“Then I won’t give the toast I prepared,” Richard said.
“Dad!”
“I won’t praise the family you’re building while you refuse to respect the woman who raised your husband.”
Jessica turned to Daniel.
“Are you going to let him humiliate me?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Richard, Jessica was under pressure. Mom said she understood.”
Richard looked at him.
“Did she really understand? Or did she love you enough not to argue?”
Daniel’s face changed.
He set the plastic trophy on the table.
“Mom sent me a picture of her dress,” Daniel said.
Jessica stiffened.
“Daniel, don’t.”
“She bought a blue dress and fixed it herself. I told her she looked beautiful.”
He swallowed.
“Then I went to her house and told her not to wear it here.”
Jessica grabbed his sleeve.
“Stop embarrassing me!”
Daniel looked at her.
“That’s what I did to my mother.”
He picked up the microphone.
“My mom isn’t here because I asked her not to come. Jessica wanted me to keep her away, and I agreed.”
