

Henry's father, Richard Carter, and Henry's mother, Mary Carter, walked in.

Mom breathed a sigh of relief and rushed up to greet them. "Richard, Mary, you've arrived. About today's—"

Mary stepped past her and waved at Laura. "Laura, did something happen?"

Laura hurried over. "Mary, it's nothing really. Julia's a bit stuck on this."

Mom's outstretched hand stopped in midair, and after a long moment, she slowly lowered it.

Mary ignored her and walked straight up to me. "One little joke, and you had to drag all the elders here. Henry already said he'd come settle the bill. What are you so worried about?

"Hotel won't let you leave? Just drop the Carter family's name and you're good."

The whole room went quiet.

I held the cup, the rim knocking against my teeth with a soft clink. "So you all knew about today?"

"Of course we knew." Mary smoothed out her shawl. "He told us at home already, saying he wanted to give you a big surprise. Let the young ones have some fun. You think his dad and I would've stopped him?"

Richard stood on the side, his brows furrowed, but he didn't say a word.

I suddenly wanted to laugh.

So, nobody was late. Nobody had something come up last minute. The whole family sat together early on, plotting how to embarrass the bride in this huge hall.

Only my mom and I ironed our clothes, packed candy, and called each guest one by one.

I set my cup down on the table. "So your whole family thought this was hilarious, right?"

Mary's patience ran out. "What are you trying to say?"

Laura slipped over with a fresh cup of coffee, speaking gently, "Mary, have some coffee first."

Mary accepted it, her face calming a bit. "At least Laura knows how to behave. Women need to learn how to save face for their men."

My mom looked like she wanted to speak again.

I gently pulled her half a step behind me and told Mary, "Before you go saving someone else's face, maybe think about your own first."

Mary paused, her cup still halfway to her lips.

Laura quickly added, "Julia, leave it."

I ignored her, grabbed the program sheet off the table, and drew a big line through the last entry.

This was supposed to be the groom presenting flowers to the bride's mother.

The gift for the groom was still in Mom's hand. She'd checked it three times the night before, making sure it was perfect.

She'd said she wanted them to know she treasured their son as much.

I took the gift and placed it in her handbag, zipping it closed. "Don't bother."

My mother's lips trembled.

I pressed my hand over hers. "Save it for yourself."

Mary's face turned stormy. "You're not married into the family yet and you're already lecturing your elders?"

She was about to go off again, but then saw those eight people still sitting at the head table. Her face turned nastier. "And who let them stay there?"

No one replied.

She reached over and jabbed a finger at the place cards. "Nobody from the Carter family showed up today, so you don't get to play hostess and entertain your poor relatives with our seats."