Chapter 6
The church doors were about to open.
I could hear the organ.
I could hear guests shifting in their seats.
Somewhere at the front, Elijah was waiting for me.
But Arthur had just told me Raymond sent him a letter ten years earlier.
And I couldn't take another step without knowing what it said.
"Dad, please."
Arthur looked toward the sanctuary.
"Nia, we can talk afterward."
I shook my head.
"No more secrets."
His face softened.
Then he nodded.
"Okay."
He guided me toward a quiet alcove near the hallway.
The wedding coordinator looked concerned.
I asked her for a few minutes.
She agreed.
Arthur stood in front of me.
He looked older than he had that morning.
"Nia, when you turned eighteen, Raymond wrote to me."
I held my breath.
"He didn't ask to see you."
My chest tightened.
"He asked for money."
I stared at him.
"What?"
Arthur nodded.
"He said he had debts again."
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
"He threatened to contact you and tell you I had kept him away."
My stomach twisted.
"What did you do?"
"I told him he could contact you honestly, but I wouldn't pay him to stay silent."
I looked up.
"You refused?"
"Yes."
He swallowed.
"Then he wrote another letter."
My heartbeat quickened.
"What did that one say?"
Arthur looked down.
"He said he knew you were about to graduate high school."
I nodded.
"He threatened to appear at the ceremony and accuse your mother of keeping you from him."
I stared at Arthur.
"He wanted to embarrass us?"
"He wanted money."
I felt sick.
Arthur continued.
"I spoke with your mother. We contacted our attorney."
I looked at him.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
His eyes filled.
"Because you were eighteen."
I shook my head.
"That's old enough."
"I know."
He took a breath.
"But you were applying for scholarships. You were preparing for college. You were finally confident about your future."
I swallowed.
"We didn't want Raymond turning that moment into another fight."
I looked away.
Part of me understood.
Another part felt hurt.
"Dad, you should have trusted me."
He nodded immediately.
"You're right."
That surprised me.
He didn't argue.
He didn't defend himself.
He simply accepted what I said.
"I should have told you when the situation settled," he continued.
I looked back.
"Then why didn't you?"
His voice broke.
"Because every year that passed made the conversation harder."
I stared at him.
Then he whispered, "And because I was afraid you'd think I had taken your choice away."
I felt tears gathering.
"Did you?"
He looked directly at me.
"I kept information from you. That was wrong."
I swallowed.
"But I never prevented Raymond from contacting you."
He continued.
"Your mother and I asked him to communicate through appropriate channels because of his threats. He chose not to follow through."
I took a long breath.
I was hurt.
But I also knew Arthur was telling me something difficult because he wanted honesty between us.
I looked at him.
"Do you still have the letters?"
He nodded.
"Yes."
"Can I read them?"
"Whenever you're ready."
I nodded.
"After the wedding."
Arthur looked surprised.
"Really?"
I smiled through tears.
"Yes."
He wiped his eyes.
"Are you sure?"
I squeezed his hand.
"Dad, I don't need to solve twenty-eight years of family history before marrying Elijah."
He laughed softly.
I continued.
"But I do need you to promise something."
"Anything."
"No more hiding things because you're afraid they'll hurt me."
His face softened.
"I promise."
I nodded.
"Good."
Then I stepped closer.
"And I need you to understand something."
He looked at me.
"Even when you make mistakes, you're still my dad."
Arthur began crying.
I hugged him.
He whispered, "Thank you, sweetheart."
I pulled back.
"Now can you please walk me down the aisle before Elijah thinks I've changed my mind?"
Arthur laughed.
"Absolutely."
We returned to the entrance.
The coordinator smiled with relief.
The music swelled.
The doors opened.
And suddenly, the entire church stood.
I looked down the aisle.
White flowers lined the pews.
Candles glowed near the altar.
Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows.
At the front stood Elijah.
He looked handsome in his charcoal tuxedo.
But the moment he saw me, his face crumpled.
He began crying.
I laughed through my own tears.
Arthur leaned closer.
"He's a good man."
I nodded.
"I know."
We began walking.
Every step felt like a promise.
Not just to Elijah.
To myself.
To the little girl who once believed being abandoned meant she wasn't worthy of love.
To the teenager who struggled with her identity.
To the woman who finally understood that family wasn't simply blood.
When we reached the altar, Elijah stepped forward.
Arthur took my hand.
Then he placed it gently in Elijah's.
But before stepping away, he looked at him.
"Take care of my daughter."
Elijah nodded.
"Every day, sir."
Arthur smiled.
Then he leaned toward me.
"I love you."
I whispered, "I love you too, Dad."
He stepped back.
And for the first time all morning, I felt completely at peace.
The ceremony began.
Our pastor spoke about commitment.
About patience.
About choosing love even when life became difficult.
I listened carefully.
Because I had seen what love looked like when someone stayed.
And I had seen what happened when someone used love as a weapon.
When it was time for our vows, Elijah took my hands.
His voice trembled.
"Nia, I promise never to make you feel like you have to earn my love."
My eyes filled.
He continued.
"I promise to tell you the truth, even when it's difficult."
I smiled through tears.
"And I promise to stand beside you, not above you."
I began crying.
When it was my turn, I took a breath.
"Elijah, you came into my life when I was still learning how to trust that people could stay."
His eyes filled.
I continued.
"You never asked me to hide my fears."
I squeezed his hands.
"You never made my past feel like a burden."
He smiled.
"And you never treated my family as something you had to tolerate."
I looked toward Arthur and Mom.
Both were crying.
Then I turned back to Elijah.
"I promise to build a home with you where love is safe."
My voice broke.
"Where honesty matters."
"And where our children, if we're blessed with them, will never wonder whether they are wanted."
Elijah began crying.
I smiled.
"I choose you."
He whispered, "I choose you too."
The pastor pronounced us husband and wife.
Elijah kissed me.
The church erupted in applause.
I laughed through my tears.
For one perfect moment, the chaos of the morning disappeared.
I was married.
To the man I loved.
With the father who raised me standing proudly nearby.
But the peace didn't last long.
During the reception, Simone approached me with a concerned expression.
"Nia?"
I turned.
"What's wrong?"
She hesitated.
"There's someone asking to speak with your mother."
My stomach tightened.
"Raymond?"
She shook her head.
"No."
I exhaled.
"Then who?"
"A woman named Patricia."
I frowned.
"Patricia who?"
Simone checked her phone.
"Patricia Ellis."
I stared at her.
Ellis.
Raymond's surname.
"What does she want?"
Simone lowered her voice.
"She says she's Raymond's older sister."
My heart began pounding.
I had never met any of his relatives.
Simone continued.
"She says she came because she heard what happened this morning."
I looked toward Mom.
She was laughing with Arthur near the dance floor.
I didn't want another confrontation.
"Tell her this isn't the time."
Simone nodded.
Then hesitated.
"Nia, she said something else."
I closed my eyes.
"What?"
"She says Raymond has been lying about why he returned."
My stomach tightened.
I looked at her.
"What does that mean?"
Simone swallowed.
"She says he didn't come back just to walk you down the aisle."
I stared toward the entrance.
Then Simone whispered, "She says he came because he needs something from you."
I felt the old fear return.
"What does he need?"
Simone shook her head.
"She wouldn't say."
I looked toward Elijah.
He was standing near the cake, smiling at our guests.
This was supposed to be our day.
Our beginning.
May you like
But Raymond's past was still following me.
And I realized that if I wanted peace, I would eventually have to learn exactly what he was trying to take from me.
