Exhausted from a late night at work, I was floored when my aunt called to say my mom was getting married—and hadn’t invited me. The betrayal stung, but the real shock came when I learned who she was marrying, turning my world upside down.
I was slogging through paperwork, my desk a mess of reports my boss, Steven, had dumped on me. His cool, detached orders always left me fuming, but I kept quiet, dreaming of quitting in a few months. As I finally headed to my car, my phone rang. Aunt Linda’s voice was bright, asking for a ride to Mom’s wedding. “What wedding?” I said, stunned. Her awkward pause confirmed Mom had kept me in the dark. Hurt and confused, I drove straight to her house.
Mom answered the door in her cozy cardigan, but her eyes avoided mine. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked, voice shaking. She said she was waiting for the right time, claiming it was to protect me from stress. When I asked if I could come, she shook her head, saying it was better this way. I left, my heart heavy, but I wasn’t going to miss her wedding. I needed to know who this man was.
A week later, I drove Aunt Linda to the church, her chatter about her new dress barely sinking in. Inside, the scent of candles and polished wood filled the air. I spotted Mom, glowing in a cream dress, standing beside—Steven, my boss. “You’re marrying him?” I blurted, drawing every eye. Mom said softly, “This isn’t your place.” I shot back, “I hate working for him!” Steven started to walk away, but Mom’s tears stopped him.
In the parking lot, I caught up with him. He looked tired, not like the boss I knew. “I didn’t want to hurt you,” he said, explaining he’d given me extra work to help me grow, not to be cruel. I realized Mom hid the wedding to shield me from this shock. “Go back to her,” I said. We returned together. The ceremony was lovely, with sunlight painting the altar in colors. Steven’s vow included a nod to me, “For Alice, who makes me better.” I felt a shift.
At the reception, with lanterns glowing above, Mom asked if I was okay. I hugged her, saying, “You deserve to be happy.” Steven’s quiet smile felt like a truce. That night, I didn’t just witness my mom’s wedding—I found a new understanding of her, and maybe even of myself.