Her smile vanished when she saw Emily holding my hand.
“Andrew, why did you bring her out here?”
That question revealed more than any explanation could.
I stopped several feet away.
“Why was my daughter locked inside the laundry room?”
Vanessa glanced toward the photographer and two bridesmaids before lowering her voice.
“She was not locked inside because I only asked her to remain somewhere quiet until we finished.”
“You instructed a nine-year-old child to hide during her father’s wedding.”
“Please stop making it sound cruel when I was trying to prevent unnecessary emotional confusion.”
Emily moved closer to me.
“What emotional confusion could her presence create?”
Vanessa looked toward the guests.
“Everybody knows she represents your first marriage, and constantly placing her beside us makes it appear that Caroline remains part of this relationship.”
I stared at the woman I had intended to marry within minutes.
“Caroline will always remain part of Emily’s life, which means her memory will never be erased from mine.”
