Ten minutes before our wedding, I overheard my fianc\u00e9 telling his sister, \u201cDon\u2019t worry about daycare anymore. Natalie will take care of all three kids starting Monday.\u201d<\/p>\n
All three of her children were younger than six. I had a full-time job and had never agreed to care for them regularly.<\/p>\n
Seth laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce we\u2019re married, she won\u2019t have much choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Standing in the church hallway with my wedding gown gathered in my hands, I struggled to reconcile those words with the man I\u2019d loved for three years.<\/p>\n
Seventy guests were already seated.<\/p>\n
That morning, Mom had cried when she saw my dress. My best friend Paige had spent twenty minutes arranging my hair. Fresh flowers scented the church, and someone nearby was practicing our processional music.<\/p>\n
The day was meant to be perfect.<\/p>\n
Only five minutes earlier, my greatest worry had been a loose hook on my gown.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d left the bridal room searching for Paige, who\u2019d gone to find a safety pin, when Seth\u2019s voice reached me through the partially open fellowship-room door.<\/p>\n
I hadn\u2019t intended to eavesdrop.<\/p>\n
Then he mentioned me.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you absolutely sure?\u201d his sister Heather asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course I\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause it\u2019s a lot, Seth. All three of them, five days a week.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe loves the kids.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLoving them isn\u2019t the same as keeping them all day.\u201d<\/p>\n
For an instant, I appreciated Heather\u2019s concern.<\/p>\n
Then Seth implied marriage would leave me no choice.<\/p>\n
I stepped nearer.<\/p>\n
Heather had three children: five-year-old Maddie, Ben, who\u2019d recently turned three, and eighteen-month-old Owen.<\/p>\n
I genuinely adored them.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d taken them to parks, made pancakes together, and occasionally watched them on Saturdays when Heather needed assistance.<\/p>\n
Last Christmas, Maddie had drawn enormous purple flowers with my name written above them. Her picture still hung on my refrigerator.<\/p>\n
But occasional babysitting was nothing like becoming their full-time caregiver.<\/p>\n
I was thirty-four and had worked nearly seven years at a dental practice near Columbus, Ohio.<\/p>\n
Three days earlier, Dr. Bennett had offered me the office manager position.<\/p>\n
It was a promotion I\u2019d pursued for years.<\/p>\n
Yet my future husband apparently believed my career was irrelevant.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about her job?\u201d Heather asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s leaving the dental office.\u201d<\/p>\n
I gripped my dress more tightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe told you that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve talked about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
We absolutely hadn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Seth and I had discussed buying a home, eventually having children without rushing, vacations, retirement savings, and replacing his aging truck.<\/p>\n
Never once had we discussed me abandoning my career to raise his sister\u2019s children.<\/p>\n
Heather sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just don\u2019t want Natalie to feel like I\u2019m taking advantage of her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I know how much she likes her job.\u201d<\/p>\n
I heard irritation enter Seth\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cHeather, we\u2019ve been over this. She\u2019s going to be my wife. We\u2019re going to make decisions based on what\u2019s best for the family.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a pause, Heather continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd she\u2019ll start Monday morning?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSeven-thirty. Same as we discussed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Monday morning.<\/p>\n
My staff meeting began at eight.<\/p>\n
Dr. Bennett planned to introduce new billing software for the following month, then discuss my promotion afterward.<\/p>\n
Seth knew about both appointments.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d told him over dinner, and he\u2019d replied, \u201cSounds exciting, babe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now he\u2019d assigned my Monday to someone else.<\/p>\n
My pulse pounded in my throat.<\/p>\n
I considered leaving to find Paige and gathering myself before confronting him.<\/p>\n
Then Heather spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish you\u2019d let me thank her properly before today.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t make a big deal out of it. She\u2019s already nervous about the wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n
A brief silence followed.<\/p>\n
Then came the revelation that changed everything.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope this works out. Because I already canceled their daycare two weeks ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seth showed no surprise.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir last day was yesterday. The director said those spots have already been filled.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen it\u2019s a good thing we have Natalie.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at the doorway.<\/p>\n
This wasn\u2019t an innocent misunderstanding about helping for a few days.<\/p>\n
Three children\u2019s childcare arrangements had been canceled because of a commitment I\u2019d never made.<\/p>\n
And the man responsible was about to become my husband.<\/p>\n
I opened the door.<\/p>\n
## Chapter 2 \u2014 The Job I Never Agreed to Quit
\u201cWho told you I was quitting my job?\u201d<\/p>\n
Seth spun around, nearly colliding with a folding chair.<\/p>\n
Heather stood beside a table of wedding programs, wearing a navy dress that complemented my bouquet.<\/p>\n
Neither spoke initially.<\/p>\n
Then Seth smiled.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t his usual expression. It was the reassuring smile he used when customers complained about electrical repairs and he wanted them to believe everything was under control.<\/p>\n
\u201cNatalie. Hey. You\u2019re not supposed to see me before the ceremony.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnswer my question.\u201d<\/p>\n
His smile vanished.<\/p>\n
Heather glanced between us.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you not know about the daycare arrangement?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat daycare arrangement?\u201d<\/p>\n
Seth approached.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s not do this right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
I avoided his hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cHeather, what exactly did Seth tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n
She swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said you wanted to take some time off after the wedding. That you were thinking about leaving the dental office.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI never said that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told me you\u2019d be watching the kids while I worked.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor how long?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked toward her brother.<\/p>\n
\u201cUntil next summer.\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach sank.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext summer?\u201d<\/p>\n
Seth rubbed his neck.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not as bad as it sounds.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThree kids. Ten hours a day. Five days a week. For almost a year?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNatalie\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs that what you promised?\u201d<\/p>\n
His hesitation answered me.<\/p>\n
I faced Heather.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t quit my job. I haven\u2019t even considered quitting my job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her expression shifted.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Seth said you\u2019d talked to your boss.\u201d<\/p>\n
I retrieved my phone from the satin purse Paige had given me that morning.<\/p>\n
My hands trembled so badly that I entered the wrong passcode twice.<\/p>\n
Finally, I opened Dr. Bennett\u2019s email.<\/p>\n
Its subject read: Office Manager Position.<\/p>\n
I showed Heather the screen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis came Wednesday. Dr. Bennett is offering me a promotion. I\u2019m supposed to give her my answer Monday.\u201d<\/p>\n
Heather examined the opening paragraph, frowning.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re being promoted?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seth leaned forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou didn\u2019t tell me you were accepting it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t accepted it yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly. So I thought\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou thought what?\u201d<\/p>\n
He sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought maybe this was a good time for us to rethink things.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cUs?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour schedule. Heather\u2019s situation. Everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why wasn\u2019t I part of the conversation?\u201d<\/p>\n
Heather lowered my phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cSeth, you told me Natalie wanted this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe does love the kids.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not what I asked.\u201d<\/p>\n
He turned on his sister.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t start acting like I forced you into anything. You were thrilled when I came up with the idea.\u201d<\/p>\n
Heather went pale.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was thrilled because you said she\u2019d agreed.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u2019d never seen her so alarmed.<\/p>\n
Heather and her husband Colin had separated roughly a year earlier. They shared parenting duties, but his rotating warehouse shifts made childcare difficult.<\/p>\n
She worked full-time handling insurance claims and couldn\u2019t take three small children to her office.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about their daycare?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
Heather pressed her lips together.<\/p>\n
\u201cI gave two weeks\u2019 notice. They require it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you call and get their places back?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried asking about Maddie\u2019s spot yesterday because her teacher said she\u2019d miss her. The director told me all three places had already been offered to families on the waiting list.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seth waved dismissively.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll figure something out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Heather faced him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou told me it was figured out.\u201d<\/p>\n
His jaw tightened before he looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan we please stop making this into a crisis? It\u2019s our wedding day.\u201d<\/p>\n
I nearly laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur wedding day?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe day you planned to marry me before telling me I was giving up my career?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not fair.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat part isn\u2019t fair?\u201d<\/p>\n
He lowered his voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are going to hear you.\u201d<\/p>\n
There it was.<\/p>\n
He wasn\u2019t concerned about betraying me or putting Heather\u2019s employment at risk.<\/p>\n
He was worried someone might overhear.<\/p>\n
I stepped closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you honestly expect me to wake up Monday morning, find out I was supposed to babysit three children, and just not go to work?\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked at Heather, then me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought we\u2019d have a little time to talk about it after the wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou told her I\u2019d already agreed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I knew we\u2019d work it out.\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned toward Heather.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you ever try asking me directly?\u201d<\/p>\n
She hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSeth said you were uncomfortable talking about leaving your job. That you didn\u2019t want everyone making a big deal about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
I faced him again.<\/p>\n
He remained silent.<\/p>\n
A chapel bell sounded in the distance.<\/p>\n
It was five minutes before two.<\/p>\n
Seth checked his watch.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay. We need to get ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
He reached for me, but I pulled back.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. You and I need to talk.\u201d<\/p>\n
Heather started speaking, and I interrupted.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease. Give us a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n
She agreed and left, clutching her phone.<\/p>\n
Seth closed the door, then faced me with the weary expression of someone dealing with a problem he hadn\u2019t caused.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook,\u201d he said. \u201cI know you\u2019re upset.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t know half of how upset I am.\u201d<\/p>\n
He adjusted his jacket.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen tell me what you want me to say.\u201d<\/p>\n
I studied him.<\/p>\n
He wore the tie I\u2019d selected and was supposed to become my husband in five minutes.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, I couldn\u2019t imagine anything he might say that would make this right.<\/p>\n
## Chapter 3 \u2014 He Thought I\u2019d Come Around
\u201cI need you to tell me why you did this,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
Seth rested against the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was trying to help my sister.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBy giving her my time?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBy helping our family.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHeather\u2019s your sister. They\u2019re your nieces and nephews. Why aren\u2019t you the one staying home with them?\u201d<\/p>\n
He frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know I can\u2019t just stop working.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNeither can I.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s different.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy job pays more.\u201d<\/p>\n
That was generally true. As a licensed electrician who frequently worked overtime, Seth earned more than I did.<\/p>\n
But I supported myself, had employer-provided health insurance and retirement savings, and genuinely enjoyed my work.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d invested years mastering insurance claims, scheduling, personnel issues, and the countless responsibilities that kept our dental office functioning.<\/p>\n
He seemed to dismiss all of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what happens to my health insurance?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019d be on mine after we got married.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happens to my retirement contributions?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll figure that out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy promotion?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNatalie, people change careers all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to change careers.\u201d<\/p>\n
He sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve always said you wanted to spend more time with family.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI meant our family. Someday. When we made that decision together.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what this is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. This is a decision you made without me.\u201d<\/p>\n
His patience broke.<\/p>\n
\u201cHeather\u2019s struggling, okay? Do you have any idea what she pays for daycare?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. She\u2019s told me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen you know how much we could help her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe?\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked away.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on. You know what I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n
I suddenly noticed how frequently he said we.<\/p>\n
We could help Heather.<\/p>\n
We could sacrifice.<\/p>\n
We could manage somehow.<\/p>\n
Yet I alone was expected to surrender my employment.<\/p>\n
I imagined Monday morning: Heather arriving with Maddie, Ben, and Owen at 7:30, Seth heading to a job site, and me preparing meals, changing diapers, cleaning messes, arranging activities, and supervising naps.<\/p>\n
The same routine would repeat every weekday.<\/p>\n
Then Seth would return and praise how much we\u2019d helped his sister.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve watched those kids before,\u201d I said. \u201cYou know I have.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor a few hours. When Heather asked me and I was available.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s the difference?\u201d<\/p>\n
His question astonished me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe difference is that I said yes.\u201d<\/p>\n
He fell silent.<\/p>\n
I studied his expression.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew I wouldn\u2019t agree to this, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n
He crossed his arms.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew you\u2019d have concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not what I asked.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNatalie, we\u2019ve been planning this wedding for a year. You\u2019ve been stressed. Every conversation about money turns into a whole thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause you keep saying everything will work out without explaining how.\u201d<\/p>\n
He laughed bitterly.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd this is exactly why I didn\u2019t bring it up earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence followed.<\/p>\n
I waited, hoping he would recognize what he\u2019d admitted.<\/p>\n
Instead, he continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cI figured once the wedding was over, once we were settled, you\u2019d be more open to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you deliberately waited until after I was your wife?\u201d<\/p>\n
He shifted uncomfortably.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t put it that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow would you put it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought you\u2019d come around.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those words hurt more than his previous explanations.<\/p>\n
For three years, I\u2019d believed Seth valued my perspective even during disagreements.<\/p>\n
We\u2019d argued about finances and his habit of offering relatives weekend help before checking his schedule.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d considered those ordinary relationship problems.<\/p>\n
Now I wondered how many of his decisions relied on me eventually surrendering.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you promise Heather a year of childcare because you thought I\u2019d agree,\u201d I asked, \u201cor because you thought I wouldn\u2019t be able to refuse after the wedding?\u201d<\/p>\n
He stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re making me sound like some kind of monster.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI asked you a question.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI love you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat wasn\u2019t an answer.\u201d<\/p>\n
He moved closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook, we can compromise. Maybe you keep working part-time. Maybe Heather finds someone else to cover a few days.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe canceled daycare because you promised her I would do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen we\u2019ll have to help her for a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe?\u201d<\/p>\n
He raised both hands in frustration.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you have to challenge every word I say?\u201d<\/p>\n
Tears gathered in my eyes.<\/p>\n
Not because he\u2019d raised his voice, but because I was recognizing qualities I\u2019d refused to acknowledge.<\/p>\n
Someone knocked.<\/p>\n
\u201cNatalie?\u201d<\/p>\n
It was Paige.<\/p>\n
Seth turned toward the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cGive us another minute.\u201d<\/p>\n
She remained outside.<\/p>\n
\u201cReverend Thomas is asking whether to start. Everyone\u2019s seated.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seth looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease. We have seventy people out there. My parents have been saving for their part of this wedding. Your mom has family who drove three hours.\u201d<\/p>\n
I knew every detail.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d organized seating arrangements, contacted the caterer twice that week, and folded the wedding programs myself.<\/p>\n
His voice softened.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s get married. Then we can sit down tomorrow and figure out the childcare.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at my gown.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d purchased it eight months earlier. Though modestly priced compared with many wedding dresses, it was the most expensive garment I\u2019d ever owned.<\/p>\n
Mom had cried when I tried it on.<\/p>\n
Only that morning, I\u2019d imagined Seth\u2019s reaction when he saw me walking down the aisle.<\/p>\n
I still loved him.<\/p>\n
That made the decision agonizing.<\/p>\n
I wanted the man I\u2019d believed him to be.<\/p>\n
But I couldn\u2019t marry him merely because seventy people were waiting.<\/p>\n
Another knock interrupted us.<\/p>\n
Seth lowered his voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t embarrass me in front of everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked up.<\/p>\n
His words finally clarified everything.<\/p>\n
He hadn\u2019t apologized or asked what I wanted.<\/p>\n
He only wanted me to shield him from the consequences of his actions.<\/p>\n
I opened the door.<\/p>\n
Paige stood there with three safety pins, her smile fading as she saw my expression.<\/p>\n
\u201cNatalie?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease get Reverend Thomas,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
Seth stepped forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
I continued looking at Paige.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell him I\u2019m not going through with the wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n
## Chapter 4 \u2014 The Wedding That Never Happened
Paige didn\u2019t question my decision.<\/p>\n
She glanced at Seth and gently took my hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seth followed us into the hallway.<\/p>\n
\u201cWait. Nobody\u2019s canceling anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am.\u201d<\/p>\n
His expression hardened.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t be serious.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOver babysitting?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen what?\u201d<\/p>\n
I met his eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause you knew I might say no, so you made the decision without me and tried to make sure I couldn\u2019t change it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He began to respond, but I continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not how I want to start a marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reverend Thomas arrived shortly afterward.<\/p>\n
He was a kind man in his sixties who\u2019d spent the past month helping us prepare our vows.<\/p>\n
He examined our faces.<\/p>\n
\u201cWould you like a few minutes alone to talk?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe already talked,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
He nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you asking to postpone the ceremony?\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked toward Seth.<\/p>\n
He seemed convinced I would eventually stop being unreasonable.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m asking you to tell everyone there won\u2019t be a wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seth muttered a curse.<\/p>\n
Reverend Thomas suggested moving into the bridal room, and Mom arrived a minute later.<\/p>\n
She stopped upon seeing me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, honey?\u201d<\/p>\n
Explaining meant admitting that the man I\u2019d trusted had secretly made decisions about my entire future.<\/p>\n
I sat beside the mirror.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t marry him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom\u2019s eyes filled with tears.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid something happen?\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded.<\/p>\n
She sat next to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you want to tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
She held my hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nothing else.<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t mention the wedding expenses or our waiting relatives.<\/p>\n
She simply accepted my answer.<\/p>\n
For the first time that afternoon, I broke down crying.<\/p>\n
Seth appeared in the doorway.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan I please talk to my fianc\u00e9e?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom stood.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said she doesn\u2019t want to talk right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked past her.<\/p>\n
\u201cNatalie, you\u2019re throwing away three years.\u201d<\/p>\n
I wiped my cheeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not the one who did that.\u201d<\/p>\n
He shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t believe you\u2019re doing this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite everything, happy memories returned.<\/p>\n
Seth had once driven two hours to repair my father\u2019s porch, brought me soup when I had the flu, and held my hand the night my grandmother died.<\/p>\n
Those moments had been genuine.<\/p>\n
That only made it harder to reconcile them with his behavior now.<\/p>\n
Reverend Thomas asked him to leave us alone.<\/p>\n
This time, he complied.<\/p>\n
Minutes later, the chapel music stopped.<\/p>\n
I heard murmuring, shifting chairs, and Reverend Thomas speaking into the microphone.<\/p>\n
He announced the ceremony was canceled, apologized for the inconvenience, and requested privacy.<\/p>\n
He offered no explanation.<\/p>\n
I appreciated his discretion.<\/p>\n
Guests began departing.<\/p>\n
Paige sat beside me while Mom contacted the reception coordinator.<\/p>\n
The food was already prepared. Some could be packed and donated if arrangements were possible, but most deposits were nonrefundable.<\/p>\n
We\u2019d already paid for the flowers, and the cake was waiting at the reception venue.<\/p>\n
The financial aftermath would take weeks to resolve.<\/p>\n
My phone buzzed repeatedly.<\/p>\n
One cousin asked whether I was okay. An aunt wondered whether there\u2019d been an emergency. Someone from Seth\u2019s family insisted that couples always disagreed and I shouldn\u2019t make a permanent choice while upset.<\/p>\n
I switched my phone off.<\/p>\n
Paige helped remove my veil, needing three attempts to loosen a stubborn pin without pulling my hair.<\/p>\n
We remained silent until she finished.<\/p>\n
Then she whispered, \u201cYou know you can be sad about this and still be right.\u201d<\/p>\n
I cried even harder.<\/p>\n
Roughly forty minutes later, Paige brought my car to a side entrance.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d decided to return to my apartment.<\/p>\n
Seth and I hadn\u2019t moved in together. We\u2019d planned to end my lease after the wedding and transfer my belongings to his townhouse at the month\u2019s end.<\/p>\n
For once, postponing that move had benefited me.<\/p>\n
Mom offered to take me home, but I needed the familiarity of my own space.<\/p>\n
Paige carried my bag toward the exit.<\/p>\n
Before we reached the door, Heather appeared down the hallway.<\/p>\n
Her eyes were red.<\/p>\n
\u201cNatalie. Can I talk to you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Paige moved protectively closer.<\/p>\n
Heather noticed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not here to argue.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stopped.<\/p>\n
Behind her, several guests were clearing decorations from the reception tables. Children were playing outside, probably including Maddie.<\/p>\n
Despite everything, I worried about Heather\u2019s Monday arrangements.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
Heather glanced behind her.<\/p>\n
\u201cSeth told me you were going to help because you wanted to. I swear that\u2019s what he said.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that\u2019s what he told you.\u201d<\/p>\n
She briefly appeared relieved.<\/p>\n
Then I added, \u201cBut you should have asked me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
She rubbed her face.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s something else.\u201d<\/p>\n
I waited.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout a year ago, Seth had some trouble with his truck.\u201d<\/p>\n
I frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know. The engine had to be replaced.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he tell you how he paid for it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said he\u2019d been saving.\u201d<\/p>\n
Heather closed her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, God.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
Her expression unsettled me.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid Seth ever tell you he borrowed money from me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSix thousand four hundred dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe owes you sixty-four hundred dollars?\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd three weeks ago, he told me he\u2019d found a way to pay it back.\u201d<\/p>\n
An uneasy feeling settled in my stomach.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat way?\u201d<\/p>\n
Heather glanced at my wedding gown.<\/p>\n
Then she spoke quietly.<\/p>\n
\u201cNatalie, I think you need to sit down.\u201d<\/p>\n
# PART 2 \u2014 THE REAL AGREEMENT
## Chapter 5 \u2014 The Price He Put on My Time
We moved into a small room adjoining the fellowship hall.<\/p>\n
Stacked plastic chairs lined one wall, and a children\u2019s coloring table occupied a corner.<\/p>\n
Paige remained with me.<\/p>\n
Heather unlocked her phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI lent Seth the money last spring,\u201d she said. \u201cHis truck needed a replacement engine, and he couldn\u2019t afford the repairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
I remembered the incident.<\/p>\n
Seth had been furious about the repair costs and borrowed my car twice while his truck was in the shop.<\/p>\n
He\u2019d claimed most of his savings had gone toward the engine.<\/p>\n
\u201cI gave him sixty-four hundred dollars,\u201d Heather continued. \u201cHe promised to start paying me back once he caught up on his other bills.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe paid me two hundred dollars once. Then he stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n
Heather glanced down.<\/p>\n
\u201cI needed the money back, Natalie. Daycare was eating up most of my paycheck. Colin pays his share of the children\u2019s expenses, but I still have rent, groceries, and everything else.\u201d<\/p>\n
I understood financial struggles.<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t understand why mine were being tied to her brother\u2019s debt.<\/p>\n
\u201cThree weeks ago,\u201d Heather said, \u201cSeth came over and told me he had a solution.\u201d<\/p>\n
I waited.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said you\u2019d decided to stay home after the wedding. That you wanted a break from the dental office.\u201d<\/p>\n
My mouth went dry.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe offered to have you watch the kids for a year.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you would forgive his debt,\u201d I said slowly.<\/p>\n
Heather nodded.<\/p>\n
For several seconds, I couldn\u2019t respond.<\/p>\n
Seth hadn\u2019t merely offered my assistance to his sister.<\/p>\n
He\u2019d traded a year of my labor to settle his personal debt.<\/p>\n
Heather scrolled through her messages.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere.\u201d<\/p>\n
She passed me her phone.<\/p>\n
Seth\u2019s first message read:<\/p>\n
Nat\u2019s serious about leaving the office after the wedding. She loves having the kids around. I think this could help both of us.<\/p>\n
Heather had responded:<\/p>\n
Are you sure she\u2019d want all three every day? That\u2019s a lot of work.<\/p>\n
Seth replied:<\/p>\n
She\u2019s already planning to be home. I wouldn\u2019t offer if we hadn\u2019t talked about it.<\/p>\n
Further down, Heather had written:<\/p>\n
If Natalie handles daycare through next spring, are you saying we\u2019re square on the truck money?<\/p>\n
Seth answered:<\/p>\n
Yeah. Call it even.<\/p>\n
I reread his response three times.<\/p>\n
Fifty hours every week.<\/p>\n
Nearly a year of supervising three children, preparing meals, changing diapers, organizing naps, handling laundry, and managing school pickups.<\/p>\n
No income, retirement contributions, or professional advancement.<\/p>\n
All to spare Seth from repaying his sister.<\/p>\n
I returned the phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you know how much I make at the clinic?\u201d<\/p>\n
Heather hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot exactly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you know I\u2019d been there almost seven years?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen how did you think I could afford to quit?\u201d<\/p>\n
She pressed her lips together.<\/p>\n
\u201cSeth said you\u2019d both planned for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith what money?\u201d<\/p>\n
She remained silent.<\/p>\n
I leaned back.<\/p>\n
\u201cSix thousand four hundred dollars,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
Heather looked miserable.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know how it sounds.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Her eyes filled.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not fair, Natalie. I honestly thought you wanted this.\u201d<\/p>\n
END PART 1<\/p>\n