“The wedding's going for an understated-luxury look. Bringing this stuff really isn't appropriate.”

My mom's hand froze in midair.

The smile on her face faded, bit by bit, then she forced it back up.

“Oh. Right.”

“I just don't know any better.”

She hurried to pull the bag back, hiding it behind her.

“Then I won't bring it. I don't want to be any trouble for you.”

My throat felt stuffed with a wad of cotton, aching so much I couldn't speak.

On the other side, Nellie's mother gave another two soft little coughs.

Karl went straight over to steady her.

“Ma'am, sit down first.”

“Did you not eat anything this morning?”

He turned and sent his assistant off to buy hot porridge, then pushed her luggage off to the side with his own hands.

Gentle. Patient. Attentive.

A completely different man from the one who'd been so cold to my parents a moment ago.

That was when Nellie's Aunt Carla let out a low laugh.

“Old folks who've never flown before, of course they get nervous.”

“And bringing these country knickknacks, really, it doesn't suit an island wedding at all.”

My mom heard it.

She clutched the bag in her hands, her head dropping even lower.

“It's our fault, we don't get out much. We've made a mess for everyone.”

Karl acted like he hadn't caught the humiliation in my mom's words. He only glanced at the car parked outside.

“Nellie's got a lot of relatives.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson, why don't you ride in the van behind.”

I looked outside.

The car behind, the back was piled full of suitcases.

One look and you could tell it was the staff van.

My voice went cold.

“My dad's back is bad. You're putting him in the luggage van?”

Karl's brow furrowed.

“Alice, can you not make everything sound so ugly?”

“There's just a little extra luggage in the car.”

“We'll be on the island tomorrow. Do you really have to nitpick about this now?”

I looked at him.

In that moment, I suddenly understood.

Karl hadn't forgotten to respect my parents.

He had simply never thought they were worth respecting.

My mom hurriedly grabbed my hand.

“Alice, stop. Don't say anymore.”

“Your dad and I can sit anywhere. The wedding's what matters.”

The wedding's what matters.

Even now, they were still afraid of holding up my wedding.

But I looked at my dad's pale face, looked at my mom clutching that bag of crumbled peanut brittle, and the last bit of hope in my heart finally went out, little by little.

I didn't argue anymore.

I just walked my parents to the hotel beside the airport.

My dad apologized the whole way.

“Alice, I'm really fine.”

“Back there, did I make things hard for your husband-to-be?”

My mom was still clutching that bag of broken peanut brittle, and said quietly:

“Maybe we just shouldn't bring this stuff.”

“Don't let his family laugh at you.”

I watched how flustered they looked, my nose stinging hard.

They hadn't done a single thing wrong.

Yet they looked like two people who'd committed some crime.

After we got into the room, I told them to rest first.

Then I took out my phone and canceled the original flight to the island.

I bought three new tickets to Northport instead.

Once the tickets were booked, I messaged the wedding planners.

“The wedding is canceled.”

They called back quickly, their tone startled.

“Ms. Donaldson, the wedding is tomorrow. Are you sure?”

I looked at my parents, already so exhausted they'd fallen asleep on the bed, and my voice was very soft “I'm sure.”

At ten that night, Karl came back.

When he pushed the door open and walked in, his face didn't look good.

Probably because the scene at the airport today had soured things and upset Nellie's whole family.

He stood in the doorway, looking at me.

“Alice, tomorrow everyone flies together.”

“And quit putting on that sour face.”

He paused, then added:

"Nellie cried for a long time today."

"She thinks she's the reason your parents didn't make the flight."

"When you see her tomorrow, apologize to her."

I froze for a beat, then laughed out loud.

"I apologize to her?"

Karl frowned.

"Her relatives had all boarded just fine."

"Because you made a scene at the last minute and refused to go, every one of them had to rebook."

"You wasted all those people's trip. Don't you owe them an apology?"

So my parents being kicked off the bus over the wrong tickets.

In his eyes, that didn't count as being wronged.

Nellie's family missing their flight on time, now that was a wasted trip.

I looked at him.

And all at once, I didn't even have the urge to explain.

"Fine."

Karl seemed to let out a breath, and went off to shower.

I sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the three Northport tickets on my phone.

Strangely calm inside.

In the middle of the night, I woke to a noise from the living room.

Karl was on the phone, keeping his voice low.

"Nellie?"

"Why are you crying?"

I couldn't hear what she said, but his tone softened instantly.

"Don't be scared."

"I'm coming over right now."

The moment the door shut, my mind went back many years.

I'd had a fever in the middle of the night and called him.

He said he had an early meeting the next day, and told me to take some fever medicine first.

Back then I still made excuses for him.

He was too busy.

A man with drive was a good thing.

But it turned out he wasn't incapable of rushing out in the dead of night to be with someone.

It was just that the someone wasn't me.

The next morning, when Karl came back, there was a faint lipstick mark on his collar.

He probably hadn't noticed.

But Nellie stood behind him, eyes rimmed red, her voice soft as water.

"Alice, I'm so sorry about yesterday."

"I really didn't know I'd cause you all so much trouble."

Karl glanced at me.

The meaning was obvious.

He wanted me to apologize.

I gave a small smile and said nothing.

At the airport, Nellie's family was already waiting at the business class check-in counter.

Karl handed over the documents, smoothly processing everything for them.

Nellie's parents, her aunt, her cousin, and all those relatives whose names I couldn't even say.

All business class.

When it came to my parents, the agent checked the system.

"Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson, you're in economy."

My mom froze for a second, then quickly waved it off.

"Economy's fine, economy's great."

"We're happy to sit anywhere."

Karl, as if afraid I'd make a scene again, came over and explained in a low voice.

"The rebooking yesterday was so last-minute."

"This was all the business class left."

"It's no big deal for your folks to sit in economy. It's only a two-hour flight."

Two hours.

So he finally knew the trip was only two hours.

And yet yesterday, he'd been willing to put my parents on a thirty-some-hour economy coach seat.

Nellie said quietly from the side,

"Why don't I give my seat to your parents?"

Karl said at once,

"No need."

"You didn't sleep well last night. Don't wear yourself out."

I looked at the tenderness in his eyes.

Then looked at my father's pale face.

And suddenly felt the last thread in my chest snap, too.

The boarding announcement came on.

Business class had its own line.

Karl was busy helping Nellie's mother along, and pushing Nellie's father's luggage.

Only when he reached the entrance did he remember to look back at me.

"Alice, take your folks and line up over there."

"See you when we land."

With that, he led Nellie's family ahead into the business class lane.

My mom said quietly,

"Alice, we should go get in line too."

"We don't want to miss the flight."

I held her hand and smiled.

"Dad. Mom."

"We're not going to that wedding."

"I'm taking you somewhere else."

My mom's eyes reddened instantly.

"But the wedding…"

Over the loudspeaker, Karl's flight had already started calling for boarding.

I took one last look toward the business class gate.

Karl probably still assumed.

That we'd see each other once everyone landed on the island.

But what he didn't know.

Was that we'd never see each other again.