Chapter 3 - THE RECEPTION WITHOUT A GROOM
Ethan never entered his own wedding reception.
He sat in a private room beneath the church while music played upstairs for guests who had no idea whether they were supposed to celebrate or leave.
Claire stood by the window.
Her wedding dress filled half the room.
Richard paced.
“This is exactly what she wanted.”
Ethan stared at the envelope.
“You said she was dead.”
“I thought she was.”
“No. You said she was supposed to be dead.”
Richard stopped.
“Poor choice of words.”
“Funny. You usually choose your words pretty carefully.”
“Ethan—”
“Who is she?”
Richard looked at Claire.
“This is a family matter.”
Claire’s eyes sharpened.
“I became family forty minutes ago.”
Ethan almost laughed.
Almost.
He opened the envelope.
Richard lunged.
“Don’t.”
That was enough.
Ethan tore it open.
Inside were photocopies.
Court filings.
Medical records.
A birth certificate.
Ethan read the first line.
ETHAN MICHAEL HALE.
Mother: Nora Elise Mercer.
Father: Richard James Hale.
His hands started shaking.
Claire whispered, “So she really is your mother.”
Richard sank into a chair.
“Yes.”
One word.
Twenty-nine years of Ethan’s life rearranged themselves around it.
He stared at his father.
“You told me Mom died when I was five.”
“I told you what I believed you needed to know.”
“What I needed?”
“You were a child.”
“You showed me a grave.”
Richard said nothing.
Ethan stood.
“You took me to a cemetery every year.”
“It was symbolic.”
Ethan stared at him.
“You made me put flowers on an empty grave?”
Richard’s voice hardened.
“Because the truth would have destroyed you.”
“What truth?”
Richard looked away.
“Nora was unstable.”
“Meaning what?”
“Violent episodes. Delusions. She drank. She disappeared for days.”
From the window, Claire said quietly, “Did she hurt Ethan?”
Richard hesitated.
It lasted maybe half a second.
But Ethan saw it.
“I asked you a question,” Claire said.
Richard rose.
“There was an accident.”
Ethan’s mind flashed.
Hospital ceiling.
Rain.
Glass.
“What accident?”
Richard rubbed his forehead.
“Ethan, this is not how you should hear this.”
“Then how about you stop deciding how I should hear things?”
Richard looked at his son.
“When you were five, Nora crashed a car with you inside.”
Silence.
“You almost died.”
Ethan sat down again.
His legs had suddenly stopped working.
Richard continued.
“She was drunk. The court removed you from her custody. After that, she deteriorated badly.”
Ethan looked at the documents.
One page had a signature.
NORA E. MERCER.
Below it:
VOLUNTARY TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS.
Ethan felt sick.
“She signed me away?”
“Yes.”
Richard’s answer came too quickly.
Claire crossed the room.
“Ethan.”
He looked up.
Her face was strange.
Not shocked.
Guilty.
“Claire?”
She closed her eyes.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
Richard turned toward her.
“Don’t.”
Ethan looked between them.
“What?”
Claire opened her eyes.
“Nora didn’t first contact you today.”
His stomach dropped.
“She contacted me.”
“When?”
Claire’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“Three weeks ago.”
Ethan stood very slowly.
His bride began to cry.
May you like
“I met your mother before our wedding.”
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