The church stood completely motionless.<\/p>\n
Three hundred faces turned toward Mallory in shock. Paige opened her eyes, confused. The priest slowly closed his holy book. Jaime tried to take her arm.<\/p>\n
\u201cMallory, what are you doing?\u201d Jaime asked.<\/p>\n
She stepped aside quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to stop everyone from celebrating a massive lie.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evelyn stood up from the front row.<\/p>\n
\u201cDaughter, you\u2019re nervous. Can we go outside for a moment?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSit down, Mom. This part is for you too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mallory\u2019s cold tone made Evelyn obey immediately.<\/p>\n
Mallory turned towards the shocked guests.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you for coming. I know many of you traveled, took time off work, and prepared to be with us. You believed you were going to witness a promise of love and fidelity. I believed that too, until last night.\u201d<\/p>\n
She took out the folded leaves hidden in the bouquet.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast night I found my mother\u2019s diary.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jaime lost his color instantly.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t do this,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere is described, with dates and details, the relationship that my fianc\u00e9 has maintained for months with Evelyn, my own mother.\u201d<\/p>\n
The murmurs erupted loudly. Some guests stood up and pulled out their phones. Evelyn put her trembling hands to her mouth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not what it looks like,\u201d Jaime said.<\/p>\n
Mallory read out loud.<\/p>\n
\u201cMarch 15th. Jaime kissed me while Mallory went to the bathroom.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then she lifted another sheet.<\/p>\n
\u201cMarch 22. She called to talk about the flowers while he was with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEnough!\u201d Evelyn shouted.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mallory\u2019s voice echoed powerfully throughout the parish.<\/p>\n
\u201cApril 12th. We made love. Jaime says that Mallory doesn\u2019t understand it the way I do.\u201d<\/p>\n
A collective groan echoed through the pews. Jaime\u2019s parents looked at their son with deep shame and anger.<\/p>\n
Jaime stepped forward to snatch the leaves from her hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re destroying everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mallory stepped back easily.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. I\u2019m just showing what you destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The priest asked for calm, but no one listened to him anymore.<\/p>\n
Mallory continued reading.<\/p>\n
\u201cMay 3rd. Jaime says he wants to cancel the wedding to be with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evelyn stood up suddenly, glaring at Jaime.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou did tell me that! You swore you loved me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jaime looked at her in horror.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvelyn, shut up.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNow you want me to be quiet? Last night you didn\u2019t want me to be quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n
The guests reacted with muffled screams. Mallory felt a sharp pang in her chest, but also a strange sense of justice. She no longer had to prove anything to anyone. They were beginning to tear themselves apart.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a mistake,\u201d Jaime said, turning to Mallory. \u201cI love you. What your mother said meant absolutely nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evelyn slapped him hard across the face.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou told me she was boring, that you felt alive with me!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou sought me out,\u201d he replied angrily. \u201cYou started it all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you came back every single time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mallory watched them destroy themselves in front of the altar.<\/p>\n
Then she read the last entry.<\/p>\n
\u201cMay 18th. Tonight will be the last time. After the wedding, we will try to make Mallory happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
She folded the sheet slowly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile I was having dinner with my friends, you two were together. And yet you were planning to let me get married today, take me on a honeymoon, and start a life built on your disgusting secret.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jaime knelt down on the floor.<\/p>\n
\u201cForgive me. We can go to therapy. We can cancel everything and start over.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no us,\u201d Mallory replied. \u201cAnd there is no therapy that can turn this betrayal into love.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evelyn got off the first bench, crying bitterly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am your mother. I committed an unforgivable act, but I love you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou didn\u2019t make a mistake just once. You chose to betray me for months. You helped me try on the dress and then slept with him. You organized the gift registry while dreaming of keeping my husband. You didn\u2019t want to confess. You just didn\u2019t want to get caught.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evelyn collapsed back on a bench.<\/p>\n
Mallory looked at everyone in the room.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want anyone\u2019s pity. I want them to understand something clearly. Family isn\u2019t a license to destroy you and then demand forgiveness. Love that needs lies to survive isn\u2019t love. It\u2019s just pure selfishness.\u201d<\/p>\n
She gave the copies to the priest and Paige.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ceremony is over.\u201d<\/p>\n
She turned around and walked down the aisle amid Evelyn\u2019s sobs, Jaime\u2019s desperate pleas, and the loud murmur of the guests.<\/p>\n
When she stepped outside, the hot sun beat down on her face. She was still wearing the white dress, but she was no longer a bride. She was a woman who had just successfully reclaimed her life.<\/p>\n
Paige ran quickly after her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are we going?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo the hotel. I\u2019ll gather my things and leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere to?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI still don\u2019t know. I only know that it\u2019s not here anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
The wedding coordinator left the building in a hurry.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do we do about the reception? There\u2019s enough food for three hundred people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mallory took a deep breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cDonate it to a local homeless shelter. Let something worthwhile come out of this absolute disaster.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jaime appeared on the stone stairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cMallory, wait!\u201d<\/p>\n