Chapter 2: What He Had Seen
Three hours earlier, Isaiah had believed the hardest part of his wedding day would be standing still while everyone took photographs.
He had been wrong.
The morning had begun peacefully.
He and Marcus had stood in the groom's suite while sunlight spilled across the carpet.
Isaiah had adjusted the cuffs of his ivory tuxedo for the fifth time.
Marcus watched him in the mirror.
"You nervous?""
"No.""
"You're fixing the same cuff.""
Isaiah stopped.
"I like it straight.""
Marcus laughed.
"Brother, you've checked that cuff so many times it's about to file for divorce.""
Isaiah smiled.
Then his phone buzzed.
A message from Evelyn.
*I made something for Brielle. I hope she likes it.*
Isaiah smiled at the screen.
He called her immediately.
She answered after the second ring.
"Baby?""
"Grandma, you ready?""
"I'm ready.""
"You sound nervous.""
"I'm seventy-three. I don't get nervous.""
"You're lying.""
"I am absolutely lying.""
Isaiah laughed.
"What did you make?""
There was a pause.
"You'll see.""
"Grandma.""
"No.""
"Is it another quilt?""
"No.""
"Another painting?""
"No.""
"Did you make a chair?""
"Isaiah!""
He laughed again.
"Okay, okay. I'll wait.""
Her voice softened.
"I just wanted her to have something that came from me.""
Isaiah leaned against the counter.
"She'll love it.""
"You don't know that.""
"I do.""
"You love your bride very much.""
"I do.""
"Then I hope she loves what I made.""
Isaiah looked at himself in the mirror.
For the first time that morning, his smile disappeared.
"I hope so too.""
The call ended.
Marcus had been watching.
"What?""
"Nothing.""
Marcus shook his head.
"You look like you're about to tell me something.""
Isaiah hesitated.
Then he sat on the edge of the chair.
"Can I ask you something?""
"Sure.""
"Do you ever feel like someone is perfect around everybody else, but different when nobody's watching?""
Marcus leaned forward.
"That's a very specific question.""
"I know.""
"Is this about Brielle?""
Isaiah looked down.
"I've seen things.""
"What things?""
Isaiah rubbed his wedding band.
"Little things.""
Marcus waited.
"She talks differently to staff.""
Marcus's expression changed.
"How?""
"Like they're invisible.""
"Anything else?""
"Last week, she told the venue coordinator she would make sure she lost her job if the champagne wasn't the exact brand Brielle requested.""
Marcus frowned.
"Did she?""
"No.""
"What happened?""
"She cried in the bathroom.""
Marcus was silent.
Isaiah's phone buzzed again.
This time it was a message from the wedding coordinator.
*Isaiah, can you please come downstairs when you have a moment?*
He stood.
"What now?""
Marcus followed.
When Isaiah reached the hallway, he saw Evelyn walking toward him.
She wore a modest lilac dress with tiny pearl buttons.
Her silver curls were pinned neatly around her face.
And in her hands was the bouquet.
She held it like a fragile treasure.
Isaiah smiled.
"Grandma.""
She hugged him.
"You look handsome.""
"You look beautiful.""
"I hope I do.""
"You always do.""
She looked at the bouquet.
"I've been carrying it around all morning.""
"You made all of those?""
"Every flower.""
"How long?""
"Six weeks.""
Isaiah whistled.
"She's going to love it.""
Evelyn smiled.
"You're sure?""
"Positive.""
Evelyn squeezed his arm.
"Then I'll believe you.""
That memory would return to Isaiah later.
Not because he had been wrong about Evelyn.
Because he had been wrong about Brielle.
The ceremony itself had been beautiful.
Brielle walked down the aisle.
Isaiah cried.
When she reached him, she whispered,
"Don't cry.""
He laughed through his tears.
"You look beautiful.""
"You'd better say that.""
"I'd say it even if you threatened me.""
She smiled.
For a while, everything looked perfect.
Their vows were exchanged.
The rings were placed.
The pastor pronounced them husband and wife.
Their first kiss drew applause.
And Isaiah believed, despite everything he'd noticed, that maybe marriage would soften the rough edges he'd been seeing.
Maybe he had been overthinking.
Maybe love really did make people better.
Then came the reception.
Brielle greeted guests.
She posed for photographs.
She danced with her father.
She laughed with her bridesmaids.
And then Evelyn approached with the bouquet.
Now, standing beside the cake table, Isaiah remembered all of it.
Every warning.
Every strange comment.
Every apology he had accepted on Brielle's behalf.
Every time he'd told himself she was simply stressed.
Brielle walked toward him.
"What are you doing?""
Isaiah looked at her.
"Thinking.""
"About what?""
"The last six months.""
She crossed her arms.
"Isaiah, don't.""
"Don't what?""
"Turn one stupid moment into something bigger.""
"One moment?""
"Yes.""
He looked toward Evelyn.
"She spent six weeks making those.""
Brielle scoffed.
"And I didn't ask her to.""
Isaiah stared at her.
There it was.
The sentence he would remember for years.
Not because it was loud.
Because it was honest.
"You didn't ask her to," he repeated.
"No.""
"She did it because she loved you.""
"That's not my problem.""
Isaiah slowly nodded.
Evelyn had moved to the edge of the room.
She was speaking with a woman from the wedding party, pretending everything was fine.
Isaiah watched her wipe beneath one eye.
He turned back to Brielle.
"You hurt her.""
"I said I was sorry.""
"You didn't.""
"I said I didn't want them.""
"That's not an apology.""
Brielle's voice dropped.
"Are you really choosing her over me in front of everyone?""
Isaiah looked around.
The guests were watching.
He could feel dozens of eyes on them.
His voice remained quiet.
"I'm choosing basic decency.""
Brielle stepped closer.
"You promised me today would be about us.""
"It was supposed to be.""
"Then stop humiliating me.""
Isaiah stared at her.
"I haven't said a word to anyone.""
"You don't have to. Look at them.""
She gestured around the ballroom.
"Everybody is staring.""
"Because of what happened.""
"You caused this.""
Isaiah blinked.
"I caused this?""
Brielle nodded.
"You made me look like a monster.""
He looked at the crushed bouquet.
Then at the five-tier cake.
Something inside him settled.
Not exploded.
Settled.
Like a door finally closing.
Marcus appeared beside him.
"Isaiah.""
Isaiah looked over.
Marcus glanced toward Brielle.
Then toward Evelyn.
His expression said everything.
Isaiah nodded.
He turned to his grandmother.
"Grandma, can you go sit down?""
Evelyn hesitated.
"Isaiah...""
"Please.""
She nodded.
He guided her toward a nearby table.
When he returned, Brielle was standing beside the cake.
Her voice was softer now.
"Isaiah, don't do anything stupid.""
He looked at her.
"I haven't decided anything.""
"Then why are you looking at the cake?""
He took another step.
Brielle's eyes widened.
"Isaiah.""
May you like
He reached toward the cake board.
And his fingers closed around the edge.