Before the Bells Could Ring

Right after I said "yes" and stepped down from the stage, the room filled with surprised whispers. I turned to see a big screen shining with a picture of a family of three.

The kid looked a lot like my fiancée, Rosie Lewis.

The photos changed one after another, showing the kid's birth, his first birthday, and even his first day of kindergarten. Rosie was there for all of it, smiling big in every picture and marking the date and time.

I was just finding out now.

All those times she said she had to work late or go on business trips, she was actually with them, her son and his dad.

My girlfriend had a secret life and another family.

When their wedding photo showed up on the screen, everyone cheered again, all happy faces.

No one found it absurd because they were all Rosie's friends.

When we talked about the wedding, she said she wanted a wedding attended only by close friends, no family.

I used to think she was sparing me embarrassment because I did not have any family.

"Kiss the bride and groom!"

However, when I heard people teasing us to kiss, I realized she was just making a big moment for her first love and their son.

I used to think our simple wedding was not good enough for her, after being with me for seven years.

Then, Rosie glanced at me with bashful eyes and instead of kissing me, she simply held my hand.

The crowd let out a disappointed sigh.

I was about to leave when the lights dimmed and a spotlight hit the door.

There was Rosie's mom, in a wheelchair, showing up at the wedding.

Seeing her kind face made my eyes tear up.

My parents died when I was young, and Rosie's mom, Larisse Henderson, felt sorry for me. She always went out of her way to look after me.

Whenever I dated Rosie, she would invite me over for dinner, wanting me to enjoy her mother's cooking.

However, then, Larisse got really sick and could not move half her body. She had to live in a wheelchair forever.

So, I quit my job to take care of her for five years. I came to love her just like she was my own mom.

As I was lost in thought, I was suddenly shoved from behind and crashed into a table. My arm turned all purple and blue.

Rosie's beloved Jeffrey Carter stood in front of me, acting like he could not speak.

"Malcolm, I just bumped you by accident. You don't have to pretend to fall and make it look worse than it is," he said.

Rosie, who was about to help me, froze and looked at me with disappointment.

Then, Larisse wheeled over to us.

I was about to ask for help when Jeffrey called out "Mom" and wheeled past me to push Larisse's chair.