Today, I would marry Daniel.
The dress hanging near the window was exactly what I had imagined: elegant, delicate, and beautifully fitted. The fabric caught the morning light, and the long train had taken months of planning to perfect.
My mother cried when she saw me wearing it.
“You look beautiful,” she whispered, touching my cheek.
I smiled, trying not to cry and ruin my makeup before the ceremony even began.
My father arrived a little later. He stood in the doorway for a moment, looking at me in silence.
“Dad?” I asked, laughing nervously. “You’re making me anxious.”
He shook his head and smiled.
“I’m just trying to understand how my little girl grew up so quickly.”
He crossed the room and hugged me carefully, making sure not to disturb my dress.
“Are you happy?” he asked.
The question caught me off guard.
“Of course I am.”
He studied my face for a moment, then nodded.
