It was from Elise’s bachelorette weekend.
Late at night.
A balcony.
Wind rattling against the microphone.
Someone laughing behind the camera.
Elise was sitting there holding a bright pink drink, talking much more freely than she probably realized.
She started talking about Carson.
His money.
Why she was marrying him.
Then she mentioned me.
I stopped the video.
Played that part again.
Then sat there for a long time without touching the keyboard.
That clip changed the entire slideshow.
I kept the beginning exactly as everyone expected.
Baby photos.
Birthday cakes.
School dances.
Graduation pictures.
Soft piano music.
Sweet memories.
Then, gradually, the tone changed.
Not enough to make anyone suspicious immediately.
Just enough to make people start paying closer attention.
And now, sitting at table 19 surrounded by crayons and juice cups, I reached for my phone.
"At my sister’s wedding, my father leaned close enough that only I could hear him. “Try not to ruin this the way you ruin everything else.”
