Adele smiled, but I recognized that smile. Kind, not warm.

“I’m glad you made it,” she said.

Maya caressed Adele’s cheek.

Then he turned to me. “Robert.”

His eyes fell on my dress. “You look tired.”

“Fifteen years of parenting can have that effect.”

Harry moved behind her.

Maya’s smile tightened. “Don’t start today.”

“I didn’t mean to do it.”

“This is Adele’s wedding.”

“I know. That’s why I’m here.”

His gaze deepened. “You’ve always been good at giving yourself a noble air.”

My jaw tensed.

Adele looked at me over Maya’s shoulder.

Not yet.

So I swallowed the answer I wanted to give.

The ceremony began shortly after. Adele took my arm, and for a moment I saw the girl on the stairs again.

“You’re holding my hand, Dad,” she whispered.

The doors opened and everyone stood up.

When we reached Jerome, he looked at Adele as if he understood what she had been through, without her having to explain it.

The officiant asked who had introduced her.

I opened my mouth.

Adele squeezed my arm. “The man who raised me does that.”

There was a murmur in the room.

I kissed her cheek and took a step back.

Maya wasn’t smiling anymore.

For an hour, I let the wedding remain beautiful. Jerome cried before Adele. Mia cried with them both. Lucille handed her a handkerchief without taking her eyes off Maya.

Then I felt Maya near Harry’s family.

“I wanted to be there,” she said. “Of course I was. But Robert made it difficult.”

Harry nodded. “Maya tried for years. He kept the girls isolated.”

A woman next to him was staring at me.

Maya sighed. “You have no idea what it means for a mother to be separated from her children.”

I put the glass of water down.

Penelope appeared beside me. “Dad.”

Mia’s eyes were shining. “Please tell me you heard that.”

“I heard.”

Lucille’s voice was low. “Say the word.”

Piper whispered, “Not here. Please.”

Shannon just stared at Maya.

I took a step forward.

Adele touched my arm.

“Not yet, Dad.”

“He’s lying about all of us.”

“So why wait?”

Adele looked toward the white box near the gift table.

“Because this time we won’t respond to a lie with anger. We’ll respond with evidence.”

Across the room, Maya was laughing as if she had won.

 

 

 

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