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He still had his suit jacket on.
The boutonniere on his chest looked absurdly cheerful.
Neither of them noticed me at first.
“You said you were okay with the candle,” Ryan said.
“You said you were okay with the candle.”
Amelia stared at it.
“You asked if I understood it, Dad.”
Ryan went quiet.
“That’s not the same thing,” she added.
Ryan was saying, “Why didn’t you tell me you felt like this?”
Amelia stared at the candle.
“You didn’t ask.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you felt like this?”
Ryan frowned.
“I ask you things all the time.”
“You ask if school was good.”
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He went quiet.
“You ask if I like Aunt Lina’s apartment.”
Another pause.
“You ask if dinner tastes good.”
Ryan looked down.
Amelia’s voice got smaller.
“You don’t ask if I’m mad.”
“I ask you things all the time.”
I stopped several feet away.
Ryan finally said, “Are you mad at me?”
Amelia nodded.
Just once.
Ryan looked at her for a long time.
He took a breath and nodded once. “Okay.”
I had never heard him answer her like that before.
No excuse.
No “someday you’ll understand.”
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Just okay.
I had never heard him answer her like that before.
Then Amelia saw me.
“Mom!”
She dropped the candle onto the bench and ran.
I knelt as she crashed into me.
“Mom, I ruined Dad’s wedding.”
“No, baby.”
“I did.”
“You got upset.” I pulled her back enough to see her face. “That is not the same thing.”
“Mom, I ruined Dad’s wedding.”
