Chapter 5

"Oh, the uncle prepared something too?"

She unfolded it with a smile, read only the first line, and couldn't hold back a laugh.

"Today, I give my most precious daughter to Miles…"

She looked up at Miles.

"Isn't this a little too old-fashioned?"

"Who says things like this at a wedding anymore?"

A few of the staff nearby laughed along.

My father's face flushed red at once.

He reached out to take the paper back.

"My English isn't good."

"And I didn't write it well either."

"So let's just skip it."

But Bianca acted as if she hadn't noticed his embarrassment, and flipped through it again.

She read the spots where my father had written out the phonetic spelling, and suddenly burst out laughing.

"The uncle was even afraid he'd mispronounce it?"

"Really, there's no need to be this nervous. Nobody actually wants to hear this stuff."

The few staff members nearby laughed along.

My father's face burned crimson.

Miles finally spoke.

But not to save my father.

Instead, he said:

"Bianca has a point too."

"This part really doesn't fit the style of today's wedding."

"Sir, let's just cancel the speech for now."

My father clutched the paper, his lips moving.

In the end all he said was: "All right. Whatever you decide."

I watched him fold that speech back up and tuck it into the already-wrinkled pocket of his suit.

His movements were slow.

As if he were tucking away the last shred of his dignity along with it.

That speech, he'd prepared for a full two weeks.

Once, when I came home, I saw him sitting in the living room, recording himself into his phone.

Whenever he stumbled over a line, he'd delete it and start over.

He said:

"Sweetheart, your dad isn't an educated man."

"But when you get married, I have to do it right."

"I can't let anyone think my girl's family has no one standing behind her."

Back then I only laughed at how nervous he was.

I said: "Dad, just standing up there is enough."

But today.

He didn't even get the chance to stand up there.

Bianca handed the program back to the emcee.

"I'll go up and speak in a bit."

"I know Miles well, and I know the flow of the event too."

She looked over at my parents with a smile.

"The uncle and aunt aren't good with words, so it's all the same if I speak for you."

My mother lowered her head.

My father didn't argue either.

They were probably already used to it.

As long as it was for my sake, they could endure anything.

Just then the emcee came over with a reminder.

"Miss Joyner, please get ready."

"Your toast is the next segment."

Bianca smoothed out her skirt and passed by me.

She paused for a moment, her voice pressed very low.

"Sis, tell the uncle and aunt not to be upset."

"It's not convenient for them to go up, so I'll say a few words of blessing for them. Consider it me smoothing things over for you."

As she finished, a flicker of smugness crossed her eyes.

I didn't look at her.

I only lowered my head and glanced at my phone.

The wedding planner had sent a message:

"Everything's ready."

"Are you sure you want to play it now?"

I looked up.

At the end of the aisle, Bianca had already taken the microphone.

Miles stood below the stage, watching her with a gaze that was tender and indulgent.

And my parents sat in the darkest corner.

One clutching the canceled speech.

The other clutching that ill-fitting black skirt suit.

I slowly typed out a single word.

"Play."

The next second, what appeared on the big screen made every guest below gasp in unison.