Chapter 7 - The Wedding We Never FinishedSix months later, Lucas and I decided to hold a small celebration.
Not another wedding.
Just dinner.
Family.
Close friends.
No cameras.
No elaborate decorations.
No dramatic announcements.
Daphne arrived with Lily.
Brandon came too.
My mother brought flowers.
My father brought champagne.
Lucas took my hand.
“You ready?”
I smiled.
“More than ever.”
We sat around a long table.
Then Lily climbed onto my lap.
“Are you Aunt Charlotte?”
“Yes.”
“Mommy talks about you.”
I looked at Daphne.
“She does?”
Daphne smiled.
“All the time.”
Lily whispered:
“She said you're brave.”
I laughed softly.
“That wasn't always true.”
Daphne looked at me.
“Yes, it was.”
I squeezed her hand.
After dinner, Lucas brought out a small cake.
No baby shoes.
No announcements.
Just one sentence:
To Charlotte and Lucas—finally celebrating their love.
Everyone applauded.
Daphne stood.
“I want to say something.”
I raised an eyebrow.
Everyone laughed nervously.
Daphne smiled.
“Don't worry.”
She looked at me.
“I owe my sister an apology.”
I shook my head.
“You've already apologized.”
“I know.”
“But I need to say it anyway.”
She took a breath.
“I spent my entire life thinking Charlotte was my competition.”
Her voice cracked.
“She wasn't.”
She looked at me.
“She was the person who kept loving me even when I didn't deserve it.”
My eyes filled with tears.
Daphne continued.
“I'm sorry I tried to steal your wedding.”
Then she laughed.
“Although technically, I did bring a fake pregnancy cake.”
Everyone laughed.
Even me.
“And I'm sorry I lied.”
She looked at Lily.
“But if that ridiculous cake hadn't happened, maybe none of us would have found the truth.”
I smiled.
“That doesn't make it okay.”
“I know.”
“But it does make it one of the strangest nights of my life.”
We laughed again.
Then Brandon stood.
“I have one thing to add.”
I groaned.
“Please don't.”
He smiled.
“My congratulations were missing too.”
Everyone burst out laughing.
May you like
Even Daphne.
And somehow, the sentence that had once terrified her became the joke that finally brought our family back together.
